THIS WEEK
•The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (11-6, 7-5 NSIC) continues a four-game home stand this weekend with a pair of games versus teams from the NSIC North Division.
•SMSU will take St. Cloud State University (7-10, 4-8 NSIC) on Friday night with tip-off slated for 5:30 p.m. before facing the University of Minnesota Duluth (13-5, 9-3 NSIC) on Saturday with game time slated for 3:30 p.m. Both games will take place at the R/A Facility on the SMSU campus.
•SMSU has won seven of its last 10 games and is currently tied for second place in the NSIC South Division standings.
•SCSU is tied for sixth in the NSIC North Division standings, while UMD is tied for second place. UMD was tabbed as the preseason favorite to win the overall NSIC title.
•Starting this weekend, the final 10 NSIC doubleheaders will feature the men's game first, followed by the women's game.  
•After last weekend's split with MSU Moorhead and Northern State, SMSU is a combined 45-29 versus NSIC North Division teams in conference play since divisions were introduced prior to the 2012-13 season.

    BROADCAST INFO
•All games will be broadcast on 105.1 FM KARL with Ryan Rohlik providing play-by-play.
•Live stats, radio and video broadcasts of all games can be found at SMSUmustangs.com.
 
    SMSU HEAD COACH BRAD BIGLER
•Brad Bigler, the all-time wins leader in program history, is in his 14th season as head coach and has an overall record of 216-171, including 145-134 in NSIC play.  
•The 2012-13 and 2016-17 NSIC Coach of the Year, Bigler has led SMSU to seven winning seasons, including one 28-win season, one 25-win season and two 19-win seasons.
•SMSU won NSIC Tournament titles in 2012 and 2017 and won back-to-back NSIC South Division championships in 2016-17 and 2017-18.  
•SMSU has played in five NSIC Tournament championship games during his tenure (2010, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019).
•SMSU's 11th head coach, Bigler spent six seasons (2003-09) as an assistant coach at SMSU, including the last three as associate head coach.
•SMSU's 71 combined victories from 2016-19 was the best three-year stretch in program history.
•Bigler's complete bio is found on page 16.

    MUSTANGS BY THE NUMBERS
•For the season, SMSU has three players averaging double figures in scoring with sophomore Dunwa Omot leading the way at 14.8 ppg while connecting on a team-high 23 3-pointers while ranking tied for first with 22 steals.
•SMSU lead the NSIC (league games only) in scoring defense (62.4) and opponent field goal pct. (39.4) and ranks last in scoring offense (63.4).
•Junior Jake Phipps is scoring 11.5 ppg, while shooting 57 percent from the field and leading the team averaging 7.2  rebounds per game
•Senior Anthony Costello is averaging 11.6 ppg and has made 22 3-pointers.
•Junior Cliff McCray is scoring 8.2 ppg and has dished out a team-leading 56 assists.
•SMSU is shooting 47 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3-point range, 77 percent from the free throw line and is plus-0.9 in rebound margin. The Mustangs are averaging 67 points per game, while opponents are averaging 62 ppg.

    MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS
•SMSU is limiting opponents to 39.2 percent shooting from the field and 29.8 percent from 3-point range this season with both currently ranking first in team single-season history. SMSU is allowing 62.3 points per game which ranks as the third-lowest in team history. The 2006-07 team holds the single-season record at 61.4 ppg, while the 2008-09 team held teams to 62.2 ppg.
•SMSU has played outstanding defense late in games during a 10-game stretch since Dec. 9 limiting opponents to less than 35 percent shooting from the field in the second half in seven of it last 10 games.
    *SMSU opponents' second half shooting percentage (last 10 games)
        -at Winona State (26.7); at Upper Iowa (27.3); vs. Concordia-St. Paul (30.8); vs. Minnesota State (44.8);
        vs. Northland (32.3); at Sioux Falls (28.1); at UMary (48.0); at Minot State (31.3); vs. MSU Moorhead (40.0);
        vs. Northern State (34.5)
•SMSU's 45-24 rebound advantage last Saturday night over Northern State was the first time since Nov. 20, 2018, versus Northland College that SMSU finished a game plus-20 in rebound margin.
•Senior Anthony Costello has scored 975 career points in 96 combined games at Dakota State (2018-20) and SMSU (2021-23). He scored 551 points in 52 games at DSU and has scored 424 points in 44 games at SMSU.
•Costello recorded his second 20-point scoring game of the season in Saturday's win over Northern State.
•In the Division II national statistics (Jan. 17), SMSU ranks seventh in fouls per game (13.1), 11th in field goal pct. defense (39.2), 15th in scoring defense (62.3), 18th in free throw pct. (77.4) and 20th in 3-point field goal pct. defense (29.8). Sophomore Dunwa Omot ranks 46th in free throw pct. (87.0).
•Junior Jake Phipps ranks fifth in team history in field goal pct. (56.6, 368 of 650) and is sixth in blocked shots (97).
•True freshman Mason Lund has missed the last four games due to an injury.
•Omot ranks second in team history in 3-point field goal pct. (47.9, 80 of 167). Omot's 56.6 3-point field goal pct. (56 of 99) last season set a program single-season record, while his 87.5 free throw pct. ranks seventh in team single-season history.
•Phipps grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds at Wayne State on Dec. 3. He is the first SMSU player to grab 15 rebounds in a game since Kenny Byers had 15 at Minnesota Duluth on Dec. 14, 2019.

    MUSTANGS EARN WEEKEND SPLIT
•SMSU split two home games last weekend versus NSIC North foes, suffering a 77-75 setback to No. 20 MSU Moorhead, before rebounding with a 67-58 win over Northern State.
•SMSU had a last-second 3-pointer miss in the loss to MSUM on Friday night. The Mustangs had five in double figures, led by a 16-point, eight rebound, and two block effort from Jake Phipps. Dunwa Omot added 14 points, three assists, three steals, and two blocks and Anthony Costello totaled 14 points on 6 of 10 shooting off the bench.
•Majok Majouk tallied 12 points, shooting 5 of 7 from the field and 2 of 3 from beyond the arc, grabbed six rebounds, and dished three assists. Cliff McCray rounded out the double-digit scorers, scoring 11 points on 5 of 8 shooting from the field.
•In the win over NSU, Costello scored 20 points, while Phipps scored 14 points and pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds.
•SMSU limited NSU to 34 percent (20 of 59) shooting, including 13 of 40 from 3-point range and dominated the glass, holding a 45-24 rebound advantage.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS ST. CLOUD STATE
•SMSU and SCSU meet for the 66th time with SCSU leading 42-23 in a series that started in 1969-70.
•SMSU won last season's lone meeting played in St. Cloud, 93-86, in double overtime.
•SCSU leads 17-13 in games played in Marshall, including winning the last game played inside the R/A Facility, 77-70, on Dec. 13, 2019.
•SMSU's last home win over SCSU was on Dec. 10, 2016.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 7-11 all-time versus SCSU.
•Game-by-game results of the series is located on page 17.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS MINNESOTA DULUTH
•SMSU and UMD meet for the 88th time with UMD leading 52-35 in a series that began in 1972-73.
•UMD's win last season in Duluth, 91-62, snapped a five-game win streak for SMSU in the series.
•SMSU has won 17 of the last 20 since the 2005-06 season. •SMSU leads 23-16 in games played in Marshall, including winning the previous 10 games. UMD's last victory in Marshall occurred on Dec. 12, 2004.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 13-3 all-time versus UMD.
•Game-by-game results of the series is located on page 18.

    SCOUTING ST. CLOUD STATE
•The Huskies are 7-10 overall, 4-8 NSIC, and have lost seven of their last nine games since Dec. 9. SCSU split two home games last weekend, defeating Winona State, 74-70, before losing to Upper Iowa, 72-57.
•Junior forward Matthew Willert is averaging a team-high 15.5 ppg with a team-high 36 3-pointers. He is shooting 46 percent from the field and is shooting 90 percent from the foul line.
•Senior forward Luke Taylor is scoring 11.2 ppg.
•SCSU is shooting 42 percent from the field, 32 percent from 3-point range, 75 percent from the free throw line and is minus-2.7 in rebound margin.
•SCSU is averaging 74 points per game, while opponents are averaging 78 points per game.
•Head coach Quincy Henderson is in his first season with a record of 7-10. He was an assistant coach at West Texas A&M for eight seasons prior to taking over as head coach.  
 
    SCOUTING MINNESOTA DULUTH
•The Bulldogs, 13-5 overall, 9-3 NSIC, will play at Sioux Falls on Friday night. UMD is 3-3 since Dec. 31.
•Senior guard Drew Blair is scoring a team-leading 20.1 ppg with 47 3-pointers and 44 assists.  
•Junior forward Charlie Katona is scoring 12.8 ppg and pulling down 6.3 rpg.
•Junior forward Austin Andrews averages a team-high 6.9 rpg and is scoring 12.3 ppg while shooting 60 percent.   
•UMD is shooting 48 percent from the field, 34 percent from 3-point range, 69 percent from the free throw line and is plus-3.5 in rebound margin.
•UMD is averaging 81 points per game, while opponents are averaging 74 points per game.
•Head coach Justin Wieck is in his fifth season with a record of 83-37.  

    MUSTANG CAREER 20-POINT GAMES  
•Three current SMSU players, senior Anthony Costello,  junior Jake Phipps and sophomore Dunwa Omot have scored 20 or more points in a game during their careers.
•Omot has reached the mark four times this season and five times in his career, Phipps has reached 20 points once this season and seven times in his career, while Costello has two 20-point games this season.
20 or More Point Games in Career
    28    Dunwa Omot    Minot State, 2/23/22
    25    Dunwa Omot    Minnesota Duluth, 1/28/22
    25    Jake Phipps    Concordia-St. Paul, 12/17/21
    24    Dunwa Omot    Concordia-St. Paul, 12/16/22
    24    Jake Phipps    Northern State, 1/14/22
    24    Dunwa Omot    UMary, 1/8/22
    23    Dunwa Omot    Winona State, 2/12/22
    22    Jake Phipps    UMary, 1/6/23
    22    Jake Phipps    Minnesota State, 12/18/21
    22    Jake Phipps    Sioux Falls, 11/23/21
    22    Jake Phipps    Sioux Falls, 2/21/21
    21    Dunwa Omot    Northland, 12/19/22
    21    Anthony Costello    Newman, 11/12/22
    21    Jake Phipps    Davenport, 11/20/21
    20    Anthony Costello    Northern State, 1/14/23
    20    Dunwa Omot    Sioux Falls, 12/31/22
    20    Dunwa Omot    Mount Marty, 11/26/22
    20    Dunwa Omot    St. Cloud State, 1/29/22
Bold indicates 2022-23 season

    JAKOB BRAATEN NOTES
•Has played in 14 games with five starts and is averaging 6.6 ppg and 3.3 rpg. Missed three games with an injury.
•Scored season-high 11 points with five field goals at Wayne State (12/3/22) and also scored 11 points at Winona State (12/9/22).
•Pulled down career-high eight rebounds vs. Mt. Marty (11/26/22).
•Sat out the 2021-22 season as a redshirt.

    NOAH CHAMBERLAIN NOTES
•Has played in 11 games with four starts.
•Scored career-high 13 points on 5 of 7 shooting at Minot State (1/7/23).
•Grabbed career-high six rebounds vs. Minnesota State (12/17/22).
•Played in 15 games with two starts last season.
•Played in eight games with two starts in 2021 and averaged 2.5 ppg and 1.4 rpg.
•Scored career-high seven points vs. Minot State (1/8/21) on 3 of 3 shooting with one 3-pointer.
•Sat out the 2019-20 season as a redshirt.

    ANTHONY COSTELLO NOTES
•Has played in all 17 games with seven starts and is averaging 11.6 ppg and 3.4 rpg.  
•Has scored double figures in 12 games.
•Scored season-high 21 points on 10 of 12 shooting vs. Newman (11/12/22).
•Poured in 20 points on 9 of 12 shooting vs. Northern State (1/24/23).
•Grabbed season-high seven rebounds vs. Mt. Marty (11/26/22).
•Played in all 27 games last season averaging 8.4 ppg and 3.0 rpg.
•Scored double figures in 12 games.
•Scored 16 points on 7 of 12 shooting vs. Bemidji State (1/22/22).
•Spent three seasons (2018-21) at Dakota State University before transferring to SMSU.

    ALEX HILLESHEIM NOTES
•Has played in two games this season.
•Scored one point vs. Northland (12/19/22).
•Played in three games and grabbed one rebound at Minnesota Duluth (1/28/22) last season.
•Played in five games in 2021 averaging 4.0 ppg and 2.0 rpg.
•Scored career-high 13 points on five field goals and grabbed a career-high six rebounds vs. Minnesota State (1/24/21).

    JAKE LAYMAN NOTES
•Has played in three games this season and scored eight points.
•Scored five points with five rebounds vs. Northland (12/9/22).
•Sat out the 2021-22 season as a redshirt.

    MASON LUND NOTES
•Has missed the last four games with an injury.
•Played in 13 games with six starts and is averaging 7.7 ppg and 3.7 rpg.
•Grabbed a career-high nine rebounds vs. Mt. Marty (11/26/22).
•Scored season-high 16 points on 6 of 11 shooting with two 3-pointers vs. Mt. Marty (11/26/22).
•Scored 12 points on 5 of 8 shooting with six rebounds vs. Newman (11/12/22).

    CLIFF MCCRAY NOTES
•Has started all 17 games and is scoring 8.2 ppg and leads the team with 56 assists.
•Season-high 10 rebounds and scored 11 points for second career double-double at Minot State (1/7/23).
•Tied career-high with eight assists vs. Newman (11/12/22).
•Scored season-high 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds at Rogers State (11/11/22).
•Started all 27 games averaging 9.5 ppg and dished out a team-high 92 assists last season.
•Tied career-high with 19 points vs. Minnesota Morris (11/29/21).
•Played and started nine games in 2021 and averaged 7.7 ppg and a team-high 6.0 rpg.
•Led the team in 2020-21 with 41 assists.
•One of two true freshman to play in 2019-20.

    MAJOK MAJOUK NOTES
•Has played in 16 games with three starts and is averaging 5.3 ppg and 4.6 rpg.
•Grabbed career-high eight rebounds vs. Augustana (12/1/22).
•Scored 12 points on 5 of 7 shooting vs. MSU Moorhead (1/13/23).
•Scored season-high 15 points on 5 of 7 shooting with four 3-pointers vs. Mt. Marty (11/26/22).
•Sat out the 2021-22 season as a redshirt.

    LANCE MOSLEY NOTES
•Has played in two games this season scoring two points and grabbing two rebounds vs. Northland (12/19/22).
•Played in two games with one rebound last season.
•Played in three games in 2021 scoring two points vs. Minnesota State (1/23/21).

    DUNWA OMOT NOTES
•Has started all 17 games and is averaging a team-high 14.8 ppg with a team-high 23 3-pointers.
•Has scored 20 or more points four times this season.
•Made 9 of 11 field goals and scored 21 points vs. Northland (12/19/22).
•Scored season-high 24 points with four 3-pointers vs. Concordia-St. Paul (12/16/22).
•Grabbed season-high seven rebounds at Upper Iowa (12/10/22).
•Played in all 27 games with eight starts last season averaging 11.9 ppg and 1.8 rpg.
•Led the team with 56 3-pointers.
•Shot 56.6 percent on 3-pointers in 2021-22 ranking first in school history, while his 87.5 free throw pct. ranks seventh in team single-season history.
•Scored 20 or more points in five games.
•Scored a career-high 28 points with six 3-pointers at Minot State (2/23/22)
•Scored 25 points with five 3-pointers at Minnesota Duluth (1/28/22).
•Played in four games and averaged 1.3 ppg and 0.8 rpg in 2021.

    JAKE PHIPPS NOTES
•Has started all 17 games and is averaging 11.5 ppg and a team-high 7.2 rpg.
•Has two double-doubles this season.
•Poured in season-high 22 points on 10 of 13 shooting at UMary (1/6/23).
•Scored 17 points on 7 of 8 shooting vs. Northland (12/19/22).
•Grabbed career-high 15 rebounds at Wayne State (12/3/22).
•Started all 27 games last season averaging 12.7 ppg and a team-high 6.4 rpg.
•Recorded a team-high five double-doubles last season.
•Scored a career-high 25 points with 12 field goals at Concordia-St. Paul (12/17/21).
•Scored 24 points on 10 of 15 shooting at Northern State (1/14/22).
•Twice was named NSIC South Player of the Week in 2021-22.
•Started 10 of 11 games in 2021 and averaged 11.1 ppg and 4.6 rpg.
•Appeared in all 29 games with three starts in 2019-20 and averaged 7.2 ppg and 3.8 rpg.
•Sat out the 2018-19 season as a redshirt.

    SAM SCHWARTZ NOTES
•Has played 14 games with seven starts and is averaging 2.8 ppg and 1.4 rpg.
•Scored seven points vs. Concordia-St. Paul (16/16/22).
•Scored eight points with two 3-pointers vs. Truman State (11/19/22).
•Played in 26 games last season averaging 3.7 ppg and 2.1 rpg.
•Scored season-high 12 points on 5 of 6 shooting at Concordia-St. Paul (12/17/21).
•Poured in 11 points with three 3-pointers vs. UMary (1/8/22).
•Grabbed career-high 11 rebounds with a career-high six assists vs. Minnesota Morris (11/29/21).
•Played in nine games with four starts in 2021 and averaged 9.3 ppg and 2.8 rpg.
•Scored career-high 15 points with six field goals vs. Sioux Falls (2/21/21).
•Hit three 3-pointers twice vs. Minot State (1/8-9/21).
•Sat out the 2019-20 season as a redshirt.

    JONATHAN ZINNIEL NOTES
•Has appeared in two game this season scoring four points and grabbing six rebounds vs. Northland (12/19/22).
•Played in three games and scored two points vs. Newman (11/13/21) and Minnesota Morris (11/29/21) last season.
•Played in three games in 2021 and had one rebound.  

    HOME AND AWAY IN 2022-23
•SMSU is 6-3 at home this season after finishing 6-5 at home in 2021-22. SMSU has a home record of 115-62 since Brad Bigler took over in 2009-10.
•SMSU, which is 5-3 in road/neutral site games this season, is 101-100 in 210 road/neutral site games during the Bigler era.
•The following is a statistical comparison of the Mustang team averages for home and away/neutral games in 2022-23:
        W-L    FG%    3-FG%    FT%    REB    PTS    TO    
Home    6-3    45.6    36.2    80.6    35.7    69.7    9.9    
Away    5-3    48.2    33.1    72.2    31.8    64.4    14.6     

    HOME SWEET HOME
•The 2022-23 season marks the 27th year the R/A Facility has served as the home arena for SMSU men's basketball.
•SMSU has a record of 247-109 (.693) in 356 games with 22 winning and four losing seasons all-time.
SMSU in the R/A Facility
    Year    Overall    NSIC    Non
    1996-97    6-4    3-2    3-2    
    1997-98    8-5    4-2    4-3    
    1998-99    10-3    5-1    5-2    
    1999-00    12-3    7-2    5-1    
    2000-01    12-1    9-0    3-1    
    2001-02    12-2    7-2    5-0    
    2002-03    9-5    7-2    2-3
    2003-04    9-5    5-3    4-2    
    2004-05    6-8    3-4    3-4
    2005-06    10-5    3-4    7-1    
    2006-07    13-2    8-1    5-1
    2007-08    12-2    7-2    5-0
    2008-09    13-3    8-2    5-1
    2009-10    12-3    7-3    5-0
    2010-11    10-3    8-3    2-0
    2011-12    10-2    9-2    1-0
    2012-13    7-4    7-4    0-0
    2013-14    11-4    8-3    3-1
    2014-15    6-8    4-7    2-1
    2015-16    8-4    7-4    1-0
    2016-17    9-3    8-3    1-0
    2017-18    12-2    10-1    2-1
    2018-19    12-5    7-4    5-1    
    2019-20    4-9    2-9    2-0
    2020-21    2-6    1-5    1-1
    2021-22    6-5    5-5    1-0
    2022-23    6-3    4-2    2-1
    Totals    247-109    163-82    84-27

    NSIC SOUTH VS. NSIC NORTH
•SMSU is a combined 45-29 versus North Division teams in conference play since divisions were introduced prior to the 2012-13 season, including 2-2 this season.
•SMSU finished with 3-3 mark versus NSIC North Division teams in 2021-22. SMSU was 3-5 record versus the NSIC North teams in 2019-20; 5-3 in 2018-19; 7-1 in 2017-18; 6-2 in 2016-17; 3-5 in 2015-16; 5-3 in 2014-15; 5-3 in 2013-14; and 6-2 in 2012-13.
•Through nine-plus seasons of conference play (Jan. 14, 2023), the NSIC South holds a 340-254 advantage over NSIC North teams since divisions were formed in 2012-13. The North leads 17-15 through two weekends of play this season.
•The 2018-19 season is the only year in which the North has held an advantage versus the South.  

    SMSU PICKED 7TH IN NSIC PRESEASON POLL
•SMSU was picked to finish eighth overall and fifth in the South Division in the 16-team NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
•SMSU junior forward Jake Phipps was named a "Player to Watch".
•Wayne State was chosen as the South Division favorite, while Minnesota Duluth was selected as the North Division and overall preseason favorite.  

    NSIC FORMAT CONTINUES FOR SECOND YEAR  
•SMSU will play 22 conference games this season, including two versus each team within the NSIC South Division and one each versus the NSIC North Division.
•For the second straight season half of the NSIC doubleheaders will feature the men's game first followed by the women's game.
•Also again this season, the NSIC Sanford Tournament will feature 12 teams, with the top six in each division qualifying for the tournament. The top two teams in each division receive a spot in the quarterfinals.
•The quarterfinals, semifinals and championship game will all be played at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.

    CONSECUTIVE 3-POINT GAMES
•SMSU has made on at least one 3-point field goal in 705 straight games.
•The last time SMSU failed to connect on a 3-pointer was on Dec. 11, 1998, versus MSU Moorhead (0 for 10) at the North Dakota State Classic.

    MUSTANGS AND THE CENTURY MARK
•SMSU last scored 100 points in a game on Feb. 1, 2019, versus Minnesota Crookston (100-78).
•SMSU is 40-8 all-time when scoring 100 points, including 8-2 under head coach Brad Bigler.

    WORKING OVERTIME
•SMSU has not played an overtime game this season after finishing 3-1 a season ago. SMSU's last overtime game was a  60-55 victory over Wayne State in Marshall on Feb. 17, 2022.
•SMSU is 51-40 all-time in overtime games.
•SMSU is 8-6 in double overtime and is 1-2 in triple overtime games all-time.

    SEASON OPENERS
•SMSU is 30-26 all-time in season openers having won nine of its last 17 and 17 of its last 26 season lid-lifters following this season's victory at Rogers State.
•SMSU has opened the season on the road seven times in the last eight seasons.

    SMSU IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
•SMSU has made five NCAA Tournament appearances (2001, 2009, 2012, 2017, 2018) since moving to Division II in 1995-96.
•SMSU is 9-5 all-time in NCAA Tournament games appearing in three region championship games with region titles and Elite Eight appearances in both 2001 and 2009.  

    SMSU ALL-TIME IN THE NSIC
•The 2022-23 campaign marks the 54th season SMSU has competed in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
•SMSU has an all-time record of 394-435 in 829 conference games, finishing in the top half of the final standings 26 times in 53 seasons.
•SMSU has captured one regular season championship (2000-01), two NSIC South Division titles (2016-17) and (2017-18) and two tournament championships (2012) and (2017).

    MUSTANG HISTORY
•SMSU is in its 56th season of men's basketball in 2022-23.
•SMSU has played 1,531 games compiling an all-time record of 708-823.
•SMSU has won two NSIC regular season championships (2001 & 2009), two NSIC South Division championships (2017 & 2018), two NSIC Tournament championships (2012, 2017), two NCAA Region championships (2001 & 2009) and has appeared in five NCAA Tournaments (2001, 2009, 2012, 2017, 2018).
•SMSU has recorded 25 winning seasons in program history with 18 coming in the last 25 years.