Mavs Open League Play With Leathernecks
Jan 9, 2014 | Women's Basketball
Summit League action begins this Saturday as the Omaha women's basketball team hosts Western Illinois at 2 p.m. at the Sapp Fieldhouse. Links to a live webcast and live stats are available at OMavs.com. A live audio stream will also be available at OMavs.com with Jon Green on the play-by-play.
The Teams
The Mavericks finished the non-conference portion of their schedule with an 8-6 record. UNO is 6-1 at the Sapp Fieldhouse this season. The Mavs continue to lead all league teams in blocks per game (5.2), opponents' field goal percentage (35.2) and opponents' 3-point percentage (25.9). Omaha had its five-game win streak snapped by Milwaukee last Sunday in a 68-48 defeat at the Sapp Fieldhouse, but the Mavs have been otherwise solid at home, averaging 82.1 points per game and allowing just 58.9 points per game. Senior guard Ericka House ranks third in the league in scoring at 18.0 points per game. Felicia Anderson adds 10.1 ppg off the bench. Taijhe Kelly is averaging 8.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.6 blocked shots per game, which is tied for fifth in the nation. Madi Robson leads the team with 4.9 assists per game to rank fourth in the Summit League.
Western Illinois brings an 8-7 record into Saturday's matchup. The Leathernecks are the top scoring team in the Summit League at 82.5 points per game, and they lead the league in field goal attempts per game (65.0) and 3-point attempts per game (23.7). WIU also leads all Summit teams with 10.4 steals per game. The Leathernecks are coming off a pair of school record-setting wins, 113-38 over Culver-Stockton on Jan. 2 and 121-52 over St. Francis on Jan. 8. WIU has won three in a row overall. The Leathernecks are led by Ashley Luke. The sophomore forward averages 19.3 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. Tori Niemann chips in 13.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, while Michelle Maher is averaging 13.2 points and 5.1 assists per game.
Series History
The all-time series between UNO and Western Illinois is tied at 2-2. The teams split the series last season with both home teams winning. The Leathernecks won 71-44 in Macomb on Jan. 12, and the Mavs posted a 63-55 victory over WIU on Feb. 7 in Omaha. Taijhe Kelly had 10 points, 13 rebounds and tied the school record with seven blocked shots in that contest.
Last Time Out
OMAHA, Neb. - The Omaha women's basketball team saw its five-game win streak come to an end last Sunday with a 68-48 loss to Milwaukee at the Sapp Fieldhouse. The loss was the Mavericks' first at home this season in seven games and dropped them to 8-6 overall heading into conference play. Ericka House was the only Maverick to reach double figures with 18 points. Taijhe Kelly had nine points, 11 rebounds - eight on the offensive glass - and five blocked shots. The Mavs committed a season-high 23 turnovers, which Milwaukee turned into a 16-5 edge in points off turnovers.
Up Next
The Mavericks are back at home next Thursday against North Dakota State at 7 p.m.
Maverick Notes
• Ericka House's 3.1 three-pointers made per game lead the Summit League, and she has reached double figures in every game except for the season opener. House is shooting 87.1 percent (27-of-31) from the free throw line to rank second in the conference. The senior from Hot Springs, Ark., has five 20-point games this year and has led UNO in scoring nine times.
• Taijhe Kelly leads the league with 3.6 blocked shots per game and ranks tied for fifth nationally. Kelly has also recorded double-digit rebounds in four straight games and has averaged 11.3 boards per game in that span, to go with 9.5 points and 5.3 blocked shots per game. She ranks second in the league with 7.3 rebounds per game on the season. The junior center has moved up to eighth in school history with 153 career offensive rebounds, climbing three spots after her eight against Milwaukee.
• Freshman guard Madi Robson is averaging 4.9 assists per game to rank fourth in the Summit League. Robson has become an all-around threat of late, scoring a career-high 15 points in an 80-72 win over Doane on Dec. 31. She has averaged 10.7 points per game over the last six games to raise her season average to 6.9.
• The Mavericks have scored 80 or more points in four of their seven home games this season after scoring 80 or more points just twice all of last season.
• UNO is 7-1 when outscoring its opponent in the paint.
• The Mavs are 2-6 when losing the turnover battle, which happened in the loss to Milwaukee as the Mavs committed a season-high 23 turnovers.
Mavs Add Indiana State Transfer Beckwith to Roster
The UNO women's basketball program announced the addition of Albion, Neb., native and former Indiana State guard Bobbi Beckwith to its roster on Wednesday, Jan. 8. A 5-10 guard, Beckwith starred at Iowa Western Community College from 2011-13 and signed with Indiana State last May. Beckwith spent the summer and the fall semester with the Sycamores before transfering closer to home for the start of the spring semester. She did not appear in any games at ISU and will be eligible to practice immediately with the Mavs. She cannot compete in game action until January 2015, and she will then have 1.5 years (three semesters) of eligibility remaining. Beckwith was one of the best 3-point shooters in the National Junior College Athletic Association in 2012-13 at IWCC, ranking fifth nationally in 3-point field goal percentage (46.2) and 11th in 3-pointers made (74). She averaged 9.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game while leading the Reivers to a 24-6 record, playing both point guard and shooting guard. Beckwith hit 88.5 percent of her free throws and averaged 2.5 made 3-pointers per game. In high school, Beckwith was a standout at Boone Central, earning second-team all-state honors and multiple all-conference and all-area selections.
Kelly Moving Up All-Time Blocks Chart
Junior center Taijhe Kelly is climbing her way up the career blocked shots chart at UNO. Kelly has 167 career blocks to rank second in school history. The school-record holder is Mary Henke-Anderson with 291 from 1979-83. Kelly swatted 74 shots in 2012-13, the third-highest single-season total in Maverick history. Only Henke-Anderson has had more blocked shots in a season (86 in 1980-81 and 75 in 1979-80). Kelly was first in The Summit League last season with her 2.6 blocks per game. Her 51 blocked shots in conference play were 26 more than the next closest competitor. Kelly is tied for the school record with seven blocked shots in one game, which she did on Feb. 7, 2013 against Western Illinois.
The Teams
The Mavericks finished the non-conference portion of their schedule with an 8-6 record. UNO is 6-1 at the Sapp Fieldhouse this season. The Mavs continue to lead all league teams in blocks per game (5.2), opponents' field goal percentage (35.2) and opponents' 3-point percentage (25.9). Omaha had its five-game win streak snapped by Milwaukee last Sunday in a 68-48 defeat at the Sapp Fieldhouse, but the Mavs have been otherwise solid at home, averaging 82.1 points per game and allowing just 58.9 points per game. Senior guard Ericka House ranks third in the league in scoring at 18.0 points per game. Felicia Anderson adds 10.1 ppg off the bench. Taijhe Kelly is averaging 8.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.6 blocked shots per game, which is tied for fifth in the nation. Madi Robson leads the team with 4.9 assists per game to rank fourth in the Summit League.
Western Illinois brings an 8-7 record into Saturday's matchup. The Leathernecks are the top scoring team in the Summit League at 82.5 points per game, and they lead the league in field goal attempts per game (65.0) and 3-point attempts per game (23.7). WIU also leads all Summit teams with 10.4 steals per game. The Leathernecks are coming off a pair of school record-setting wins, 113-38 over Culver-Stockton on Jan. 2 and 121-52 over St. Francis on Jan. 8. WIU has won three in a row overall. The Leathernecks are led by Ashley Luke. The sophomore forward averages 19.3 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. Tori Niemann chips in 13.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, while Michelle Maher is averaging 13.2 points and 5.1 assists per game.
Series History
The all-time series between UNO and Western Illinois is tied at 2-2. The teams split the series last season with both home teams winning. The Leathernecks won 71-44 in Macomb on Jan. 12, and the Mavs posted a 63-55 victory over WIU on Feb. 7 in Omaha. Taijhe Kelly had 10 points, 13 rebounds and tied the school record with seven blocked shots in that contest.
Last Time Out
OMAHA, Neb. - The Omaha women's basketball team saw its five-game win streak come to an end last Sunday with a 68-48 loss to Milwaukee at the Sapp Fieldhouse. The loss was the Mavericks' first at home this season in seven games and dropped them to 8-6 overall heading into conference play. Ericka House was the only Maverick to reach double figures with 18 points. Taijhe Kelly had nine points, 11 rebounds - eight on the offensive glass - and five blocked shots. The Mavs committed a season-high 23 turnovers, which Milwaukee turned into a 16-5 edge in points off turnovers.
Up Next
The Mavericks are back at home next Thursday against North Dakota State at 7 p.m.
Maverick Notes
• Ericka House's 3.1 three-pointers made per game lead the Summit League, and she has reached double figures in every game except for the season opener. House is shooting 87.1 percent (27-of-31) from the free throw line to rank second in the conference. The senior from Hot Springs, Ark., has five 20-point games this year and has led UNO in scoring nine times.
• Taijhe Kelly leads the league with 3.6 blocked shots per game and ranks tied for fifth nationally. Kelly has also recorded double-digit rebounds in four straight games and has averaged 11.3 boards per game in that span, to go with 9.5 points and 5.3 blocked shots per game. She ranks second in the league with 7.3 rebounds per game on the season. The junior center has moved up to eighth in school history with 153 career offensive rebounds, climbing three spots after her eight against Milwaukee.
• Freshman guard Madi Robson is averaging 4.9 assists per game to rank fourth in the Summit League. Robson has become an all-around threat of late, scoring a career-high 15 points in an 80-72 win over Doane on Dec. 31. She has averaged 10.7 points per game over the last six games to raise her season average to 6.9.
• The Mavericks have scored 80 or more points in four of their seven home games this season after scoring 80 or more points just twice all of last season.
• UNO is 7-1 when outscoring its opponent in the paint.
• The Mavs are 2-6 when losing the turnover battle, which happened in the loss to Milwaukee as the Mavs committed a season-high 23 turnovers.
Mavs Add Indiana State Transfer Beckwith to Roster
The UNO women's basketball program announced the addition of Albion, Neb., native and former Indiana State guard Bobbi Beckwith to its roster on Wednesday, Jan. 8. A 5-10 guard, Beckwith starred at Iowa Western Community College from 2011-13 and signed with Indiana State last May. Beckwith spent the summer and the fall semester with the Sycamores before transfering closer to home for the start of the spring semester. She did not appear in any games at ISU and will be eligible to practice immediately with the Mavs. She cannot compete in game action until January 2015, and she will then have 1.5 years (three semesters) of eligibility remaining. Beckwith was one of the best 3-point shooters in the National Junior College Athletic Association in 2012-13 at IWCC, ranking fifth nationally in 3-point field goal percentage (46.2) and 11th in 3-pointers made (74). She averaged 9.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game while leading the Reivers to a 24-6 record, playing both point guard and shooting guard. Beckwith hit 88.5 percent of her free throws and averaged 2.5 made 3-pointers per game. In high school, Beckwith was a standout at Boone Central, earning second-team all-state honors and multiple all-conference and all-area selections.
Kelly Moving Up All-Time Blocks Chart
Junior center Taijhe Kelly is climbing her way up the career blocked shots chart at UNO. Kelly has 167 career blocks to rank second in school history. The school-record holder is Mary Henke-Anderson with 291 from 1979-83. Kelly swatted 74 shots in 2012-13, the third-highest single-season total in Maverick history. Only Henke-Anderson has had more blocked shots in a season (86 in 1980-81 and 75 in 1979-80). Kelly was first in The Summit League last season with her 2.6 blocks per game. Her 51 blocked shots in conference play were 26 more than the next closest competitor. Kelly is tied for the school record with seven blocked shots in one game, which she did on Feb. 7, 2013 against Western Illinois.
Players Mentioned
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