THIS WEEKEND
•The No. 18 ranked Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (6-1, 1-0 NSIC) returns to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play this Friday and Saturday with a pair of home games inside the R/A Facility in Marshall.
•SMSU begins the weekend on Friday taking on No. 11 ranked University of Minnesota Duluth (5-1, 0-0 NSIC) with tip-off slated for 7:30 p.m. The Bulldogs were ranked No. 4 in last week's NABC Top 25 poll before suffering their first loss of the season last Tuesday at Lake Superior State (Mich.).
•SMSU closes the weekend on Saturday with a 5:30 p.m. tip-off versus Concordia University-St. Paul (5-2, 0-1 NSIC).
•SMSU's 6-1 start is its best since the 2016-17 team also opened the season 6-1 on its way to a 13-1 start.    
•Following this weekend, SMSU hits the road for league games at Minnesota State (Dec. 13) and Winona State (Dec. 14).

    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 RANKED NO. 18 IN NABC TOP 25 POLL; RECEIVES VOTES FOR D2CSC TOP 25
•SMSU moved up four spots and is ranked No. 18 in this week's NABC Top 25 poll released on Tuesday.  
•SMSU was ranked No. 18 in the first regular season poll on Nov. 19, before dropping to No. 22 on Nov. 26. It's the first time SMSU has been ranked in the NABC Top 25 regular season poll since the 2016-17 season.
•SMSU received two votes in this week's D2CSC Top 25 poll and is ranked fifth in the D2CSC region poll.
•The NABC Top 25 poll can be found on page 20.
 
    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS MINNESOTA DULUTH
•SMSU and UMD meet for the 91st time with UMD leading 53-37 in a series that began in 1972-73.
•The teams split a pair of games last season with both winning on their home courts.
•SMSU has seven of the last nine and 19 of the last 23 since the 2005-06 season.
•SMSU leads 25-16 in games played in Marshall, including winning the previous 12 inside the R/A Facility. UMD's last victory in Marshall occurred on Dec. 12, 2004.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 15-4 all-time versus UMD.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL
•SMSU and CSP meet for the 50th time with SMSU leading 33-16 in a series that began during the 1980-81 season.
•The teams split a pair of games last season with the road team winning both games.  
•SMSU has won 16 of the last 25 games since Feb. 11, 2011, but CSP has won six of the last nine games.
•SMSU is 19-6 all-time in games played in Marshall, but CSP has won three of the last four games at the R/A Facility.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 16-12 all-time versus CSP.

    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 246-191, including 165-147 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 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 three players averaging double figures in scoring and has six averaging 9.4 points or more.
•Sophomore Aeron Stevens is averaging a team-high 19 ppg, while ranking second in rebounding at 7.5 rpg.  
•Junior Jakob Braaten has dished out a team-high 21 assists and is second in scoring at 12.1 ppg and is pulling down 6.7 rpg.
•Senior Dunwa Omot is third in scoring at 10.1 ppg and is tied for third on the team with six 3-pointers.
•Junior Mason Lund ranks second on team with 7.4 rpg and is fifth in scoring at 9.4 ppg with a team-high 11 3-pointers.
•Sophomore Mekhi Shaw has recorded a team-high 16 steals with 18 assists and is scoring 9.7 ppg.
•SMSU is shooting 48 percent from the field, 31 percent from 3-point range, 75 percent from the free throw line and is plus-4.7 in rebound margin. The Mustangs are averaging 75 points per game, while opponents are averaging 66 ppg.

    MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS   
•Dunwa Omot ranks 17th in team history with 1,179 points and is 13 points shy from tying Nick Smith (2010-14) for 16th on the all-time list.
•SMSU made a season-high 34 field goals and tied a season-high with 64 field goal attempts last week versus Briar Cliff.
•SMSU tied a season-high with 11 steals and made a season-low nine free throws versus Briar Cliff.
•SMSU has shot more free throws than their opponent in all seven games.
•Mekhi Shaw (17) and Calvin Buss (11) both scored career-highs in SMSU's win over Briar Cliff on Saturday. Shaw made a career-high seven field goals, while Buss was a perfect 5 of 5 from the field. Buss recorded a career-high six rebounds vs. Wayne State in the NSIC opener on Nov. 26.
•Caleb Schlaak scored a career-high nine points on 4 of 4 from the field and grabbed four rebounds in the win over Briar Cliff on Saturday.
•Mason Lund tied a career-high with 16 points vs. Wayne State on Nov. 26.
•In the latest Division II national statistics (Dec. 3), SMSU ranks fourth in fouls per game (12.0), 30th in scoring defense (66.1), 31st in field goal pct. defense (40.1), 37th in blocks per game (4.3) and 41st in turnovers per game (10.9).
•Aeron Stevens has made 42 free throws ranking 26th in Division II, while his 50 attempts ranks 36th.
•SMSU is 2-0 versus Top 25 teams this season which includes defeating a No. 1 ranked team for a second consecutive season.

    OMOT IN THE SMSU RECORD BOOK    
•Senior Dunwa Omot currently ranks 17th in team history with 1,179 points. He also ranks 10th with 170 3-point field goals, ninth in 3-point field goal pct. (41.2) and fourth in free throw pct. (84.4). (see charts on page 4).

    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 17 times (once this season), including one 30-point game, Braaten once, 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    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 seven games and is averaging 12.1 ppg and 6.7 rpg.
•Scored a career-high 20 points at Upper Iowa (11/24/24).
•Set 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 all seven games with one start and is averaging 5.1 ppg and 2.3 rpg.
•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 seven games and is averaging 94 ppg and 5.3 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 seven games and is averaging 9.4 ppg and 7.4 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 seven games and is averaging 10.1 ppg.
•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.
•Reached 1,000 career points on Feb. 9, 2024.
•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 seven games and is averaging 2.9 ppg with nine field goals.  
•Scored career-high nine points on 4 of 4 shooting vs. Briar Cliff (11/30/24).
•Connected on 3-pointer and grabbed three rebounds vs. Minnesota State (11/16/24).
•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 seven games and is averaging 9.7 ppg and 3.1 rpg.
•Leads team with 16 steals and is second with 18 assists.  
•Career-high 17 points with seven field goals vs. Briar Cliff (11/30/24).  
•Scored 15 points vs. Wayne State earlier this season (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 six games and is averaging 19 ppg and 7.5 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 5-0 at home this season and has a home record of 133-67 since head coach Brad Bigler took over 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    5-0    49.6    36.0    75.2    36.0    76.4    11.2     
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 265-114 (.699) in 379 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    5-0    1-0    4-0
    Totals    265-114    176-86    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 414-448 in 862 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 1,581 games compiling a record of 738-843.
•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 DULUTH
•The No. 11 ranked Bulldogs, 5-1 overall, will be playing their first NSIC game of the season on Friday. UMD plays at Sioux Falls on Saturday night.
•UMD opened the season with five straight home victories before suffering a 53-49 road loss to Lake Superior State (Mich.) on Nov. 26.  
•Senior forward Charlie Katona is scoring a team-leading 14.5 ppg and is also the leader in rebounding at 8.3 per game.
•Sophomore guard Caleb Siwek averages 12.3 ppg and has made a team-high 12 3-pointers.   
•UMD is shooting 49 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3-point range, 68 percent from the free throw line and is plus-4.8 in rebound margin.
•UMD is averaging 78 points per game, while opponents are averaging 61 points per game.
•Head coach Justin Wieck is in his seventh season with a record of 127-50.

    SCOUTING CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL
•The Golden Bears are 5-2 overall, 0-1 NSIC, following a conference opening home loss to Winona State on Nov. 26. CSP plays at Sioux Falls on Friday before facing SMSU.
•Senior guard Antwan Kimmons is averaging 27.6 ppg and is shooting 60 percent from the field and grabbing 6.7 rpg. Kimmons ranks second in the country in scoring and is second in field goals made (69).
•Senior guard Marcus Skeete is averaging 14.3 ppg and is averaging a team-high 8.7 rpg.
•CSP is shooting 48 percent from the field, 34 percent from 3-point range, 65 percent from the free throw line and is plus-1.7 in rebound margin.
•CSP is averaging 87 points per game, while opponents are averaging 81 points per game.
•Head coach Matt Fletcher is in his fifth season with a record of 27-78. He previously was the head coach at Bethany Lutheran College for four seasons (2016-20) compiling a record of 76-33.
•Fletcher played four seasons at SMSU and closed his career holding the program record for 3-pointers made and free throw percentage.