Mavs Tangle With Emporia State, Northwest Missouri
Dec 7, 2010 | General, Men's Basketball
Weekly Release
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The UNO men's basketball team looks for its first MIAA win this week, traveling to Emporia State on Wednesday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m. before returning home on Saturday, Dec. 11 to host Northwest Missouri State at 7:30 p.m. ESU leads 33-21 in the all-time series with UNO since 1951-52, and the Mavericks seek their first road victory of the season in Emporia. The two teams last clashed at the 2010 MIAA Tournament, when the Mavericks took a 91-67 first-round win on the way to the championship title.
Following its game with the Hornets, Nebraska-Omaha faces NWMSU at Sapp Fieldhouse, where the Mavs have enjoyed an undefeated record so far in 2010-11. The Bearcats have a 7-6 advantage all-time against UNO, having last tangled on Feb. 3, 2010 when Northwest grabbed an 83-70 win in Omaha.
UNO went 0-2 in its first bout of conference action last week, falling 79-73 at Washburn and 98-69 at Fort Hays State. Four players averaged in double-figure scoring -- senior guards Tyler Bullock (19.0), Torrian Harris (15.0) and Jeff Martin (12.5) and junior guard Mitch Albers (10.5). Martin had an outstanding game against the Ichabods, hitting six 3-pointers for all 18 of his points on the night.
UNO PROBABLE STARTERS
No. Player Ht. Wt. Pos. Yr. PPG RPG APG
11 Torrian Harris 6-1 180 G Sr. 13.8 6.2 2.2
12 Aaron Terry 6-3 208 G Sr. 7.3 4.2 1.5
20 Jeff Martin 6-2 195 G Sr. 11.0 2.0 1.2
23 Tyler Bullock 6-2 190 G Sr. 18.5 3.7 4.7
44 John Karhoff 6-8 215 C RFr. 3.3 2.7 0.8
Last Time Out
Emporia State
UNO last faced Washburn in the semifinals of the 2010 MIAA Tournament on March 6, 2010 in Kansas City, Mo. The Mavericks took a 91-67 rout of the Hornets, led by Tyler Bullock's 23 points. Former Mavs Matt Newman and Eugene Bain also had 11 and 10 boards, respectively, while Newman added 14 points.
Northwest Missouri State
UNO and Northwest Missouri State last faced off on Feb. 3, 2010 at Sapp Fieldhouse, with the Bearcats earning an 83-70 win. Four Mavericks finished in double-figure scoring -- Andrew Bridger (13), Jeff Martin (13), Bullock (12) and Newman (11), who also had six rebounds. Bridger added seven assists and scored the 1,000th point of his four-year career.
Harris Emerges as Dual Threat
Senior guard Torrian Harris has had a strong start to his senior season in 2010-11, averaging double-figure scoring and leading the Mavericks on the boards. Harris has 13.8 points per game, which ranks second on the team, as well as a squad-best 6.2 rebounds per contest, which is 11th-best in the MIAA. In addition, the Saginaw, Mich., native, is shooting 50 percent from the field over the six games he has started.
Martin Continues Climb Up Career Triples Chart
Senior Jeff Martin ranks among the top long-range shooters in program history with 127 career triples. He is eighth all-time entering this week's match-ups and needs just four more to tie Troy Kloewer (1993-97), who had 131 for seventh place on the list. Martin leads the Mavericks from deep in 2010-11 with 17 3-pointers.
Last season, Martin closed his junior campaign in style, hitting five 3-pointers in an NCAA Tournament game against Tarleton State to set the UNO school record for treys in a season (98). The mark surpassed former Maverick Zac Robinson's 96 3-pointers, set in 2006-07.
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 graduated alongside Bridger in May with his bachelor's degree in business administration.
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 96 career 3-pointers. He needs just five more to tie Andy Price (1994-96) for 11th place, and also trails senior Jeff Martin's 120 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.
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.
In a pair of games last week, Bullock averaged 10.5 points on 9-of-21 shooting, along with 2.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.0 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 is in 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 94-62 over the first five-plus years of his head coaching career and needs just six 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 Saturday, Dec. 18, hosting Lincoln. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Sapp Fieldhouse.
Live Video (B2 Networks)
Live Stats
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The UNO men's basketball team looks for its first MIAA win this week, traveling to Emporia State on Wednesday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m. before returning home on Saturday, Dec. 11 to host Northwest Missouri State at 7:30 p.m. ESU leads 33-21 in the all-time series with UNO since 1951-52, and the Mavericks seek their first road victory of the season in Emporia. The two teams last clashed at the 2010 MIAA Tournament, when the Mavericks took a 91-67 first-round win on the way to the championship title.
Following its game with the Hornets, Nebraska-Omaha faces NWMSU at Sapp Fieldhouse, where the Mavs have enjoyed an undefeated record so far in 2010-11. The Bearcats have a 7-6 advantage all-time against UNO, having last tangled on Feb. 3, 2010 when Northwest grabbed an 83-70 win in Omaha.
UNO went 0-2 in its first bout of conference action last week, falling 79-73 at Washburn and 98-69 at Fort Hays State. Four players averaged in double-figure scoring -- senior guards Tyler Bullock (19.0), Torrian Harris (15.0) and Jeff Martin (12.5) and junior guard Mitch Albers (10.5). Martin had an outstanding game against the Ichabods, hitting six 3-pointers for all 18 of his points on the night.
UNO PROBABLE STARTERS
No. Player Ht. Wt. Pos. Yr. PPG RPG APG
11 Torrian Harris 6-1 180 G Sr. 13.8 6.2 2.2
12 Aaron Terry 6-3 208 G Sr. 7.3 4.2 1.5
20 Jeff Martin 6-2 195 G Sr. 11.0 2.0 1.2
23 Tyler Bullock 6-2 190 G Sr. 18.5 3.7 4.7
44 John Karhoff 6-8 215 C RFr. 3.3 2.7 0.8
Last Time Out
Emporia State
UNO last faced Washburn in the semifinals of the 2010 MIAA Tournament on March 6, 2010 in Kansas City, Mo. The Mavericks took a 91-67 rout of the Hornets, led by Tyler Bullock's 23 points. Former Mavs Matt Newman and Eugene Bain also had 11 and 10 boards, respectively, while Newman added 14 points.
Northwest Missouri State
UNO and Northwest Missouri State last faced off on Feb. 3, 2010 at Sapp Fieldhouse, with the Bearcats earning an 83-70 win. Four Mavericks finished in double-figure scoring -- Andrew Bridger (13), Jeff Martin (13), Bullock (12) and Newman (11), who also had six rebounds. Bridger added seven assists and scored the 1,000th point of his four-year career.
Harris Emerges as Dual Threat
Senior guard Torrian Harris has had a strong start to his senior season in 2010-11, averaging double-figure scoring and leading the Mavericks on the boards. Harris has 13.8 points per game, which ranks second on the team, as well as a squad-best 6.2 rebounds per contest, which is 11th-best in the MIAA. In addition, the Saginaw, Mich., native, is shooting 50 percent from the field over the six games he has started.
Martin Continues Climb Up Career Triples Chart
Senior Jeff Martin ranks among the top long-range shooters in program history with 127 career triples. He is eighth all-time entering this week's match-ups and needs just four more to tie Troy Kloewer (1993-97), who had 131 for seventh place on the list. Martin leads the Mavericks from deep in 2010-11 with 17 3-pointers.
Last season, Martin closed his junior campaign in style, hitting five 3-pointers in an NCAA Tournament game against Tarleton State to set the UNO school record for treys in a season (98). The mark surpassed former Maverick Zac Robinson's 96 3-pointers, set in 2006-07.
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 graduated alongside Bridger in May with his bachelor's degree in business administration.
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 96 career 3-pointers. He needs just five more to tie Andy Price (1994-96) for 11th place, and also trails senior Jeff Martin's 120 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.
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.
In a pair of games last week, Bullock averaged 10.5 points on 9-of-21 shooting, along with 2.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.0 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 is in 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 94-62 over the first five-plus years of his head coaching career and needs just six 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 Saturday, Dec. 18, hosting Lincoln. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Sapp Fieldhouse.
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