THIS WEEKEND
•The No. 4 seed Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (16-11) competes in the quarterfinals of the NSIC tournament on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. versus No. 5 seed Minnesota State (20-11) inside the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.
•SMSU finished 1-1 versus Minnesota State during the regular season with both teams winning on their home court.
•The winner of Sunday's game will advance to the semifinals on Monday at 4:30 p.m. with the championship game set for Tuesday at 7 p.m.
•Minnesota State advanced to Sunday's game following a 74-62 home win over No. 12 seed Winona State in the NSIC tournament first round on Wednesday.
BROADCAST INFO
•All games will be broadcast on 105.1 FM KARL with Ryan Rohlik providing play-by-play.
•All games will air on Midco Sports Plus and are available via pay-per-view at midcosportsplus.com.
SMSU NSIC TOURNAMENT HISTORY
•Since the NSIC tournament started in 2000, SMSU is 29-22 all-time with two championships (2012 & 2017).
•SMSU has advanced to the semifinals 13 times and have played in eight championship games (2001, 2002, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019).
•The Mustangs are 11-3 at home, 3-10 on the road and 15-9 in neutral site tournament games.
•A complete listing of SMSU's all-time results in the tournament are listed on page 4.
SERIES HISTORY VERSUS MINNESOTA STATE
•SMSU and MSU meet for the 77th time with MSU leading 52-24 in a series that started in 1969-70.
•MSU's 74-71 victory on Feb. 7 snapped a three-game SMSU winning streak in the series. SMSU defeated MSU, 78-66, in Marshall on Dec. 18.
•The teams have met three times in the NSIC tournament with MSU leading 2-1, including earning a 68-67 win in the tournament semifinals on March 4, 2024, in Sioux Falls.
•SMSU has won seven of the last 11 meetings since the 2021-22 season.
•SMSU head coach
Brad Bigler is 14-24 all-time versus MSU.
•A complete game-by-game listing can be found on page 18.
BRAATEN & SHAW EARN ALL-NSIC HONORS
•Senior
Jakob Braaten was named All-NSIC first team for the second straight season, while junior
Mekhi Shaw earned All-NSIC second team honors the league announced on Feb. 26. The awards are voted upon by the league's head coaches.
SMSU BY THE NUMBERS
•SMSU has four players averaging double figures in scoring with senior
Jakob Braaten averaging a team-high 14.4 ppg. He also leads the team in field goals (146), assists (126) and rebounding (5.5), while ranking third in steals (40).
•Junior
Aeron Stevens ranks second on the team averaging 12.4 ppg.
•Junior
Mekhi Shaw ranks third averaging 11.7 ppg and has registered a team-high 57 steals and is second with 74 assists.
•Redshirt freshman
Micah Schlaak is fourth in scoring at 11.6 ppg, second in rebounding (4.9), while ranking first with 56 3-pointers.
•Senior
Mason Lund is scoring 9.3 ppg, while ranking second with 44 3-pointers and is third at 4.3 rpg.
•SMSU is shooting 48 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range, 69 percent from the free throw line and is minus-0.6 in rebound margin. The Mustangs are averaging 73 points per game, while opponents are averaging 67 ppg.
MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS
•SMSU shot 67.9 percent (36 of 53) in its victory over Augustana on Feb. 21 just missing the school single-game record. The record is 68.4 percent (39 of 57) set on Feb. 2, 1993, at MSU Moorhead
•SMSU shot 77.8 percent (21 of 27) in the second half in its victory over Augustana on Feb. 21. It's the first time SMSU shot 70 percent or higher since the final regular season last season at Northern State.
•
Aeron Stevens became the 30th player in team history to reach 1,000 career points earlier this season on Jan. 24.
•
Jakob Braaten became the 29th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points earlier this season during a win at Minnesota Duluth on Jan. 10.
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 277-210, including 194-161 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 NAMED TO HUDGINS & FRANCIS AWARDS LIST
•Senior
Jakob Braaten was named to the Trevor Hudgins Award Top 25 Watch List on Feb. 1, while in January he was named to the Bevo Francis Top 100 Watch List. Both awards are presented by Small College Basketball.
•The Trevor Hudgins Award is presented annually to the senior who has had the finest overall career within Small College Basketball.
•The Bevo Francis award will be awarded to one player who has had the finest overall season within Small College Basketball. The list highlights many of the nation's top student-athletes competing across NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA, USCAA, and NCCAA programs.
•Braaten is the second SMSU player to be recognized for the Francis award since its inception during the 2015-16 season. Ryan Bruggeman was named to the Francis Top 50 Watch List in 2019.
SMSU IN NCAA & FINAL NSIC STATS
•As of Feb. 25, SMSU ranks first in Division II in fouls per game (12.3), 11th in 3-point field goal pct. (39.0), 28th in scoring defense (67.3), 32nd in blocks per game (4.4), 42nd in turnovers per game (11.0) and 47th in field goal pct. (47.6).
•
Jakob Braaten ranks 56th in total assists (121) and 53rd in assists per game (4.7).
•
Mekhi Shaw is 38th in steals (55), while
Micah Schlaak is 55th in blocks (38).
•A complete listing of where SMSU ranks in the latest NCAA statistics can be found on pages 15-16.
SMSU IN THE FINAL 2025-26 NSIC STATS
•In the final NSIC rankings (league games only), SMSU ranked first in 3-point field goal pct., second in scoring defense, second in field goal pct., second in opponent field goal pct. and fifth in opponent 3-point field goal pct.
•
Jakob Braaten ranked third in field goal pct., fifth in assists, seventh in assist/turnover ratio, ninth in steals, 11th in free throw pct., 14th in rebounding and 17th in scoring.
•
Mekhi Shaw finished third in steals and 13th in assists.
•
Micah Schlaak ranked first in 3-point field goal pct., fourth in both steals and blocked shots and 11th in 3-point field goals per game.
•
Aeron Stevens closed ranking ninth 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 single-game total in Division II this season and is tied for second among all three NCAA divisions.
THREE MUSTANGS MOVE UP IN TEAM RECORD BOOK
•Senior
Jakob Braaten ranks fourth in team history in assists (361) and fifth in steals (152).
•Junior
Mekhi Shaw is seventh in steals (147).
•Junior
Aeron Stevens ranks sixth all-time in free throws made (292) and seventh in free throws attempted (400).
•See chart on page 4.
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
•Seven current SMSU players: senior
Jakob Braaten, senior
Mason Lund, junior
Aeron Stevens, junior
Mekhi Shaw, junior
Steven Kramer, sophomore
Landon Pokorski and redshirt freshman
Micah Schlaak have scored 20 or more points in a game during their careers.
•Stevens has reached the 20-point mark 13 times, (with one 30-point game), Braaten 13 times, Lund four times, Shaw three times, Kramer and Schlaak twice, while Pokorski has once.
20 or More Point Games in 2025-26
31
Aeron Stevens Minnesota Crookston, 1/24
27
Jakob Braaten Concordia-St. Paul, 12/13
26
Aeron Stevens Nebraska Kearney, 11/16
23
Aeron Stevens Jamestown, 1/30
23
Micah Schlaak UMary, 1/17
23
Mekhi Shaw Minnesota State, 12/18
22
Mekhi Shaw Augustana, 2/19
22
Jakob Braaten MSU Moorhead, 1/253
22
Jakob Braaten 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
Mason Lund Bemidji State, 1/9
21
Micah Schlaak Winona State, 12/14
21
Aeron Stevens MSU Moorhead, 11/29
20
Landon Pokorski Jamestown, 1/30
20
Jakob Braaten Minnesota Duluth, 1/10
20
Mason Lund Augustana, 12/4
20
Jakob Braaten MSU Moorhead, 11/29
BRAYSON BOIKE NOTES
•Has played in all 27 games with six starts and is averaging 3.4 ppg with 16 3-pointers.
•Has made two 3-pointers in three games.
•Scored season-high 11 points and seven rebounds vs. North Central (12/8).
JAKOB BRAATEN NOTES
•Named All-NSIC first team in 2024-25 and 2025-26.
•Named to Bevo Francis Top 100 Watch List and the Trevor Hudgins Top 25 Watch List.
•Named 2025-26 NSIC Preseason South Division Player of the Year.
•Has started all 27 games and is averaging a team-high 14.4 ppg.
•Has scored 20 or more points in seven games this season.
•Scored career-high 27 points at Concordia-St. Paul (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 all 27 games with one start and is averaging 2.4 rpg and 2.9 ppg.
•Season-high seven points vs. Concordia-St. Paul (2/14).
•Pulled down season-high eight rebounds vs. UMary (1/17).
•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 two games this season.
BUAY KOAK NOTES
•Has played in five games and has scored 12 points.
•Scored four points vs. North Central (12/8).
•Has made two 3-pointers this season.
•Played in three games last season.
•Sat out the 2023-24 season as a redshirt.
STEVEN KRAMER NOTES
•Sitting out 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 five games this season.
•Scored two points vs. North Central (12/8) and two points vs. UMary (1/17).
•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 all 27 games and is averaging 9.3 ppg and 4.3 rpg, while connecting on 44 3-pointers.
•Scored career-high 21 points with five 3-pointers at Bemidji State (1/9/26).
•Scored 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 all 27 games with 21 starts and is averaging 5.5 ppg with 30 3-pointers.
•Scored career-high 20 points with four 3-pointers at Jamestown (1/30/26).
•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 season-high 13 points with three 3-pointers at Bemidji State (1/24/25).
ISAIAH SCHAFER NOTES
•Has played in eight games averaging 5.3 ppg with 14 3-pointers.
•Scored career-high 15 points with five 3-pointers vs. Minnesota Crookston (1/24/25).
•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 nine games scoring 14 points.
•Scored five points with three rebounds at Wayne State (2/21) and 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 all 27 games with 21 starts and is averaging 11.6 ppg, while making a team-high 56 3-pointers.
•Scored career-high 23 points with five 3-pointers vs. UMary (1/17/26).
•Scored 21 points with five 3-pointers at Winona State (12/14/25).
•Redshirted during the 2024-25 season.
MEKHI SHAW NOTES
•Has played all 27 games with six starts and is averaging 11.7 ppg with 74 assists and team-high 57 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 26 games and is averaging 12.4 ppg and 3.5 rpg. Missed one game due to injury.
•Scored career-high 31 points on 10 of 16 shooting vs. Minnesota Crookston (1/24/26).
•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 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 four games, while scoring two points with two rebounds vs. North Central (12/8).
HOME AND AWAY IN 2025-26
•SMSU finished 10-2 at home this season and has a home record of 150-72 since head coach
Brad Bigler started in 2009-10.
•SMSU, which is 6-9 road/neutral site games this season, is 127-138 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 10-2 52.8 45.4 65.4 32.8 78.5 10.9
Away 6-9 44.8 34.6 71.4 32.3 68.5 10.9
HOME SWEET HOME
•The 2025-26 season marked 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 282-119 (.703) in 401 games with 26 winning seasons (including the 2025-26 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 10-2 9-2 1-0
Totals 282-119 192-91 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 1-1 in overtime games this season following a 69-66 non-conference win over Jamestown on Nov. 30, 2025, and a 74-71 loss at Jamestown in NSIC play on Jan. 30, 2026.
•SMSU is 52-46 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, 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 NCAA 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 443-462 in 905 conference games, finishing in the top half of the standings 29 times in 57 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 1,631 games compiling a record of 769-862.
•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 29 winning seasons in program history with 22 coming in the last 29 years.
SMSU ALL-TIME NSIC TOURNAMENT RESULTS
•Since the NSIC tournament started in 2000, SMSU is 29-22 all-time with two championships (2012 & 2017).
2000 NORTHERN STATE W 79-67
2000 vs. Wayne State L 72-84
2001 MINNESOTA-MORRIS W 92-60
2001 vs. Minnesota Duluth W 78-71
2001 vs. Winona State L 78-94 Championship Game
2002 MSU MOORHEAD W 84-56
2002 vs. Northern State W 77-70
2002 vs. Minnesota Duluth L 57-59 Championship Game
2003 MSU MOORHEAD L 62-70
2004 at Winona State L 65-71
2005 at Northern State L 83-94
2006 WAYNE STATE W 71-57
2006 at Winona State L 58-75
2007 BEMIDJI STATE W 86-43
2007 vs. Northern State W 82-63
2007 at Winona State L 70-80 Championship Game
2008 UPPER IOWA W 76-63
2008 vs. Northern State L 70-74
2009 NORTHERN STATE L 63-72
2010 at Minnesota State W 80-78
2010 vs. Winona State W 81-67
2010 at St. Cloud State L 67-68 Championship Game
2012 MINNESOTA DULUTH W 99-92
2012 vs. Winona State W 69-64
2012 vs. MSU Moorhead W 76-72 Championship Game
2013 at MSU Moorhead L 78-87
2014 UMARY W 82-65
2014 vs. Wayne State W 68-45
2014 vs. Minnesota State L 57-68
2015 at St. Cloud State L 83-93
2016 at Northern State L 80-82
2017 MINNESOTA DULUTH W 79-54
2017 vs. Sioux Falls W 79-68
2017 vs. Augustana W 97-89 2ot
2017 vs. Upper Iowa W 71-58 Championship Game
2018 UMARY W 78-73
2018 vs. Augustana W 79-64
2018 vs. St. Cloud State W 73-66
2018 vs. Northern State L 75-81 Championship Game
2019 at MSU Moorhead W 86-81
2019 vs. Bemidji State W 75-62
2019 vs. Wayne State W 84-78 ot
2019 vs. Northern State L 68-72 Championship Game
2020 at Northern State L 67-79
2022 at Minot State W 89-75
2022 at Augustana L 55-73
2023 MINOT STATE L 85-86 3OT
2024 ST. CLOUD STATE W 74-63
2024 vs. Minot State W 85-68
2024 vs. Minnesota State L 67-68
2025 vs. Winona State L 60-71
BOLD indicates home game
