THIS WEEK
•The nationally ranked Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (13-3, 8-2 NSIC), tied for first in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference standings, concludes a four-game home stand this Friday and Saturday with a pair of NSIC games inside the R/A Facility in Marshall.
•On Friday, SMSU will battle Northern State (1-15, 0-10 NSIC) with tip-off slated for 5:30 p.m., while on Saturday the Mustangs entertain the University of Mary (4-15, 2-8 NSIC) with game time slated for 3:30 p.m.
•SMSU is ranked No. 22 in the NABC Top 25 and No. 13 in the D2CSC Top 25 poll, both released on Tuesday.
•SMSU's 13-3 start is the program's best since the 2016-17 team set a program record with a 14-2 mark. With two victories this weekend, this year's squad would tie the 2016-17 team for the best record after 18 games (15-3) in team history. The 2016-17 team would eventually move to 17-3, setting the team record for best record after 20 games.   
•As of Jan. 13, SMSU, which is 4-0 versus ranked teams this season, has the 12th toughest schedule in Division II with its opponents combining for a winning pct. of .621.
•Following play this weekend, SMSU will play at Bemidji State and St. Cloud State on Jan. 24-25.

    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.

    BRAATEN NAMED NSIC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
•Junior guard Jakob Braaten was named NSIC Player of the Week for the first time in his career on Monday.
•Braaten averaged 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 steals, while shooting 48 percent (15 of 31) from the field to help the Mustangs earn victories over MSU Moorhead and No. 4 ranked Minot State. He scored 17 points on 7 of 15 shooting, while grabbing eight rebounds, dishing out three assists and adding three steals in the win over MSUM on Friday. He scored a game-high 22 points on 8 of 16 shooting, while making 5 of 5 from the free throw line and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds in the win over MSU on Saturday.

    SMSU RANKED IN D2CSC & NABC TOP 25 POLL
•SMSU, which fell out of NABC Top 25 polls on Dec. 31 and Jan. 7, is ranked No. 22 in this week's poll released on Tuesday.   
•SMSU was ranked No. 18 in the first regular season NABC poll on Nov. 19, dropped to No. 22 on Nov. 26, moved No. 18 on Dec. 3, was not ranked on Dec. 10, before moving back into the poll at No. 24 on Dec. 17.  
•SMSU is ranked No. 13 in this week's D2 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Top 25 poll also released on Tuesday.
•SMSU moved up spot and is ranked No. 2 in this week's CSC Central Region poll. (Complete poll is listed on page 3).
•The CSC regional poll is not the official region rankings used by the NCAA. The official NCAA region rankings will be released starting Feb. 19.
•This week's NABC Top 25 poll can be found on page 20, while the CSC Top 25 poll is on page 21.
 
    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS NORTHERN STATE
•SMSU and Northern State meet for the 102nd time with NSU leading 68-33 in series that started in 1972-73.
•SMSU won the lone meeting last year, 80-46 in Marshall, to earn its second straight victory in the series following six straight wins by NSU.
•NSU has won 12 the last 17 meetings overall since the 2014-15 season.
•NSU leads 26-21 in games played in Marshall and has won the last two inside the R/A Facility.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 10-13 all-time versus NSU.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS UMARY
•SMSU and UMary meet for the 23rd time with SMSU leading 17-5 in a series that started in 2005-06.
•SMSU leads 12-1 in games played in Marshall, with UMary's lone victory coming on Dec. 11, 2015. SMSU has won the last five games played inside the R/A Facility.  
•SMSU won last season's lone meeting, 83-51 in Marshall.  
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 11-5 all-time versus UMary.

    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 253-193, including 172-149 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 9.1 points or more.
•Sophomore Aeron Stevens is averaging a team-high 16 ppg and also leads the team averaging 6.6 rpg.  
•Junior Jakob Braaten has dished out a team-high 58 assists, is second in scoring at 13.7 ppg and is second in rebounding at 6.4 rpg.
•Senior Dunwa Omot is third in scoring at 10.9 ppg and is tied for first on the team with 24 3-pointers.
•Sophomore Steven Kramer is fourth in scoring at 10.4 ppg.
•Junior Mason Lund ranks third on team with 6.1 rpg, is sixth in scoring at 9.3 ppg and is tied for first with 24 3-pointers.
•Sophomore Mekhi Shaw has recorded a team-high 38 steals, ranks second with 38 assists and is averaging 9.3 ppg.
•SMSU is shooting 48 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3-point range, 75 percent from the free throw line and is plus-1.5 in rebound margin. The Mustangs are averaging 75 points per game, while opponents are averaging 66 ppg.

    MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS   
•SMSU is 4-0 versus Top 25 teams this season which includes defeating a No. 1 ranked team for a second consecutive season.
•SMSU has committed eight or less turnovers in four of its last six games.
•SMSU tied a season-high with 13 3-pointers versus Minot State last Saturday.
•Mekhi Shaw tied a career-high with 17 points on 7 of 11 shooting in his first career start versus Minot State.
•Freshman Landon Pokorski scored six points with two 3-pointers and dished out three assists in his first career game last Saturday versus Minot State.
•Dunwa Omot missed Saturday's game versus Minot State with an injury suffered during Friday's game versus MSU Moorhead.
•SMSU tied a season-low with 59 points in the win over MSU Moorhead last Friday.
•SMSU has shot the same or more free throws than its opponents in 14 of 16 games.

    NCAA & NSIC STATISTICS   
•In the latest Division II national statistics (Jan. 14), SMSU ranks second in fouls per game (12.1), 12th in turnovers per game (9.9), 23rd in scoring defense (66.3), 25th in field goal pct. defense (40.5), and 55th in free throw pct. (75.4).
•Mekhi Shaw ranks 17th in steals (38) and 22nd in steals per game (2.3).
•In the NSIC stats (league games only), SMSU ranks first in scoring defense (65.3), first in field goal pct. (49.0), second in field goal pct. defense (40.3), second in 3-point field goal pct. (37.9) and second in scoring margin (9.2).

    OMOT IN THE SMSU RECORD BOOK    
•Senior Dunwa Omot ranks 14th in team history with 1,272 points and is 42 points from tying Kenny Byers (2017-22) for 13th on the all-time scoring list.
•He also ranks seventh in 3-point field goals made (188), fifth in free throw pct. (84.1) and tied for seventh in 3-point field goals attempted (466). (see charts on page 4).

    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 19 times (three times this season), including one 30-point game, Stevens has reached the mark seven times, (three times this season), Braaten three times this season, while Kramer has done it once this season.
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
    22    Jakob Braaten    Minot State, 1/11
    21    Steven Kramer    Minnesota State, 12/13
    21    Dunwa Omot    Minnesota State, 11/16
    20    Dunwa Omot    Sioux Falls, 12/21
    20    Aeron Stevens    Upper Iowa, 11/24
    20    Jakob Braaten    Upper Iowa, 11/24

    JAKOB BRAATEN NOTES
•Has started all 16 games and is averaging 13.7 ppg and 6.4 rpg.
•Named NSIC Player of the Week on Jan. 13.  
•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 at Augustana (12/19/24).
•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 15 games with one start and is averaging 3.9 ppg and 2.2 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 played in one game.
•Sat out the 2023-24 season as a redshirt.

    BUAY KOAK NOTES
•Has played in one game and was 0 for 1 from the field.
•Sat out the 2023-24 season as a redshirt.

    STEVEN KRAMER NOTES
•Has started all 16 games and is averaging 10.4 ppg and 4.1 rpg.
•Season-high five assists at Minnesota Crookston (1/3).
•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 played in one game grabbing two rebounds at Minnesota Crookston (1/3).
•Sat out the 2023-24 season as a redshirt.

    MASON LUND NOTES
•Has started all 16 games and is averaging 9.1 ppg and 6.1 rpg, while ranking tied for first on the team with 24 3-pointers.
•Scored 14 points with four 3-pointers at Minnesota Crookston (1/3).
•Scored career-high 18 points with four 3-pointers at Winona State (12/14/24).
•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 15 games and is averaging 10.9 ppg and is tied for the team-lead with 24 3-pointers.
•Missed the Minot State game with an injury.  
•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.

    LANDON POKORSKI NOTES
•Only true freshman to play this season.
•Has played in one game, scoring six points on two 3-pointers with three assists vs. Minot State.

    CALEB SCHLAAK NOTES
•Has played in all 16 games and is averaging 2.9 ppg and 3.3 rpg.
•Scored career-high 11 points with a career-high 15 rebounds vs. Concordia-St. Paul (12/7).   
•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 16 games with one start and is averaging 9.3 ppg and 2.2 rpg.
•Leads team with 38 steals and is second with 38 assists.  
•Tied career-high with 17 points on 7 of 11 shooting versus Minot State (1/11/25).
•Scored 17 points with seven field goals, including three 3-pointers at Augustana (12/19/24).  
•Played in all 32 games a season ago and averaged 4.9 ppg with 44 assists.
•Redshirted during the 2022-23 season.

    AERON STEVENS NOTES
•Has started 15 games and is averaging 16 ppg and 6.6 rpg. Missed the Briar Cliff game due to injury.
•Tied career-high with five 3-pointers vs. Minot State (1/11/25).
•Has scored 20 or more points in three games this season.
•Recorded a double-double vs. Sioux Falls (12/21).
•Scored career-high 29 points vs. Fort Hays State (11/8/24) with 14 free throws made.
•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 (127) and free throw attempts (174) in a season.
•Scored season-high 27 points with five 3-pointers vs. Winona State (2/3/24).
•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 9-1 at home this season and has a home record of 137-68 since head coach Brad Bigler started in 2009-10.
•SMSU, 4-2 in road/neutral site games this season, is 116-125 in 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    9-1    48.7    35.2    76.4    34.6    76.5    9.5     
Away    4-2    46.8    34.8    73.5    37.7    72.0    10.7     

    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 269-115 (.700) in 384 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    9-1    5-1    4-0
    Totals    269-115    180-87    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 421-450 in 871 conference games, finishing in the top half of the 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 1,590 games compiling a record of 745-845.
•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 NORTHERN STATE
•The Wolves, 1-15 overall, 0-10 NSIC, enter Friday's game having lost its last 12 games.
•Junior guard James Glenn is scoring 13.1 ppg with a team-high 38 3-pointers and leads the team with 30 steals.
•Freshman guard Marcus Burks is scoring 10 ppg with a team-leading 65 assists.  
•NSU is shooting 43 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3-point range, 61 percent from the free throw line and is minus-3.6 in rebound margin.
•NSU is averaging 66 points per game, while opponents are averaging 76 points per game.
•Head coach Saul Phillips is in his sixth season with a record of 99-61. He has 315 career victories after serving as head coach at North Dakota State (2007-14) and Ohio University (2014-19).  

    SCOUTING UMARY
•The Marauders are 4-15 overall, 2-8 NSIC, and will play at Sioux Falls on Friday night.
•Sophomore guard Jeremiah Jones averages a team-high 11.3 ppg and a team-high 5.9 rpg. He also leads the team with 24 3-pointers.   
•Junior forward Ty Rogers is scoring 11.1 ppg with 17 3-pointers.
•Senior guard Kevin McGaskey has dished out a team-high 61 assists and is scoring 10.6 ppg.
•UMary is shooting 42 percent from the field, 31 percent from 3-point range, 64 percent from the free throw line and is minus-4.5 in rebound margin.
•UMary is averaging 65 points per game, while opponents are averaging 78 points per game.
•Head coach Jack Nelson is in his fourth season at UMary with a record of 33-68. He was the associate head coach at the University of Sioux Falls for three seasons prior to UMary.