THIS WEEK
•The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (2-0) continues non-conference play on Tuesday night taking on Division I Drake University (1-0) in Des Moines, Iowa, with tip-off slated for 7 p.m. at the Knapp Center.
•Tuesday's game is an exhibition game for SMSU, while its a regular season game for Drake.
•Drake, the preseason pick to win the Missouri Valley Conference, won 27 games last season and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
•SMSU opened the regular season this past weekend earning two victories at the Missouri Western State Classic, which included beating No. 1 ranked and traditional powerhouse Northwest Missouri State on Saturday afternoon.
•Tuesday will be SMSU's third straight game versus a team picked to win its conference championship. SMSU opened the season on Friday defeating Southeastern Oklahoma State (favorites to win the Great American Conference) before knocking off NW Missouri State (the Mid-American Athletic Association preseason favorite).
•SMSU's next regular season game is Tuesday, Nov. 21, with a conference match-up at Wayne State College.
•SMSU's first eight games (including the exhibition at Drake) will be played away from Marshall. The Mustangs will not play at home until Dec. 8. Eleven of SMSU's first 14 games will be either neutral site or road contests.
•A preview for Drake can be found on page 4.

    BROADCAST INFO
•Live stats and video broadcast of Tuesday's can be found at SMSUmustangs.com. There will be no local radio coverage.

    SERIES VERSUS DIVISION I FOES
•Tuesday's game versus Drake is an exhibition for SMSU. SMSU and Drake last played on Nov. 3, 2007, with Drake earning a 69-51 exhibition game victory in Des Moines.  
•SMSU is 3-13 all-time in regular season games versus NCAA Division I schools with the last game coming on Nov. 18, 2013, with an 83-62 loss at South Dakota State.
•The Mustangs finished 2-1 during the 2008-09 season against a pair of NCAA Division I transitional members, beating the University of North Dakota twice, while losing at the University of South Dakota.
•SMSU's first Division I win came during the 2004-05 season at South Dakota State (93-55).  
•Over the last 20 seasons, SMSU has played exhibition games at Northern Iowa, Drake, Colorado State, Nebraska and Minnesota. SMSU's last exhibition game versus a Division I opponent was at Minnesota on Oct. 28, 2019.
 
    SMSU HEAD COACH BRAD BIGLER
•Brad Bigler, the all-time wins leader in program history, is in his 15th season as head coach and has an overall record of 223-177, including 150-139 in NSIC play.  
•The 2012-13 and 2016-17 NSIC Coach of the Year, Bigler has led SMSU to eight 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 in team history, 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.

    SMSU OPENS SEASON WITH TWO BIG WINS IN MISSOURI   
•SMSU opened the season last weekend earning two big victories at the Missouri Western State Classic in St. Joseph. The Mustangs opened with a 72-68 victory over Southeastern Oklahoma Sate on Friday, before earning its first-ever victory over a No. 1 ranked team on Saturday, defeating Northwest Missouri State, 63-56. NWMSU had only lost 16 games in the previous seven seasons combined and won NCAA national championships in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022.  
•In the victory over Southeastern, Jake Phipps led the Mustangs with a team-high 17 points on 8 of 11 shooting, while grabbing a game-high nine rebounds. Dunwa Omot, Mason Lund and Kyle Luedtke each scored 14 points in the victory. Mustang true freshman Aeron Stevens came off the bench and scored nine points and pulled down four rebounds.
•SMSU closed the game shooting 45 percent (27 of 60) from the field and made 9 of 28 from 3-point range. The Mustangs held a 37-34 rebound advantage.
•In the win over NWMSU, Cliff Cofield led the Mustangs with a career-high 20 points on 8 of 9 shooting, while grabbing five rebounds, dishing five assists, and snatching two steals. Dunwa Omot scored 15 points to help the Mustangs, while Jakob Braaten rounded out the double-digit SMSU scorers tying a career-high with 11 points on 3 of 7 shooting.
•SMSU shot 44 percent (20 of 46) and made 8 of 18 from 3-point range and committed just 10 turnovers.

    ABOUT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE IN 2023-24   
•SMSU returns six letter winners and four starters from last season's 16-12 team that placed fourth in the NSIC South Division with a 12-10 league mark.   
•SMSU senior center Jake Phipps was named a 'Player to Watch' in the NSIC this season. He was named All-NSIC second team last season after starting all 28 games, while averaging 13.3 points per game and leading SMSU in rebounding (7.0), field goal pct. (55.1) and blocked shots (38). He scored double figures in 17 games, including five 20-point games. He has scored 1,057 points in 95 career games.
•The Mustangs return six players that started four or more game last season. Joining Phipps as a returning double-digit scorer from a year ago is junior guard Dunwa Omot, who averaged a team-high 16.6 ppg and led the team with 52 3-pointers, while earning All-NSIC second team accolades. He shot 37 percent from 3-point range (52 of 140), while his 87 percent (80 of 92) shooting from the free throw line ranks eighth in team single-season history. He scored 20 or more points eight times, including a career-high 30 in an NSIC Tournament first round loss to Minot State.
•Senior guard Cliff Cofield (formerly Cliff McCray) has started all 93 games in his career and last season led the squad in both assists (87) and steals (40), while ranking third on the team in scoring at 10.8 ppg. Sophomore guard Jakob Braaten played in 25 games last season with 17 starts and averaged 5.9 ppg with 55 assists. Also returning is sophomore guard Mason Lund, who had a promising start to his rookie season in 2022-23, averaging 7.7 ppg with 17 3-pointers in 13 games (six starts) before suffering a season-ending injury. Senior guard Lance Mosley also returns after seeing limited time last season.
•The roster features a pair of four-year transfer players in senior guard Kyle Luedtke and sophomore forward Caleb Schlaak. Luedtke appeared in 81 games with six starts at Division I Omaha, scoring 287 points with 53 3-pointers and 55 assists. Schlaak comes to SMSU after spending two seasons at Division II Truman State.
•The roster also includes redshirt freshmen guard Mekhi Shaw and center Matt Thompson, along with true freshmen forward Aeron Stevens, guard Nathan Fenske, forward Calvin Buss, guard Buay Koak and center Ethan Koltz.

    2022-23 ALL-NSIC RETURNERS   
•SMSU senior center Jake Phipps and junior guard Dunwa Omot both earned All-NSIC second team honors in 2022-23.
•Omot led SMSU in scoring (16.6), 3-point field goals made (52) and free throw percentage (87.0), while ranking second in both assists (63) and steals (38). He shot 46.1 percent (166 of 360) from the field, including 37.1 percent (52 of 140) from 3-point range and made 80 of 92 from the free throw line. Omot scored double figures in 25 of 28 games with eight 20-point games, including a career-high 30 points in the first round of the NSIC Tournament. In NSIC play, Omot ranked fourth in the league in free throw pct. (87.5), 10th in steals (29), 14th in field goals made (123), 15th in scoring (15.8), 20th in field goal pct. (43.6), and 22nd in 3-pointers made (39).
•Phipps led SMSU in rebounding (7.0), field goal pct. (55.1) and blocked shots (38), while ranking  second in scoring (13.3) and fourth in 3-point field goals made (25). In NSIC play, Phipps ranked second in the conference in field goal pct. (57.1), second in blocked shots (31), eighth in rebounds (6.9) and 16th in field goals made (116).

    MUSTANG DEFENSE ONE OF THE BEST IN 2022-23
•SMSU limited opponents to 39.9 percent shooting from the field and 30.5 percent from 3-point range last season setting team single-season records in both categories.
•SMSU allowed 64.5 points per game last season ranking as the third-lowest in team history.
•SMSU led the NSIC last season (league games only) in scoring defense (64.5), opponent field goal pct. (39.8) and 3-point field goal pct. defense (30.6).

    SMSU IN THE FINAL 2022-23 NCAA RANKINGS
•In the final 2022-23 Division II national statistics, SMSU ranked 10th in field goal pct. defense (39.9), 10th in 3-point field goal pct. defense (30.5), 17th in scoring defense (64.5) 19th in fouls per game (13.8) and 42nd in free throw pct. (76.2).
•Dunwa Omot ranked 37th in free throw pct. (87.0), while Jake Phipps is 39th with 37 blocked shots and is 39th in field goal pct. (56.9).
•Omot ranks first in team history in free throw pct. (87.3, 117 of 134) and is second in 3-point field goal pct. (45.4, 108 of 238). Earlier this season he became the 19th player in program history to connect on 100 3-pointers.

    COFIELD MOVES PAST COACH BIGLER IN RECORD BOOK
•Senior Cliff Cofield moved past current SMSU head coach Brad Bigler in two career statistical categories last weekend. Cofield now ranks seventh in team history in assists (287) and sixth in steals (133). Cofield is five assists shy of moving into sixth all-time and is three away from ranking fifth in steals.

    PHIPPS 1,000 POINTS AND MORE IN THE BOOKS...
•Senior Jake Phipps became the 26th member of the program's 1,000-point club last February and currently ranks 21st in team history with 1,081 points.
•Phipps ranks 18th in field goals made (443), tied for second in blocked shots (117) and fifth in field goal pct. (56.2, 443 of 788).
•He is tied for second in blocked shots with Jeremy VanKlompenburg (2003-07). Current SMSU associate head coach, Nick Smith, holds the program record of 174.  
 
    MUSTANG CAREER 20-POINT GAMES  
•Three current SMSU players, senior Cliff Cofield, senior Jake Phipps and junior Dunwa Omot have scored 20 or more points in a game during their careers.
•Omot reached the mark eight times last season, including one 30-point game and has scored 20 or more points nine times in his career. Phipps reached 20 points five times last season and 11 times in his career, while Cofield scored his first career 20-point game on Nov. 11 in SMSU's win over No. 1 NW Missouri State.
20 or More Point Games in Career
    30    Dunwa Omot    Minot State, 2/21/23
    28    Jake Phipps    Upper Iowa, 2/10/23
    28    Dunwa Omot    Minnesota Duluth, 1/21/23
    28    Dunwa Omot    Minot State, 2/23/22
    27    Dunwa Omot    St. Cloud State, 1/20/23
    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    Concordia-St. Paul, 2/4/23
    22    Dunwa Omot    Bemidji State, 1/27/23
    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    Cliff Cofield    NW Missouri State, 11/11/23
    20    Jake Phipps    Minot State, 2/21/23
    20    Jake Phipps    Minnesota Duluth, 1/21/21
    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 2023-24 season

    JAKOB BRAATEN NOTES
•Has started both games and is averaging 5.5 ppg and 2.5 rpg.
•Scored season-high 11 points vs. NW Missouri State.
•Played in 25 games with 17 starts last season and averaged 5.9 ppg and 3.6 rpg. Missed three games with an injury.
•Scored season-high 11 points with five field goals at Wayne State (12/3/22) and 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.

    MASON LUND NOTES
•Has started both games and is scoring 9.0 ppg and averaging 3.5 rpg.
•Scored 14 points vs. SE Oklahoma State with two 3-pointers.
•Missed the last 15 games a season ago due to injury.
•Played in the first 13 games with six starts and averaged 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 COFIELD NOTES
•Changed last name from McCray to Cofield this past summer.
•Has started both games and is averaging 9.0 ppg and 3.5 rpg.
•Scored career-high 20 points on 8 of 9 shooting vs. NW Missouri State with five assists and five rebounds.
•Started all 28 games last season and averaged 8.0 ppg, while leading the team with 87 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, while averaging 9.5 ppg and dishing out a team-high 92 assists in 2021-22.
•Scored 19 points vs. Minnesota Morris (11/29/21).
•Played and started nine games in 2021, while averaging 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.

    KYLE LUEDTKE NOTES
•Transfer from Division I Omaha, where he played in 81 games over four seasons and scored 287 points.
•Has played in both games this season and is averaging 7.0 ppg and 2.5 rpg.
•Scored 14 points with four 3-pointers vs. SE Oklahoma State.

    LANCE MOSLEY NOTES
•Has not appeared in a game this season.
•Played in two games last 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 both games is leads the team in scoring at 14.5 ppg.
•Has made team-leading five 3-pointers.
•Scored 15 points vs. NW Missouri State.
•Named All-NSIC second team in 2022-23.
•Started all 28 games and scored a team-high 16.6 ppg with a team-high 52 3-pointers last season.
•Scored 20 or more points eight times with one 30-point game.
•Scored career-high 30 points on 12 of 19 shooting with 12 rebounds vs. Minot State (2/21/23).  
•Named NSIC South Division Player of the Week on Jan. 23, 2023, after scoring 28 points on 10 of 17 shooting vs. Minnesota Duluth (1/21/23) and scoring 27 points vs. St. Cloud State (1/20/23).
•Played in all 27 games with eight starts in 2021-22 averaging 11.9 ppg and 1.8 rpg, while leading 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 28 points with six 3-pointers at Minot State (2/23/22)
•Played in four games and averaged 1.3 ppg and 0.8 rpg in 2021.

    JAKE PHIPPS NOTES
•Has started both games and leads the team in rebounding (7.5) and is second in scoring (12.0).
•Scored 17 points on 8 of 11 shooting vs. SE Oklahoma State.
•Named All-NSIC second team in 2022-23.
•Started all 28 games and averaged 13.3 ppg and a team-high 7.0 rpg last season.
•Finished with four double-doubles last season.
•Scored career-high 28 points on 12 of 17 shooting with three 3-pointers vs. Upper Iowa (2/10/23).
•Grabbed career-high 15 rebounds at Wayne State (12/3/22).
•Started all 27 games in 2021-22 averaging 12.7 ppg and a team-high 6.4 rpg.
•Recorded a team-high five double-doubles in 2021-22.
•Scored a season-high 25 points with 12 field goals at Concordia-St. Paul (12/17/21).
•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.

    CALEB SCHLAAK NOTES
•Transfer from Truman State (Mo.) where he played five games in 2022-23.
•Has not played in a game this season.

    MEKHI SHAW NOTES
•Has played in both games and is averaging 1.0 ppg and 1.5 rpg.
•Scored two points vs. SE Oklahoma State.
•Redshirted during the 2022-23 season.

    AERON STEVENS NOTES
•Has played in both games and is averaging 7.5 ppg and 3.5 rpg.
•Scored nine points with four rebounds vs. SE Oklahoma State.
•Only true freshman expected to play this season for SMSU.

    MATT THOMPSON NOTES
•Has not appeared in a game this season.
•Redshirted during the 2022-23 season.

    HOME AND AWAY IN 2023-24
•SMSU finished 10-5 at home in 2022-23 and has a home record of 119-64 since head coach Brad Bigler took over in 2009-10.
•SMSU, which is 2-0 in road/neutral site games in 2023-24, is 104-113 in 217 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 2023-24:
        W-L    FG%    3-FG%    FT%    REB    PTS    TO    
Home    n/a     -    -    -    -    -    -
Away    2-0    44.3    37.0    80.0    31.5    67.5    13.5    

    HOME SWEET HOME
•The 2023-24 season marks the 28th year the R/A Facility has served as the home arena for SMSU men's basketball.
•SMSU has an all-time record of 251-111 (.693) in 362 games with 23 winning seasons.
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    10-5    8-3    2-2
    2023-24    0-0    0-0    0-0
    Totals    251-111    167-83    84-28

    SMSU PICKED 7TH IN NSIC PRESEASON POLL
•SMSU was picked to finish seventh in the 15-team NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
•SMSU senior center Jake Phipps was named a "Player to Watch".
•Minnesota Duluth was selected as preseason favorite with UMD senior guard Drew Blair named the preseason Player of the Year.

    CONSECUTIVE 3-POINT GAMES
•SMSU has made at least one 3-point field goal in 718 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 finished 0-2 in overtime games in 20220-23 following a 72-68 home loss to Winona State on Feb. 11 and an 86-85 triple overtime setback to Minot State on Feb. 21.
•SMSU is 51-42 all-time in overtime games.
•SMSU is 8-6 in double overtime and 1-3 in triple overtime games all-time.

    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.  

    NEW LOOK NSIC REGULAR SEASON AND TOURNAMENT
•Due to Upper Iowa University leaving for the Great Lake Valley Conference, the NSIC is a 15-team conference in 2023-24.
•The NSIC regular season championship will be based on the 22-game unbalanced schedule with each team playing eight teams twice and another six teams once.
•The 12-team NSIC Men's Basketball Tournament begins on Feb. 28 with the top four seeds receiving a first round bye. First round games will be played on campus with the quarterfinals, semifinals and championships set to take place March 2-5 at the Sanford Health Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.

    SEASON OPENERS
•SMSU is now 31-26 all-time in season openers after defeating Southeastern Oklahoma State on Nov. 10. SMSU has won 10 of its last 18 season openers and 18 of the last 27 season lid-lifters.

    SMSU ALL-TIME IN THE NSIC
•The 2023-24 campaign marks the 55th season SMSU has competed in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
•SMSU has an all-time record of 399-440 in 839 conference games, finishing in the top half of the final standings 26 times in 54 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 57th season of men's basketball in 2023-24.
•SMSU has played 1,544 games compiling an all-time record of 715-829.
•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 26 winning seasons in program history with 19 coming in the last 26 years.

    SCOUTING DRAKE
•The Bulldogs are 1-0 on the season after defeating Lipscomb, 85-70, last Wednesday at home.
•Tucker DeVries, the 2022-23 Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, scored a career-high 36 points in the victory, including scoring 23 in the second half, to help the Bulldogs rally from a 48-44 halftime deficit.
•Drake won the 2023 MVC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs finished last season with a 27-8 record before losing to Miami in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
•Drake was picked to win the 2023-24 MVC regular season title.
•Head coach Darian DeVries is in his sixth season at Drake and is a two-time MVC Coach of the Year.