Mavs Set to Host Rockhurst
Nov 16, 2010 | General, Men's Basketball
UNO Weekly Men's Basketball Release -- Nov. 16
The UNO men's basketball team returns to action on Wednesday, Nov. 17, hosting Rockhurst at Sapp Fieldhouse at 7 p.m. The meeting marks the 25th meeting between the two schools, and the series is tied at 12-12 all-time.
Nebraska-Omaha last took the floor on Saturday, Nov. 13 against Nebraska Wesleyan, and the Mavs took a 65-49 win in their regular-season opener.
Senior guard Tyler Bullock led the way for the Mavs with 24 points on 9-for-16 shooting from the field and a team-best seven rebounds, along with five assists and four steals. Senior guard Jeff Martin also chipped in nine points on a trio of 3-pointers.
Scouting the Competition: Rockhurst Hawks
Head Coach: Bill O'Connor (St. Benedict, 1972)
2010-11 Record: 0-1 (0-0 GLVC)
Career Record: 239-220 (16 Years)
Record at RU: Same
Last Game: L, 72-45 at Saint Louis (11/15/10)
Website: Rockhurst.edu/RU_Athletics
Rockhurst opened the season with a 72-45 loss at Saint Louis on Monday night, with senior forward Aaron Morrissey scoring 14 points and sophomore forward Brett Hornung pulling down five rebounds. The Hawks return six players from the 2009-10 squad, which finished 17-11 and ranked second in the Great Lakes Valley Conference West Division.
Morrissey is RU's lone returning starter, having averaged 13.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per game as a junior.
Noting the Mavs
•Nebraska-Omaha last faced Rockhurst last season, taking a 79-71 victory in Kansas City.
•Sophomore Josh Lynch is slated to make his second career start for UNO on Wednesday. Torrian Harris, Aaron Terry, Tyler Bullock and Mitch Albers round out the Mavs' starting five, with Albers seeing his first action since the Michigan State exhibition game on Nov. 8.
UNO Coming Off Remarkable 2009-10 Season
The UNO men's basketball team had a solid 2009-10 season, capturing the first MIAA tournament championship in program history and qualifying for the NCAA Division II Tournament for the 12th time. The Mavericks posted a record of 22-9 (12-8), and Tyler Bullock and Andrew Bridger both garnered All-MIAA recognition. Bullock was also an honorable mention All-America selection by the Division II Bulletin after averaging 19.0 points per game and ranking second in the league in scoring.
Maverick Trio Named to 2009-10 NABC Honors Court
Three Mavericks were named to the 2009-10 NABC Honors Court for their performance in the classroom last year, the NABC announced in July. Former Maverick Andrew Bridger, as well as current seniors Tyler Bullock and Jeff Martin were all part of the list. Criteria includes junior or senior academic standing, a cumulative grade-point average of 3.2 or higher and at least one year of matriculation at his NCAA Division I, II or III or NAIA institution.
Bridger, who is now a graduate assistant with the UNO men's basketball program, graduated with his bachelor's degree in business management in May 2010. Bullock is pursuing a degree in business finance, and Martin is majoring in general studies.
Coming Home
Junior guard Mitch Albers is a familiar face in the Maverick lineup in 2010-11, as he returns to UNO after a year on the Nebraska roster for the 2009-10 season. Albers transferred back to UNO after redshirting a year with the Huskers, and he brings back a major scoring presence for the Mavs.
As a sophomore in 2008-09, Albers made his way into the UNO record books, totaling 440 points for the year, which ranks 20th all-time for a season. The Papillion, Neb., native averaged 15.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game and earned honorable mention All-MIAA honors. Albers, who started all 28 games, also shot .476 from the field, as well as a .434 clip from long range.
Entering his junior season at UNO, Albers ranks 12th in school history with 94 career 3-pointers. He needs just seven more to tie Andy Price (1994-96) for 11th place, and also trails senior Jeff Martin's 110 shots from long-range, which is the 10th-most in the Maverick record books.
Albers notched a team-leading 14 points for the Mavericks in an exhibition at No. 2 Michigan State on Nov. 8, seeing his first action in a UNO uniform since March 2009.
Martin Eclipses School 3-Point Record in NCAA Tournament
Senior Jeff Martin closed his junior campaign in style, hitting five 3-pointers to break the UNO school record for treys in a season with 98. The mark surpassed former Maverick Zac Robinson's 96 3-pointers, set in 2006-07.
Martin also ranks among the top long-range shooters in program history with 113 career triples. He is 10th all-time entering his senior season and needs just eight more to tie Patrick Voss (1997-2000) for ninth place on the list.
Mavs Chosen Third in MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll
Nebraska-Omaha was picked to finish third in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association's 2010-11 preseason polls, the league office announced in October. The preseason conference standings are chosen in a survey of MIAA head coaches and media members.
The Mavericks earned 102 points in the coaches poll and 157 in the media list, as well as two first-place votes in each poll. The 12 conference coaches selected Fort Hays State as their preseason favorite and Central Missouri at No. 2, while media voters picked UCM first, followed by FHSU.
Preseason Honoree Bullock Leads Mavericks Into 2010-11 Season
Senior guard Tyler Bullock is UNO's top returning player this season, having been named an honorable mention All-American by the Division II Bulletin a year ago. The Bulletin also named Bullock a preseason honorable mention All-American and tabbed him the preseason player of the year for the MIAA.
On Nov. 13 against Nebraska Wesleyan, Bullock topped the Mavs with 24 points and seven rebounds, along with five assists and four steals.
In 2009-10, Bullock earned first-team All-MIAA status and ranked second in the league in scoring with 19.0 points per game. In addition to his conference and national recognition, he was a second-team all-region pick by Daktronics. Bullock started all 31 games and was 40th in the country in free throw percentage with a .856 clip. The business finance major is also a standout in the classroom, having been named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll the last two years.
On the way to a league championship, Bullock averaged 20 points in UNO's three MIAA Tournament games and was subsequently named the tournament's most valuable player. He reached double-figure scoring in 27 of 31 games and also scored 20 or more points on 15 occasions. His 588 total points for the season is the fourth-highest single-season total in school history.
Bullock began his playing career at Denver, where he started all 29 games as a true freshman and averaged 11 points per contest.
Hansen Takes Mavs to New Heights
Head coach Derrin Hansen enters his sixth season at the helm of the UNO men's basketball program, having taken the job after serving as an assistant coach for seven years with former Maverick head coaches Kevin McKenna and Kevin Lehman. Hansen boasts a career record of 92-59 over the first five-plus years of his head coaching career and needs just eight more wins to reach the 100-win mark. He has the second-most victories of any coach in program history, behind only Bob Hanson, who amassed a record of 382-313 from 1969 to 1994.
Hansen has coached or assisted on teams that have earned five trips to the NCAA Division II Tournament, while also garnering two regular-season league titles and three tournament crowns. In 2007-08, his squad recorded a school-record 25 wins in its final season of North Central Conference play. The Mavs won their final NCC Tournament and earned their first appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament since 2004-05.
Last year, UNO won its first MIAA championship in only its second season as members of the league. The Mavericks finished with a record of 22-9.
As a player at Nebraska Wesleyan, Hansen's 1988 squad advanced to the NCAA Division III semifinals, and while serving as a student coach, the 1990 Plainsmen advanced to the final 16. He graduated with his bachelor's degree from NWU in 1991.
On Exhibit
UNO has a solid recent history of opening the exhibition portion of their schedule with well-known Division I programs, including this year's marquee match-up at Michigan State. Last season, the Mavericks faced Creighton in a cross-town pairing at Qwest Center Omaha, falling 99-77 to the Bluejays.
UNO's Recent Exhibition Games Against Division I Opponents
Season Team Location Conference Result
2010-11 at Michigan State East Lansing, Mich. Big Ten L, 102-72
2009-10 at Creighton Omaha, Neb. Missouri Valley L, 99-77
2008-09 at Iowa State Ames, Iowa Big 12 L, 74-54
2006-07 at Creighton Omaha, Neb. Missouri Valley L, 73-56
at Nebraska Lincoln, Neb. Big 12 L, 76-62
2005-06 at Nebraska Lincoln, Neb. Big 12 L, 70-65
Mavericks Rank in Top 50 Nationally
UNO ranked in the top 50 nationally in multiple categories of the final 2009-10 NCAA Division II statistics report released in March -- 15th in scoring offense (84.6 points per game), 25th in assists per game (16.6), 26th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.24) and 38th in field goal percentage (47.9).
In addition, former Maverick Andrew Bridger capped his career ranked eighth in the country with 6.4 assists per game, and Jeff Martin completed his junior season at 17th in 3-point field goals with 3.2 per contest. Martin also ranked 40th in 3-point field goal percentage (39.7), while Tyler Bullock was 40th nationally in free throw percentage (85.6) and 50th in points per game (19.0).
Next Up for the Mavs...
UNO returns to action on Tuesday, Nov. 23, traveling to Nebraska-Kearney. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. in Kearney, Neb.
The UNO men's basketball team returns to action on Wednesday, Nov. 17, hosting Rockhurst at Sapp Fieldhouse at 7 p.m. The meeting marks the 25th meeting between the two schools, and the series is tied at 12-12 all-time.
Nebraska-Omaha last took the floor on Saturday, Nov. 13 against Nebraska Wesleyan, and the Mavs took a 65-49 win in their regular-season opener.
Senior guard Tyler Bullock led the way for the Mavs with 24 points on 9-for-16 shooting from the field and a team-best seven rebounds, along with five assists and four steals. Senior guard Jeff Martin also chipped in nine points on a trio of 3-pointers.
Scouting the Competition: Rockhurst Hawks
Head Coach: Bill O'Connor (St. Benedict, 1972)
2010-11 Record: 0-1 (0-0 GLVC)
Career Record: 239-220 (16 Years)
Record at RU: Same
Last Game: L, 72-45 at Saint Louis (11/15/10)
Website: Rockhurst.edu/RU_Athletics
Rockhurst opened the season with a 72-45 loss at Saint Louis on Monday night, with senior forward Aaron Morrissey scoring 14 points and sophomore forward Brett Hornung pulling down five rebounds. The Hawks return six players from the 2009-10 squad, which finished 17-11 and ranked second in the Great Lakes Valley Conference West Division.
Morrissey is RU's lone returning starter, having averaged 13.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per game as a junior.
Noting the Mavs
•Nebraska-Omaha last faced Rockhurst last season, taking a 79-71 victory in Kansas City.
•Sophomore Josh Lynch is slated to make his second career start for UNO on Wednesday. Torrian Harris, Aaron Terry, Tyler Bullock and Mitch Albers round out the Mavs' starting five, with Albers seeing his first action since the Michigan State exhibition game on Nov. 8.
UNO Coming Off Remarkable 2009-10 Season
The UNO men's basketball team had a solid 2009-10 season, capturing the first MIAA tournament championship in program history and qualifying for the NCAA Division II Tournament for the 12th time. The Mavericks posted a record of 22-9 (12-8), and Tyler Bullock and Andrew Bridger both garnered All-MIAA recognition. Bullock was also an honorable mention All-America selection by the Division II Bulletin after averaging 19.0 points per game and ranking second in the league in scoring.
Maverick Trio Named to 2009-10 NABC Honors Court
Three Mavericks were named to the 2009-10 NABC Honors Court for their performance in the classroom last year, the NABC announced in July. Former Maverick Andrew Bridger, as well as current seniors Tyler Bullock and Jeff Martin were all part of the list. Criteria includes junior or senior academic standing, a cumulative grade-point average of 3.2 or higher and at least one year of matriculation at his NCAA Division I, II or III or NAIA institution.
Bridger, who is now a graduate assistant with the UNO men's basketball program, graduated with his bachelor's degree in business management in May 2010. Bullock is pursuing a degree in business finance, and Martin is majoring in general studies.
Coming Home
Junior guard Mitch Albers is a familiar face in the Maverick lineup in 2010-11, as he returns to UNO after a year on the Nebraska roster for the 2009-10 season. Albers transferred back to UNO after redshirting a year with the Huskers, and he brings back a major scoring presence for the Mavs.
As a sophomore in 2008-09, Albers made his way into the UNO record books, totaling 440 points for the year, which ranks 20th all-time for a season. The Papillion, Neb., native averaged 15.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game and earned honorable mention All-MIAA honors. Albers, who started all 28 games, also shot .476 from the field, as well as a .434 clip from long range.
Entering his junior season at UNO, Albers ranks 12th in school history with 94 career 3-pointers. He needs just seven more to tie Andy Price (1994-96) for 11th place, and also trails senior Jeff Martin's 110 shots from long-range, which is the 10th-most in the Maverick record books.
Albers notched a team-leading 14 points for the Mavericks in an exhibition at No. 2 Michigan State on Nov. 8, seeing his first action in a UNO uniform since March 2009.
Martin Eclipses School 3-Point Record in NCAA Tournament
Senior Jeff Martin closed his junior campaign in style, hitting five 3-pointers to break the UNO school record for treys in a season with 98. The mark surpassed former Maverick Zac Robinson's 96 3-pointers, set in 2006-07.
Martin also ranks among the top long-range shooters in program history with 113 career triples. He is 10th all-time entering his senior season and needs just eight more to tie Patrick Voss (1997-2000) for ninth place on the list.
Mavs Chosen Third in MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll
Nebraska-Omaha was picked to finish third in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association's 2010-11 preseason polls, the league office announced in October. The preseason conference standings are chosen in a survey of MIAA head coaches and media members.
The Mavericks earned 102 points in the coaches poll and 157 in the media list, as well as two first-place votes in each poll. The 12 conference coaches selected Fort Hays State as their preseason favorite and Central Missouri at No. 2, while media voters picked UCM first, followed by FHSU.
Preseason Honoree Bullock Leads Mavericks Into 2010-11 Season
Senior guard Tyler Bullock is UNO's top returning player this season, having been named an honorable mention All-American by the Division II Bulletin a year ago. The Bulletin also named Bullock a preseason honorable mention All-American and tabbed him the preseason player of the year for the MIAA.
On Nov. 13 against Nebraska Wesleyan, Bullock topped the Mavs with 24 points and seven rebounds, along with five assists and four steals.
In 2009-10, Bullock earned first-team All-MIAA status and ranked second in the league in scoring with 19.0 points per game. In addition to his conference and national recognition, he was a second-team all-region pick by Daktronics. Bullock started all 31 games and was 40th in the country in free throw percentage with a .856 clip. The business finance major is also a standout in the classroom, having been named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll the last two years.
On the way to a league championship, Bullock averaged 20 points in UNO's three MIAA Tournament games and was subsequently named the tournament's most valuable player. He reached double-figure scoring in 27 of 31 games and also scored 20 or more points on 15 occasions. His 588 total points for the season is the fourth-highest single-season total in school history.
Bullock began his playing career at Denver, where he started all 29 games as a true freshman and averaged 11 points per contest.
Hansen Takes Mavs to New Heights
Head coach Derrin Hansen enters his sixth season at the helm of the UNO men's basketball program, having taken the job after serving as an assistant coach for seven years with former Maverick head coaches Kevin McKenna and Kevin Lehman. Hansen boasts a career record of 92-59 over the first five-plus years of his head coaching career and needs just eight more wins to reach the 100-win mark. He has the second-most victories of any coach in program history, behind only Bob Hanson, who amassed a record of 382-313 from 1969 to 1994.
Hansen has coached or assisted on teams that have earned five trips to the NCAA Division II Tournament, while also garnering two regular-season league titles and three tournament crowns. In 2007-08, his squad recorded a school-record 25 wins in its final season of North Central Conference play. The Mavs won their final NCC Tournament and earned their first appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament since 2004-05.
Last year, UNO won its first MIAA championship in only its second season as members of the league. The Mavericks finished with a record of 22-9.
As a player at Nebraska Wesleyan, Hansen's 1988 squad advanced to the NCAA Division III semifinals, and while serving as a student coach, the 1990 Plainsmen advanced to the final 16. He graduated with his bachelor's degree from NWU in 1991.
On Exhibit
UNO has a solid recent history of opening the exhibition portion of their schedule with well-known Division I programs, including this year's marquee match-up at Michigan State. Last season, the Mavericks faced Creighton in a cross-town pairing at Qwest Center Omaha, falling 99-77 to the Bluejays.
UNO's Recent Exhibition Games Against Division I Opponents
Season Team Location Conference Result
2010-11 at Michigan State East Lansing, Mich. Big Ten L, 102-72
2009-10 at Creighton Omaha, Neb. Missouri Valley L, 99-77
2008-09 at Iowa State Ames, Iowa Big 12 L, 74-54
2006-07 at Creighton Omaha, Neb. Missouri Valley L, 73-56
at Nebraska Lincoln, Neb. Big 12 L, 76-62
2005-06 at Nebraska Lincoln, Neb. Big 12 L, 70-65
Mavericks Rank in Top 50 Nationally
UNO ranked in the top 50 nationally in multiple categories of the final 2009-10 NCAA Division II statistics report released in March -- 15th in scoring offense (84.6 points per game), 25th in assists per game (16.6), 26th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.24) and 38th in field goal percentage (47.9).
In addition, former Maverick Andrew Bridger capped his career ranked eighth in the country with 6.4 assists per game, and Jeff Martin completed his junior season at 17th in 3-point field goals with 3.2 per contest. Martin also ranked 40th in 3-point field goal percentage (39.7), while Tyler Bullock was 40th nationally in free throw percentage (85.6) and 50th in points per game (19.0).
Next Up for the Mavs...
UNO returns to action on Tuesday, Nov. 23, traveling to Nebraska-Kearney. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. in Kearney, Neb.
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