THIS WEEKEND
•The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (2-0) continues non-conference play at home on Saturday taking on defending NCAA national champion and conference foe, Minnesota State (1-3), in a non-conference game inside the R/A Facility with tip-off slated for 4 p.m.
•SMSU and MSU are scheduled to play each other just once during the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference season, which prompted the two programs to schedule a non-conference affair. The teams play again in Mankato on Dec. 13.
•SMSU opened the season last weekend at home earning a pair of victories versus teams from the MIAA. On Friday, SMSU earned a 68-62 win over 2024 NCAA tournament team and preseason No. 16 ranked Fort Hays State, before closing the weekend on Saturday with a come-from-behind 77-73 victory over Nebraska Kearney.
•MSU, which won the 2024 NCAA championship, is ranked No. 1 in the NABC preseason Top 25 poll. The Mavericks are 1-3 on the season following two losses at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic in Florida on Nov. 2-3, before splitting two games last weekend at the Central Region Challenge in Kansas City, Mo. All three losses have come against teams ranked in the Top 20 nationally.
•Both SMSU and MSU are receiving votes in this week's D2 College Sports Communicators (D2CSC) Top 25 poll. SMSU is also receiving votes in the NABC preseason Top 25.  
•A preview for MSU can be found on page 4.

    BROADCAST INFO
•Saturday's game will be broadcast on 94.7 FM KKCK with Aaron Ziemer handling the play-by-play duties in place of Ryan Rohlik.
•Live stats, radio and video broadcasts of all home games NSIC games can be found at SMSUmustangs.com.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS MINNESOTA STATE
•SMSU and MSU meet for the 73rd time with MSU leading 51-21 in a series that started in 1969-70.
•MSU defeated SMSU three times last season, including twice during the regular season and also earning a 68-67 victory in the semifinals of the NSIC tournament in Sioux Falls, S.D.
•MSU leads 22-11 in games played in Marshall, which includes a 68-58 victory last season.
•SMSU won four straight games from 2021-23.
•MSU has won 20 of the last 28 games overall since the 2012-13 season.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 11-23 all-time versus MSU.
•A complete game-by-game listing can be found on page 15.

    SMSU HEAD COACH BRAD BIGLER
•Brad Bigler, the all-time wins leader in program history, is in his 16th season as head coach and has an overall record of 242-190, including 164-147 in NSIC play.  
•SMSU has appeared in four NCAA tournaments (2012, 2017, 2018, 2024) during his time as head coach.
•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).
•The 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.
•Bigler's complete bio is found on page 17.

    MUSTANGS BY THE NUMBERS
•SMSU has three players averaging double figures in scoring with sophomore Aeron Stevens scoring a team-high 23 ppg and is also tied for the team lead in rebounding at 7.5 rpg.  
•Junior Mason Lund ranks tied for second on the team with 10.5 ppg and is shooting 58 percent from the field with a team-high five 3-pointers.
•Sophomore Steven Kramer is averaging 10.5 ppg and 5.5 rpg.  
•Senior Dunwa Omot is scoring 9.5 ppg while connecting on two 3-pointers.
•Junior Jakob Braaten is tied .  
•SMSU is shooting 44 percent from the field, 34 percent from 3-point range, 78 percent from the free throw line and is plus-5.5 in rebound margin. The Mustangs are averaging 73 points per game, while opponents are averaging 68 ppg.

    MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS   
•SMSU's 21.5 free throws made per game ranks 21st in Division II.
•Aeron Stevens finished last weekend making 27 of 30 free throws and led SMSU in scoring with 23 ppg. The 27 free throws made ranks sixth in Division II. He made a career-high 14 free throws on a career-high 16 attempts, while scoring a career-high 29 points versus Fort Hays State last Friday.
•Steven Kramer appearing in his first two games for SMSU after transferring from South Dakota, scored a career-high 16 points with six field goals in SMSU's 77-73 over Nebraska Kearney on Saturday.
•Mason Lund connected on a career-high four 3-pointers in four attempts versus Nebraska Kearney.   

    ABOUT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE IN 2024-25   
•SMSU returns seven letter winners and three starters from last season's 19-13 team that advanced to the NCAA tournament for the sixth time in team history and first since 2018. SMSU tied for fifth in the NSIC with a record of 14-8. SMSU's season came to an end with a loss to Northwest Missouri State in the first round of the NCAA tournament in Mankato, Minn.
•SMSU's lone senior, guard Dunwa Omot, was named a 'Player to Watch' in the NSIC this season. Omot played in 29 games last season (he missed three games with an injury) with 26 starts, averaging 11 points per game and leading SMSU with 55 3-pointers. He scored double figures in 19 games, including three 20-point games. He shot 46 percent (110 of 242) from the field, while adding 55 assists and 31 steals.  
•The Mustangs return four players that started 12 or more game last season. Joining Omot as a returning double-digit scorer from a year ago is sophomore forward Aeron Stevens, who ranked second on the team with both scoring (11.8) and rebounding (4.9). Stevens shot 46 percent (117 of 252) from the field and set program freshman records last season for free throws made (127) and free throws attempted (174). He scored a career-high 27 points on 11 of 16 shooting with five 3-pointers in a home victory over Winona State.
•Junior guard Mason Lund started all 32 games last season averaging 7.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 47 percent (88 of 187) from the field.
•Also returning is junior guard Jakob Braaten, who played in 30 games with 12 starts a season ago, ranking second on the team with 78 assists, while averaging 5.9 ppg and 4.5 rpg .
•Sophomore guard Mekhi Shaw came off the bench in all 32 games last season and ranked second on the team with 37 steals. He shot 47 percent (63 of 135) from the field while scoring 4.9 ppg and dishing out 44 assists.
•Junior forward Caleb Schlaak and sophomore forward Matt Thompson are returning letter winners that combined to play in 12 games last season.
•SMSU added four-year transfer sophomore guard Steven Kramer, who played 31 games with five starts last season for the University of South Dakota. He averaged 2.7 ppg and 2.4 rpg, while shooting 40 percent (30 of 76) from the field, including 8 of 23 from 3-point range. He scored a season-high 11 points with five assists in a career-high 29 minutes versus Montana and closed the season dishing out 50 assists and recording 10 steals.
•The roster also includes four redshirt freshmen players in guards Nathan Fenske and Buay Koak, along with forward Calvin Buss and center Ethan Koltz.
•True freshmen include guards Landon Pokorski and Isaiah Schafer and forward Micah Schlaak.

    STEVENS SETS FRESHMAN RECORD IN 2023-24    
•Aeron Stevens set the school freshman record for free throws made and attempted in a single-season in 2023-24. He made 127 of 174 from the foul line with the 127 free throws made ranking eighth in team single-season history. Bob Throngard held the previous freshman record of 97 free throws made and 129 attempted during the program's first season in 1967-68.

    OMOT MOVES INTO TOP 20 IN SCORING    
•Senior Dunwa Omot, who became the 28th player in team history to reach 1,000 career points last season, currently ranks 20th all-time with 1,127 points. He also ranks 10th in team history with 166 3-point field goals, fifth in 3-point field goal pct. (42.2) and third in free throw pct. (84.7).

    MUSTANG CAREER 20-POINT GAMES
•Two current SMSU players, senior Dunwa Omot and sophomore Aeron Stevens have scored 20 or more points in a game during their careers.
•Omot has reached the 20-point mark 16 times, including one 30-point game, while Stevens has reached the mark five times, including once this season.
20 or More Point Games This Season
    29    Aeron Stevens    Fort Hays State, 11/8/24

    JAKOB BRAATEN NOTES
•Has started two games and is averaging 6.5 ppg and 7.5 rpg.
•Tied a career-high with nine rebounds vs. Fort Hays State (11/8/24).
•Scored 12 points vs. Nebraska Kearney (11/9/24).
•Dished out career-high six assists vs. Northern State (1/27/24).
•Scored a career-high 16 points with three 3-pointers vs. Upper Iowa (11/25/23).
•Played in 25 games with 17 starts in 2022-23 and averaged 5.9 ppg and 3.6 rpg.  
•Sat out the 2021-22 season as a redshirt.

    CALVIN BUSS NOTES
•Has played in two games and is averaging 5.5 ppg and 1.5 rpg.
•Scored seven points with two 3-pointers vs. Fort Hays State (11/8/24).
•Sat out the 2023-24 season as a redshirt.

    NATHAN FENSKE NOTES
•Has not appeared in any games.
•Sat out the 2023-24 season as a redshirt.

    BUAY KOAK NOTES
•Has not appeared in any games.
•Sat out the 2023-24 season as a redshirt.

    STEVEN KRAMER NOTES
•Has started two games and is averaging 10.5 ppg and 5.5 rpg.
•Scored 16 points with six field goals vs. Nebraska Kearney (11/9/24).
•Spent two seasons (2022-24) at the University South Dakota.
•Played in 31 games with five starts in 2023-24 averaging 2.7 ppg and 2.4 rpg.
•Scored a season-high 11 points with five assists vs. Montana  (1/6/24).
•Closed the season dishing out 50 assists and recording 10 steals.

    ETHAN KOLTZ NOTES
•Has not appeared in any games.
•Sat out the 2023-24 season as a redshirt.

    MASON LUND NOTES
•Has started both games this season and is averaging 10.5 ppg and 5.0 rpg.
•Scored 13 points with four 3-pointers vs. Nebraska Kearney (11/9/24).
•Started all 32 games last season averaging 7.0 ppg and was third on the team averaging 4.8 rpg.
•Tied career-high with 10 rebounds vs. St. Cloud State (1/6/24).
•Tied season-high with 15 points vs. Northern State (1/27/24).
•Played in the first 13 games in 2022-23 with six starts and averaged 7.7 ppg and 3.7 rpg, before missing the last 15 games due to injury.
•Scored career-high 16 points on 6 of 11 shooting with two 3-pointers vs. Mt. Marty (11/26/22).

    DUNWA OMOT NOTES
•Has started both games and is averaging 9.5 ppg and 2.0 rpg.
•Scored season-high 10 points vs. Fort Hays State (11/8/24).
•Played in 29 games with 26 starts last season and averaged 11 ppg with a team high 55 3-pointers. Missed three games and most of a fourth earlier with an injury.
•Reached 1,000 career points on Feb. 9, 2024.
•Two-time NSIC Player of the Week during his career.
•Scored season-high 23 points with five 3-pointers vs. Bemidji State (1/5/24) last season.
•Named All-NSIC second team in 2022-23 after starting all 28 games and averaging a team-high 16.6 ppg with a team-high 52 3-pointers.
•Scored career-high 30 points on 12 of 19 shooting with 12 rebounds vs. Minot State (2/21/23).  
•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.

    CALEB SCHLAAK NOTES
•Has played in both games and is averaging 2.0 ppg with two field goals.  
•Played in four games last season and scored six points.
•Transfer from Truman State (Mo.) where he played five games in 2022-23.

    MEKHI SHAW NOTES
•Has played in both games and is averaging 5.0 ppg and 3.5 rpg.
•Scored six points with four steals vs. Fort Hays State (11/8/24).
•Played in all 32 games a season ago and averaged 4.9 ppg with 44 assists.
•Scored career-high 13 points on 6 of 6 shooting at Concordia-St. Paul (2/10/24).
•Redshirted during the 2022-23 season.

    AERON STEVENS NOTES
•Has started both games and is averaging 23.0 ppg and 7.5 rpg.
•Scored career-high 29 points vs. Fort Hays State (11/8/24) with 14 free throws.
•Played in all 32 games last season averaging 11.8 ppg and finished second on team with 4.9 rpg.
•Set freshman program record for free throws made and free throw attempts in a season.
•Scored season-high 27 points with five 3-pointers vs. Winona State (2/3/24).
•Recorded first career double-double with 26 points and 10 rebounds vs. UMary (1/26/24).  
•Only true freshman to play in 2023-24.

    MATT THOMPSON NOTES
•Has not appeared in any games.
•Played in eight games and scored six points last season.
•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 2-0 at home last season and has a home record of 130-67 since head coach Brad Bigler took over in 2009-10.
•SMSU, which finished 10-10 in road/neutral site games last season, is 112-123 in 235 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 2024-25:
        W-L    FG%    3-FG%    FT%    REB    PTS    TO    
Home    2-0    43.7    34.3    78.2    36.0    72.5    11.5     
Away    n/a      

    HOME SWEET HOME
•The 2024-25 season marks the 29th year the R/A Facility has served as the home arena for SMSU men's basketball.
•SMSU has an all-time record of 262-114 (.696) in 376 games with 24 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    9-3    8-3    1-0
    2024-25    2-0    0-0    2-0
    Totals    262-114    175-86    87-28

    CONSECUTIVE 3-POINT GAMES
•SMSU has made at least one 3-point field goal in 750 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.

    2023-24 WINS RANK TIED FOR SEVENTH IN TEAM HISTORY
•SMSU's 19 victories last season tied for the seventh highest win total in the program's 54-year history.
•The program has reached 20 or more victories six times with the last coming during the 2017-18 season.   

    MUSTANG DEFENSE ONE OF THE BEST IN TEAM HISTORY    
•For the second straight season in 2023-24, SMSU closed the NSIC campaign (22 games) ranking first in scoring defense (68.0), while ranking first in field goal pct. defense (39.7).
•SMSU closed the regular season limiting four of its final five opponents to less than 40 percent shooting, including three to 33 percent or less.
•SMSU opponents shot 41.1 percent shooting last season ranking as the second lowest in team history. The 2022-23 team set the school record at 39.9 percent.

    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 last season following an 88-87 road loss to No. 1 MSU Moorhead on Jan. 12 and a home loss to No. 13 MSU Moorhead on Feb. 24.
•SMSU, which has lost four straight overtime games, last earned an overtime victory on Feb. 17, 2022, versus Wayne State.
•SMSU is 51-44 all-time in overtime games.
•SMSU is 8-6 in double overtime and 1-3 in triple overtime games all-time.

    SMSU ALL-TIME IN THE NSIC
•The 2024-25 campaign marks the 56th season SMSU has competed in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
•SMSU has an all-time record of 413-448 in 861 conference games, finishing in the top half of the final standings 27 times in 55 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 58th season of men's basketball in 2024-25.
•SMSU has played 1,576 games compiling a record of 734-842.
•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 six NCAA tournaments (2001, 2009, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2024).
•SMSU has recorded 27 winning seasons in program history with 20 coming in the last 27 years.

    SMSU NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
•SMSU has made six NCAA tournament appearances (2001, 2009, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2024) since moving to Division II in 1995-96.
•SMSU is 9-6 all-time in the NCAA tournament appearing in three region championship games with region titles and Elite Eight appearances in 2001 and 2009.  

    SCOUTING MINNESOTA STATE
•The Mavericks, ranked No. 1 in the NABC preseason Top 25, and the preseason favorite in the NSIC this season, won the NCAA championship last season with a record of 35-2.
•Senior guard Harrison Braudis is averaging 13.5 ppg with six 3-pointers and 10 assists.
•Senior guard Justin Eagins is averaging 13.0 ppg.
•Senior guard Kyreese Willingham is scoring 11.5 ppg with a team-leading 6.5 rpg.
•MSU is shooting 40 percent from the field, 26 percent from 3-point range, 78 percent from the free throw line and is minus-2.5 in rebound margin.
•MSU is averaging 69 points per game, while opponents average 75 points per game.
•Head coach Matt Margenthaler is in his 24th season with a record of 489-214. He is the program's all-time leader in victories and has led the Mavericks to 14 NCAA tournament appearance.