THIS WEEK
•The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (8-5, 6-2 NSIC), which had its six-game winning streak snapped last Saturday, opens a stretch of eight straight games versus Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference North Division opponents with two road games this Friday and Saturday.
•SMSU will take on Bemidji State University (6-7, 3-5 NSIC) on Friday inside the BSU Gymnasium in Bemidji, Minn., with game time set for 5:30 p.m. On Saturday, SMSU will travel to Duluth, Minn., to battle the University of Minnesota Duluth (10-4, 6-2 NSIC) with tip-off slated for 3:30 p.m. at Romano Gymnasium. 
•SMSU is coming off an 81-78 home loss to Sioux Falls last Saturday which saw the Mustangs blow a 12-point lead with less than six minutes left in the game. USF scored 16 straight points to build a four-point advantage before SMSU used a 5-0 run to take a 72-71 lead with 1:45 remaining. USF however answered with six straight to rally for the win.  
•BSU has lost two straight, both at home, including an 89-77 setback to Minnesota Duluth on Saturday. UMD, which plays host to Sioux Falls on Friday, is on a three-game winning streak and is currently in first place in the NSIC North Division.  

    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.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS BEMIDJI STATE 
•SMSU and Bemidji State meet for the 103rd time with SMSU leading 59-43 in a series that started during the 1968-69 season.
•SMSU has won nine of the last 12 meetings since the 2014-15 season, including winning the only meeting last season, 83-66, in Bemidji.
•BSU leads 27-22 in games played in Bemidji, but SMSU has won the last two played inside the BSU Gymnasium. Four of the last six games played in the series have been played in Bemidji. 
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 11-8 all-time versus BSU.

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS MINNESOTA DULUTH 
•SMSU and UMD meet for the 93rd time with UMD leading 54-38 in a series that began in 1972-73.
•The teams split two games last season with each team winning on its home floor. SMSU won 79-66 in Marshall, while UMD earned a 63-44 victory in Duluth.  
•The teams have split the last six games, but SMSU has won eight of the last 11 and 20 of the last 25 since the 2005-06 season. 
•UMD leads 36-10 in games played in Duluth and has won the last three games inside Romano Gymnasium. SMSU's last victory in Duluth came on Dec. 15, 2018.  
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 16-5 all-time versus UMD.

    SMSU BY THE NUMBERS
•SMSU has four players averaging double figures in scoring with senior Jakob Braaten averaging a team-high 16.8 ppg. He also leads the team in field goals (79), assists (69) and rebounding (5.8), while ranking third in steals (22).
•Junior Aeron Stevens, who missed the Sioux Falls game on Saturday, ranks second on the team averaging 12.8 ppg.    
•Junior Mekhi Shaw is averaging 12.6 ppg and has registered a team-high 28 steals and is second with 34 assists. 
•Redshirt freshman Micah Schlaak ranks fourth in scoring at 11.8 ppg, while leading the team with 26 3-pointers. 
•Senior Mason Lund is scoring 9.5 ppg with 21 3-pointers and ranks second in rebounding at 5.2 rpg. 
•SMSU is shooting 48 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range, 74 percent from the free throw line and is minus-0.2 in rebound margin. The Mustangs are averaging 75 points per game, while opponents are averaging 71 ppg.

    MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS   
•Jakob Braaten begins the weekend with 971 points in 98 career games. A total of 28 players in program history have scored 1,000 or more points in a career.  
•SMSU committed a season-high 17 turnovers in Saturday's loss to Sioux Falls. 
•Jakob Braaten and Mekhi Shaw both scored 22 points to lead the Mustangs in the setback. It was Shaw's second career 20-point game.  
•SMSU's 16 steals in the win over Minnesota State on Dec. 18 was its highest total since recording 15 versus MSU on Jan. 21, 2017.
•SMSU's 6-1 start in conference play was its best record to open league play since the 2016-17 season. 

    SMSU IN NCAA & NSIC STATS   
•As of Jan. 6, SMSU ranks second in Division II in fouls per game (12.9), 14th in 3-point field goal pct. (39.9) and 30th in blocks per game (4.5). Jakob Braaten ranks 20th in Division II in total assists (69) and 23rd in assists per game (5.3). Mekhi Shaw is 37th in steals (28), while Micah Schlaak is 34th in blocks (21).  
•In the latest NSIC rankings (league games only), SMSU ranks first in field goal pct., first in 3-point field goal pct., and second in scoring defense. 
•Braaten ranks seventh in scoring, third in field goal pct. and third in assists. 
•Mekhi Shaw ranks fourth in field goal pct. and second in assists. 
•Mason Lund ranks second in 3-point field goal pct. 
•Micah Schlaak ranks second in steals and fourth in blocked shots. 

    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 second among all three NCAA divisions.   

    BRAATEN & STEVENS MOVE UP IN TEAM RECORD BOOK  
•Senior Jakob Braaten ranks sixth in team history in assists (301) and is seventh in steals (134). 
•Junior Aeron Stevens ranks 10th all-time in free throws made (254) and 11th in free throws attempted (342). 
•See chart on page 4.

    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 269-204, including 186-155 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 under Bigler (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.

    BRAATEN EARNS NSIC AND NABC WEEKLY HONOR
•Senior Jakob Braaten was named the NABC/D2CIDA National Player of the Week on Dec. 16 and the NSIC South Division Player of the Week on Dec. 15. He is the first SMSU player in team history to earn national player of the week accolades. 
•Braaten averaged 16.3 points, 10 assists, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.5 steals, while shooting 68 percent (19 of 28) from the field and a perfect 9 of 9 from the free throw line in three games.

    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 EARNS HONOR 
•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. 

    MUSTANG CAREER 20-POINT GAMES 
•Six current SMSU players: senior Jakob Braaten, senior Mason Lund, junior Aeron Stevens, junior Mekhi Shaw, junior Steven Kramer and redshirt freshman Micah Schlaak 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 11 times in his career (five times this season), Lund three times (once this season), Shaw twice in career (both this season), Kramer twice a season ago, while Schlaak has reached the mark once this season. 
20 or More Point Games in 2025-26
    27    Jakob Braaten    Concordia-St. Paul, 12/13
    26    Aeron Stevens    Nebraska Kearney, 11/16
    23    Mekhi Shaw    Minnesota State, 12/18
    22    Jakob Baaten    Sioux Falls, 1/3
    22    Mekhi Shaw    Sioux Falls, 1/3
    22    Jakob Braaten    Wayne State, 12/6
    22    Jakob Braaten    Sioux Falls, 11/25
    21    Micah Schlaak    Winona State, 12/14
    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 3 games with six starts and is averaging 4.2 ppg with eight 3-pointers. 
•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 13 games and is averaging a team-high 16.8 ppg. 
•Scored career-high 27 points at Concordia (12/13/25). 
•Dished out team single-game record 17 assists vs. North Central (12/8). 
•Sat out the 2021-22 season as a redshirt. 

    CALVIN BUSS NOTES 
•Has played in 13 games with one start and is averaging 2.0 rpg and 1.7 ppg.
•Season-high four points at Winona State (12/14).  
•Played in 29 games with one start last season and averaged 2.9 ppg and 2.8 rpg. 
•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 13 games and is averaging 9.5 ppg and 5.2 rpg.
•Scored season-high 20 points with six 3-pointers at Augustana (12/4).  
•Grabbed season-high 10 rebounds vs. St. Cloud State (12/20). 
•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). 

    LANDON POKORSKI NOTES 
•Has played 13 games with seven starts and is averaging 4.7 ppg with 13 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 four games scoring seven points.
•Scored five points with three rebounds vs. North Central (12/8). 
•Played in 26 games last season averaging 3.2 ppg and 3.3 rpg.
•Scored career-high 11 points with a career-high 15 rebounds vs. Concordia-St. Paul (12/7/24).   
•Scored nine points on 4 of 4 shooting vs. Briar Cliff (11/30/24). 
•Transfer from Truman State (Mo.) playing in five games during the 2022-23 season. 

    MICAH SCHLAAK NOTES 
•Has played in 13 games with seven starts and is averaging 11.8 ppg, while leading the team with 26 3-pointers. 
•Poured in career-high 21 with five 3-pointers at Winona State (12/14/25). 
•Redshirted during the 2024-25 season.

    MEKHI SHAW NOTES 
•Has played 13 games with six starts and is averaging 12.6 ppg with 34 assists and team-high 28 steals.  
•Scored career-high 23 points with 10 field goals vs. Minnesota State (12/18/25). 
•Played in all 30 games a season ago with six starts while averaging 7.9 ppg and 2.0 rpg and leading the team with 53 steals and finishing second with 76 assists.  
•Redshirted during the 2022-23 season.

    AERON STEVENS NOTES 
•Has started 12 games and is averaging 12.8 ppg and 3.8 rpg. Missed one game due to injury. 
•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. 
•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 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 4-1 at home this season and has a home record of 144-71 since head coach Brad Bigler started in 2009-10. 
•SMSU, which is 4-4 road/neutral site games this season, is 125-133 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    4-1    51.4    46.3    69.2    33.2    79.8    12.8
Away    4-4    45.7    35.8    76.5    32.6    72.2    11.1     

    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 276-118 (.702) in 394 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    4-1    3-1    1-0
    Totals    276-118    186-90    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 435-456 in 891 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 1,617 games compiling a record of 761-856. 
•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 BEMIDJI STATE
•The Beavers are 6-7 overall, 3-5 NSIC, and have lost two straight heading into Friday's game. 
•Junior guard John Pecarich is averaging 21 ppg with 46 3-pointers.
•Senior forward Henry Shannon is scoring 17.2 ppg and pulling down 7.7 rpg, while shooting 54 percent.  
•BSU is shooting 51 percent from the field, 41 percent from 3-point range, 74 percent from the free throw line and is plus-0.5 in rebound margin.
•BSU is averaging 84 points per game, while opponents are averaging 80 points per game.
•Head coach Mike Boschee is in his 14th season at BSU with a record of 164-201. Prior to BSU, he was head coach at Central College (Iowa) from 2003-12.  

    SCOUTING MINNESOTA DULUTH
•The Bulldogs enter Friday's home game versus Sioux Falls 10-4 overall, 6-2 in NSIC play. UMD has won three straight games heading into the weekend.  
•Junior guard Caleb Siwek is scoring a team-leading 15.6 ppg with a team-high 77 field goals and is also the leader in 3-pointers with 23. 
•Senior forward Noah Paulson averages 12.9 ppg and is shooting 60 percent from the field.
•UMD is shooting 44 percent from the field, 32 percent from 3-point range, 71 percent from the free throw line and is plus-3.9 in rebound margin.
•UMD is averaging 76 points per game, while opponents are averaging 69 points per game.
•Head coach Justin Wieck is in his eighth season with a record of 152-62. He has led the Bulldogs to four straight 20-plus win seasons.