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SMSU MEN’S BASKETBALL: Mustangs return home for pair of NSIC South Division matchups against Augustana and Wayne State

Independent file photo SMSU’s Taylor Schafer shoots a jumper during their Dec. 30, 2017 game against Augustana University. The Mustangs will face the Vikings and Wayne State this weekend.

MARSHALL – The Southwest Minnesota State University men’s basketball team (8-4, 3-3 NSIC) returns home to the R/A Facility for a pair of NSIC games versus teams tied for first place in the NSIC South Division standings.

•On Friday, Jan. 4, SMSU will take on Augustana (9-3, 5-1 NSIC) with tip-off slated for 7:30 p.m., while on Saturday, Jan. 5, the Mustangs will face Wayne State College (10-2, 5-1 NSIC) with game time slated for 6 p.m.

•SMSU, which opened the season with nine straight home games, has played its last four games (three regular season, one exhibition) away from home and will be making its first R/A Facility appearance since Dec. 8.

Broadcast info

•Both games will be broadcast on 105.1 FM KARL.

•Friday’s game will be broadcast live regionally on Midco Sports Network.

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

Series history

vs. Augustana

•SMSU and Augustana meet for the 36th time on Friday with Augustana leading 20-15.

•The teams first met during the 1972-73 season.

•Augustana holds a slight 9-8 advantage in games played in Marshall and has won four straight at the R/A Facility, including last season 89-78, on Dec. 30.

•SMSU’s last win in Marshall came on Dec. 6, 2013.

•SMSU won two of the three games played last season, earning a 81-77 win at Augustana and then picking up a 79-64 victory in the quarterfinals of the NSIC Tournament at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.

•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 8-11 all-time versus Augustana.

Series history

vs. Wayne State

•SMSU and Wayne State meet for the 70th time on Saturday with WSC leading 37-32.

•The teams first met during the 1969-70 season.

•SMSU leads the series 22-13 in games played in Marshall, including winning 19 straight.

•WSC’s last victory in Marshall came on Feb. 12, 2000.

•SMSU has won 14 of the last 15 games overall since Dec. 3, 2011, with WSC’s lone victory coming on Feb. 14, 2015, in Wayne.

•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 16-3 all-time versus WSC.

Scouting

Augustana

•Augustana is 9-3 overall, 5-1 NSIC, and is riding a six-game winning streak since opening conference play with a home loss to Wayne State on Dec. 1.

•The Vikings are coming off a dramatic 72-71 road win over Wayne State on Sunday, with Matt Cartwright hitting a long-range 3-pointer at the buzzer.

•Sophomore forward Tyler Riemersma is averaging a team-high 17.3 ppg and also leads the team with 9.5 rpg.

•Senior forward Matt Cartwright is averaging 14.8 ppg with 28 3-pointers and is a perfect 21 of 21 from the foul line.

•Freshman forward Michael Schaefer is scoring 11.9 ppg and averages 5.9 rpg.

•AU is shooting 45 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range, 75 percent from the free throw line and is plus-8.7 in rebound margin.

•AU is averaging 78 points per game, while opponents are averaging 71 points per game.

•Head coach Tom Billeter is in his 16th season with a record of 296-169. He has a career record of 393-219 in 21 seasons as a head coach (North Dakota State, 1992-97).

Scouting

Wayne State

•WSC is 10-2 overall, 5-1 NSIC, and will play at Sioux Falls on Friday night before facing SMSU.

•The Wildcats had their nine-game winning streak snapped on Sunday at home with a last-second 72-71 loss to Augustana.

•Senior guard Trevin Joseph, who has led the team in scoring six times this season, scored 21 points in the loss on Sunday.

•Joseph is averaging a team best 15.7 ppg with 20 3-pointers.

•Senior guard Kendall Jacks is averaging 14.5 ppg and shooting 54 percent from the field.

•Senior guard Vance Janssen has dished a team-high 37 assists and is averaging 13.3 ppg.

•WSC is shooting 49 percent from the field, 30 percent from 3-point range, 80 percent from the free throw line and is plus-4.5 in rebound margin.

•WSC is averaging 80 points per game, while opponents are averaging 64 points per game.

•Jeff Kaminsky is in his third season as head coach with a record of 34-38. He has also been head coach at Valley City State and Wisconsin-Superior.

Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications

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