THIS WEEK
•The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (7-6, 4-3 NSIC) returns to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play in the New Year with home games on the first weekend of January inside the R/A Facility.
•SMSU returns from the holiday break facing Bemidji State University (8-4, 4-2 NSIC) on Friday, Jan. 5, starting at 5:30 p.m., while on Saturday, SMSU will take on St. Cloud State University (6-6, 2-4 NSIC) with game time slated for 3:30 p.m.
•SMSU closed the 2023 calendar year with a pair of losses in Wisconsin Dells, Wis., on Dec. 18-19, to Lake Superior State (Mich.) and Maryville (Mo.)
•As of Jan. 2, SMSU, which has played three teams ranked among the top 12 nationally, has the 10th toughest schedule in Division II with its 13 opponents combining for a winning pct. of .658.
•SMSU, which has played 10 of its first 13 games away from Marshall, has six of its next nine games at home. 
•A preview for both BSU and SCSU can be found on page 4.

    BROADCAST INFO
•Both 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.
 
    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS BEMIDJI STATE
•SMSU and BSU meet for the 100th time with SMSU leading 56-43 in a series that started during the 1968-69 season.
•SMSU has won six of the last nine meetings, since the 2014-15 season, but BSU won the only meeting last season, 83-76, in Bemidji.   
•SMSU leads 35-15 in games played in Marshall, including winning the last four games. BSU's last win in Marshall occurred on Jan. 31, 2014.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 8-8 all-time versus BSU.
•Game-by-game results of the series is located on page 17.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS ST. CLOUD STATE
•SMSU and SCSU meet for the 67th time with SCSU leading 42-24 in a series that started in 1969-70.
•SMSU won last season's lone meeting played in Marshall and has won five of the last seven since the 2016-17 season.
•SCSU leads 17-14 in games played in Marshall
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 8-11 all-time versus SCSU.
•Game-by-game results of the series is located on page 17.

    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 228-183, including 154-142 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.

    MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS   
•SMSU closed the 2023 calendar year with a pair of losses in Wisconsin Dells, Wis., on Dec. 18-19. SMSU had its two poorest shooting games of the season in the two losses, shooting 38 percent in a 67-61 setback to Lake Superior State on Dec. 18, before shooting just 34 percent in a 58-51 loss to Maryville on Dec. 19.  
•Junior Dunwa Omot scored a season-high 17 points with three 3-pointers versus Maryville, while sophomore Mason Lund grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds versus Maryville.
•Senior Jake Phipps ranks second in team history with 132 blocked shots in 108 career games. Current SMSU associate head coach Nick Smith (2010-14) holds the school record with 174. Earlier this season, Phipps moved past Smith in the SMSU career record book in both scoring and field goals made. In the losses to LSSU and Maryville, Phipps moved to eighth in team history with 513 field goals made, moving past Joey Bartlett, Jordan Miller and Kenny Byers.  
•Senior Cliff Cofield has scored 983 career points in 106 games and is closing in on becoming the 27th player in team history to reach 1,000 career points. Cofield scored a career-high 31 points with a career-high 10 field goals and a career-high five 3-pointers in a win over Truman State on Nov. 26. It's the most points scored by a Mustang player since Kenny Byers scored 33 at Minnesota Crookston on Jan. 31, 2020.
•SMSU has two victories over top 15 teams this season, including defeating No. 1 ranked Northwest Missouri State on Nov. 11. It was the program's first-ever over a No. 1 ranked team. SMSU also defeated No. 12 Minnesota Duluth on Dec. 9.
•SMSU shot 71 percent (15 of 21) from the field in the second half versus Minnesota Duluth on Dec. 9. It was the first time SMSU shot 70 percent or higher in a half since Feb. 12, 2022, at Winona State (17 of 21).
•SMSU scored a season-high 89 points and shot a season high 61.5 percent (32 of 52) from the field in a Dec. 2 loss at Minnesota State.

    SMSU IN THE NCAA STATS   
•In the latest Division II national statistics of Jan. 2, SMSU ranks 26th in turnovers per game (10.4), 35th in free throw pct. (76.7) and 55th in assist/turnover ratio (1.3).
•Aeron Stevens ranks 17th in free throw attempts (85) and 24th in free throws made (62).
•Cliff Cofield ranks 32nd in free throw pct. (90.0) and 51st in total assists (53), while Jake Phipps ranks 41st in blocks (17) and 74th in field goal pct. (55.9).
•SMSU in the latest NCAA stats can be found on page 15.

    MUSTANGS BY THE NUMBERS
•For the season, SMSU has three players averaging double figures in scoring with senior Jake Phipps scoring a team-high 15.7 ppg and is also the leader in rebounding at 6.8 rpg.
•Senior Cliff Cofield averaging 14 ppg with a team-high 53 assists and team-high 21 steals.  
•Freshman Aeron Stevens ranks third on the team with 11.8 ppg and has made a team-high 62 free throws.
•Junior Dunwa Omot is scoring 8.4 ppg while connecting on 13 3-pointers.
•Senior Kyle Luedtke is averaging 7.9 ppg and has made a team-high 25 3-pointers.  
•SMSU is shooting 46 percent from the field, 36 percent from 3-point range, 77 percent from the free throw line and is plus-0.6 in rebound margin. The Mustangs are averaging 73 points per game, while opponents are averaging 72 ppg.

    COFIELD IN THE SMSU RECORD BOOK
•Senior Cliff Cofield ranks among the top five in two statistical categories in team history. He ranks fourth in program history in assists (331) and tied for fourth in steals (148).

    PHIPPS MOVING UP IN THE SMSU RECORD BOOKS
•Senior Jake Phipps currently ranks 13th in team history with 1,261 points in 108 games.
•He is also second all-time in blocked shots (132), fifth in field goal pct. (56.1, 513 of 915), eighth in field goals made (513) and 10th in rebounds (619).

      MUSTANG CAREER 20-POINT GAMES  
•Four current SMSU players, senior Cliff Cofield, senior Jake Phipps, junior Dunwa Omot and freshman Aeron Stevens have scored 20 or more points in a game during their careers.
•Cofield recorded his first career 20-point game earlier this season versus No. 1 NW Missouri State and then scored a career-high 31 versus Truman State. Omot has reached the 20-point mark nine times in his career, including one 30-point game, Phipps has reached 20 points twice this season and 13 times in his career, while Stevens had reach the mark once.
20 or More Point Games in Career
    31    Cliff Cofield    Truman State, 11/26/23
    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    Minnesota Duluth, 12/9/23
    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    Aeron Stevens    Concordia-St. Paul, 12/8/23
    21    Dunwa Omot    Northland, 12/19/22
    21    Jake Phipps    Davenport, 11/20/21
    20    Jake Phipps    Upper Iowa, 11/25/23
    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    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 played in 11 games with 10 starts and is averaging 6.1 ppg and 3.7 rpg. Missed two games with an injury.  
•Has grabbed season-high seven rebounds in three games.
•Career-high 16 points with three 3-pointers vs. Upper Iowa (11/25/23).
•Played in 25 games with 17 starts last season and averaged 5.9 ppg and 3.6 rpg.  
•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 all 13 games and is scoring 5.9 ppg and averaging 5.1 rpg.
•Grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds vs. Maryville (12/19/23).
•Connected on a career-high three 3-pointers with 11 points at Augustana (12/16/23).
•Scored 14 points in the season opener vs. Southeastern 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.
•Scored career-high 16 points on 6 of 11 shooting with two 3-pointers vs. Mt. Marty (11/26/22).

    CLIFF COFIELD NOTES
•Changed last name from McCray to Cofield this past summer.
•Has started all 13 games and is averaging 14 ppg with a team-high 53 assists.
•Scored career-high 31 points on 10 of 14 shooting with five 3-pointers vs. Truman State (11/26/23) with three assists and five rebounds.
•Scored 20 points in win over No. 1 NW Missouri State earlier this season.
•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).
•Started all 27 games, while averaging 9.5 ppg and dishing out a team-high 92 assists in 2021-22.
•Played and started nine games in 2021, while averaging 7.7 ppg and a team-high 6.0 rpg.
•Led the team in 2021 with 41 assists.

    KYLE LUEDTKE NOTES
•Transfer from Division I Omaha, where he played in 81 games over four seasons and scored 287 points.
•Has played in all 13 games with nine starts and is averaging 7.9 ppg with a team-leading 25 3-pointers.
•Poured in 16 points with four 3-pointers at Minnesota State (12/2/23).
•Scored season-high 19 points with five 3-pointers at Winona State (12/1/23).

    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 played in 10 games with seven starts and is averaging 8.4 ppg with 13 3-pointers. Missed three games and most of a fourth with an injury.
•Scored season-high 17 points vs. Maryville (12/19/23).
•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.
•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 all 13 games and leads the team in both rebounding (6.8) and scoring (15.7).
•Season-high 10 field goals with 22 points and 11 rebounds vs. Minnesota Duluth (12/9/23).
•Scored 20 points vs. Upper Iowa (11/25/23).
•Recorded a double-double at Wayne State (11/21/23).  
•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.
•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.
•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 played in one game this season.

    MEKHI SHAW NOTES
•Has played in all 13 games and is averaging 5.0 ppg with 22 assists.
•Scored season-high 10 points on 4 of 8 shooting vs. Upper Iowa, 10 points at Winona State (12/1/23) and scored 10 vs. Minnesota Duluth (12/9/23) on 5 of 6 field shooting with four rebounds.
•Redshirted during the 2022-23 season.

    AERON STEVENS NOTES
•Has played in all 13 games and is averaging 11.8 ppg and 4.8 rpg.
•Scored career-high 21 points with seven field goals vs. Concordia-St. Paul (12/8/23).
•Scored 18 points at Minnesota State (12/2/23).  
•Only true freshman expected to play this season for SMSU.

    MATT THOMPSON NOTES
•Has played in five games and connected on 3-pointers vs. Upper Iowa (11/25/23) and Truman State (11/26/23).  
•Redshirted during the 2022-23 season.

    HOME AND AWAY IN 2023-24
•SMSU is 2-1 at home this season and has a home record of 121-65 since head coach Brad Bigler took over in 2009-10.
•SMSU, which is 5-5 in road/neutral site games in 2023-24, is 107-118 in 225 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    2-1    50.6    24.4    78.9    33.7    77.7    8.7
Away    5-5    45.1    37.9    75.8    33.8    70.9    10.9     

    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 253-112 (.693) in 365 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    2-1    2-1    0-0
    Totals    253-112    169-84    84-28

    CONSECUTIVE 3-POINT GAMES
•SMSU has made at least one 3-point field goal in 729 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.

    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).
•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).

    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).

    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 2022-23 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.  

    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.

    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.

    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 403-443 in 846 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 1,555 games compiling an all-time record of 720-835.
•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 BEMIDJI STATE
•The Beavers are 8-4 overall, 4-2 NSIC, and have won two straight games.
•BSU has two players averaging double figures in scoring with senior forward John Sutherland averaging a team-high 20.3 ppg, while averaging 9.1 rpg and shooting a team-high 58 percent.  
•Senior forward Dalton Albrecht is averaging 17.8 ppg and shooting 49 percent, while leading the team with 11.1 rpg.
•Sophomore guard Brayden Williams has made a team-high 22 3-pointers and is averaging 8.3 ppg.
•BSU is shooting 47 percent from the field, 33 percent from 3-point range, 66 percent from the free throw line and is plus-10.6 in rebound margin.
•BSU is averaging 81 points per game, while opponents are averaging 69 points per game.
•Head coach Mike Boschee is in his 12th season at BSU with a record of 142-163. He was also head coach at Central College (Iowa) from 2003-12.  

    SCOUTING ST. CLOUD STATE
•The Huskies are 6-6 overall, 2-4 NSIC, and opened the new year on Tuesday with a 99-52 home win over Minnesota Morris. SCSU plays at Sioux Falls on Friday before facing SMSU.
•Senior forward Luke Taylor is scoring 10.8 ppg with a team-high 53 field goals.
•Freshman guard Lucas Morgan is scoring 9.9 ppg and leads the team with 6.8 rpg, while shooting a team-high 48.4 percent.   
•SCSU is shooting 44 percent from the field, 33 percent from 3-point range, 71 percent from the free throw line and is plus-3.4 in rebound margin.
•SCSU is averaging 76 points per game, while opponents are averaging 75 points per game.
•Head coach Quincy Henderson is in his second season with a record of 16-24. He was an assistant coach at West Texas A&M for eight seasons prior to taking over at SCSU.