Independent file photo SMSU’s Nick Dufault looks to drive past a Bemidji State University defender during their game on Feb. 2. The Mustangs will begin NSIC Tournament play tonight at MSU Moorhead.

MARSHALL – The Southwest Minnesota State University men’s basketball team (15-13) opens first round play in the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament tonight playing at Minnesota State University Moorhead (19-11) on Wednesday with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m. Alex Nemzek Fieldhouse in Moorhead.

•SMSU is the No. 5 seed from the South Division, while MSUM is the No. 4 seed from the North Division.

•MSUM led the NSIC in scoring this season averaging 83 points per game and ranked second in field goal pct. (50.3).

•The winner of tonight’s game will advance to the quarterfinals on Sunday to face either Minnesota State or Bemidji State at 5:30 p.m. at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.

•The semifinals will be on Monday night at 8:00 with the championship game on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

Broadcast info

•Today’s game will be broadcast on 105.1 FM KARL.

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

SMSU all-time

in the NSIC

Tournament

•Since the NSIC Tournament started in 2000, SMSU is 23-16 all-time with two championships (2012 & 2017).

•SMSU has advanced to the semifinals 11 times and have played in seven championship games (2001, 2002, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2017, 2018).

•The Mustangs are 10-2 at home, 1-7 on the road and 12-7 in neutral site tournament games.

Series history vs. MSU Moorhead

•SMSU and MSU Moorhead meet for the 104th time on Wednesday with MSUM leading 59-44.

•The first meeting came during the 1968-69 season.

•MSUM won earlier this season in Moorhead on Feb. 9 by a score of 98-78.

•MSUM has won four of the last five and nine of the last 14 games since the 2009-10 season.

•MSUM leads 33-15 all-time in games played in Moorhead, including winning the last four. SMSU’s last victory in Moorhead came on Jan. 19, 2013.

•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 5-9 all-time versus MSUM.

Bruggeman

wins the NSIC

scoring title

•Senior Ryan Bruggeman became the sixth SMSU player and the first since 1990-91 to lead the conference in scoring after averaging 27 per game in 22 league games this season.

•The 27 ppg is the highest scoring average in the NSIC since MSU Moorhead’s Greg Duke also averaged 27 ppg in 1996-97.

•The previous Mustangs to lead the conference in scoring include Terence Williams (1990-91; 21.5 ppg), Charlie Taylor (1982-83; 24.7), Dexter Cooley (1977-78; 23.6) and Sam Leggett twice (1975-76, 28.7) and (1974-75, 24.7).

Mustang

tip-off tidbits

•Senior Ryan Bruggeman set the school single-season scoring record during last Saturday’s loss at Augustana. He has 711 points in 28 games, surpassing the previous mark of 700 set by Sam Leggett in 27 games during the 1975-76 season.

•Seniors Bruggeman and Taylor Schafer will set the school record for games played in a career on Wednesday with 125. Michael Lee will play in his 122nd game which will rank tied for eighth in team history.

•Bruggeman finished the NSIC season ranking first in scoring (27.0), first in steals (2.4), second in field goals made (217), fourth in free throw pct. (92.0), fourth in assists (5.1) and 13th

in assist/turnover ratio (1.8).

•Bruggeman’s 156 assists this season ranks fourth in team single-season history.

•Schafer ranks 11th in team history with 1,301 career points and is has now moved to 11th all-time with 485 field goals made. He is two shy of tying Charlie Taylor (1981-83) for 10th on the all-time field goals made list with 487.

•Lee needs two 3-point field goals to reach 200 in his career.

•SMSU has connected on 267 3-pointers this season which ranks second highest in team history. Last season’s team holds the record of 273.

•SMSU’s 81.5 free throw percentage currently ranks first in team single-season history.

•SMSU has shot 48 percent or higher from the field in nine of its last 11 games.

•SMSU (as of Feb. 24) ranks third in Division II in free throw pct., fifth in turnovers per game and 11th in 3-point field goal pct.

Scouting

MSU Moorhead

•The Dragons (19-11) split two road games last weekend to close the regular season, winning at Minot State (93-78) before losing to UMary (83-63).

•MSUM, which has lost three of its last four games, finished the regular season with a 10-4 home record.

•Senior forward Addison Park is averaging a team-high 16.3 ppg, while shooting 56 percent from the field.

•Freshman guard Gavin Baumgartner is scoring 13.6 ppg and has connected on 55 3-pointers.

•Senior guard Travaun Coad leads the team with 5.9 rpg and is scoring 14.9 ppg.

•MSUM is shooting 51 percent from the field, 41 percent from 3-point range, 75 percent from the free throw line and is plus-1.0 in rebound margin.

•MSUM is averaging 86 points per game, while opponents are averaging 79 points per game.

•Chad Walthall is in his ninth season as head coach with a record of 191-90. He was the head coach at Loras College (Iowa) from 2000-07.

Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications