By: Clint Neumann
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The University of Sioux Falls Men's Basketball team opens Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play on Tuesday night, hosting No. 9 Southwest Minnesota State at 7:30 p.m. inside the Stewart Center. The matchup marks the Cougars' first conference test of the season and brings one of the NSIC's preseason favorites to Sioux Falls.
Series Snapshot
SMSU leads the all-time series 26-17 and won last year's matchups 88-81 in the Stewart Center and 84-72 in Marshall. Seven of the last nine meetings have been decided by fewer than 10 points, with USF's last win over the Mustangs coming in January 2022.
Scouting the Mustangs (0–2, 0–0 NSIC)
Southwest Minnesota State enters Tuesday's NSIC opener at 0–2 following narrow losses to Fort Hays State (65–56) and Nebraska–Kearney (77–75). The Mustangs feature an experienced starting group that plays heavy minutes and leans on strong guard play and one of the conference's most efficient free-throw shooting lineups.
SMSU is averaging 65.5 points per game while shooting 39.8 percent from the field and 29.3 percent from three. The Mustangs have been excellent at the foul line, converting 82.9 percent of their free throws — the top mark in the NSIC. Defensively, SMSU allows 71.0 points per game while opponents are shooting 48.1 percent from the floor and 42.4 percent from deep. Rebounding has been nearly even, with SMSU pulling in 32.0 boards per game and holding a –0.5 margin.
Three Mustangs lead the scoring attack:
- Aeron Stevens (16.5 PPG) — a downhill scorer shooting 36.4 percent from the field and a perfect 7-for-7 from the line.
- Jakob Braaten (14.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG) — highly efficient at 50 percent from the floor and 12-for-12 at the free-throw line.
- Mason Lund (9.5 PPG, 8.0 RPG) — the team's top rebounder and most productive interior presence.
SMSU averages 8.0 steals per game and has turned the ball over only 12.0 times per game, one of the lowest rates in the league. The primary early-season issues have been perimeter defense and assist production, with opponents hitting 42.4 percent from three and SMSU averaging just 8.5 assists per game.
Cougar Spotlight (1–3, 0–0 NSIC)
USF enters conference play at 1–3 after a competitive nonconference stretch that included a dominant win over Chadron State and a tightly contested game against Grand Valley State. The Cougars have emerged as one of the NSIC's most active rebounding teams and enter Tuesday with clear momentum across their developing rotation.
Sophomore guard Taylen Ashley leads USF with 17.5 points per game while adding 3.5 assists and nearly 5.0 rebounds. Freshman guard Brogan Madson continues to impress at 14.5 points per game on 45.2 percent shooting, and he leads the team with 18 assists through four outings. Forward Brandon Hrncir has been a force inside, averaging 15.3 points and a team-best 7.5 rebounds per game on a dominant 73.3 percent shooting clip.
Kyle Ingwerson adds 10.8 points per game with 10 made threes, while Jacoby Mehrman, Camden Davis, and Bryon Laue provide additional depth in the frontcourt. As a group, USF averages 77.5 points per game on 45.3 percent shooting and has been exceptional on the glass with 42.5 rebounds per game and a conference-leading +14.0 margin.
Areas of continued growth include three-point consistency (24.5 percent) and ball security (17.0 turnovers per game), while the defense looks to tighten field-goal percentage allowed (50.0 percent).
Numbers Game
- Offensive Edge: USF ranks seventh in the NSIC at 77.5 points per game, while SMSU ranks fifteenth at 65.5.
- Shooting Split: The Cougars shoot 45.3 percent from the field, eighth in the NSIC; SMSU sits at 39.8 percent, fifteenth.
- Rebounding Power: USF is first in the conference in offensive rebounding (18.8 per game) and overall margin (+14.0). SMSU ranks thirteenth in rebounds per game and eleventh in margin (–0.5).
- Free-Throw Factor: SMSU leads the NSIC in free-throw percentage at 82.9 percent. USF enters at 61.8 percent, ranking sixteenth.
- Turnover Trends: The Mustangs average only 12 turnovers per game (fourth), while USF averages 17 (fourteenth), making ball security a major storyline.
- Defensive Challenge: USF allows opponents to shoot 50.0 percent from the field (fourteenth in the NSIC). SMSU's defense allows 48.1 percent (twelfth), setting up a matchup where shot-making efficiency could tilt the game.
Coach's Corner
"We are excited to get Northern Sun play underway. SMSU was picked to win the league and deservedly so. They are tough, smart and talented. This will be a big challenge for us, but we are hopeful that our preseason schedule has gotten us ready!"
— Head Coach Chris Johnson
Inside the Gym
- Tipoff: Tuesday, Nov. 25 – 7:30 p.m.
- Location: Stewart Center – Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Broadcast: NSIC Network
- Live Stats: USFCougars.com
- Next Up: USF continues its homestand Friday against Peru State before hosting Briar Cliff on Saturday.
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