THIS WEEK
•The No. 5 seed Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (17-11) opens first round play in the NSIC Tournament on Wednesday night hosting No. 12 seed St. Cloud State University (12-15) with tip-off set for 5:30 p.m. inside the R/A Facility in Marshall.
•This will be the third meeting between the two teams this season with SMSU winning 86-75 in Marshall (Jan. 6) and earning a 65-52 win in St. Cloud (Feb. 16).
•The winner of Wednesday's game will advance to the quarterfinals on Sunday to face No. 4 Minot State at 11 a.m.. at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. The semifinals will be held on Monday, March 4, with the championship game on Tuesday, March 5, at 4 p.m.
•As of Feb. 25, SMSU, which has played eight games versus opponents ranked among the top 25 nationally, including three ranked No. 1, has the second toughest schedule in Division II with its opponents combining for a winning pct. of .623.
•SMSU's 17 victories is its highest total since winning 18 games in 2018-19, while its fifth-place finish in the NSIC is the program's highest finish since winning the NSIC South Division and finishing tied for second overall in 2017-18.   
•A preview for SCSU can be found on page 4.

    BROADCAST INFO
•Wednesday's game 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 ST. CLOUD STATE
•SMSU and SCSU meet for the 69th time with SCSU leading 42-26 in a series that started in 1969-70.
•SMSU has won four straight and seven of the last nine since the 2016-17 season.
•SCSU leads 17-15 in games played in Marshall, but SMSU has won the last two games and three of the last four inside the R/A Facility since 2016-17.
•This will be the fourth meeting in the NSIC Tournament with SCSU winning two of three previous games.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 10-11 all-time versus SCSU.

    SMSU NSIC TOURNAMENT HISTORY
•Since the NSIC Tournament started in 2000, SMSU is 27-20 all-time with two championships (2012 & 2017).
•SMSU has advanced to the semifinals 12 times and have played in eight championship games (2001, 2002, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019).
•The Mustangs are 10-3 at home, 3-9 on the road and 14-8 in neutral site tournament games.
 
    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 238-188, including 164-147 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.

    MUSTANG DEFENSE ONE OF THE BEST IN PROGRAM HISTORY    
•SMSU closed the NSIC season (22 games) ranking first in scoring defense (68.0) and first in field goal pct. defense (39.7).
•SMSU has limited its last four opponents to less than 40 percent shooting, including three to 33 percent or less.
•SMSU held Minot State last Friday and St. Cloud State on Feb. 16 to 28.6 percent shooting which is the lowest by an SMSU opponent this season.
•SMSU is limiting opponents to 40.6 percent shooting on the season, which is the second lowest in team history. Last season's team set the school record at 39.9 percent.

    SMSU RANKED IN FIRST REGION RANKINGS  
•SMSU was one of 10 teams listed in the first NCAA Division II Central Region rankings released last week by the NCAA national committee.
•SMSU is one of seven NSIC schools to appear in the region rankings along with Augustana, Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota State, Minot State, MSU Moorhead and Winona State. The MIAA has two teams listed in Fort Hays State and Northwest Missouri State, while the GAC has one team ranked, Southeastern Oklahoma State.

    MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS   
•SMSU closed the regular season last weekend defeating No. 24 Minot State, 72-53, before suffering a 79-77 overtime loss to No. 13 MSU Moorhead. Dunwa Omot and Kyle Luedtke each scored 13 points in the win over MSU, while the Mustangs held the Beavers to 28.6 percent shooting. In the loss to MSUM, Jake Phipps scored a game-high 25 points on 10 of 13 field goals.
•Senior Jake Phipps is just the eighth player in team history to score 1,000 points and grab 700 rebounds in a career. He ranks sixth in team history with 1,499 points in 123 games and is 13 points away from tying Andre Beasley (1990-93) for fifth all-time.
•Freshman Aeron Stevens has set the school freshman record for free throws made and attempted in a single-season. He has made 115 of 159 from the foul line this season. Bob Throngard held the previous record of 97 free throws made and 129 attempted during the program's first season in 1967-68.
•SMSU has three victories over Top 25 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 and No. 24 Minot State on Feb. 23.
•Junior Dunwa Omot became the 28th player in team history to reach 1,000 career points on Feb. 9 at Minnesota Duluth. He ranks 13th in team history with 155 3-point field goals.
•Senior Cliff Cofield became the 27th player in team history to reach 1,000 career points in the win over SCSU on Jan. 6. Cofield's 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 was the most points scored by a Mustang player since Kenny Byers scored 33 at Minnesota Crookston on Jan. 31, 2020.
•Omot was named the NSIC Player of the Week on Jan. 8 after averaging 21.5 points, while shooting 64 percent (14 of 22) from the field, including 8 of 14 from 3-point range in victories over Bemidji State and St. Cloud State.

    MUSTANGS BY THE NUMBERS
•For the season, SMSU has four players averaging double figures in scoring with senior Jake Phipps scoring a team-high 15.8 ppg and is also the leader in rebounding at 6.7 rpg. He is shooting a team-high 57 percent from the field.
•Freshman Aeron Stevens ranks second on the team with 12.4 ppg, has made a team-high 115 free throws and is first in rebounding (5.0).
•Senior Cliff Cofield is averaging 11.2 ppg with a team-high 96 assists and team-high 49 steals.  
•Junior Dunwa Omot is scoring 10.7 ppg while connecting on a team-high 46 3-pointers.
•Sophomore Mason Lund is averaging 7.1 ppg and is third in rebounding (4.9).  
•SMSU is shooting 47 percent from the field, 36 percent from 3-point range, 75 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 68 ppg.

    MUSTANGS IN THE FINAL NSIC STATS   
•In the final NSIC stats (league games only), SMSU ranked first in scoring defense (68.0), first in field goal pct. defense (39.7), first in field goal pct. (48.6), fourth in 3-point field goal pct. (35.6), fourth in assist/turnover ratio (1.35), sixth in 3-point field goal pct. defense (32.6) and sixth in free throw pct. (75.3).
•Jake Phipps ranked first in the league in field goal pct. (58.7), third in blocked shots (1.5), ninth in rebounding (6.8), 10th scoring (16.4) and 15th in free throw pct. (75.3).
•Cliff Cofield was second in steals (1.6), eighth in assists (3.6), and eighth in assist/turnover ratio (1.9).
•Aeron Stevens finished 16th in free throw pct. (74.6).

    SMSU IN THE NCAA STATS   
•In the latest Division II national statistics (Feb. 25), SMSU ranks 13th in field goal pct. defense (40.6), 30th in turnovers per game (10.5), 38th in scoring defense (67.8), 48th in assist/turnover ratio (1.3) and 54th in field goal pct. (47.4).
•Aeron Stevens ranks 37th in free throw attempts (159) and 51st in free throws made (115).
•Cliff Cofield ranks 47th in steals (49) and 66th in free throw pct. (85.4).
•Jake Phipps ranks 30th in field goal pct. (57.3) and 45th in field goals made (177).

    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.
•Phipps has reached 20 points seven times this season and 18 times in his career; Omot has reached the 20-point mark twice this season and 15 times in his career, including one 30-point game; while Stevens has reached the mark four times this season.
•Cofield has recorded three 20-point games this season, including a career-high 31 versus Truman State.
20 or More Point Games This Season
    31    Cliff Cofield    Truman State, 11/26/23
    27    Aeron Stevens    Winona State, 2/3/24
    26    Aeron Stevens    UMary, 1/26/24
    25    Jake Phipps    MSU Moorhead, 2/24/24
    24    Jake Phipps    St. Cloud State, 1/6/24
    23    Cliff Cofield    Concordia-St. Paul, 2/10/24
    23    Jake Phipps    Minnesota State, 2/2/24
    23    Dunwa Omot    Bemidji State, 1/5/24
    22    Aeron Stevens    MSU Moorhead, 2/24/24
    22    Jake Phipps    Minnesota Duluth, 12/9/23
    21    Jake Phipps    Bemidji State, 2/17/24
    21    Jake Phipps    MSU Moorhead, 1/12/24
    21    Aeron Stevens    Concordia-St. Paul, 12/8/23
    20    Jake Phipps    Upper Iowa, 11/25/23
    20    Cliff Cofield    NW Missouri State, 11/11/23
    20    Dunwa Omot    St. Cloud State, 1/6/24

    JAKOB BRAATEN NOTES
•Has played in 26 games with 11 starts and is averaging 5.7 ppg and 4.9 rpg. Missed two games with an injury.  
•Has grabbed a career-high nine rebounds in three games.
•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 last season and averaged 5.9 ppg and 3.6 rpg.  
•Sat out the 2021-22 season as a redshirt.

    MASON LUND NOTES
•Has started all 28 games and is scoring 7.1 ppg and is third on the team averaging 4.9 rpg.
•Tied career-high with 10 rebounds vs. St. Cloud State (1/6/24).
•Connected on three 3-pointers and 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).

    CLIFF COFIELD NOTES
•Changed last name from McCray to Cofield this past summer.
•Has started 27 games and is averaging 11.2 ppg with a team-high 96 assists. Missed one game and nearly all of another with an injury.
•Reached 1,000 career points on Jan. 6.
•Scored 23 points with nine field goals at Concordia-St. Paul (2/10/24).
•Scored career-high 31 points on 10 of 14 shooting with five 3-pointers vs. Truman State (11/26/23).
•Started all 28 games last season and averaged 8.0 ppg, while leading the team with 87 assists.
•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 28 games with 24 starts and is averaging 6.8 ppg with 41 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 25 games with 22 starts and is averaging 10.7 ppg with a team high 46 3-pointers. Missed three games and most of a fourth earlier this season with an injury.
•Reached 1,000 career points on Feb. 9.
•Named NSIC Player of the Week on Jan. 8, 2024, and has earned the honor twice in his career.
•Scored season-high 23 points with five 3-pointers vs. Bemidji State (1/5/24).
•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 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).  
•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 28 games and leads the team in rebounding (6.7), scoring (15.8), field goal pct. (57.3) and blocked shots (37).
•Has made season-high 10 field goals in three games, including scoring a season-high 25 points vs. MSU Moorhead (2/24/24).
•Recorded a double-double at Wayne State (11/21/23) and vs. Minnesota Duluth (12/9/23).
•Named All-NSIC second team in 2022-23 after starting all 28 games and averaging 13.3 ppg and a team-high 7.0 rpg.
•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.
•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 four games this season and has scored six points.

    MEKHI SHAW NOTES
•Has played in all 28 games and is averaging 5.1 ppg with 39 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 played in all 28 games and is averaging 12.4 ppg and is second on team with 5.0 rpg.
•Set program record for free throws made and free throw attempts by a freshman. Previous mark set in 1967-68.
•Scored career-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 expected to play this season for SMSU.

    MATT THOMPSON NOTES
•Has played in eight games and has scored six points.
•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 8-3 at home this season and has a home record of 127-67 since head coach Brad Bigler took over in 2009-10.
•SMSU, which is 9-8 in road/neutral site games in 2023-24, is 111-121 in 232 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    8-3    49.8    34.6    74.6    35.3    76.6    9.8     
Away    9-8    45.9    37.3    75.5    33.6    71.2    11.0    

    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 259-114 (.694) in 373 games with 24 winning seasons (including this season).
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    8-3    8-3    0-0
    Totals    259-114    175-86    84-28

    CONSECUTIVE 3-POINT GAMES
•SMSU has made at least one 3-point field goal in 744 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.

    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's 64.5 points per game allowed last season ranks 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 is 0-2 in overtime games this 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 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 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 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 57th season of men's basketball in 2023-24.
•SMSU has played 1,570 games compiling an all-time record of 730-840.
•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 ST. CLOUD STATE
•The Huskies are 12-16 overall and finish 7-11 in the NSIC. •Freshman guard Jamiir Allen is scoring 10.4 ppg with a team-high 111 field goals.
•Freshman guard Lucas Morgan is scoring 10 ppg and leads the team with 5.6 rpg, while shooting 45.3 percent.   
•Senior guard Matt Willert has made a team-high 48 3-pointers.
•SCSU is shooting 42 percent from the field, 34 percent from 3-point range, 74 percent from the free throw line and is plus-0.7 in rebound margin.
•SCSU is averaging 74 points per game, while opponents are averaging 74 points per game.
•Head coach Quincy Henderson is in his second season with a record of 22-34. He was an assistant coach at West Texas A&M for eight seasons prior to taking over at SCSU.  

    SMSU ALL-TIME NSIC TOURNAMENT RESULTS
•Since the NSIC Tournament started in 2000, SMSU is 27-20 all-time with two championships (2012 & 2017).
•SMSU has advanced to the semifinals 12 times and have played in eight championship games (2001, 2002, 2007,
2010, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019).
•The Mustangs are 10-3 at home, 3-9 on the road and 14-
8 in neutral site tournament games.
    2000     NORTHERN STATE W 79-67
    2000     vs. Wayne State L 72-84
    2001     MINNESOTA-MORRIS W 92-60
    2001     vs. Minnesota Duluth W 78-71
    2001     vs. Winona State L 78-94     Championship Game
    2002     MSU MOORHEAD W 84-56
    2002     vs. Northern State W 77-70
    2002     vs. Minnesota Duluth L 57-59     Championship Game
    2003     MSU MOORHEAD L 62-70
    2004     at Winona State L 65-71
    2005     at Northern State L 83-94
    2006     WAYNE STATE W 71-57
    2006     at Winona State L 58-75
    2007     BEMIDJI STATE W 86-43
    2007     vs. Northern State W 82-63
    2007     at Winona State L 70-80     Championship Game
    2008     UPPER IOWA W 76-63
    2008     vs. Northern State L 70-74
    2009     NORTHERN STATE L 63-72
    2010     at Minnesota State W 80-78
    2010     vs. Winona State W 81-67
    2010     at St. Cloud State L 67-68     Championship Game
    2012    MINNESOTA DULUTH W 99-92
    2012     vs. Winona State W 69-64
    2012     vs. MSU Moorhead W 76-72     Championship Game
    2013     at MSU Moorhead L 78-87
    2014     UMARY W 82-65
    2014     vs. Wayne State W 68-45
    2014     vs. Minnesota State L 57-68
    2015     at St. Cloud State L 83-93
    2016     at Northern State L 80-82
    2017     MINNESOTA DULUTH W 79-54
    2017     vs. Sioux Falls W 79-68
    2017     vs. Augustana W 97-89 2ot
    2017     vs. Upper Iowa W 71-58     Championship Game
    2018     UMARY W 78-73
    2018     vs. Augustana W 79-64
    2018     vs. St. Cloud State W 73-66
    2018     vs. Northern State L 75-81     Championship Game
    2019     at MSU Moorhead W 86-81
    2019     vs. Bemidji State W 75-62
    2019     vs. Wayne State W 84-78 ot
    2019     vs. Northern State L 68-72     Championship Game
    2020    at Northern State L 67-79
    2022    at Minot State W 89-75
    2022    at Augustana L 55-73
    2023    MINOT STATE L 85-86 3OT
BOLD indicates home game