SMSU HOSTS ST. OLAF IN EXHIBITION GAME
- The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team will play its lone exhibition game of the season tonight, hosting St. Olaf College inside the R/A Facility.
ABOUT SMSU
- SMSU returns seven letter winners and three starters from last season's 19-13 team that advanced to the NCAA tournament for the sixth time in team history and first since 2018. SMSU tied for fifth in the NSIC with a record of 14-8.
- SMSU's lone senior, guard Dunwa Omot, was named a 'Player to Watch' in the NSIC this season. A native of Mankato, Minn., Omot played in 29 games last season (he missed three games with an injury) with 26 starts, averaging 11 points per game and leading SMSU with 55 3-pointers. He scored double figures in 19 games, including three 20-point games. He shot 46 percent (110 of 242) from the field, while adding 55 assists and 31 steals.
- The Mustangs return four players that started 12 or more game last season. Joining Omot as a returning double-digit scorer from a year ago is sophomore forward Aeron Stevens, who ranked second on the team with both scoring (11.8) and rebounding (4.9). Stevens shot 46 percent (117 of 252) from the field and set program freshman records last season for free throws made (127) and free throws attempted (174). He scored a career-high 27 points on 11 of 16 shooting with five 3-pointers in a home victory over Winona State.
- Junior guard Mason Lund started all 32 games last season averaging 7.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 47 percent (88 of 187) from the field. Also returning is junior guard Jakob Braaten, who played in 30 games with 12 starts a season ago, ranking second on the team with 78 assists, while averaging 5.9 ppg and 4.5 rpg .
- Sophomore guard Mekhi Shaw came off the bench in all 32 games last season and ranked second on the team with 37 steals. He shot 47 percent (63 of 135) from the field while scoring 4.9 ppg and dishing out 44 assists.
- Junior forward Caleb Schlaak and sophomore forward Matt Thompson are returning letter winners that combined to play in 12 games last season.
- The 2024-25 roster features one four-year transfer in sophomore guard Steven Kramer, who played 31 games with five starts last season for the University of South Dakota. He averaged 2.7 ppg and 2.4 rpg, while shooting 40 percent (30 of 76) from the field, including 8 of 23 from 3-point range. He scored a season-high 11 points with five assists in a career-high 29 minutes versus Montana and closed the season dishing out 50 assists and recording 10 steals.
- The roster also includes four redshirt freshmen players in guards Nathan Fenske and Buay Koak, along with forward Calvin Buss and center Ethan Koltz. True freshman include guards Landon Pokorski and Isaiah Schafer and forward Micah Schlaak.
head coach brad bigler
- Brad Bigler, a two-time NSIC Coach of the Year and the program's all-time leader in victories, begins his 16th season with a career record of 240-190. During his time as head coach, SMSU has made four NCAA tournament appearances, won a pair of NSIC South Division championships, won two NSIC tournament championships and has played in five NSIC tournament championship games.
- SMSU and St. Cloud State meet for the 30th time in program history with SCSU holding a 15-10-4 advantage over the Mustangs.
- The two teams last played on Oct. 22, 2023, with SMSU earning a 1-0 victory in St. Cloud, Minn.
- SCSU’s last win in the series happened in St. Cloud on Oct. 21, 2018, earning a 2-0 victory over the Mustangs.
SCOUTING st. olaf college
- St. Olaf College, located in Northfield, Minn., is a member of NCAA Division III and competes in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) ... The Oles finished 9-16 overall, 8-12 in the MIAC last season, placing seventh in the conference standings ... the Oles return one starter from last season’s team in Kobe Kirk, who was named all-conference … he was the MIAC's top scorer in conference play, averaging 19.4 ppg in the 18 MIAC contests he played … Kirk also ranked in the conference's top 10 in free-throw percentage, minutes per game, steals per game, and blocks per game (8th, 0.7) in MIAC contests … Kirk averaged 18.9 ppg and led the team with 32 3-pointers … Addi Metcalf returns after averaging 8.1 ppg with 29 3-pointers … the Oles lost eight of their last nine games to close the season in 2023-24.