UNO Set for Rematch With No. 8 Missouri Southern
Feb 22, 2011 | General, Men's Basketball
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The UNO men's basketball team (17-7, 14-6 MIAA) travels to eighth-ranked Missouri Southern on Wednesday, Feb. 23, with tipoff slated for 7:30 p.m. in Joplin, Mo. The Mavericks look to extend their win streak to a season-long eight games, as they have not dropped a conference contest since Jan. 26.
Nebraska-Omaha last took the court on Saturday, Feb. 19, topping Southwest Baptist on the road, 81-74. Tyler Bullock led the way with 26 points, while Mitch Albers (22) and Alex Welhouse (10) joined him in double-figure scoring.
Missouri Southern enters Wednesday's contest having won six of its last seven games, falling only at Washburn, 71-66, on Feb. 17. The league-leading Lions most recently defeated nationally-ranked Fort Hays State, 64-63, in hays, Kan., on Saturday. Jason Adams registered 23 points, while Skyler Bowling added 15, and Keane Thomann had 10. Jordan Talbert pulled down a team-best nine rebounds.
Last Time Out
The Mavs and the Lions last squared off on Jan. 15 in Omaha, where MSSU defeated UNO, 98-95. Tyler Bullock notched 26 points and a career-high nine assists, while Mitch Albers (19), Jeff Martin (15) and Torrian Harris (10) also reached double figures. Southern's Jason Adams topped all scorers with 31 points on five 3-pointers, while Marquis Adams had 17, and Patrick Hester and Skyler Bowlin finished with 11 apiece.
Going Streaking
UNO's seven-game conference win streak heading into Wednesday's contest at Missouri Southern is the Mavericks' longest since a seven-victory streak capped in the NCC Tournament in 2003-04. It is also the Mavs' longest regular-season league streak since 1989-90, when they had eight straight in NCC play, and bests this year's previous high of six games from Dec. 11 to Jan. 12, which was snapped by MSSU on Jan. 15.
Maverick Notebook
•The Mavs lead the all-time series with MSSU, 4-3.
•UNO's road win at Southwest Baptist on Feb. 19 marked its sixth sweep of an MIAA opponent this year. The Mavericks have also won both 2010-11 contests over Lincoln, Northwest Missouri State, Missouri Western, Truman and SBU.
•Nebraska-Omaha has won seven straight conference road games, as it has not dropped an away contest since Dec. 8 at Emporia State.
•Tyler Bullock and Mitch Albers each hit the 20-point mark at SBU, with Bullock tallying 26 points and Albers contributing 22. Bullock has 10 games with 20 or more points -- including eight in conference play -- while Albers has had nine 20-plus point performances, all in league action. The Mavericks' scoring duo has hit 20 or more points on the same night four times this season.
•The Mavericks maintain their hold as the MIAA's top free-throw shooting team, as they have a .738 clip from the line, just ahead of MSSU's .716. Mitch Albers (.866) is the league's top individual free throw shooter and is 43rd nationally, while Tyler Bullock (.796) is also ranked in the conference's top 10 as well.
•UNO looks to set the tempo in the first half of each game, as the Mavericks are a perfect 12-0 when leading at halftime.
Bullock Surpasses 1,000 Career Points
Tyler Bullock has been the Mavericks' leading scorer in both his junior and senior seasons and reached the 1,000 career points mark at a rapid pace. Bullock, who totaled 588 points last year, has 459 points through 24 games in 2010-11 for a two-year total of 1,047. The Lincoln, Neb., native became the 33rd member of the UNO 1,000 Point Club in school history and is the first player in school history to reach the milestone in just two years.
Welhouse Well-Prepared for Starting Job
Sophomore forward Alex Welhouse has moved into the starting five recently, starting his eighth straight game on Feb. 19 at Southwest Baptist. 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 eight double-figure scoring performances in the last 14 games, including back-to-back contests with 15 points -- at Pittsburg State on Jan. 19 and against Washburn on Jan. 22. Welhouse has hit 31 3-pointers in the span, shooting a team-leading .449 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 156 career triples. He is seventh all-time entering this weekend's match-up and needs five 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 47 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) -- 156
3. Dan Morrow (1999-2003) -- 186 8. Mitch Albers (2007-present) -- 136
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 1,181 career points, which is 12th in UNO history. His next target on the scoring list is Jim Gregory (1977-81) who had 1,196 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 136 career 3-pointers and trails senior Jeff Martin's 156 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 17.8 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 also 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 11.1 points per game, which ranks third on the team, as well as a squad-best 7.5 rebounds per contest, which is third-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 24 games and has hit double-figure scoring in 15 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 108-66 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. 19, 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 (459), assists (114), steals (38), field goals made (155-of-321) and free throws made (144-of-181).
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 Saturday, Feb. 26, hosting Pittsburg State for the final regular-season game of the season. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at Sapp Fieldhouse.
Live Stats
Live Video
Live Radio
The UNO men's basketball team (17-7, 14-6 MIAA) travels to eighth-ranked Missouri Southern on Wednesday, Feb. 23, with tipoff slated for 7:30 p.m. in Joplin, Mo. The Mavericks look to extend their win streak to a season-long eight games, as they have not dropped a conference contest since Jan. 26.
Nebraska-Omaha last took the court on Saturday, Feb. 19, topping Southwest Baptist on the road, 81-74. Tyler Bullock led the way with 26 points, while Mitch Albers (22) and Alex Welhouse (10) joined him in double-figure scoring.
Missouri Southern enters Wednesday's contest having won six of its last seven games, falling only at Washburn, 71-66, on Feb. 17. The league-leading Lions most recently defeated nationally-ranked Fort Hays State, 64-63, in hays, Kan., on Saturday. Jason Adams registered 23 points, while Skyler Bowling added 15, and Keane Thomann had 10. Jordan Talbert pulled down a team-best nine rebounds.
Last Time Out
The Mavs and the Lions last squared off on Jan. 15 in Omaha, where MSSU defeated UNO, 98-95. Tyler Bullock notched 26 points and a career-high nine assists, while Mitch Albers (19), Jeff Martin (15) and Torrian Harris (10) also reached double figures. Southern's Jason Adams topped all scorers with 31 points on five 3-pointers, while Marquis Adams had 17, and Patrick Hester and Skyler Bowlin finished with 11 apiece.
Going Streaking
UNO's seven-game conference win streak heading into Wednesday's contest at Missouri Southern is the Mavericks' longest since a seven-victory streak capped in the NCC Tournament in 2003-04. It is also the Mavs' longest regular-season league streak since 1989-90, when they had eight straight in NCC play, and bests this year's previous high of six games from Dec. 11 to Jan. 12, which was snapped by MSSU on Jan. 15.
Maverick Notebook
•The Mavs lead the all-time series with MSSU, 4-3.
•UNO's road win at Southwest Baptist on Feb. 19 marked its sixth sweep of an MIAA opponent this year. The Mavericks have also won both 2010-11 contests over Lincoln, Northwest Missouri State, Missouri Western, Truman and SBU.
•Nebraska-Omaha has won seven straight conference road games, as it has not dropped an away contest since Dec. 8 at Emporia State.
•Tyler Bullock and Mitch Albers each hit the 20-point mark at SBU, with Bullock tallying 26 points and Albers contributing 22. Bullock has 10 games with 20 or more points -- including eight in conference play -- while Albers has had nine 20-plus point performances, all in league action. The Mavericks' scoring duo has hit 20 or more points on the same night four times this season.
•The Mavericks maintain their hold as the MIAA's top free-throw shooting team, as they have a .738 clip from the line, just ahead of MSSU's .716. Mitch Albers (.866) is the league's top individual free throw shooter and is 43rd nationally, while Tyler Bullock (.796) is also ranked in the conference's top 10 as well.
•UNO looks to set the tempo in the first half of each game, as the Mavericks are a perfect 12-0 when leading at halftime.
Bullock Surpasses 1,000 Career Points
Tyler Bullock has been the Mavericks' leading scorer in both his junior and senior seasons and reached the 1,000 career points mark at a rapid pace. Bullock, who totaled 588 points last year, has 459 points through 24 games in 2010-11 for a two-year total of 1,047. The Lincoln, Neb., native became the 33rd member of the UNO 1,000 Point Club in school history and is the first player in school history to reach the milestone in just two years.
Welhouse Well-Prepared for Starting Job
Sophomore forward Alex Welhouse has moved into the starting five recently, starting his eighth straight game on Feb. 19 at Southwest Baptist. 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 eight double-figure scoring performances in the last 14 games, including back-to-back contests with 15 points -- at Pittsburg State on Jan. 19 and against Washburn on Jan. 22. Welhouse has hit 31 3-pointers in the span, shooting a team-leading .449 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 156 career triples. He is seventh all-time entering this weekend's match-up and needs five 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 47 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) -- 156
3. Dan Morrow (1999-2003) -- 186 8. Mitch Albers (2007-present) -- 136
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 1,181 career points, which is 12th in UNO history. His next target on the scoring list is Jim Gregory (1977-81) who had 1,196 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 136 career 3-pointers and trails senior Jeff Martin's 156 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 17.8 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 also 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 11.1 points per game, which ranks third on the team, as well as a squad-best 7.5 rebounds per contest, which is third-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 24 games and has hit double-figure scoring in 15 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 108-66 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. 19, 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 (459), assists (114), steals (38), field goals made (155-of-321) and free throws made (144-of-181).
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 Saturday, Feb. 26, hosting Pittsburg State for the final regular-season game of the season. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at Sapp Fieldhouse.
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