Omaha Hosts Denver for Thursday TV Tilt
Jan 22, 2014 | Men's Basketball
For complete game notes, please refer to the PDF version.
This Week
After a month-long stretch of traveling, the Omaha men's basketball team (11-7, 1-2 Summit League) returns home this week to host Denver on Thursday, Jan. 23 with a 7:05 p.m. tipoff. The matchup will be nationally televised on Fox College Sports and Midco with Tom Nieman on play-by-play and Greg Stemen providing color commentary. KOZN 1620 AM will also carry the game live with Gary Sharp and Grant Nieland on the call, and fans can stream the radio broadcast on their smartphones by downloading NRG Media's app “1620 The Zone.” Links to live stats, video and audio will be available on OMavs.com.
Fans are encouraged to arrive early, as Ralston Arena will offer $1 beers, sodas and hot dogs for the hour before tipoff, 6 to 7 p.m.
Scouting the Denver Pioneers
League newcomer Denver enters the weekend with a record of 8-10 (1-2 Summit League) after a 66-45 home win over IUPUI last Saturday, its first in conference play. Chris Udofia finished with a team-high 16 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three blocks. Brett Olson added 15 points, and Cam Griffin recorded another 10.
Olson has paced the Pioneers this year with 14.5 points per game and a league-leading .917 free throw shooting percentage. Udofia also averages in double figures at 12.4 points per game, while Griffin has pulled down 6.6 rebounds per contest. DU is led by head coach Joe Scott, who holds a record of 110-94 over seven seasons at the school and a mark of 199-202 over his 14-year career.
Denver leads the all-time series with Omaha, 2-0. The two teams last squared off on Dec. 15, 2012 in Denver, Colo., with the Pioneers taking an 82-47 win.
Quick Hits
•According to RPIRatings.com, Omaha's RPI is 117th nationally through games of Jan. 19, the second highest of any Summit League team.
•Kenpom.com lists UNO's adjusted tempo of 75.0 possessions per 40 minutes at fifth nationally.
•The Mavericks' average scoring margin of 7.7 points is 76th in the country. UNO's wins have come with an average margin of victory of 18.5 points, while their losses have come with an average of 9.3.
•UNO is 8-1 this season when scoring 80 or more points in a game.
•Omaha finished with a season-high .556 shooting percentage in its win at South Dakota State last Saturday. In the last two years, Omaha is 11-5 when shooting .500 or better as a team.
•Senior guard Justin Simmons has 12 career scoring performances with 20 or more points. Senior center John Karhoff is just behind him with eight, and junior guard CJ Cater has six.
•Omaha tallied its 11th win of the season on Jan. 18, defeating South Dakota State on the road, 80-71. In 2012-13, it was Feb. 23 vs. North Dakota before the Mavericks earned their 11th victory.
•The Mavericks' five-game win streak from Nov. 25 to Dec. 14 was their longest stretch since beginning the Division I transition, and it was the UNO's longest since the 2010-11 season.
•Omaha received votes in the CollegeInsider.com mid-major poll for five straight weeks from Dec. 16 to Jan. 13. This year marks the Mavericks' inclusion for the first time in school history.
•Over 2012-13 and 2013-14, Omaha is 13-5 when junior guard CJ Carter scores 15 or more points in a game. Carter led the Mavericks in three straight games to open the year with 18 points at Northern Illinois, 22 at Iowa and 22 vs. UMKC.
UNO Honors Alumnus Stedman for Gift
The Omaha Athletic Department is celebrating the largest private gift ever to its men's basketball program by a former student-athlete this week with a pregame tribute at Thursday night's men's basketball game. The gift was made through the estate of UNO alumnus and benefactor, the late Robert Stedman, to the University of Nebraska Foundation. The amount of the gift is not being disclosed.
Stedman's gift provides support for the men's basketball team to participate in an overseas basketball competition. UNO is currently making plans for the team's trip the summer of 2015. His gift also supports the basketball program's student-athlete recruitment efforts and creates additional scholarship opportunities.
Stedman, who passed away in 2011, played basketball for Omaha University (OU), now known as UNO, from 1947 until 1951. He graduated from OU with a degree in business.
A longtime supporter of his alma mater, Stedman was giving both of his time and resources to the UNO athletic department and the College of Business Administration (CBA). His support benefited the CBA in numerous ways, including scholarships for students. In 2010, the college named its statistics laboratory in his honor.
Mavericks Making Headway Nationally
UNO has made its presence known in the national statistical rankings, as the Mavericks' .780 free throw percentage ranks second nationally behind only Providence (.799). Omaha is also 21st in points per game (82.3) and 22nd in assists per game (16.1) as a team.
Individually, senior center John Karhoff's .892 free throw shooting percentage has him ranked 22nd among Division I players, and senior guard Alex Phillips is 46th with a .470 3-point shooting percentage.
Last Time Out: at South Dakota State (Jan. 18)
Omaha put together an outstanding effort to earn its first conference win of the year last Saturday, defeating South Dakota State, 80-71, at Frost Arena. UNO's victory marked the first time in three years that SDSU surrendered a conference loss at home, as the Jacks had held a 21-game streak since Jan. 29, 2011.
Four Mavericks finished with double-figure scoring, led by sophomore guard Marcus Tyus. Thirteen of his 16 points came in the first half, and he added six rebounds, two assists and a steal.
Junior guard CJ Carter notched 15 points with two 3-pointers and a 7-for-7 effort at the free throw line, as well as five rebounds, two steals and an assist. Senior guard Justin Simmons chipped in another 12 points, shooting 6-of-9, and senior center John Karhoff rounded it out with 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting.
Senior forward Matt Hagerbaumer led the way on the glass, pulling down seven rebounds with seven points and two blocks. Senior forward Mike Rostampour added nine points and five boards for the afternoon.
Omaha shot a season-best .556 (30-54) from the field while holding SDSU to a .400 (24-60) clip. The Jackrabbits shot just .269 (7-26) in the first half. In addition, the Mavericks outrebounded the Jacks, 34-33.
Road Warriors
Omaha has spent the last four weeks on the road, having hosted its last home game on Dec. 22 vs. Seattle. The Mavericks then took trips to Central Arkansas, Hawaii, Western Illinois, North Dakota State and South Dakota State, logging a total of 11,287 miles in the air and on the road. In its five-game span away from home, UNO went 2-3, picking up wins at UCA, 108-44, and SDSU, 80-71.
League Leaders
With a strong start to the 2013-14 season, the Mavericks rank among the top statistical performers in the conference. As a team, Omaha tops the league in points per game (82.3), free throws made per game (19.3), free throw percentage (.780), total rebounds per game (35.3), defensive boards per game (25.7), assists per game (16.1) and steals per game (7.9).
Senior guard Alex Phillips' .471 shooting from 3-point range ranks second among league players and 46th in the country, and senior center John Karhoff ranks second in free throw percentage (.892) and 22nd nationally.
Home Sweet Home
The 2013-14 season marks UNO's second season playing at Ralston Arena, which serves as the home of Maverick men's basketball, Omaha Lancers hockey and Omaha Beef indoor football. The Mavs will play a full Summit League schedule this year with seven conference games, and in total they have 14 games on the slate at Ralston.
In 2012-13, its inaugural season at Ralston, Omaha enjoyed a 7-6 advantage at home. The Mavericks are 6-0 at home this year, having defeated UMKC (101-71), South Carolina State (91-59), Iowa Wesleyan (86-36), Waldorf College (100-66), CSU Bakersfield (93-88) and Seattle (76-69). UNO's six home wins have come with an average margin of 26.3 points, and the Mavs have scored an average of 91.2 points per game on their home court.
Next Up
Omaha returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 25, hosting South Dakota. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. at Ralston Arena, and links to live stats, video and audio will be available on OMavs.com. The game will be broadcast live on KOZN 1620 AM with Gary Sharp and Grant Nieland calling the action.
This Week
After a month-long stretch of traveling, the Omaha men's basketball team (11-7, 1-2 Summit League) returns home this week to host Denver on Thursday, Jan. 23 with a 7:05 p.m. tipoff. The matchup will be nationally televised on Fox College Sports and Midco with Tom Nieman on play-by-play and Greg Stemen providing color commentary. KOZN 1620 AM will also carry the game live with Gary Sharp and Grant Nieland on the call, and fans can stream the radio broadcast on their smartphones by downloading NRG Media's app “1620 The Zone.” Links to live stats, video and audio will be available on OMavs.com.
Fans are encouraged to arrive early, as Ralston Arena will offer $1 beers, sodas and hot dogs for the hour before tipoff, 6 to 7 p.m.
Scouting the Denver Pioneers
League newcomer Denver enters the weekend with a record of 8-10 (1-2 Summit League) after a 66-45 home win over IUPUI last Saturday, its first in conference play. Chris Udofia finished with a team-high 16 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three blocks. Brett Olson added 15 points, and Cam Griffin recorded another 10.
Olson has paced the Pioneers this year with 14.5 points per game and a league-leading .917 free throw shooting percentage. Udofia also averages in double figures at 12.4 points per game, while Griffin has pulled down 6.6 rebounds per contest. DU is led by head coach Joe Scott, who holds a record of 110-94 over seven seasons at the school and a mark of 199-202 over his 14-year career.
Denver leads the all-time series with Omaha, 2-0. The two teams last squared off on Dec. 15, 2012 in Denver, Colo., with the Pioneers taking an 82-47 win.
Quick Hits
•According to RPIRatings.com, Omaha's RPI is 117th nationally through games of Jan. 19, the second highest of any Summit League team.
•Kenpom.com lists UNO's adjusted tempo of 75.0 possessions per 40 minutes at fifth nationally.
•The Mavericks' average scoring margin of 7.7 points is 76th in the country. UNO's wins have come with an average margin of victory of 18.5 points, while their losses have come with an average of 9.3.
•UNO is 8-1 this season when scoring 80 or more points in a game.
•Omaha finished with a season-high .556 shooting percentage in its win at South Dakota State last Saturday. In the last two years, Omaha is 11-5 when shooting .500 or better as a team.
•Senior guard Justin Simmons has 12 career scoring performances with 20 or more points. Senior center John Karhoff is just behind him with eight, and junior guard CJ Cater has six.
•Omaha tallied its 11th win of the season on Jan. 18, defeating South Dakota State on the road, 80-71. In 2012-13, it was Feb. 23 vs. North Dakota before the Mavericks earned their 11th victory.
•The Mavericks' five-game win streak from Nov. 25 to Dec. 14 was their longest stretch since beginning the Division I transition, and it was the UNO's longest since the 2010-11 season.
•Omaha received votes in the CollegeInsider.com mid-major poll for five straight weeks from Dec. 16 to Jan. 13. This year marks the Mavericks' inclusion for the first time in school history.
•Over 2012-13 and 2013-14, Omaha is 13-5 when junior guard CJ Carter scores 15 or more points in a game. Carter led the Mavericks in three straight games to open the year with 18 points at Northern Illinois, 22 at Iowa and 22 vs. UMKC.
UNO Honors Alumnus Stedman for Gift
The Omaha Athletic Department is celebrating the largest private gift ever to its men's basketball program by a former student-athlete this week with a pregame tribute at Thursday night's men's basketball game. The gift was made through the estate of UNO alumnus and benefactor, the late Robert Stedman, to the University of Nebraska Foundation. The amount of the gift is not being disclosed.
Stedman's gift provides support for the men's basketball team to participate in an overseas basketball competition. UNO is currently making plans for the team's trip the summer of 2015. His gift also supports the basketball program's student-athlete recruitment efforts and creates additional scholarship opportunities.
Stedman, who passed away in 2011, played basketball for Omaha University (OU), now known as UNO, from 1947 until 1951. He graduated from OU with a degree in business.
A longtime supporter of his alma mater, Stedman was giving both of his time and resources to the UNO athletic department and the College of Business Administration (CBA). His support benefited the CBA in numerous ways, including scholarships for students. In 2010, the college named its statistics laboratory in his honor.
Mavericks Making Headway Nationally
UNO has made its presence known in the national statistical rankings, as the Mavericks' .780 free throw percentage ranks second nationally behind only Providence (.799). Omaha is also 21st in points per game (82.3) and 22nd in assists per game (16.1) as a team.
Individually, senior center John Karhoff's .892 free throw shooting percentage has him ranked 22nd among Division I players, and senior guard Alex Phillips is 46th with a .470 3-point shooting percentage.
Last Time Out: at South Dakota State (Jan. 18)
Omaha put together an outstanding effort to earn its first conference win of the year last Saturday, defeating South Dakota State, 80-71, at Frost Arena. UNO's victory marked the first time in three years that SDSU surrendered a conference loss at home, as the Jacks had held a 21-game streak since Jan. 29, 2011.
Four Mavericks finished with double-figure scoring, led by sophomore guard Marcus Tyus. Thirteen of his 16 points came in the first half, and he added six rebounds, two assists and a steal.
Junior guard CJ Carter notched 15 points with two 3-pointers and a 7-for-7 effort at the free throw line, as well as five rebounds, two steals and an assist. Senior guard Justin Simmons chipped in another 12 points, shooting 6-of-9, and senior center John Karhoff rounded it out with 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting.
Senior forward Matt Hagerbaumer led the way on the glass, pulling down seven rebounds with seven points and two blocks. Senior forward Mike Rostampour added nine points and five boards for the afternoon.
Omaha shot a season-best .556 (30-54) from the field while holding SDSU to a .400 (24-60) clip. The Jackrabbits shot just .269 (7-26) in the first half. In addition, the Mavericks outrebounded the Jacks, 34-33.
Road Warriors
Omaha has spent the last four weeks on the road, having hosted its last home game on Dec. 22 vs. Seattle. The Mavericks then took trips to Central Arkansas, Hawaii, Western Illinois, North Dakota State and South Dakota State, logging a total of 11,287 miles in the air and on the road. In its five-game span away from home, UNO went 2-3, picking up wins at UCA, 108-44, and SDSU, 80-71.
League Leaders
With a strong start to the 2013-14 season, the Mavericks rank among the top statistical performers in the conference. As a team, Omaha tops the league in points per game (82.3), free throws made per game (19.3), free throw percentage (.780), total rebounds per game (35.3), defensive boards per game (25.7), assists per game (16.1) and steals per game (7.9).
Senior guard Alex Phillips' .471 shooting from 3-point range ranks second among league players and 46th in the country, and senior center John Karhoff ranks second in free throw percentage (.892) and 22nd nationally.
Home Sweet Home
The 2013-14 season marks UNO's second season playing at Ralston Arena, which serves as the home of Maverick men's basketball, Omaha Lancers hockey and Omaha Beef indoor football. The Mavs will play a full Summit League schedule this year with seven conference games, and in total they have 14 games on the slate at Ralston.
In 2012-13, its inaugural season at Ralston, Omaha enjoyed a 7-6 advantage at home. The Mavericks are 6-0 at home this year, having defeated UMKC (101-71), South Carolina State (91-59), Iowa Wesleyan (86-36), Waldorf College (100-66), CSU Bakersfield (93-88) and Seattle (76-69). UNO's six home wins have come with an average margin of 26.3 points, and the Mavs have scored an average of 91.2 points per game on their home court.
Next Up
Omaha returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 25, hosting South Dakota. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. at Ralston Arena, and links to live stats, video and audio will be available on OMavs.com. The game will be broadcast live on KOZN 1620 AM with Gary Sharp and Grant Nieland calling the action.
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