THIS WEEKEND
•The nationally ranked Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (18-5, 13-4 NSIC), currently in sole possession of first place in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference standings, returns home on Saturday night to face fifth place Winona State University (16-7, 11-6 NSIC) for the annual 'Tropical Night' game with tip-off slated for 5 p.m. inside the R/A Facility.
•SMSU, which suffered a 63-44 road loss to Minnesota Duluth on Wednesday night, is ranked No. 15 in the D2CSC Top 25 poll and No. 17 in the NABC Top 25 released on Tuesday.  
•SMSU shot a season-low (30.8) and scored a season-low points in Wednesday's loss to UMD.
•SMSU and WSU are meeting for the second time this season with SMSU earning a 75-62 victory in Winona on Dec. 14.  
•Following Saturday's game, SMSU will play at Wayne State next Tuesday before hosting Minnesota Crookston on Feb. 15.
•A preview for WSU can be found on page 4.

    BROADCAST INFO
•Saturday's game 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 IN NABC & D2CSC TOP 25 POLLS
•SMSU dropped four spots and is ranked No. 17 in this week's NABC Top 25 poll released on Tuesday.   
•SMSU, 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 fell out of the poll on Dec. 31 and Jan. 7 before returning to No. 22 on Jan. 14, No. 15 on Jan. 21 and No. 13 on Jan. 28.
•SMSU was ranked No. 15, dropping six spots, in the D2 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Top 25 poll released on Tuesday.
•SMSU was 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.
•Last week's NABC and CSC Top 25 polls can be found on pages 20-21.

    WIN TOTAL RANKS 10TH HIGHEST IN TEAM HISTORY
•SMSU has reached 18 victories for the second straight season and the 13th time in the program's 58 seasons. Last season's team won 19 games and advanced to the NCAA tournament.
•The 18 victories rank tied for the 10th highest single season win total in program history.
•SMSU has recorded six 20-win seasons all-time with the last coming in 2017-18.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS WINONA STATE
•SMSU and WSU meet for the 119th time with WSU leading 73-45 in a series that started in 1968-69.
•WSU holds a 30-14 advantage since 2004-05, but SMSU has won 10 of the last 15 games since 2016-17, including winning six of the last seven.   
•WSU holds a 29-26 advantage in games played in Marshall with SMSU winning 72-62 last season.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 14-16 all-time versus WSU.

    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 258-195, including 177-151 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 three players averaging double figures in scoring and six averaging eight points or more.
•Sophomore Aeron Stevens is averaging a team-high 14.6 ppg and is third with 5.7 rpg.  
•Junior Jakob Braaten has dished out a team-high 75 assists, is second in scoring at 14.5 ppg and is second in rebounding at 5.8 rpg.
•Senior Dunwa Omot is third in scoring at 12.2 ppg and is second on the team with 33 3-pointers. He missed five games with an injury but returned last week scoring 23 points in both games versus Augustana and Sioux Falls.
•Junior Mason Lund ranks first with 6.0 rpg, is fourth in scoring at 9.9 ppg and is first with 41 3-pointers.
•Sophomore Steven Kramer is fifth in scoring at 9.8 ppg.
•Sophomore Mekhi Shaw has recorded a team-high 46 steals, ranks second with 62 assists and is averaging 8.0 ppg.
•SMSU is shooting 48 percent from the field, 36 percent from 3-point range, 77 percent from the free throw line and is plus-1.2 in rebound margin. The Mustangs are averaging 74 points per game, while opponents are averaging 67 ppg.

    MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS   
•SMSU scored a season-low 44 points and shot a season-low 31 percent in Wednesday's road loss to Minnesota Duluth.
•SMSU was out rebounded 43-25 in the setback to UMD. It was the first time SMSU was minus-15 or more in rebound margin since Feb. 21, 2021, versus Sioux Falls.  
•Dunwa Omot is the second SMSU player this season to score 20 or more points in back-to-back games. He scored 23 versus Augustana on Jan. 30 and poured in 23 points at Sioux Falls last Saturday. Jakob Braaten scored 25 versus UMary and 24 at Bemidji State earlier this season.  
•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 shot the same or more free throws than its opponents in 18 of 23 games.
•SMSU's 17-3 record following 20 games tied the 2016-17 team for the best mark in team history. Both teams however would lose game 21 on the schedule.

    NCAA & NSIC STATISTICS   
•In the Division II national statistics (Feb. 5), SMSU ranks second in fouls per game (12.5), 23rd in field goal pct. defense (41.0), 23rd in scoring defense (66.5), 26th in free throw pct. (76.8), 29th in turnovers per game (10.7) and 39th in field goal pct. (48.3).
•Mekhi Shaw ranks 23rd in steals (46) and 50th in steals per game (2.0).
•In the NSIC stats (league games only), SMSU ranks first in scoring defense (66.1), tied for first in field goal pct. (49.0), first in field goal pct. defense (41.1), first in free throw pct. (77.3), second in scoring margin (7.9), second in 3-point field goal pct. defense (32.0), third in 3-point field goal pct. (38.5), and third in steals (7.7).
•Jakob Braaten ranks fifth in field goal pct. (53.3), third in free throw pct. (84.3), ninth in scoring (15.2), eighth in steals (1.8) and 10th in assists (3.4).
•Shaw ranks fourth in steals (1.9)

    OMOT IN THE SMSU RECORD BOOK    
•Senior Dunwa Omot ranks 13th in team history with 1,327 points and is 13 points from tying Taylor Schafer (2015-19) for 12th on the all-time scoring list.
•He also ranks sixth in free throw pct. (83.4), seventh in 3-point field goals made (197) and seventh in 3-point field goals attempted (486).

    MUSTANG CAREER 20-POINT GAMES
•Five current SMSU players: senior Dunwa Omot, junior Jakob Braaten, junior Mason Lund, 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 21 times (five times this season), including one 30-point game, Stevens has reached the mark eight times, (four times this season), Braaten five times this season, while Lund and Kramer have 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    Jakob Braaten    UMary, 1/18
    25    Dunwa Omot    Minnesota Duluth, 12/6
    25    Aeron Stevens    Minnesota State, 11/16
    24    Jakob Braaten    @Bemidji State, 1/24
    23    Dunwa Omot    @Sioux Falls, 2/1
    23    Dunwa Omot    Augustana, 1/30
    22    Jakob Braaten    Minot State, 1/11
    21    Steven Kramer    @Minnesota State, 12/13
    21    Dunwa Omot    Minnesota State, 11/16
    20    Aeron Stevens    @Sioux Falls, 2/1
    20    Mason Lund    @Bemidji State, 1/24
    20    Dunwa Omot    Sioux Falls, 12/21
    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 for the first time in his career.
•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
•Has started all 23 games and is averaging 14.5 ppg and 5.8 rpg.
•Named NSIC Player of the Week on Jan. 13.
•Has scored 20 or more points five times this season.  
•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 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 22 games with one start and is averaging 3.2 ppg and 2.3 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 two games and scored field goal vs. Northern State (1/17).
•Sat out the 2023-24 season as a redshirt.

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

    STEVEN KRAMER NOTES
•Has started all 23 games and is averaging 9.8 ppg and 4.0 rpg.
•Scored 19 points with six rebounds at Sioux Falls (2/1).
•Scored career-high 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
•Has played in two game grabbing two rebounds at Minnesota Crookston (1/3) and scored two points vs. Northern State (1/17).
•Sat out the 2023-24 season as a redshirt.

    MASON LUND NOTES
•Has started all 23 games and is averaging 9.9 ppg with a team-high 6.0 rpg, while ranking first on the team with 41 3-pointers.
•Scored career-high 20 points at Bemidji State (1/24/25).
•Scored 18 points with four 3-pointers at Winona State (12/14).
•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 played in 18 games with 17 starts and is averaging 12.2 ppg and is second on the team-lead with 33 3-pointers.
•Missed five games with an injury.  
•Scored 23 points at Sioux Falls (2/1) and vs. Augustana (1/30).
•Scored season-high 25 points vs. Minnesota Duluth (126) 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 and has played eight games.
•Averaging 5.6 ppg and 2.1 rpg with nine 3-pointers.
•Scored career-high 13 points with three 3-pointers at Bemidji State (1/24/25).  

    CALEB SCHLAAK NOTES
•Has played in all 23 games and is averaging 3.4 ppg and 3.5 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 23 games with six starts and is averaging 8.0 ppg and 2.0 rpg.
•Leads team with 46 steals and is second with 62 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 22 games and is averaging a team-high 14.6 ppg and 5.7 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 four games this season.
•Recorded 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 two games scoring two points and pulling down two rebounds vs. Briar Cliff (11/30) and scoring a field goal vs. Northern State (1/17).
•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 11-2 at home this season and has a home record of 139-69 since head coach Brad Bigler started in 2009-10.
•SMSU, 7-3 in road/neutral site games this season, is 119-126 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    11-2    48.8    36.5    76.2    34.9    76.9    9.9     
Away    7-3    47.5    36.2    77.9    34.2    71.0    11.8    

    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 271-116 (.700) in 387 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    11-2    7-2    4-0
    Totals    271-116    182-88    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.

    2023-24 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 426-452 in 878 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 and has played 1,597 games compiling a record of 750-847.
•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 WINONA STATE
•The Warriors are 16-7 overall, 11-6 NSIC, after defeating Augustana at home on Wednesday, 90-83.
•Senior forward Connor Drew scored a game-high 27 points with six 3-pointers in the victory on Wednesday. The Warriors shot 55 percent and made 14 3-pointers in the win.   
•Sophomore guard Luke Haertle, a transfer from the University of Wisconsin, is averaging a team-high 17 points with 29 3-pointers and a team-high 81 assists.  
•Drew is scoring 14.4 ppg and ranks second on the team with 44 3-pointers.
•Freshman guard Tyler Mason has connected on a team-high 49 3-pointers.
•WSU is shooting 46 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3-point range, 75 percent from the free throw line and is plus-3.6 in rebound margin.
•WSU is averaging 78 points per game, while opponents are averaging 73 points per game.
•Head coach Todd Eisner is in his 10th season at WSU with a record of 152-114. He has also been head coach at Viterbo, Bellevue, Benedictine and Midland recording a career record of 568-280 in 27 seasons as a head coach.