Mavericks Set For Battle With Bulldogs
Feb 11, 2011 | General, Men's Basketball
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The UNO men's basketball team (14-7, 11-6 MIAA) travels to Truman on Saturday, Feb. 12, with tipoff slated for 3 p.m. at Pershing Arena in Kirksville, Mo.
Nebraska-Omaha last took the court on Wednesday, Feb. 9, topping Missouri Western, 96-84. Tyler Bullock led the way with 25 points, while Mitch Albers (20), Torrian Harris (15) and Jeff Martin (11) joined him in double-figure scoring. Harris also pulled down nine boards, and Albers had seven rebounds to tie his career high. In addition, Matt Starks had a career night off the bench, grabbing a career-high nine rebounds and adding eight points, a career-best two assists and a steal.
Truman enters Saturday's contest having most recently fallen 81-74 to nationally-ranked Fort Hays State in Kirksville on Thursday night. Ethan Freeman recorded a career-high 24 points and added 11 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the year, while Tom Norton (17) and Vesko Filchev (10) joined him in double-figure scoring.
Last Time Out
The Mavs and the Hornets last squared off on Jan. 5 in Omaha, where UNO took an 83-70 win. Mitch Albers notched 24 points, while Tyler Bullock totaled 21 points and six rebounds. Torrian Harris chipped in 11 points and 11 rebounds with six assists and four blocks, and Alex Welhouse also put up 13 points. Four Truman players finished in double-figure scoring -- Ethan Freeman (23), Vesko Filchev (11), Isaac Gardner (11) and Tom Norton (11). Freeman grabbed a double-double with 14 boards.
Maverick Notebook
•The Mavericks are 10-8 in the all-time series with Truman and are a perfect 5-0 in MIAA play against the Bulldogs since joining the league in 2008-09.
•UNO's win over Missouri Western on Feb. 9 marked its third sweep of an MIAA opponent this season. The Mavericks have also won both 2010-11 contests against league newcomer Lincoln and Northwest Missouri State.
•Tyler Bullock and Mitch Albers each hit the 20-point mark against MWSU, with Bullock tallying 25 points and Albers contributing 20. Bullock has eight games with 20 or more points -- including six in conference play -- while Albers has had seven 20-plus point performances, all in league action. The Mavericks' scoring duo has hit 20 or more points on the same night twice this season, first against Truman on Jan. 5.
•Nebraska-Omaha searches to extend its win streak to five games against TSU on Saturday afternoon.
•UNO looks to set the tempo in the first half of each game, as the Mavericks are 10-0 when leading at halftime.
Bullock Nears 1,000 Career Points
Tyler Bullock has been the Mavericks' leading scorer in both his junior and senior seasons and has approached the 1,000 career points mark at a rapid pace. Bullock, who totaled 588 points last year, has 401 points through 21 games in 2010-11 for a two-year total of 989. The Lincoln, Neb., native needs just 11 more to become the 33rd member of the UNO 1,000 Point Club in school history, and with an average of 19.1 points per game, he is on track to reach the milestone at Truman this weekend.
Welhouse Well-Prepared for Starting Job
Sophomore forward Alex Welhouse has moved into the starting five recently, starting his fifth straight game on Feb. 9 against Missouri Western. He earned the nod after having averaged 9.6 points per game off the bench in the month of January.
The Kaukauna, Wis., native has six double-figure scoring performances in the last 12 games, including back-to-back contests with 15 points -- at Pittsburg State on Jan. 19 and against Washburn on Jan. 22. Welhouse has hit 23 3-pointers in the span, shooting a team-leading .434 from behind the arc since opening the new year.
Martin Continues Climb Up Career Triples Chart
Senior Jeff Martin ranks among the top long-range shooters in program history with 152 career triples. He is seventh all-time entering this weekend's match-up and needs 14 more to tie Michael Jenkins (2005-09), who had 161 for sixth place on the list. Martin ranks first on the team in 2010-11 with 43 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 Career 3-Point Leaders
1. Zac Robinson (2002-07) -- 248 6. Michael Jenkins (2005-09) -- 161
2. Mike Simons (1996-2000) -- 230 7. Jeff Martin (2008-present) -- 152
3. Dan Morrow (1999-2003) -- 186 8. Mitch Albers (2007-present) -- 134
4. Seth Nelson (1999-2003) -- 181 9. Troy Kloewer (1993-97) -- 131
5. Andrew Bridger (2006-10) -- 164 10. Denny Johnston (2004-08) -- 125
Albers Joins Maverick 1,000 Point Club
Junior guard Mitch Albers became the 32nd member of UNO's 1,000 Point Club on Jan. 12, as he dropped 29 points on Southwest Baptist in the Mavs' win. The Papillion-LaVista graduate now has 1,120 career points, which is 14th in UNO history. His next target on the scoring list is current Maverick graduate assistant Andrew Bridger (2006-10) who had 1,128 points.
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.
Albers ranks eighth in school history with 134 career 3-pointers and trails senior Jeff Martin's 152 shots from long range, which is seventh-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. He has since averaged 17.4 points in regular-season play, which ranks second on the team, highlighted by a season-high 29 points against Southwest Baptist on Jan. 12. Albers had the game-winning shot from half-court at the buzzer to defeat Central Missouri, 81-79, in Warrensburg, Mo. He had a career performance on the boards at Northwest Missouri State on Feb. 3 and on Feb. 9 against Missouri Western, pulling down seven rebounds in both games.
Harris Emerges as Dual Threat
Senior guard Torrian Harris has had a strong senior season in 2010-11, averaging double-figure scoring and leading the Mavericks on the boards. Harris has 11.5 points per game, which ranks third on the team, as well as a squad-best 7.5 rebounds per contest, which is second-best in the MIAA. In addition, the Saginaw, Mich., native started off his final season with a memorable exhibition game at Michigan State, where he faced his half-brother, Draymond Green. Harris has since started all 21 games and has hit double-figure scoring in 13 of those contests.
Hansen Hits 100-Win Milestone
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 105-66 over the first five-plus years of his head coaching career and hit the century mark on Jan. 12 in a 90-84 win over Southwest Baptist. 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 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.
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.
Through games of Feb. 9, Bullock has averaged 19.1 points per game, highlighted by season-best 28-point performances at Emporia State on Dec. 8 and at Lincoln on Jan. 29. He tops the Mavericks in scoring average, points scored (401), assists (104), steals (33), field goals made (131-of-271) and free throws made (134-of-167).
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 was the fourth-highest single-season total in school history.
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.
Next Up for the Mavs...
UNO returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 16, hosting Central Missouri. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Sapp Fieldhouse.
Live Stats
Live Video
Live Radio
The UNO men's basketball team (14-7, 11-6 MIAA) travels to Truman on Saturday, Feb. 12, with tipoff slated for 3 p.m. at Pershing Arena in Kirksville, Mo.
Nebraska-Omaha last took the court on Wednesday, Feb. 9, topping Missouri Western, 96-84. Tyler Bullock led the way with 25 points, while Mitch Albers (20), Torrian Harris (15) and Jeff Martin (11) joined him in double-figure scoring. Harris also pulled down nine boards, and Albers had seven rebounds to tie his career high. In addition, Matt Starks had a career night off the bench, grabbing a career-high nine rebounds and adding eight points, a career-best two assists and a steal.
Truman enters Saturday's contest having most recently fallen 81-74 to nationally-ranked Fort Hays State in Kirksville on Thursday night. Ethan Freeman recorded a career-high 24 points and added 11 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the year, while Tom Norton (17) and Vesko Filchev (10) joined him in double-figure scoring.
Last Time Out
The Mavs and the Hornets last squared off on Jan. 5 in Omaha, where UNO took an 83-70 win. Mitch Albers notched 24 points, while Tyler Bullock totaled 21 points and six rebounds. Torrian Harris chipped in 11 points and 11 rebounds with six assists and four blocks, and Alex Welhouse also put up 13 points. Four Truman players finished in double-figure scoring -- Ethan Freeman (23), Vesko Filchev (11), Isaac Gardner (11) and Tom Norton (11). Freeman grabbed a double-double with 14 boards.
Maverick Notebook
•The Mavericks are 10-8 in the all-time series with Truman and are a perfect 5-0 in MIAA play against the Bulldogs since joining the league in 2008-09.
•UNO's win over Missouri Western on Feb. 9 marked its third sweep of an MIAA opponent this season. The Mavericks have also won both 2010-11 contests against league newcomer Lincoln and Northwest Missouri State.
•Tyler Bullock and Mitch Albers each hit the 20-point mark against MWSU, with Bullock tallying 25 points and Albers contributing 20. Bullock has eight games with 20 or more points -- including six in conference play -- while Albers has had seven 20-plus point performances, all in league action. The Mavericks' scoring duo has hit 20 or more points on the same night twice this season, first against Truman on Jan. 5.
•Nebraska-Omaha searches to extend its win streak to five games against TSU on Saturday afternoon.
•UNO looks to set the tempo in the first half of each game, as the Mavericks are 10-0 when leading at halftime.
Bullock Nears 1,000 Career Points
Tyler Bullock has been the Mavericks' leading scorer in both his junior and senior seasons and has approached the 1,000 career points mark at a rapid pace. Bullock, who totaled 588 points last year, has 401 points through 21 games in 2010-11 for a two-year total of 989. The Lincoln, Neb., native needs just 11 more to become the 33rd member of the UNO 1,000 Point Club in school history, and with an average of 19.1 points per game, he is on track to reach the milestone at Truman this weekend.
Welhouse Well-Prepared for Starting Job
Sophomore forward Alex Welhouse has moved into the starting five recently, starting his fifth straight game on Feb. 9 against Missouri Western. He earned the nod after having averaged 9.6 points per game off the bench in the month of January.
The Kaukauna, Wis., native has six double-figure scoring performances in the last 12 games, including back-to-back contests with 15 points -- at Pittsburg State on Jan. 19 and against Washburn on Jan. 22. Welhouse has hit 23 3-pointers in the span, shooting a team-leading .434 from behind the arc since opening the new year.
Martin Continues Climb Up Career Triples Chart
Senior Jeff Martin ranks among the top long-range shooters in program history with 152 career triples. He is seventh all-time entering this weekend's match-up and needs 14 more to tie Michael Jenkins (2005-09), who had 161 for sixth place on the list. Martin ranks first on the team in 2010-11 with 43 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 Career 3-Point Leaders
1. Zac Robinson (2002-07) -- 248 6. Michael Jenkins (2005-09) -- 161
2. Mike Simons (1996-2000) -- 230 7. Jeff Martin (2008-present) -- 152
3. Dan Morrow (1999-2003) -- 186 8. Mitch Albers (2007-present) -- 134
4. Seth Nelson (1999-2003) -- 181 9. Troy Kloewer (1993-97) -- 131
5. Andrew Bridger (2006-10) -- 164 10. Denny Johnston (2004-08) -- 125
Albers Joins Maverick 1,000 Point Club
Junior guard Mitch Albers became the 32nd member of UNO's 1,000 Point Club on Jan. 12, as he dropped 29 points on Southwest Baptist in the Mavs' win. The Papillion-LaVista graduate now has 1,120 career points, which is 14th in UNO history. His next target on the scoring list is current Maverick graduate assistant Andrew Bridger (2006-10) who had 1,128 points.
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.
Albers ranks eighth in school history with 134 career 3-pointers and trails senior Jeff Martin's 152 shots from long range, which is seventh-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. He has since averaged 17.4 points in regular-season play, which ranks second on the team, highlighted by a season-high 29 points against Southwest Baptist on Jan. 12. Albers had the game-winning shot from half-court at the buzzer to defeat Central Missouri, 81-79, in Warrensburg, Mo. He had a career performance on the boards at Northwest Missouri State on Feb. 3 and on Feb. 9 against Missouri Western, pulling down seven rebounds in both games.
Harris Emerges as Dual Threat
Senior guard Torrian Harris has had a strong senior season in 2010-11, averaging double-figure scoring and leading the Mavericks on the boards. Harris has 11.5 points per game, which ranks third on the team, as well as a squad-best 7.5 rebounds per contest, which is second-best in the MIAA. In addition, the Saginaw, Mich., native started off his final season with a memorable exhibition game at Michigan State, where he faced his half-brother, Draymond Green. Harris has since started all 21 games and has hit double-figure scoring in 13 of those contests.
Hansen Hits 100-Win Milestone
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 105-66 over the first five-plus years of his head coaching career and hit the century mark on Jan. 12 in a 90-84 win over Southwest Baptist. 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 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.
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.
Through games of Feb. 9, Bullock has averaged 19.1 points per game, highlighted by season-best 28-point performances at Emporia State on Dec. 8 and at Lincoln on Jan. 29. He tops the Mavericks in scoring average, points scored (401), assists (104), steals (33), field goals made (131-of-271) and free throws made (134-of-167).
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 was the fourth-highest single-season total in school history.
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.
Next Up for the Mavs...
UNO returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 16, hosting Central Missouri. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Sapp Fieldhouse.
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