LA CROSSE, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University men's basketball team kicks off the 2013-14 season on the road on Wednesday, as the Cardinals head to Viterbo for a 7 p.m. nonconference game against the V-Hawks.

The Matchup:
Saint Mary's Cardinals (2012-13: 4-21 Overall) at Viterbo V-Hawks (3-2 Overall)

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Last Action:
Wednesday's game is the season-opener for the Cardinals. … Viterbo has already played five regular-season and two exhibition games this season, including at 79-53 win over Silver Lake College and a 76-70 loss to Cardinal Stritch at the Viterbo Invitational last weekend in La Crosse, Wis.

SMU vs. Viterbo — Their Last Meeting:
December 14, 2011: Michael Burfeind (Lewiston, Minn.) scored a team-high 27 points, but it was not enough, as Viterbo's 42-point second half proved to be too much for SMU in a 62-58 V-Hawks' victory at the SMU Gym | Recap

Up Next:
The Cardinals open the home portion of their season on Saturday, as SMU entertains Crown in a 7:30 p.m. nonconference game at the SMU Gym. … Viterbo is right back in action on Thursday, traveling to New Ulm, Minn., for a 7 p.m. showdown with Martin Luther.

Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2013-14 Roster | 2012-13 Final Statistics | 2013-14 Schedule
The Cardinals return a pair of players who have earned MIAC post-season honors — Will Swiggum (St. Charles, Minn.) was named to the MIAC's All-First Year Team last season, while Evan Pederson (Onalaska, Wis.) was a First-Team All-MIAC selection in 2011-12. … SMU will be without the services of graduated senior Michael Burfeind (Lewiston, Minn.), who became the 25th player in program history to score 1,000 career points last season, while leading the Cardinals in scoring at 15.9 ppg. … Burfeind was one of three Cardinals who averaged in double figures — Pederson (11.6 ppg) and Swiggum (10.0 ppg) were the other two. … Swiggum, who scored in double figures 13 times last season, netted a career-high 24 points against Augsburg on Jan. 19, and followed that up with a 23-point effort against Hamline two days later. The 24- and 23-point games marked the first two times in his collegiate career that Swiggum eclipsed the 20-point barrier. … SMU boasted a pair of 20-point scorers in the same game on Jan. 21 against Hamline, when Swiggum tossed in 23 points and Pederson added 22. … Swiggum, who pulled down a game- and career-high 14 rebounds against Macalester on Feb. 6, led the team in rebounding 13 times and closed out his freshman campaign with a team-best 178 rebounds (7.1 rpg). … Swiggum recorded a team-leading three double-doubles last season. … Pederson dished out 93 assists a year ago — the most since the 2001-02 season, when Lance Larson recorded 94 assists. … Pederson recorded a single-game career-best nine assists twice last season. … As a team, the Cardinals knocked down a season-high 30 free throws on 36 attempts vs. Hamline on Jan. 21 — including a 24-for-28 effort in the second half. … SMU scored a season-high 78 points twice last season — netting 78 against North Central o Nov. 17 and against Hamline on Jan. 21.

Scouting The Viterbo V-Hawks:
2013-14 Roster | 2013-14 Statistics | 2013-14 Schedule
Wednesday's game against Saint Mary's is the third straight home game for the V-Hawks. … The V-Hawks were picked to finish second behind 2013 MCC Champion William Penn University in the Midwest Collegiate Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. … The V-Hawks' schedule this season included a pair of exhibition games against NCAA Division I UW-Green Bay and North Dakota State, as well as a regular-season contest against NCAA Division II Winona State on Dec. 17. … The V-Hawks head into Wednesday's game against Saint Mary's boasting three players — Alex Diciaula (12.6 ppg), David Shepard (12.4 ppg) and Cole Lewis (11.2) — averaging in double figures. … Sherpard owns the team's top individual performance, scoring 23 points against Waldorf on Nov. 12. … The V-Hawks boasted four players in double figures in both of their games in the Viterbo Invitational last weekend. Diciaula netted 15 points, Izac Sheforgen added 12, and Shepard and Lewis each tallied 10 against Silver Lake College last Friday, while Lewis tallied a season-best 18 points, Diciaula chipped in 13 and Shepard and Sheforgen each added 12 against Cardinal Stritch on Saturday. … As a team, Viterbo has scored 70 or more points in four of its five games — including a season-high 81-point effort in the V-Hawks' first meeting with Silver Lake College on Nov. 1. … The V-Hawks have led at halftime in four of their five games this season. … Viterbo has outscored its opponents 183-137 in the first half, but have been outscored 196-185 in the game's final 20 minutes.