THIS WEEK
•The No. 9 ranked Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team opens the 2025-26 regular season with a pair of games this Saturday and Sunday in Hays, Kan., competing at the MIAA/NSIC Challenge. Both games will take place at Gross Memorial Coliseum on the campus of Fort Hays State University.
•SMSU opens play on Saturday facing Fort Hays State University (Kan.) with game time set for 2 p.m. before closing the weekend on Sunday with a 4 p.m. match-up versus the University of Nebraska Kearney (1-2). Both schools are members of the Mid-American Athletic Association (MIAA). FHSU received votes in the NABC Preseason Top 25 poll.
•Both SMSU and FHSU played in the NCAA Central Region Tournament in Topeka, Kan., last season.
•This season marks the 59th for SMSU men's basketball compiling an all-time record of 753-851.
•SMSU is coming off a season in which it won a share of the 2024-25 NSIC regular season championship and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the seventh time in team history.
•SMSU has recorded 28 winning seasons in program history with 21 coming in the last 28 years.
BROADCAST INFO
•Both games can be viewed via pay-per-view at SMSUmustangs.com/watchnow through the MIAA Network.
•Most games will be broadcast on 105.1 FM KARL with Ryan Rohlik providing play-by-play.
•Live stats, radio and video broadcasts of all home games NSIC games can be found at SMSUmustangs.com.
SERIES HISTORY VERSUS FORT HAYS STATE
•SMSU and Fort Hays State meet for the eighth time with SMSU holding a 4-3 advantage
•The teams last played a season ago in Marshall on Nov. 8, 2024, with SMSU earning a 68-62 victory.
•FHSU has won the only game played in Hays, earning a 76-75 victory on Nov. 14, 2015.
•Saturday will be the sixth time SMSU has opened a season versus FHSU.
•SMSU is 21-13 all-time versus current members of the MIAA.
•SMSU head coach
Brad Bigler is 3-3 all-time versus FHSU.
•A complete game-by-game listing can be found on page 20.
SERIES HISTORY VERSUS NEBRASKA KEARNEY
•SMSU and Nebraska Kearney meet for the fourth time with UNK leading 2-1.
•SMSU earned a 77-73 victory a season ago on Nov. 9, 2024, in Marshall.
•UNK defeated SMSU in Kearney, Neb., during the 1975-76 and 1984-85 seasons.
•SMSU is 21-13 all-time versus current members of the MIAA.
•SMSU head coach
Brad Bigler is 1-0 all-time versus UNK.
•A complete game-by-game listing can be found on page 20.
SEASON OPENERS
•SMSU is 32-26 all-time in season openers having won 11 of its last 19 and 19 of its last 28 season lid-lifters.
•SMSU, which beat Fort Hays State to begin last season in Marshall, has won its last three season openers.
•SMSU is opening a season versus Fort Hays State for the sixth time since the 2013-14 season.
MUSTANGS OPEN SEASON RANKED NO. 9 IN NABC PRESEASON POLL
•SMSU opens the season ranked No. 9 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Top 25 preseason poll released on Oct. 28.
•The No. 9 ranking is the highest for the program in the NABC poll since being ranked No. 9 on March 3, 2009.
•SMSU was ranked in the NABC Top 25 poll eight times during the 2024-25 season, including a season-best No. 13 on Jan. 28, 2025.
SMSU PICKED TO WIN NSIC; BRAATEN NAMED SOUTH PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
•SMSU was picked to win both the South Division and overall title in the annual 16-team Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll.
•Senior guard
Jakob Braaten was named the NSIC South Division Preseason Player of the Year.
ABOUT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE IN 2025-26
•SMSU returns 10 letter winners and four starters from last season's 21-9 team that won a share of the NSIC regular season championship with a record of 16-6. It was the third regular season championship (2001, 2009, 2025) in team history along with two division championships (2017, 2018). The team also advanced to the NCAA tournament for the second straight season and seventh in team history.
•Senior
Jakob Braaten earned All-NSIC first team honors last season leading SMSU in scoring at 14.3 points per game, while pouring in a team-high 159 field goals and leading the squad with 102 assists. He tied for first on the team with 53 steals, ranked third in rebounding at 5.6 per game and shot 53 percent (159 of 299) from the field.
•Joining Braaten as a returning double-digit scorer from last season is junior forward
Aeron Stevens, who earned All-NSIC second team accolades a season ago. Stevens averaged 13.9 ppg and tied for the team lead in rebounding at 5.9 per game.
•Junior guard
Steven Kramer returns after starting all 30 games last season and averaging 9.8 ppg and 3.8 rpg, while senior guard
Mason Lund also is back after making 30 starts a season ago and ranking second on the team with 49 3-pointers and averaging 9.1 ppg.
•Junior guard
Mekhi Shaw started six games last season averaging 7.9 ppg, while ranking tied for first on the team with 53 steals and second with 76 assists.
•Also returning is sophomore guard
Landon Pokorski, who played in 15 games and averaged 4.7 ppg. Senior forward
Caleb Schlaak appeared in 26 games averaging 3.2 ppg, while sophomore forward
Calvin Buss averaged 2.9 ppg in 29 games.
•Sophomore guard
Buay Koak and sophomore center
Ethan Koltz both return after seeing limited time last season.
SMSU HEAD COACH BRAD BIGLER
•Head coach
Brad Bigler, the all-time wins leader in program history, is in his 17th season with an overall record of 261-199, including 180-153 in NSIC play.
•SMSU has played in five NCAA tournaments (2012, 2017, 2018, 2024, 2025) during his tenure as head coach.
•SMSU won a share of the 2024-25 NSIC regular season championship, captured 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 2012-13 and 2016-17 NSIC Coach of the Year, Bigler has led SMSU to 11 winning seasons, with one 28-win season, one 25-win season, and four seasons of 19-or more victories.
•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 17.
2024-25 WIN TOTAL RANKS SIXTH IN TEAM HISTORY
•SMSU recorded 21 victories last season for the sixth time in the program's 58 seasons and has now recorded seven 20-win seasons.
•It was the program's first 20-win season since 2017-18.
MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS
•SMSU tied a school record with 19 3-pointers, recorded a season-high 29 assists and shot a season-high 62.5 percent (40 of 64) in the 2024-25 regular season finale at Northern State on Feb. 22.
•SMSU reached the 100-point mark in the win over NSU for the first time since scoring 100 vs. Minnesota Crookston on Feb. 1, 2019.
•SMSU finished 4-0 versus Top 25 teams last season which includes defeating a No. 1 ranked team for a second consecutive season (Northwest Missouri State in 2023 and Minnesota State in 2024).
•SMSU's 17-3 record after 20 games last season tied the 2016-17 team for the best mark after 20 games in team history.
BRAATEN AND STEVENS EARN ALL-NSIC ACCOLADES
•Senior guard
Jakob Braaten was named All-NSIC first team, while junior forward
Aeron Stevens was named All-NSIC second team last season.
2024-25 DEFENSE STRONG ONCE AGAIN
•For the third straight season, SMSU closed NSIC play (22 games) ranking first in the league in scoring defense (66.0) and field goal pct. defense (41.5).
•SMSU opponents are shooting 41.8 percent this season ranking as the fourth lowest in team history.
•In 2023-34, SMSU opponents shot 41.1 percent ranking as the second lowest in team history. The 2022-23 team holds the school record at 39.9 percent.
SMSU IN THE FINAL 2024-25 NCAA STATISTICS
•In the final 2024-25 Division II national statistics, SMSU ranked fourth in fouls per game (12.6), 21st in scoring defense (66.7), 26th in field goal pct. defense (41.8), 25th in free throw pct. (77.1), 44th in field goal pct. (47.6), 46th in 3-point field goal pct. defense (31.8) and 47th in turnovers per game (11.0).
•
Mekhi Shaw ranked 85th in steals (53) and 98th in steals per game (1.77).
•
Jakob Braaten ranked 75th in field goal pct. (53.2), 85th in steals (53) and 98th in steals per game (1.77).
•
Steven Kramer ranked 94th in free throw pct. (83.3).
•Complete NCAA statistics located on pages 15-16.
SMSU IN THE FINAL 2024-25 NSIC STATISTICS
•In the final NSIC stats (league games only), SMSU ranked first in scoring defense (66.0), first in field goal pct. defense (41.5), first in free throw pct. (77.2), first in 3-point field goal pct. defense (31.2), second in field goal pct. (48.7), second in 3-point field goal pct. (38.4), second in scoring margin (8.2) and third in steals (7.7).
•
Jakob Braaten ranked third in field goal pct. (53.0), sixth in free throw pct. (81.8), sixth in steals (1.7), 12th in assists (3.5) and 15th in scoring (14.6).
•
Dunwa Omot ranked fifth in 3-point field goal pct. (38.1) and sixth in 3-point field goals per game (2.4).
•
Steven Kramer ranked third in free throw pct. (85.3), while
Mekhi Shaw ranked sixth in steals (1.7).
MUSTANG CAREER 20-POINT GAMES
•Four current SMSU players: senior
Jakob Braaten, senior
Mason Lund, junior
Aeron Stevens and junior
Steven Kramer have scored 20 or more points in a game during their careers.
•Stevens has reached the 20-point mark nine times, (five times last season), Braaten six times last season, while Kramer and Lund reached 20 points twice last season.
20 or More Point Games in 2024-25
29
Aeron Stevens Fort Hays State, 11/8
26
Aeron Stevens Minnesota Crookston, 2/15
26
Jakob Braaten @Minnesota State, 12/13
25
Jakob Braaten UMary, 1/18
25
Aeron Stevens Minnesota State, 11/16
24
Jakob Braaten @Bemidji State, 1/24
22
Jakob Braaten Minot State, 1/11
21
Jakob Braaten vs. Winona State, 3/1
21
Steven Kramer @Wayne State, 2/11
21
Steven Kramer @Minnesota State, 12/13
20
Mason Lund @Northern State, 2/22
20
Aeron Stevens @Sioux Falls, 2/1
20
Mason Lund @Bemidji State, 1/24
20
Aeron Stevens @Upper Iowa, 11/24
20
Jakob Braaten @Upper Iowa, 11/24
BRAATEN NAMED NSIC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
•Junior guard
Jakob Braaten was named NSIC Player of the Week on Jan. 13.
•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.
JAKOB BRAATEN NOTES
•Named 2025-26 NSIC Preseason South Division Player of the Year.
•Named 2024-25 All-NSIC first team.
•Started all 30 games and averaged 14.3 ppg and 5.5 rpg last season.
•Scored 20 or more points six times last season.
•Named NSIC Player of the Week on Jan. 13, 2025.
•Tied career-high with 10 field goals vs. UMary (1/18/25).
•Dished out career-high eight assists at Winona State (12/14/24).
•Scored a career-high 26 points at Minnesota State (12/13/24).
•Tied a career-high with nine rebounds at Augustana (12/19/24).
•Played in 30 games with 12 starts in 2023-24 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
•Played in 29 games with one start last season and averaged 2.9 ppg and 2.8 rpg. Missed one game due to injury.
•Grabbed career-high nine rebounds at Wayne State (2/11/25).
•Scored career-high 11 points on 5 of 5 shooting in first career start vs. Briar Cliff (11/30/24).
•Sat out the 2023-24 season as a redshirt.
BUAY KOAK NOTES
•Played in three games and was 0 for 2 from the field last season.
•Sat out the 2023-24 season as a redshirt.
STEVEN KRAMER NOTES
•Started all 30 games and averaged 9.8 ppg and 3.8 rpg a season ago.
•Tied career-high with 21 points, including 10 of 10 from the free throw line at Wayne State (2/11).
•Scored 21 points at Minnesota State (12/13/24).
•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
•Played in three game last season grabbing two rebounds at Minnesota Crookston (1/3) and scoring two points vs. Northern State (1/17) and at Northern State (2/22).
•Sat out the 2023-24 season as a redshirt.
MASON LUND NOTES
•Started all 30 games last season and averaged 9.1 ppg with a team-high 5.9 rpg, while ranking second on the team with 49 3-pointers.
•Tied career-high 20 points at Northern State (2/22/25).
•Scored 20 points with four 3-pointers at Bemidji State (1/24).
•Pulled down career-high 17 rebounds at Upper Iowa (11/24/24).
•Started all 32 games in 2023-24 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.
LANDON POKORSKI NOTES
•Only true freshman to play last season appearing in 15 games averaging 4.7 ppg and 1.7 rpg with 14 3-pointers.
•Scored career-high 13 points with three 3-pointers at Bemidji State (1/24/25).
CALEB SCHLAAK NOTES
•Played in 26 games last season and is averaged 3.2 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 in 2023-24 and scored six points.
•Transfer from Truman State (Mo.) where he played five games in 2022-23.
MEKHI SHAW NOTES
•Played in all 30 games a season ago with six starts and averaging 7.9 ppg and 2.0 rpg.
•Led team with 53 steals and was second with 76 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).
•Played in all 32 games in 2023-24 and averaged 4.9 ppg with 44 assists.
•Redshirted during the 2022-23 season.
AERON STEVENS NOTES
•Started 29 games last season and averaged 13.9 ppg and 5.9 rpg. Missed one game due to injury.
•Named 2024-25 All-NSIC second team.
•Scored 20 or more points five times last season.
•Tied career-high with five 3-pointers vs. Minot State (1/11/25).
•Scored 25 points vs. Minnesota State (11/16).
•Scored career-high 29 points vs. Fort Hays State (11/8/24) with 14 free throws made.
•Played in all 32 games in 2023-24 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.
HOME AND AWAY IN 2024-25
•SMSU finished 12-3 at home last season and has a home record of 140-70 since head coach
Brad Bigler started in 2009-10.
•SMSU, which finished 9-6 in road/neutral site games last season, is 121-129 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 12-3 48.3 35.3 77.0 34.4 75.7 9.9
Away 9-6 46.9 37.7 77.2 34.1 71.5 12.1
HOME SWEET HOME
•The 2025-26 season marks the 30th year the R/A Facility has served as the home arena for SMSU men's basketball.
•SMSU has an all-time record of 272-117 (.699) in 389 games with 25 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
2024-25 12-3 8-3 4-0
2025-26 0-0 0-0 0-0
Totals 272-117 183-89 89-28
CONSECUTIVE 3-POINT GAME STREAK ENDS IN 2024-25
•SMSU's consecutive game streak of making at least one 3-point field goal came to an end early last season at 752 games. 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.
MUSTANGS AND THE CENTURY MARK
•SMSU scored 103 in the 2024-25 regular season finale at Northern State on Feb. 22. It was the first time SMSU reached the century mark since scoring 100 on Feb. 1, 2019, versus Minnesota Crookston (100-78).
•SMSU is 41-8 all-time when scoring 100 points, including 9-2 under head coach
Brad Bigler.
WORKING OVERTIME
•SMSU finished 0-1 in overtime games last 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 NCAA TOURNAMENT
•SMSU made its seventh NCAA tournament appearance in program history last season since moving to Division II in 1996.
•SMSU, which is 9-7 all-time in NCAA tournament games, has appeared in three region championship games winning titles and advancing to the Elite Eight in 2001 and 2009.
•SMSU hosted the Central Region Tournament in 2009.
SMSU ALL-TIME IN THE NSIC
•The 2025-26 campaign will be the 57th season SMSU has competed in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
•SMSU has an all-time record of 429-454 in 883 conference games, finishing in the top half of the standings 28 times in 56 seasons.
•SMSU has won three regular season championships (2000-01, 2008-09 and 2024-25), two South Division titles (2016-17, 2017-18) and two tournament championships (2012, 2017).
MUSTANG HISTORY
•SMSU is in its 59th season of men's basketball in 2025-26 and has played 1,604 games compiling a record of 753-851.
•SMSU has won three NSIC regular season championships (2001, 2009, 2025), two NSIC South Division championships (2017 & 2018), two NSIC tournament championships (2012, 2017), two NCAA region championships (2001 & 2009) and has appeared in seven NCAA tournaments (2001, 2009, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2024, 2025).
•SMSU has recorded 28 winning seasons in program history with 21 coming in the last 28 years.
SCOUTING FORT HAYS STATE
•The Tigers finished the 2024-25 season 22-10 overall, won the MIAA tournament and advanced to the NCAA tournament before losing to MSU Moorhead in the first round.
•FHSU was picked second in the 2025-26 preseason MIAA media poll and was picked fourth in the coaches' poll.
•The Tigers return one starter from last season's team, Kyle Grill, who was second on the team in scoring (11.6) and was second in 3-pointers made (52).
•In 2024-25, FHSU shot 44 percent from the field, 36 percent from 3-point range, 73 percent from the free throw line and was plus-0.7 in rebound margin.
•FHSU averaged 66 points per game, while opponents averaged 60 points per game.
•Head coach Mark Johnson is in his 25th season with a record of 473-230. He is the program's all-time leader in victories and has led the Tigers to nine NCAA tournament appearances and four league championships.
SCOUTING NEBRASKA KEARNEY
•UNK opened the season last weekend in Billings, Mont., at the D2 CCA Tip-Off Classic, finishing with a 1-2 record. UNK lost to Angelo State (Texas), 73-62, but rebounded to defeat No. 10 Colorado School of Mines, 85-76. UNK closed the weekend losing to MSU Billings, 100-80.
•UNK will play Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday before facing SMSU.
•The Lopers finished the 2024-25 season 12-16 overall and earned the fifth seed in the MIAA tournament.
•UNK was picked to finish sixth in both the MIAA preseason coaches' and media polls.
•Kendrick Gilbert is averaging 17.7 ppg and 6.0 rpg while shooting 56 percent from the field in three games.
•UNK is shooting 42 percent from the field, 26 percent from 3-point range, 80 percent from the free throw line and is minus-5.7 in rebound margin.
•UNK is averaging 76 points per game, while opponents are averaging 83 points per game.
•Head coach Marty Levinson is in his second season with a record of 13-18. He was the head coach at Trinity Valley Community College in 2023-24 and served as head coach at Southern Arkansas University Tech from 2017-23.
