Independent file photo SMSU’s Kenny Byers guards a Crown College defender during their game on Tuesday. The Mustangs will begin conference play on Saturday against the University of Sioux Falls.

MARSHALL – The Southwest Minnesota State University men’s basketball team (4-2, 0-0 NSIC) opens Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play on Saturday at 6 p.m. facing the University of Sioux Falls (4-1, 0-0 NSIC) at the Stewart Center in Sioux Falls, S.D.

•SMSU, the defending NSIC South Division champions, have won three straight games heading into conference play.

•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler has 140 career victories and is one win shy of tying Greg Stemen (2001-09) for the program’s all-time leader in coaching victories at 141.

•Following Saturday’s game, SMSU will return home to face Upper Iowa on Friday, Dec. 1, and Winona State on Saturday, Dec. 2.

BROADCAST INFO

•All SMSU games will be broadcast all season on 105.1 FM KARL.

•Live stats and video can be found at SMSUmustangs.com.

SERIES HISTORY VS. SIOUX FALLS

•Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls meet for the 30th time on Saturday with SMSU leading 19-10.

•SMSU has won the last four meetings in the series, including three times last season.

•USF’s last victory came on Dec. 8, 2015, in Sioux Falls.

•USF leads 10-4 in games played at USF.

•SMSU leads the series 6-4 in conference games (7-4 overall) since USF joined the NSIC prior to the 2012-13 season.

•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 7-4 all-time versus USF.

ABOUT

SOUTHWEST

MINNESOTA STATE

•SMSU is 4-2 overall this season.

•SMSU has two players averaging double figure scoring this season.

•Ryan Bruggeman is averaging a team-high 14.7 ppg with a team-high 26 assists.

•Carter Kirk is scoring 14.5 ppg with a team-high 8.8 rpg.

•KJ Davis is scoring 9.8 ppg with four 3-pointers.

•Michael Lee has made a team-leading 13 3-pointers while Taylor Schafer has connected on nine 3-pointers.

•SMSU averaging 78 points per game, while opponents are average 74.

•SMSU is shooting 50 percent from the field, 41 percent from 3-point range and 74 percent from the free throw line.

MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS

•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler has 140 career victories and is one win shy of tying Greg Stemen (2001-09) for the program’s all-time leader in coaching victories at 141.

•SMSU’s 116 points on Tuesday night was the second highest point total in school history.

•SMSU’s 64 percent shooting versus Crown was its highest since shooting 62 percent versus Northern State on Nov. 15, 2016.

•SMSU shot 72 percent in the first half on Tuesday night. It marked the first time shooting over 70 percent in a half since Feb. 5, 2016, versus Bemidji State.

•SMSU connected on a season-high 14 3-pointers in the win over Crown.

•SMSU made 33 free throws in the win over Northern Michigan last Saturday. It was the first time SMSU made more than 30 in a game since connecting on 33 versus Wayne State on Dec. 7, 2013.

•SMSU limited Michigan Tech to just 15 points in the second half on Nov. 17. It was the first time SMSU has held an opponent to less than 20 points in a half since Feb. 8, 2014, when Concordia-St. Paul scored 17 first half points.

•Carter Kirk’s 17 rebounds versus Northern Michigan was the highest total by an SMSU player since Scott Roehl had 18 versus Minnesota State on Feb. 26, 2011.

•Carter Kirk ranks first in school history in career field goal pct. (58.1) and is ninth in rebounds (594).

•Ryan Bruggeman has moved into a tie for ninth in school history with 241 free throws made.

•Bruggeman ranks fourth in team history with 318 assists. He is three shy of tying Jordan Miller (2009-13) for third all-time with 321. Andrew Peschong (2006-10) is second with 342, while Vinard Birch (2010-14) is the all-time leader with 396.

•Taylor Schafer ranks tied for 11th in team history with 124 3-pointers made.

•SMSU shot just 29.6 percent from the field in the second half in the loss to Fort Hays State in the season opener. It was the first time SMSU shot less than 30 percent in a half since Nov. 29, 2016, versus Sioux Falls.

•SMSU finished 26-3 last season when committing 15 or fewer turnovers, but 2-3 when committing more than 15.

SCOUTING

SIOUX FALLS

•USF is 4-1 overall after beating Waldorf on Tuesday night.

•USF’s only loss was at Minnesota Crookston (79-74) in non-conference play last Saturday.

•Drew Guebert leads the team averaging 23 ppg with 14 3-pointers.

•Trevon Evans is averaging 18.6 ppg with 11 3-pointers, while leading the squad with 7.4 rpg.

•USF is shooting 51 percent from the field, 45 percent from 3-point range and 73 percent from the free throw line.

•USF is scoring 89 points per game, while opponents are averaging 74 per game.

•Head coach Chris Johnson, the school’s all-time leader in victories, is in his 10th season with a record of 176-138.

SMSU DROPS OUT OF D2SIDA 

REGIONAL POLL

•SMSU was not ranked among the top 10 in the second regular season D2SIDA Central Region poll released on Monday.

•Each of the eight regions has six representatives from D2SIDA that coordinate the regional committee, with a regional poll that will be released every Monday during the regular season.

•The D2SIDA weekly rankings are independent of the official NCAA Regional Rankings that will be released towards the end of the regular season and determine the NCAA Tournament teams.

SMSU TRUE “ROAD WARRIORS” LAST TWO SEASONS

•SMSU is 3-1 away from Marshall this season, including 1-0 in “true” road games and 2-0 in neutral site games.

•SMSU finished 12-3 in “true” road games last season, recording the most road wins in team history.

•SMSU closed the season 19-3 in away/neutral site games setting a new program record. The 2000-01 team that advanced to the Elite Eight held the previous record of 16 away/neutral site victories.

NCAA 2017-18

STATISTICS

•Carter Kirk ranks 16th in total rebounds (53) and 67th in rebounds per game (8.8).

•Ryan Bruggeman is 42nd in total assists (26) and sixth in steals (16).

Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications