Independent file photo SMSU’s Turner Moen drives around a Northern State University defender during their January 28 game.

MARSHALL – The Southwest Minnesota State University men’s basketball team plays its lone exhibition game of the season Friday night hosting St. Olaf College at the R/A Facility. Tipoff is slated for 5:30 p.m.

Tickets for the game are $5 for adults with students K-12 just $1. SMSU students will be admitted free with valid SMSU ID. Friday’s game is not a part of the SMSU season ticket package.

The game was originally scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. but was moved to 5:30 to accommodate fans attending the Marshall High School football game on Friday night which is set to begin at 7:30 at the Schwan Regional Event Center.

SMSU head coach Brad Bigler, the 2016-17 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Coach of the Year, begins his ninth season with a career record of 136-101, including 95-79 in NSIC play.

SMSU, which is preseason ranked No. 14 by D2Bulletin, returns both its leading scorer and top rebounder along with three of its top four scorers from last season’s team that finished 28-6 overall including 17-5 in NSIC play.

SMSU, which tied a school record with 28 victories, won the NSIC South Division title for the first time in team history and captured the NSIC tournament championship for the second time in program history. SMSU qualified for the NCAA tournament, advancing to the region championship game before losing to eventual national champion Northwest Missouri State.

St. Olaf, a member of NCAA Division III, finished 11-14 last season.

SMSU opens the regular season on Nov. 10-11 in Emporia, Kansas, facing Fort Hays State (Kan.) and Emporia State (Kan.).

SMSU’s regular season home opener is a non-conference match-up versus Northern State University on Nov. 15.

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