THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
•The No. 7 seeded Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (19-12) opens play at the NCAA Central Region Tournament in Mankato, Minn., on Saturday, March 16, facing No. 2 seed, Northwest Missouri State University (27-4), starting at 2:30 p.m. at the Taylor Center on the campus of Minnesota State University. NWMSU is ranked No. 4 in this week's NABC Top 25 poll.
•The winner of Saturday's game will advance to the semifinals on Sunday to face either No. 3 Minnesota Duluth or No. 6 Fort Hays State at 5 p.m. The championship game will take place on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
•SMSU is making its sixth appearance in the NCAA tournament and first since advancing to the second round in 2018.
•SMSU has played nine games versus opponents ranked among the Top 25 nationally, including three ranked No. 1. Entering the NCAA tournament, SMSU has the second toughest schedule in Division II with its opponents combining for a winning pct. of .632.
•The Central Region Tournament features five teams ranked in this week's NABC Top 25.
•SMSU's 19 victories is its highest total since winning 25 games in 2017-18, while its fifth-place finish in the NSIC regular season standings is the program's highest finish since winning the NSIC South Division and finishing tied for second overall in 2017-18.
•SMSU and NWMSU will be meeting for the second time this season with SMSU earning a 63-56 victory in St. Joseph, Mo., on Nov. 11. NWMSU was ranked No. 1 in the country at the time giving SMSU its first-ever win over a No. 1 ranked team.  
•A preview for NWMSU can be found on page 4.

    BROADCAST INFO
•All tournament games 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 NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE & CENTRAL REGION FIELD
•SMSU and NWMSU meet for the eighth time with SMSU leading the series 4-3. The two teams met earlier this season with SMSU earning a 63-56 victory in St. Joseph, Mo.
•This will be the second meeting in the NCAA tournament with NWMSU earning a 55-52 victory in the championship game of the 2017 NCAA Central Region Tournament in Maryville, Mo.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 4-2 all-time versus NWMSU.
•Game-by-game results of the series and this season's box score are located on pages 17-18.
•SMSU is 2-0 versus Arkansas Tech; 3-3 versus Fort Hays State; 37-53 versus Minnesota Duluth; 21-51 versus Minnesota State; 45-63 versus MSU Moorhead; SMSU has never played Pittsburg State.

    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 9-5 all-time in the NCAA tournament appearing in three region championship games with region titles and Elite Eight appearances in both 2001 and 2009.  
•A complete listing of SMSU's all-time results in the NCAA tournament listed on page 4.

    SMSU WIN TOTAL RANKS TIED FOR SEVENTH IN TEAM HISTORY
•SMSU's 19 victories is tied for the seventh highest win total in the program's 54-year history. SMSU also recorded 19 wins during the 2013-14 and 2011-12 seasons.
•The program has reached 20 or more victories six times with the last coming during the 2017-18 season.   

    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 240-189, 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 has appeared in four NCAA tournaments (2012, 2017, 2018, 2024) during his time as head coach.
•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 16.

    MUSTANG DEFENSE ONE OF THE BEST IN PROGRAM HISTORY    
•For the second straight season, SMSU closed the NSIC season (22 games) ranking first in scoring defense (68.0), while also 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 is limiting opponents to 40.9 percent shooting on the season ranking as the second lowest in team history. Last season's team set the school record at 39.9 percent.

    PHIPPS AND COFIELD EARN ALL-NSIC ACCOLADES    
•Senior center Jake Phipps was named All-NSIC first team, while senior guard Cliff Cofield was named All-NSIC second team this season. Phipps was an All-NSIC second team honoree a season ago.
•In NSIC play, Phipps led the conference in field goal pct. (58.7), while ranking third in blocked shots (33), eighth in field goals made (145), ninth in rebounds (6.8), 10th in scoring (16.4) and 15th in free throw pct. (74.3).
•Cofield ranked second in the conference in steals (33) and ninth in assists (75).

    MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS   
•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 fifth in team history with 1,531 points in 126 games and is 32 points away from tying Jordan Miller (2009-13) for fourth all-time.
•Freshman Aeron Stevens has set the school freshman record for free throws made and attempted in a single-season. He has made 125 of 172 from the foul line this season. The 125 free throws made ranks tied for ninth 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.
•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.
•Senior Cliff Cofield became the 27th player in team history to reach 1,000 career points earlier this season and currently sits 19th all-time with 1,136. Cofield's career-high 31 points on Nov. 26 was the most points scored by a Mustang player since Kenny Byers scored 33 at Minnesota Crookston on Jan. 31, 2020.
•Junior Dunwa Omot became the 28th player in team history to reach 1,000 career points earlier this season and is currently 21st all-time with 1,104 points. He ranks 10th in team history with 164 3-point field goals and is fourth in 3-point field goal pct. (43.0) and fifth in free throw pct. (84.1).
•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 15.3 ppg and is also the leader in rebounding at 6.7 rpg. He is shooting a team-high 56.7 percent from the field.
•Freshman Aeron Stevens ranks second on the team with 12 ppg, has made a team-high 125 free throws and is second in rebounding (5.0).
•Senior Cliff Cofield is averaging 11.2 ppg with a team-high 106 assists and team-high 50 steals.  
•Junior Dunwa Omot is scoring 11.3 ppg while connecting on a team-high 55 3-pointers.
•Sophomore Mason Lund is averaging 7.0 ppg and is third in rebounding (4.8).  
•SMSU is shooting 48 percent from the field, 37 percent from 3-point range, 75 percent from the free throw line and is plus-0.6 in rebound margin. The Mustangs are averaging 74 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 (March 11), SMSU ranks 15th in field goal pct. defense (40.9), 30th in turnovers per game (10.4), 30th in scoring defense (67.6), 38th in assist/turnover ratio (1.3) and 49th in field goal pct. (47.5).
•Aeron Stevens ranks 40th in free throw attempts (172) and 64th in free throws made (125).
•Cliff Cofield ranks 70th in free throw pct. (84.8).
•Jake Phipps ranks 32nd in field goal pct. (56.7) and 60th in field goals made (191).
•SMSU in the latest NCAA stats can be found on page 15.

    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 eight times this season and 19 times in his career; Omot has reached the 20-point mark three times this season and 16 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    Minot State, 3/3/24
    20    Dunwa Omot    Minot State, 3/3/24
    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 29 games with 12 starts and is averaging 6.0 ppg and 4.6 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 31 games and is scoring 7.0 ppg and is third on the team averaging 4.8 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.
•Named All-NSIC second team in 2023-24.
•Has started 29 games and is averaging 11.2 ppg with a team-high 106 assists. Missed one game and nearly all of another with an injury on Feb. 23-24.
•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 31 games with 26 starts and is averaging 7.3 ppg with 50 3-pointers.
•Has scored double figures in four of last five games heading into NCAA tournament.
•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 28 games with 25 starts and is averaging 11.3 ppg with a team high 55 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
•Named All-NSIC first team in 2023-24.
•Has started all 31 games and leads the team in rebounding (6.7), scoring (15.3), field goal pct. (56.7) and blocked shots (39).
•Has made season-high 10 field goals in three games, including scoring a season-high 25 points vs. MSU Moorhead (2/24/24).
•Recorded double-doubles 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 31 games and is averaging 5.0 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 played in all 31 games averaging 12 ppg and is second on team with 5.0 rpg.
•Has set program record for free throws made and free throw attempts by a freshman with 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 finished 9-3 at home this season and has a home record of 128-67 since head coach Brad Bigler took over in 2009-10.
•SMSU, which is 10-9 in road/neutral site games in 2023-24, is 112-122 in 234 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    9-3    49.8    35.5    74.6    34.7    76.4    9.7    
Away    10-9    46.1    37.8    75.5    33.5    71.7    10.8        

    HOME SWEET HOME
•The 2023-24 season marked 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 260-114 (.695) in 374 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    9-3    8-3    1-0
    Totals    260-114    175-86    85-28

    CONSECUTIVE 3-POINT GAMES
•SMSU has made at least one 3-point field goal in 747 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 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 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 1,573 games compiling an all-time record of 732-841.
•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 (including this season) with 20 coming in the last 27 years.

    SMSU ALL-TIME NCAA TOURNAMENT RESULTS
•SMSU is making its sixth NCAA tournament appearance in program history since moving to Division II in 1996.
•SMSU is 9-5 in 14 all-time tournament games.
•SMSU has appeared in three region championship games winning titles in both 2001 and 2009.  
SMSU all-time in the NCAA tournament
March 9, 2001 – W, Winona State, 88-77
March 10, 2001 – W, Fort Hays State, 82-63
March 11, 2001 – W, St. Cloud State, 67-65, Region Championship
March 21, 2001 – L, Kentucky Wesleyan, 85-66, NCAA Elite Eight
March 14, 2009 – W, Northern State, 69-47
March 15, 2009 – W, Minnesota State, 77-69
March 17, 2009 – W, Augustana, 73-60, Region Championship
March 25, 2009 – L, Cal Poly Pomona, 79-74, NCAA Elite Eight
March 10, 2012 – L, MSU Moorhead, 82-66
March 11, 2017 – W, Arkansas Tech, 93-82
March 12, 2017 – W, East Central, 74-70
March 14, 2017 – L, NW Missouri State, 55-52, Region Championship
March 10, 2018 – W, Missouri Southern, 81-77
March 11, 2018 – L, Minnesota State, 74-70
BOLD indicates home game

    SCOUTING NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE
•The Bearcats enter the NCAA tournament with a 27-4 record and won both the MIAA regular season and tournament championships. NWMSU has won 16 straight and 22 of its last 23 games.
•NWMSU has won 25 or more games for 10 straight seasons.
•Senior forward Wes Dreamer, the 2023-24 MIAA Player of the Year, averages a team-high 18.4 ppg with a team-leading 6.6 rpg.
•Junior guard Mitch Mascari leads the club with 76 3-pointers and is scoring 10.2 ppg.
•Sophomore guard Bennett Stirtz has dished out 103 assists and is averaging 15.2 ppg.
•NWMSU is shooting 51 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range, 78 percent from the free throw line and is plus-6.5 in rebound margin.
•NWMSU is averaging 74 points per game, while opponents are averaging 60 points per game.
•Head coach Ben McCollum is in his 15th season with a record of 392-90. He was named the MIAA Coach of the Year for the second straight season and ninth time overall.