SMSU MEN’S BASKETBALL: Bigler, Bruggeman earn NSIC honors
BURNSVILLE – The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference announced today that Southwest Minnesota State University sophomore guard Ryan Bruggeman has been named first team All-NSIC, while SMSU head coach Brad Bigler has been named the NSIC Coach of the Year.
Bruggeman, a 6-foot, 177-pound native of Pelican Rapids, Minn., has helped lead SMSU to 23 victories and earn the program’s first-ever NSIC South Division championship. He leads SMSU in scoring (13.8), assists (132), steals (38) and free throws made (99). Bruggeman’s assist total ranks as the second highest in team single-season history, while his 4.7 assists per game ranks third history in team history.
In the final NSIC stats (conference games only), Bruggeman finished fourth in the league in assists (4.5), fourth in free throw pct. (.843), fifth in steals (1.4), 11th in assist/turnover ratio (2.2) and 20th in scoring (15.0).
Bruggeman is the first SMSU player to earn first team All-NSIC honors since Jordan Miller in 2012-13.
Bigler, in his eighth season as head coach, led SMSU to the NSIC South Division championship and to a 23-5 overall record heading into the conference tournament quarterfinals this Sunday. The 23 victories rank as the third highest in team history. SMSU is currently ranked No. 2 in the NCAA Central Region rankings and ranked No. 24 in the latest D2SIDA Top 25 poll.
The 2012-13 NSIC Coach of the Year, Bigler has compiled 131 career victories, ranking second in team history. He has now led SMSU to five winning seasons, including one 20-plus win season and a pair of 19-win seasons. In 2011-12, SMSU captured the NSIC tournament championship and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the third time in program history.
It’s the fourth time in program history an SMSU head coach has earned NSIC Coach of the Year honors. Tim Miles was named in 2000-01, Greg Stemen in 2008-09 and Bigler in 2012-13.
Southwest Minnesota State continues play in the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament on Sunday night facing the University of Sioux Falls. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m. at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.
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