SMSU versus Minnesota Duluth GAME ROSTERS (Print)
Tonight
- The No. 18 ranked Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (6-1, 1-0 NSIC) returns to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play this Friday and Saturday with a pair of home games inside the R/A Facility in Marshall.
- SMSU begins the weekend on Friday taking on No. 11 ranked University of Minnesota Duluth (5-1, 0-0 NSIC) with tip-off slated for 7:30 p.m. The Bulldogs were ranked No. 4 in last week's NABC Top 25 poll before suffering their first loss of the season last Tuesday at Lake Superior State (Mich.).
- SMSU closes the weekend on Saturday with a 5:30 p.m. tip-off versus Concordia University-St. Paul (5-2, 0-1 NSIC).
- SMSU's 6-1 start is its best since the 2016-17 team also opened the season 6-1 on its way to a 13-1 start.
- Following this weekend, SMSU hits the road for league games at Minnesota State (Dec. 13) and Winona State (Dec. 14).
Series History versus Minnesota Duluth
- SMSU and UMD meet for the 91st time with UMD leading 53-37 in a series that began in 1972-73.
- The teams split a pair of games last season with both winning on their home courts.
- SMSU has seven of the last nine and 19 of the last 23 since the 2005-06 season.
- SMSU leads 25-16 in games played in Marshall, including winning the previous 12 inside the R/A Facility. UMD's last victory in Marshall occurred on Dec. 12, 2004.
- SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 15-4 all-time versus UMD.
mustangs by the numbers
- SMSU has three players averaging double figures in scoring and has six averaging 9.4 points or more.
- Sophomore Aeron Stevens is averaging a team-high 19 ppg, while ranking second in rebounding at 7.5 rpg.
- Junior Jakob Braaten has dished out a team-high 21 assists and is second in scoring at 12.1 ppg and is pulling down 6.7 rpg.
- Senior Dunwa Omot is third in scoring at 10.1 ppg and is tied for third on the team with six 3-pointers.
- Junior Mason Lund ranks second on team with 7.4 rpg and is fifth in scoring at 9.4 ppg with a team-high 11 3-pointers.
- Sophomore Mekhi Shaw has recorded a team-high 16 steals with 18 assists and is scoring 9.7 ppg.
- SMSU is shooting 48 percent from the field, 31 percent from 3-point range, 75 percent from the free throw line and is plus-4.7 in rebound margin. The Mustangs are averaging 75 points per game, while opponents are averaging 66 ppg.
SCOUTING minnesota DULuth
- The No. 11 ranked Bulldogs, 5-1 overall, will be playing their first NSIC game of the season on Friday. UMD plays at Sioux Falls on Saturday night.
- UMD opened the season with five straight home victories before suffering a 53-49 road loss to Lake Superior State (Mich.) on Nov. 26.
- Senior forward Charlie Katona is scoring a team-leading 14.5 ppg and is also the leader in rebounding at 8.3 per game.
- Sophomore guard Caleb Siwek averages 12.3 ppg and has made a team-high 12 3-pointers.
- UMD is shooting 49 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3-point range, 68 percent from the free throw line and is plus-4.8 in rebound margin.
- UMD is averaging 78 points per game, while opponents are averaging 61 points per game.
- Head coach Justin Wieck is in his seventh season with a record of 127-50.