THIS WEEK
•The No. 23 ranked (CSC) Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (11-3, 6-2 NSIC) opens a four-game homestand this Friday and Saturday with a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference games inside the R/A Facility in Marshall.
•On Friday, SMSU will face MSU Moorhead (10-4, 5-3 NSIC) with tip-off slated for 7:30 p.m., while on Saturday the Mustangs entertain No. 4 (NABC)/No. 7 (D2CSC) Minot State University (17-0, 8-0 NSIC) with game time set for 5:30 p.m.
•Both SMSU (14 points) and MSUM (13 points) received votes in this week's NABC Top 25 poll.
•MSU is one of just four undefeated teams remaining in Division II as of Jan. 6. The Beavers rank ninth in the country in rebound margin, 13th in scoring margin, 16th in field goal pct. and 17th in 3-point field goal pct.  
•Following play this weekend, SMSU will host Northern State on Jan. 17 and UMary on Jan. 18.
•SMSU's 11-3 start is the program's best since the 2016-17 team opened the year 13-1. 

    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. 23 IN D2CSC POLL WHILE RECEIVING VOTES IN NABC TOP 25 POLL
•SMSU is ranked No. 23 in this week's D2 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Top 25 poll released on Tuesday.
•SMSU is ranked No. 3 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.
•SMSU, which dropped out of NABC Top 25 poll last Tuesday, received 14 points in this week's poll to rank 29th nationally. SMSU was ranked at No. 24 on Dec. 17.
•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. 
 
    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS MSU MOORHEAD
•SMSU and MSUM meet for the 109th time with MSUM leading 63-45 in a series that started during the 1968-69 season.
•MSUM has won four straight and eight of the last 11 since the 2013-14 season. MSUM has won the last two games in overtime, including 79-77 last season in Moorhead on Jan. 12, 2024. SMSU's last win in the series occurred on Feb. 27, 2019, in Moorhead during the first round of the NSIC tournament.
•MSUM leads 27-24 in games played in Marshall, including winning the previous three games. SMSU's last win in Marshall came in overtime (113-105) on Jan. 27, 2017.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 6-13 all-time versus MSUM.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS MINOT STATE
•SMSU and MSU meet for the 20th time with SMSU holding a 15-4 advantage.
•SMSU won two of three games played last season, including 72-53 in Marshall and 85-68 in the quarterfinals of the NSIC tournament in Sioux Falls, S.D. MSU earned a 72-60 victory in Minot, N.D., in the first match-up last season.   
•SMSU leads 6-2 in games played in Marshall, with last season's victory snapping a two-game losing streak to MSU inside the R/A Facility.  
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 15-4 all-time versus MSU.

    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 251-193, including 170-149 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 8.7 points or more.
•Sophomore Aeron Stevens is averaging a team-high 15.9 ppg and also leads the team averaging 7 rpg.  
•Junior Jakob Braaten has dished out a team-high 52 assists, is second in scoring at 12.9 ppg and is second in rebounding at 6.2 rpg.
•Senior Dunwa Omot is third in scoring at 11.7 ppg and is first on the team with 24 3-pointers.
•Sophomore Steven Kramer is fourth in scoring at 10.9 ppg.
•Junior Mason Lund ranks third on team with 6.1 rpg, is fifth in scoring at 9.6 ppg and is second with 23 3-pointers.
•Sophomore Mekhi Shaw has recorded a team-high 34 steals, ranks second with 33 assists and is averaging 8.7 ppg.
•SMSU is shooting 48 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3-point range, 76 percent from the free throw line and is plus-2.2 in rebound margin. The Mustangs are averaging 76 points per game, while opponents are averaging 67 ppg.

    MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS   
•SMSU limited Minnesota Crookston to 44 points in the Mustangs' 70-44 victory last Friday. It's the fewest points allowed by SMSU since Jan. 3, 2014, when SMSU limited Northern State to 43 points.
•SMSU recorded a season-high 12 steals at Minnesota Crookston and forced UMC into 18 turnovers, the highest total by an SMSU opponent this season.
•Mekhi Shaw recorded a career-high six steals, while Steven Kramer dished out a season-high five assists at UMC last Friday.
•SMSU has shot the same or more free throws than its opponents in 13 of 14 games.
•SMSU is 3-0 versus Top 25 teams this season which includes defeating a No. 1 ranked team for a second consecutive season.
•Head coach Brad Bigler recorded his 250th career victory on Dec. 21, 2024.

    NCAA WEEKLY STATISTICS   
•In the latest Division II national statistics (Jan. 6), SMSU ranks second in fouls per game (12.2), 16th in turnovers per game (10.3), 32nd in field goal pct. defense (40.5), 34th in scoring defense (66.7) and 56th in free throw pct. (75.5).
•Aeron Stevens ranks 67th in free throws made (57) and 68th in free throws attempted (75).
•Mekhi Shaw ranks 17th in steals (34) and 22nd in steals per game (2.4).

    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 eighth in 3-point field goals attempted (464). (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 twice 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
    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 14 games and is averaging 12.9 ppg and 6.2 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 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 13 games with one start and is averaging 4.2 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 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 14 games and is averaging 10.9 ppg and 4.2 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 14 games and is averaging 9.6 ppg and 6.1 rpg.
•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 all 14 games and is averaging 11.7 ppg with a team-high 24 3-pointers.
•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 14 games and is averaging 3.4 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 14 games and is averaging 8.7 ppg and 2.3 rpg.
•Leads team with 34 steals and is second with 33 assists.  
•Tied career-high with 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.
•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 13 games and is averaging 15.9 ppg and 7 rpg. Missed the Briar Cliff game due to injury.
•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.
•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 7-1 at home this season and has a home record of 135-68 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    7-1    49.1    34.9    76.6    35.5    78.8    10.0     
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 267-115 (.698) in 382 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    7-1    3-1    4-0
    Totals    267-115    178-87    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 419-450 in 869 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 1,588 games compiling a record of 743-845.
•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 MSU MOORHEAD
•The Dragons are 10-4 overall, 5-3 NSIC, and have lost two straight and three of their last four games.
•Senior guard Jacob Beeninga was injured on Dec. 20 and has missed the last three games. He is averaging a team-high 17.7 points with a team-high 21 3-pointers and a team-high 39 assists.  
•Freshman guard Carson Johnson has played the last three games and is averaging 17.7 ppg with seven 3-pointers.
•Sophomore guard Logan Kinsey averages 14.3 ppg with 12 3-pointers.
•Junior forward Jacob Jennissen leads the team with 7.9 rpg and is shooting 62 percent from the field and scoring 10.5 ppg.
•MSUM is shooting 46 percent from the field, 36 percent from 3-point range, 73 percent from the free throw line and is plus-5.2 in rebound margin.
•MSUM is averaging 72 points per game, while opponents are averaging 66 points per game.
•Head coach Tim Bergstraser is in his third season with a record of 60-17. He has led the Dragons to a pair of NCAA tournament appearances. He was an assistant coach at MSUM for four seasons prior to taking over as head coach.  

    SCOUTING MINOT STATE
•The Beavers are 17-0 overall, 8-0 NSIC, and will play at Sioux Falls on Friday night.
•Junior forward Caleb Van De Griend averages a team-high 19.2 ppg and a team-high 12.6 rpg. He is shooting 76 percent from the field.   
•Senior guard Jalen Cook is scoring 15.6 ppg with 41 3-pointers.
•Senior guard Jaxon Gunville had made a team-high 59 3-pointers and is scoring 12.5 ppg.
•MSU is shooting 50 percent from the field, 39 percent from 3-point range, 75 percent from the free throw line and is plus-9.2 in rebound margin.
•MSU is averaging 84 points per game, while opponents are averaging 67 points per game.
•MSU ranks ninth in the country in rebound margin, 13th in scoring margin, 16th in field goal pct. and 17th in 3-point field goal pct.  
•Head coach Matt Murken is in his 13th season with a record of 177-170. He spent two seasons as head coach at Jamestown (2010-12) compiling a record of 46-16.