THIS WEEK
•The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (4-4, 2-1 NSIC) resumes Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play this weekend with two road games on Saturday and Sunday.
•SMSU begins the weekend of action on Saturday in St. Paul, Minn., to face Concordia University-St. Paul (7-2, 2-1 NSIC) with tip-off slated for 5 p.m. inside the Gangelhoff Center.  
•SMSU will face Winona State University (2-6, 1-2 NSIC) on Sunday in Winona, Minn., with game time slated for 2 p.m. inside McCown Gymnasium. 
•SMSU, on a current two-game winning streak, is coming off a 104-68 non-conference home victory over North Central University on Monday. SMSU opened its home season last Saturday with a come-from-behind 75-71 victory over Wayne State.  

    BROADCAST INFO 
•Saturday's game will be broadcast on 105.1 FM KARL , with Sunday on 94.7 KKCK with Ryan Rohlik providing play-by-play.
•Live stats, radio and video broadcasts of all NSIC games can be found at SMSUmustangs.com.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL 
•SMSU and CSP meet for the 51st time with SMSU leading 33-17 in a series that began during the 1980-81 season.
•CSP won the only meeting last season, 92-85, in Marshall on Dec. 7, 2024.  
•SMSU has won 16 of the last 26 games since Feb. 11, 2011, but CSP has won seven of the last 10 games. 
•SMSU is 14-10 all-time in games played in St. Paul, including winning the last meeting at the Gangelhoff Center, 87-64, on Feb. 10, 2024.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 16-13 all-time versus CSP.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS WINONA STATE 
•SMSU and WSU meet for the 122nd time with WSU leading 76-45 in a series that started in 1968-69.
•WSU holds a 33-14 advantage since 2004-05, but SMSU has won 10 of the last 18 games since 2016-17.
•The teams meet four times last season with SMSU winning in Winona on Dec. 14, 2024, but WSU earned a 66-59 win in Marshall on Feb. 8, 2025. The teams then met in the quarterfinals of the NSIC tournament in Sioux Falls, S.D., on March 1, 2025, with WSU winning 71-60, before earning another win over SMSU in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Central Region Tournament in Topeka, Kan., by a score of 69-62.
•WSU holds a 42-15 advantage in games played in Winona, but SMSU has won four straight at WSU, including 75-62 last season. 
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 14-19 all-time versus WSU.

    MUSTANGS BY THE NUMBERS
•SMSU has four players averaging double figures in scoring with senior Jakob Braaten averaging a team-high 16.1 ppg with junior Aeron Stevens averaging 14.4 ppg. Braaten also leads the team in assists (44), steals (16) and rebounding (5.9).   
•Junior Mekhi Shaw is averaging 10.9 ppg and has registered 13 steals and 21 assists. 
•Redshirt freshman Micah Schlaak ranks fourth in scoring at 10.6 ppg, while leading the team with 16 3-pointers. 
•Senior Mason Lund is averaging 5.6 rpg and is scoring 8.6 ppg with 12 3-pointers. 
•SMSU is shooting 45 percent from the field, 36 percent from 3-point range, 76 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 74 ppg.

    MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS   
•SMSU scored a season-high 104 points, made a season-high 39 field goals and drilled a season-high 15 3-pointers in the win over North Central on Monday. 
•Jakob Braaten recorded his ninth career 20-point scoring game in last Saturday's win over Wayne State. 
•As of Dec. 9, SMSU ranks first in Division II in fouls per game (12.1), 43rd in turnovers per game (11.4) and 54th in free throw pct. (75.7). Braaten ranks 19th in Division II in assists per game (5.5). 
•SMSU's overtime win versus Jamestown on Nov. 30 snapped a five-game overtime losing streak and was its first overtime win since the 2021-22 season.

    BRAATEN SETS SINGLE-GAME RECORD
•Senior Jakob Braaten set a school single-game record on Dec. 8 dishing out 17 assists in SMSU's win over North Central University. He broke the previous record of 15 held by Marques Pena set during the 2000-01 season. 
•The 17 assists are the highest total in Division II this season and is tied for first among all three NCAA divisions. Robert McCray from Florida State also dished out 17 versus Alcorn State on Nov. 4.  

    BRAATEN MOVES UP IN TEAM RECORD BOOK  
•Senior Jakob Braaten ranks eighth in team history in steals (128) and ninth in assists (279). 

    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 265-203, including 182-154 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. 

    MUSTANGS OPEN SEASON RANKED NO. 9 
•SMSU opened 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 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll.
•Senior guard Jakob Braaten was named the NSIC South Division Preseason Player of the Year. 

    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.

    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 11 times, (twice this season), Braaten nine times in his career (three times this season), Lund three times (once this season) while Kramer and reached 20 points twice last season. 
20 or More Point Games in 2025-26
    26    Aeron Stevens    Nebraska Kearney, 11/16
    22    Jakob Braaten    Wayne State, 12/6
    22    Jakob Braaten    Sioux Falls, 11/25
    21    Aeron Stevens    MSU Moorhead, 11/29
    20    Mason Lund    Augustana, 12/4
    20    Jakob Braaten    MSU Moorhead, 11/29
    
    BRAYSON BOIKE NOTES 
•Has played in eight games with six starts and is averaging 4.6 ppg.
•Season-high 11 points and seven rebounds vs. North Central (12/8).

    JAKOB BRAATEN NOTES 
•Named 2025-26 NSIC Preseason South Division Player of the Year. 
•Named 2024-25 All-NSIC first team. 
•Has started all eight games and is averaging 16.1 ppg. 
•Dished out team single-game record 17 assists vs. North Central (12/8). 
•Scored season-high 22 points twice this season. 
•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 
•Has played in eight games averaging 2.5 rpg.
•Grabbed four rebounds twice this season.  
•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.

    REECE KIRCHER NOTES 
•Has played in one game vs. North Central (12/8).

    BUAY KOAK NOTES 
•Has played in one game scoring two points vs. North Central (12/8). 
•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 
•Has not played in a game this season due to injury. 
•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).
•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 this season scoring two points vs. North Central (12/8). 
•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 
•Has started eight games and is averaging 8.6 ppg and 5.6 rpg.
•Scored season-high 20 points at Augustana (12/4).  
•Started all 30 games last season averaging 9.1 ppg with a team-high 5.9 rpg, while ranking second on the team with 49 3-pointers. 
•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 
•Has played eight games with two starts and is averaging 5.9 ppg with 11 3-pointers.  
•Scored 12 points vs. Wayne State (12/6) with four 3-pointers. 
•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).  

    ISAIAH SCHAFER NOTES 
•Has played in two games averaging 6.0 ppg with four 3-pointers.
•Scored nine points with three 3-pointers vs. North Central (12/8). 
•Sat out the 2024-25 season as a redshirt. 

    CALEB SCHLAAK NOTES 
•Has played in three games.
•Scored five points with three rebounds vs. North Central (12/8). 
•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.) playing in five games during the 2022-23 season. 

    MICAH SCHLAAK NOTES 
•Has played in eight games with two starts and is averaging 10.6 ppg.
•Leads team with 16 3-pointers. 
•Poured in 14 points vs. North Central (12/8). 
•Scored season-high 14 points with four 3-pointers and season-high eight rebounds vs. Jamestown (11/30). 
•Redshirted in 2024-25.

    MEKHI SHAW NOTES 
•Has played eight games with six starts and is averaging 10.6 ppg with 21 assists.  
•Scored 16 points at Fort Hays State (11/15). 
•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). 
•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 
•Has started all eight games and is averaging 14.4 ppg and 3.9 rpg.
•Scored 26 points on 9 of 16 shooting versus Nebraska Kearney (11/16). 
•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 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.

    LUKE STEVENS NOTES 
•Has played in one game and scored two points with two rebounds vs. North Central (12/8).

    HOME AND AWAY IN 2025-26 
•SMSU is 2-0 at home this season and has a home record of 142-70 since head coach Brad Bigler started in 2009-10. 
•SMSU, which is 2-4 road/neutral site games this season, is 123-133 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 2025-26: 
        W-L    FG%    3-FG%    FT%    REB    PTS    TO    
Home    2-0    51.6    40.7    72.5    39.5    89.5    13.0
Away    2-4    42.7    34.4    76.9    33.0    70.3    10.8     

    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 274-117 (.700) in 391 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    2-0    1-0    1-0
    Totals    274-117    184-89    90-28

    MUSTANGS AND THE CENTURY MARK 
•SMSU scored 104 points in a 104-68 win over North Central University earlier this season. 
•SMSU is 42-8 all-time when scoring 100 points, including 10-2 under head coach Brad Bigler. 

    WORKING OVERTIME 
•SMSU is 1-0 in overtime games this season following a 69-66 non-conference win over Jamestown on Nov. 30, 2025.
•The overtime win snapped a five-game overtime losing streak dating back to Feb. 17, 2022. 
•SMSU is 52-45 all-time in overtime games. 
•SMSU is 8-6 in double overtime and 1-3 in triple overtime games all-time. 

    2024-25 DEFENSE STRONG ONCE AGAIN    
•For the third straight season in 2024-25, SMSU closed NSIC play (22 games) ranking first in the league in scoring defense (66.0) and field goal pct. defense (41.5). 
•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.

    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, 2024. 
•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 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, 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 is the 57th season SMSU has competed in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. 
•SMSU has an all-time record of 431-455 in 886 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 1,612 games compiling a record of 757-855. 
•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 CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL
•The Golden Bears are 7-2 overall, 2-1 NSIC, and are coming off an 89-77 road victory over Minnesota State last Saturday.
•CSP won a share of the NSIC regular season championship last season with SMSU and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament.  
•Junior guard Ben Kopetzki is averaging 20.6 ppg with 16 3-pointers. 
•Sophomore guard Owen Carlson is averaging 14.8 ppg with 24 3-pointers. 
•CSP is shooting 46 percent from the field, 39 percent from 3-point range, 76 percent from the free throw line and is plus-1.9 in rebound margin.
•CSP is averaging 87 points per game, while opponents are averaging 81 points per game.
•Head coach Matt Fletcher is in his sixth season with a record of 51-87. He previously was the head coach at Bethany Lutheran College for four seasons (2016-20) compiling a record of 76-33.
•Fletcher played four seasons at SMSU (2004-08) and closed his career holding the program record for 3-pointers made (305) and free throw percentage (85.3).

    SCOUTING WINONA STATE
•The Warriors are 2-6 overall, 1-2 NSIC, and will host Sioux Falls on Saturday night before facing SMSU.
•WSU advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament last season, finishing with 22 victories. 
•Sophomore guard Gavyn Hurley is shooting 57 percent from the field and leads the squad averaging 13.8 ppg and also leads the team at 6.5 rpg.   
•Sophomore guard Ryan Heise is scoring 12.3 ppg.  
•Drew is scoring 14.4 ppg and ranks second on the team with 44 3-pointers. 
•Sophomore guard Tyler Mason has connected on a team-high 15 3-pointers. 
•WSU is shooting 43 percent from the field, 29 percent from 3-point range, 80 percent from the free throw line and is minus-3.8 in rebound margin.
•WSU is averaging 63 points per game, while opponents are averaging 79 points per game.
•Head coach Todd Eisner is in his 11th season at WSU with a record of 160-124. He has also been head coach at Viterbo, Bellevue, Benedictine and Midland recording a career record of 576-290 in 28 seasons as a head coach.