THIS WEEKEND
•The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (7-2, 2-1 NSIC) hits the road for the first time in conference play this weekend facing two of the top teams in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
•SMSU opens the weekend on Friday with a 7:30 pm. match-up versus defending NCAA champion, Minnesota State University (6-4, 2-0 NSIC), inside the Taylor Center in Mankato, Minn. This will be the second meeting between the teams this season with SMSU earning an 81-69 non-conference victory in Marshall on Nov. 16.
•SMSU wraps the weekend on Saturday with a 5:30 p.m. tip-off versus Winona State University (7-2, 2-1 NSIC) inside McCown Gymnasium.
•SMSU's 7-2 record after nine games is its best since the 2016-17 team opened 8-1 on its way to a 13-1 start.    
•Following this weekend, SMSU will play at Augustana on Dec. 19 before hosting Sioux Falls on Dec. 21.

    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 NSIC games can be found at SMSUmustangs.com.

    SMSU DROPS OUT OF NABC TOP 25 POLL; RECEIVES VOTES IN D2CSC TOP 25
•SMSU dropped out of this week's NABC Top 25 poll released on Tuesday. SMSU is ranked No. 26 overall in the poll receiving 34 points.
•SMSU was ranked No. 18 in the first regular season poll on Nov. 19, dropped to No. 22 on Nov. 26 and was No. 18 in last week's ranking. It's the first time SMSU has been ranked in the NABC Top 25 regular season poll since the 2016-17 season.
•SMSU received 32 points in this week's D2 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Top 25 poll to rank 27th overall. The Mustangs are ranked third in this week's D2CSC Central Region poll.
 
    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS MINNESOTA STATE
•SMSU and MSU meet for the 74th time with MSU leading 51-22 in a series that started in 1969-70.
•SMSU earned an 81-68 non-conference victory in Marshall earlier this season on Nov. 16, snapping a three-game MSU winning streak in the series.
•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 25-10 in games played in Mankato, including earning a 93-89 victory last season.
•MSU has won 20 of the last 29 games overall since the 2012-13 season, but SMSU has won five of the last eight meetings.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 12-23 all-time versus MSU.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS WINONA STATE
•SMSU and WSU meet for the 118th time with WSU leading 73-44 in a series that started in 1968-69.
•WSU holds a 30-13 advantage since 2004-05, but SMSU has won nine of the last 14 games since 2016-17, including won five of the last six games. SMSU won both games last season, including, 78-65, in Winona on Dec. 1.
•WSU holds a 42-14 advantage in games played in Winona, but SMSU has won the last three games inside McCown Gym.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 13-16 all-time versus WSU.

    SMSU HEAD COACH BRAD BIGLER
•Brad Bigler, the all-time wins leader in program history, is in his 16th season as head coach with an overall record of 247-192, including 166-148 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 10 winning seasons, including one 28-win season, one 25-win season and three 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 19.

    MUSTANGS BY THE NUMBERS
•SMSU has four players averaging double figures in scoring and has six averaging 8.9 points or more.
•Sophomore Aeron Stevens is averaging a team-high 17.9 ppg and leads the team averaging 7 rpg.  
•Junior Jakob Braaten has dished out a team-high 28 assists, is second in scoring at 12.7 ppg and is pulling down 6.2 rpg.
•Senior Dunwa Omot is third in scoring at 11.8 ppg and is second on the team with 11 3-pointers.
•Junior Mason Lund ranks second on team with 6.9 rpg and is fifth in scoring at 8.9 ppg with a team-high 12 3-pointers.
•Sophomore Mekhi Shaw has recorded a team-high 21 steals, ranks second with 22 assists and is scoring 8.9 ppg.
•SMSU is shooting 48 percent from the field, 30 percent from 3-point range, 75 percent from the free throw line and is plus-3.2 in rebound margin. The Mustangs are averaging 77 points per game, while opponents are averaging 69 ppg.

    MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS   
•Dunwa Omot ranks 16th in team history with 1,214 points and is 12 points shy from tying Charlie Taylor (1981-83) for 15th on the all-time list.
•SMSU scored a season-high 85 points and attempted a season-high 67 field goals in last Saturday's loss to Concordia-St. Paul.
•SMSU has shot more free throws than its opponents in eight of nine games this season.
•Caleb Schlaak set career-highs in both points (11) and rebounds (15) in the loss to Concordia-St. Paul last Saturday.
•SMSU is 3-0 versus Top 25 teams this season which includes defeating a No. 1 ranked team for a second consecutive season.

    NCAA WEEKLY STATISTICS   
•In the latest Division II national statistics (Dec. 10), SMSU ranks 10th in fouls per game (13.3), 19th in turnovers per game (10.3) 47th in blocks per game (4.0), 53rd in field goal pct. defense (41.5), 59th in scoring defense (69.0) and 60th in free throw pct. (75.4).
•Aeron Stevens ranks 32nd in free throws made (48) and 49th in free throws attempted (58).
•Mekhi Shaw ranks 38th in steals (21) and 39th in steals per game (2.33).

    OMOT IN THE SMSU RECORD BOOK    
•Senior Dunwa Omot ranks 16th in team history with 1,214 points, while also ranking tied for eighth in 3-point field goals made (175) and fourth in free throw pct. (84.5).

    MUSTANG CAREER 20-POINT GAMES
•Three current SMSU players, senior Dunwa Omot, junior Jakob Braaten and sophomore Aeron Stevens have scored 20 or more points in a game during their careers.
•Omot has reached the 20-point mark 18 times (twice this season), including one 30-point game, Braaten once in his career, while Stevens has reached the mark seven times, including three times this season.
20 or More Point Games This Season
    29    Aeron Stevens    Fort Hays State, 11/8
    25    Dunwa Omot    Minnesota Duluth, 12/6
    25    Aeron Stevens    Minnesota State, 11/16
    21    Dunwa Omot    Minnesota State, 11/16
    20    Aeron Stevens    Upper Iowa, 11/24
    20    Jakob Braaten    Upper Iowa, 11/24

    JAKOB BRAATEN NOTES
•Has started all nine games and is averaging 12.7 ppg and 6.2 rpg.
•Scored a career-high 20 points at Upper Iowa (11/24/24).
•Career-high with five steals vs. Minnesota State (11/16/24).
•Tied a career-high with nine rebounds vs. Fort Hays State (11/8/24).
•Played in 30 games with 12 starts last season while averaging 5.9 ppg and 4.5 rpg.
•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 eight games with one start and is averaging 5.0 ppg and 2.5 rpg. Missed the Concordia-St. Paul game due to injury.
•Scored career-high 11 points on 5 of 5 shooting in first career start vs. Briar Cliff (11/30/24).
•Scored seven points with two 3-pointers vs. Fort Hays State (11/8).
•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 all nine games and is averaging 10.7 ppg and 4.9 rpg.
•Scored career-high 18 points with eight field goals and grabbed a career-high eight rebounds vs. Wayne State (11/26/24).
•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 all nine games and is averaging 8.9 ppg and 6.9 rpg.
•Tied career-high with 16 points vs. Wayne State (11/26/24) with three 3-pointers.
•Pulled down career-high 17 rebounds at Upper Iowa (11/24/24).
•Scored 13 points with four 3-pointers vs. Nebraska Kearney (11/9).
•Started all 32 games last season averaging 7.0 ppg and was third on the team averaging 4.8 rpg.
•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.

    DUNWA OMOT NOTES
•Has started all nine games and is averaging 11.8 ppg.
•Scored season-high 25 points vs. Minnesota Duluth.
•Has led the team in 3-pointers the past three seasons.
•Poured in 18 points with seven field goals vs. Briar Cliff (11/30).
•Scored season-high 21 points vs. Minnesota State (11/16).
•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.
•Two-time NSIC Player of the Week during his career.
•Finished last season playing in 29 games and averaging 11.0 ppg with a team-high 55 3-pointers.
•Named All-NSIC second team in 2022-23 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 all nine games and is averaging 3.4 ppg and 3.4 rpg.
•Scored career-high 11 points with a career-high 15 rebounds vs. Concordia-St. Paul.   
•Scored nine points on 4 of 4 shooting vs. Briar Cliff (11/30).
•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 all nine games and is averaging 8.9 ppg and 2.4 rpg.
•Leads team with 21 steals and is second with 22 assists.  
•Career-high 17 points with seven field goals vs. Briar Cliff (11/30).  
•Scored 15 points vs. Wayne State (11/26).  
•Played in all 32 games a season ago and averaged 4.9 ppg with 44 assists.
•Scored season-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 eighth games and is averaging 17.9 ppg and 7 rpg.
•Missed the Briar Cliff game due to injury.
•Has scored 20 or more points in three games.
•Scored career-high 29 points vs. Fort Hays State (11/8/24) with 14 free throws.
•Poured in 25 points vs. Minnesota State (11/16).
•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 played in one game scoring two points and pulling down two rebounds vs. Briar Cliff (11/30).
•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 6-1 at home this season and has a home record of 134-68 since head coach Brad Bigler started in 2009-10.
•SMSU, 1-1 in road/neutral site games this season, is 113-124 in 237 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    6-1    49.1    33.3    76.0    36.1    78.0    10.4     
Away    1-1    43.8    13.8    73.2    45.0    73.0    10.0      

    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 266-115 (.698) in 381 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    6-1    2-1    4-0
    Totals    266-115    177-87    89-28

    CONSECUTIVE 3-POINT GAME STREAK ENDS
•SMSU's consecutive game streak of making at least one 3-point field goal came to an end earlier this season at 752 games when SMSU finished 0 for 6 in an overtime loss at Upper Iowa on Nov. 24.
•Prior to the Upper Iowa game, the last time SMSU failed to connect on a 3-pointer was on Dec. 11, 1998, versus MSU Moorhead at the North Dakota State Classic.

    SMSU PICKED 4TH IN NSIC PRESEASON POLL
•SMSU was picked to finish fourth in the 15-team NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
•SMSU senior guard Dunwa Omot was named a 'Player to Watch' in the NSIC.

    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.   

    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.

    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 is 0-1 in overtime games this season following a 79-78 road setback to Upper Iowa on Nov. 24.
•SMSU, which has lost five straight overtime games, last earned an overtime victory on Feb. 17, 2022, versus Wayne State.
•SMSU is 51-45 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 415-449 in 864 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 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 1,583 games compiling a record of 739-844.
•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, have won five straight since losing to SMSU on Nov. 16 to move to 6-4 overall, 2-0 NSIC. MSU opened league play last weekend winning at Wayne State and at Augustana.
•Senior guard Kyreese Willingham is scoring a team-high 15.9 ppg with a team-leading 16 blocked shots and team-high 13 steals.
•Senior guard Harrison Braudis is averaging 11.1 ppg with 29 assists.
•Senior guard Justin Eagins is averaging 11.3 ppg.
•MSU is shooting 45 percent from the field, 33 percent from 3-point range, 67 percent from the free throw line and is plus-1.8 in rebound margin.
•MSU is averaging 76 points per game, while opponents average 73 points per game.
•Head coach Matt Margenthaler is in his 24th season with a record of 494-215. He is the program's all-time leader in victories and has led the Mavericks to 14 NCAA tournament appearances.

    SCOUTING WINONA STATE
•The Warriors are 7-2 overall, 2-1 NSIC, after defeating Augustana last Friday and losing at Wayne State on Saturday. WSU will host Sioux Falls on Friday night.  
•Sophomore guard Luke Haertle, a transfer from the University of Wisconsin, is averaging a team-high 19.4 points with 12 3-pointers and a team-high 27 assists.  
•Senior forward Connor Drew is scoring 13.8 ppg and has 15 3-pointers.
•WSU is shooting 50 percent from the field, 38 percent from 3-point range, 77 percent from the free throw line and is plus-6.0 in rebound margin.
•WSU is averaging 79 points per game, while opponents are averaging 68 points per game.
•Head coach Todd Eisner is in his 10th season at WSU with a record of 143-109. He has also been head coach at Viterbo, Bellevue, Benedictine and Midland recording a career record of 559-275 in 27 seasons as a head coach.