THIS WEEK
•The No. 24 (NABC) ranked Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (9-2, 4-1 NSIC) closes the pre-holiday portion of its schedule this week with a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference games in Sioux Falls, S.D., and Marshall.
•SMSU will open the week with a 7:30 p.m. road match-up versus Augustana University (3-8, 0-5 NSIC) on Thursday at the Elmen Center on the Augustana campus in Sioux Falls, S.D. This will be SMSU's first game inside the Elmen Center since a 77-73 loss on Feb. 23, 2019.
•On Saturday, SMSU will conclude the 2024 calendar year with a 4 p.m. game versus the University of Sioux Falls (6-5, 2-3 NSIC) inside the R/A Facility in Marshall.
•SMSU's 9-2 record is its best start to a season since the 2016-17 team opened 11-1 on its way to a 13-1 start.    
•Following play this week, SMSU will return to action on Jan. 3, 2025, at Minnesota Crookston. The Mustangs return home on Jan. 10-11 taking on MSU Moorhead and Minot State. 

    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 MOVES BACK INTO NABC TOP 25 POLL; RANKED NO. 21 IN D2CSC TOP 25
•SMSU returned to the NABC Top 25 poll on Tuesday earning 36 points to rank No. 24 in the country.  
•SMSU was ranked No. 18 in the first regular season poll on Nov. 19, dropped to No. 22 on Nov. 26, moved No. 18 on Dec. 3, before dropping out of the poll last week. This season marks the first time SMSU has been ranked in the NABC Top 25 regular season poll since the 2016-17 season.
•SMSU also moved into the D2 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Top 25 poll on Tuesday and are ranked No. 21. The Mustangs are ranked third in this week's D2CSC Central Region poll.
 
    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS AUGUSTANA
•SMSU and AU meet for the 47th time with AU leading 30-16 with the first meeting in 1972-73.
•SMSU's win inside the Sanford Pentagon last season on Dec. 16, 2023, snapped a 10-game winning streak for AU in the series dating back to Feb. 24, 2018.
•SMSU is 6-16 in road games in the series with its last road win coming on Feb. 20, 2018, inside the Sioux Falls Arena.
•SMSU's last win inside the Elmen Center occurred on Jan. 25, 2014.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 9-20 all-time versus Augustana.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS SIOUX FALLS
•SMSU and USF meet for the 43rd time with SMSU leading 26-16 in a series that started in 1968-69.
•SMSU has won 11 of the 18 games since the 2015-16 season, including winning the only meeting last season in Marshall.
•SMSU has won three straight and five of the last six in the series Feb. 21, 2021.  
•SMSU leads the series 18-4 in games played in Marshall, but the teams have split the last eight in Marshall since 2017.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 14-10 all-time versus USF.

    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 249-192, including 168-148 in NSIC play.  
•SMSU has played 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.

    MUSTANGS BY THE NUMBERS
•SMSU has four players averaging double figures in scoring and six averaging 8.7 points or more.
•Sophomore Aeron Stevens is averaging a team-high 17.4 ppg and leads the team averaging 6.9 rpg.  
•Junior Jakob Braaten has dished out a team-high 38 assists, is second in scoring at 13 ppg and is pulling down 6.1 rpg.
•Sophomore Steven Kramer is third in scoring at 11.9 ppg.
•Senior Dunwa Omot is fourth in scoring at 11.5 ppg and is second on the team with 14 3-pointers.
•Junior Mason Lund ranks second on team with 6.7 rpg and is fifth in scoring at 8.9 ppg with a team-high 16 3-pointers.
•Sophomore Mekhi Shaw has recorded a team-high 26 steals, ranks second with 26 assists and is scoring 8.7 ppg.
•SMSU is shooting 48 percent from the field, 31 percent from 3-point range, 77 percent from the free throw line and is plus-2.4 in rebound margin. The Mustangs are averaging 77 points per game, while opponents are averaging 69 ppg.

    MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS   
•Senior Dunwa Omot is set to play his 100th career game on Thursday.
•Head coach Brad Bigler's next victory will be the 250th of his career.
•SMSU has shot the same or more free throws than its opponents in 10 of 11 games.
•SMSU limited Winona State to 32.8 percent shooting on Saturday night, the lowest by an SMSU opponent this season.
•SMSU made a season-high 13 3-pointers at Winona State last Saturday.
•Mason Lund poured in a career-high 18 points on a career-high seven field goals vs. Winona State last Saturday.
•Steven Kramer set a career-high with 21 points in the win at Minnesota State last Friday.
•Jakob Braaten set a career-high with 26 points in the win over Minnesota State last Friday and then set a career-high with eight assists at Winona State on 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. 17), SMSU ranks fifth in fouls per game (12.9), 11th in turnovers per game (9.9), 40th in field goal pct. defense (40.8), 40th in free throw pct. (76.6) and 60th in scoring defense (68.7).
•Aeron Stevens ranks 41st in free throws made (52) and 61st in free throws attempted (63).
•Mekhi Shaw ranks 21st in steals (26) and 34th in steals per game (2.36).

    OMOT IN THE SMSU RECORD BOOK    
•Senior Dunwa Omot ranks 15th in team history with 1,234 points and is 10 points shy from tying Sam Leggett (1974-76) for 14th on the all-time scoring list.
•He also ranks eighth in 3-point field goals made (178) and fifth in free throw pct. (84.1). 

    MUSTANG CAREER 20-POINT GAMES
•Four current SMSU players, senior Dunwa Omot, junior Jakob Braaten, sophomore Aeron Stevens and sophomore Steven Kramer 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 twice in his career, Stevens has reached the mark seven times, including three times this season, while Kramer has done it once.
20 or More Point Games This Season
    29    Aeron Stevens    Fort Hays State, 11/8
    26    Jakob Braaten    Minnesota State, 12/13
    25    Dunwa Omot    Minnesota Duluth, 12/6
    25    Aeron Stevens    Minnesota State, 11/16
    21    Steven Kramer    Minnesota State, 12/13
    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 11 games and is averaging 13 ppg and 6.1 rpg.
•Dished out career-high eight assists at Winona State (12/14/24).
•Scored a career-high 26 points at Minnesota State (12/13/24).
•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 10 games with one start and is averaging 4.4 ppg and 2.4 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 11 games and is averaging 11.9 ppg and 4.7 rpg.
•Scored career-high 21 points at Minnesota State (12/13/24).
•Scored 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.
•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 11 games and is averaging 8.9 ppg and 6.7 rpg.
•Scored career-high 18 points with four 3-pointers at Winona State (12/14/24).
•Scored 16 points vs. Wayne State (11/26/24).
•Pulled down career-high 17 rebounds at Upper Iowa (11/24/24).
•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 11 games and is averaging 11.5 ppg.
•Scored season-high 25 points vs. Minnesota Duluth with nine field goals.
•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.
•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.
•Twice named NSIC Player of the Week during his career.

    CALEB SCHLAAK NOTES
•Has played in all 11 games and is averaging 3.2 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 11 games and is averaging 8.7 ppg and 2.2 rpg.
•Leads team with 26 steals and is second with 26 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 10 games and is averaging 17.4 ppg and 6.9 rpg.
•Missed the Briar Cliff game due to injury.
•Has scored 20 or more points in three games this season.
•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, 3-1 in road/neutral site games this season, is 115-124 in 239 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    3-1    45.5    28.2    77.6    40.0    75.8    9.0      

    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.

    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 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 417-449 in 866 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 1,585 games compiling a record of 741-844.
•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 AUGUSTANA
•The Vikings enter Thursday's game with a record of 3-8 overall, 0-5 NSIC. AU has lost seven straight, including two on the road last weekend to Minnesota Duluth (70-61) and Concordia-St. Paul (99-97).
•Senior forward Akoi Akoi is scoring a team-high 13 ppg while avearging 5.1 rpg and is tied for the team lead with 25 assists.  
•Senior guard Tanner Te Slaa is averaging 13.3 ppg with a team leading 23 3-pointers.
•AU is shooting 43 percent from the field, 31 percent from 3-point range, 67 percent from the free throw line and is minus-1.6 in rebound margin.
•AU is averaging 68 points per game, while opponents average 72 points per game.
•Head coach Cody Schilling is in his first season with a record of 3-8. He was an assistant coach at AU for three seasons prior to taking over as head coach. He served as head coach at Mount Marty (S.D.) from 2017-19, compiling a record of 10-48.  

    SCOUTING SIOUX FALLS
•The Cougars are 6-5 overall, 2-3 NSIC, and play host to Wayne State on Thursday night. USF lost two games last weekend on the road to Winona State (71-65) and Minnesota State (82-79).  
•Redshirt freshman guard Taylen Ashley averages 11.2 ppg with 30 assists and 21 3-pointers.  
•Sophomore guard Kyle Ingwerson is scoring 11.6 ppg with a team-leading 25 3-pointers.
•USF is shooting 45 percent from the field, 38 percent from 3-point range, 68 percent from the free throw line and is plus-7.5 in rebound margin.
•USF is averaging 76 points per game, while opponents are averaging 75 points per game.
•Head coach Chris Johnson is in his 17th season at USF with a record of 273-203. He was also head coach at Culver-Stockton for one season (2004-05) and has 289 career victories.