Saturday, November 26
Ypsilanti, Mich.
12:00 PM
Omaha
at
Eastern Michigan
Omaha Returns to the Road at Eastern Michigan
Nov 23, 2016 | Men's Basketball
This Weekend
The Omaha men's basketball team visits Eastern Michigan this Saturday, Nov. 26, with tipoff set for Noon CT at the EMU Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, Mich. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3, and Gary Sharp will have the radio call on 1180 Zone 2. Fans can stream audio on their smartphones by downloading NRG Media's app “1620 The Zone,” and links to live video, audio and stats will be available on OMavs.com.
Quick Hits
•Omaha is 3-1 all-time against MAC teams -- 0-1 vs. Eastern Michigan and 3-0 vs. Northern Illinois.
•Omaha capped the 2015-16 season at 18-14 overall and 10-6 in the Summit League, finishing third in the conference standings. The Mavericks were picked fourth in the league's 2016-17 preseason poll last month.
•Senior guard Tra-Deon Hollins and junior forward Tre'Shawn Thurman were both named Preseason All-Summit, with Hollins on the first team and Thurman on the second team.
•Hollins was the nation's leader in both steals (127) and steals per game (3.9) as a junior.
•Senior guard Marcus Tyus has returned to the lineup after redshirting in 2015-16. Previously, Tyus had not played in a game since Feb. 7, 2015 at Denver, when he suffered a season-ending knee injury.
•UNO lost five letterwinners from 2015-16, including second-team All-Summit performers in guard Devin Patterson and forward Jake White.
•Omaha was a perfect 10-0 when shooting 50 percent or better last year, including 4-0 in league play.
•Eight different Mavericks have had a double-figure scoring effort over the first five games this year.
Scouting the Eastern Michigan Eagles
Eastern Michigan is 3-3 (0-0 MAC) on the year following a 97-60 win over Madonna Wednesday afternoon. Ray Lee paces the Eagles in scoring, averaging 19.3 points per game, while Willie Mangum IV has 15.8 points per game. James Thompson IV leads the Eagles on the glass with 11.5 rebounds per game.
Head coach Rob Murphy leads Eastern Michigan with a career record of 94-83 in his sixth season.
Saturday's meeting marks the second meeting between Omaha and Eastern Michigan. In their last matchup, EMU defeated the Mavericks 80-73 on Dec. 1, 2015 at Baxter Arena.
Last Time Out: Mavericks Throttle Past Buena Vista, 112-65
Every Maverick scored Tuesday night as Omaha propelled past Buena Vista, 112-65 at Baxter Arena. Sophomore guard Zach Jackson led the Mavericks with a career-high 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting with a trio of 3-pointers and five rebounds. Freshman guard KJ Robinson followed with a season-high 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting, hitting three 3-pointers and dishing out three assists with a steal and two boards.
Junior forward Tre'Shawn Thurman also scored in double figures, hitting 5-of-6 from the field en route to 12 points, and senior guard Kyler Erickson added another 10 with a pair of threes, marking his season high. Sophomore forward Mitch Hahn rounded out the double-figure scoring performances with 10 points, five rebounds and a season-high five blocks.
Junior forward Daniel Meyer pulled down a team-leading six rebounds for the second straight game, adding nine points and a block. Junior guard Daniel Norl matched him on the glass, grabbing a season-best six caroms with seven points, four assists and a steal. Senior guard Tra-Deon Hollins also notched team highs of eight assists and five steals with nine points and four rebounds.
As a team, Omaha shot a season-high .580 (40-of-69) and converted 23 turnovers into 37 points, while holding Buena Vista to .338 (23-of-68) from the field. The Mavericks drained 16 3-pointers in the game, the most since they had 17 against Montana State-Billings in 2007-08.
Tyus on Track
Though he entered the 2016-17 season having not played a game since Feb. 7, 2015, senior guard Marcus Tyus is the next Omaha player on track to join the prestigious 1,000-Point Club. Over four seasons (2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2016-17), he has amassed 843 career points. If he reaches 1,000, Tyus will be the 37th UNO player to achieve the feat.
Omaha's active career leader for 3-pointers, Tyus is tied for 15th on the Mavericks' career triples chart. His career total of 101 matches Andy Price (1994-96), who had 101, and sits behind Devin Patterson (2013-16), who had 116.
Tracking Tre'Shawn
After 30 blocked shots to his credit as a freshman and 35 more as a sophomore, junior forward Tre'Shawn Thurman made his way into the top 10 in school history with 65 career blocks. With his combined five at UC Santa Barbara and USC last weekend, the Omaha Central product now sits at seventh on the list with 70, and his next hurdle is Matt Hagerbaumer (2010-14), who had 79 for sixth.
Thurman's 35 blocks in 2015-16 were the 10th-highest single-season mark in school history, and the total ranked him third in the Summit League. His 21 blocks in league play were also the second-most of any league player last year.
Feelin' Hahn, Hahn, Hahn
Sophomore forward Mitch Hahn is averaging 9.8 points per game, the most of any Maverick coming off the bench.
The Fremont, Neb., native had an impressive debut Nov. 12 at UC Santa Barbara, leading all scorers with 15 points in reserve with five 3-pointers. Hahn was the first Maverick to knock down at least five triples in a season opener since former Maverick Jeff Martin did so in 2009-10.
Hahn matched his season best of 15 points last Saturday vs. Rice, shooting 5-of-7 with two 3-pointers. He now holds the team lead for threes made this season with 10.
Looking to the Bench
Omaha's bench outscored Buena Vista's bench 60-28 last Saturday. The last time the Mavericks' bench enjoyed a scoring margin of 30 or more was March 1, 2014, when UNO outscored Fort Wayne's reserves 59-26.
The 2016-17 Mavericks are averaging 33.2 points per game by bench scorers, the highest of any Derrin Hansen-coached team. The next highest average is courtesy of the 2013-14 squad, which had 24.9 bench points per game.
Stacking Up Nationally
As a team, Omaha ranks in the top 30 nationally in two categories -- 22nd for 3-point attempts (132) and 27th for 3-pointers made (46).
Individually, senior guard Tra-Deon Hollins is third for total steals (16), fourth for total assists (36), ninth for steals per game (3.2) and 14th for assists per game (7.2).
League Leaders
Senior guard Tra-Deon Hollins is first among Summit League players for total assists (36) and total steals (16). It marks the second straight season he has led the league in both categories.
Action Jackson
Sophomore guard Zach Jackson started 24 games in his freshman campaign in 2015-16, averaging 3.5 points and 2.1 rebounds per contest. A native of Wichita, Kan., he scored in double figures twice, first notching 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting vs. Saint Mary's, then 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting at Montana State.
Jackson was the first Omaha freshman to start a season opener since CJ Carter in 2011. Jackson also had the distinction of making the first basket in Baxter Arena history, nailing a jumper 52 seconds into last year's season opener vs. UC Santa Barbara.
In Omaha's season opener, Nov. 12 at UCSB, Jackson scored 14 points and pulled down a career-best and game-high eight rebounds. He matched the rebounding performance Nov. 15 at Kansas State, grabbing eight more. Jackson owns four double-figure scoring performances this season, including his latest with a career-high 15 points vs. Buena Vista.
Robinson's Ready
Freshman guard KJ Robinson is the only true freshman on Omaha's roster this season, and he comes with a list of prep accomplishments. At Blue Springs South High School in Blue Springs, Mo., Robinson received a three-star rating from Rivals and helped the Jaguars win their first state championship in 2015. He was a three-time first-team all-conference, all-area and all-district selection over his career and earned all-state accolades as a senior after averaging 25.0 points per game. Additionally, Robinson played AAU ball for Team YOBO, coached by former Oklahoma State standout Victor Williams.
Robinson made his career debut for Omaha in the Nov. 12 season opener at UC Santa Barbara, finishing with seven points on 2-of-3 shooting off the bench. In Tuesday's win over Buena Vista, he tallied a season-high 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting with three 3-pointers.
Compared to the Opposition
Over the first five contests of the 2016-17 season, Omaha has:
•More or equal 3-point field goals made compared to its opponent three times
•More or equal free throws made compared to its opponent three times
•More rebounds compared to its opponent one time
•More or equal steals compared to its opponent two times
•Fewer or equal turnovers compared to its opponent three times
•More or equal blocks compared to its opponent three times
Hitting the Century Mark
Omaha hit the century mark for the first time this season in its 112-65 win over Buena Vista on Tuesday. Over the 12-year Derrin Hansen era, the Mavericks are 18-2 when scoring 100 points or more in a game.
2016-17 Slate = Tough Test for Mavericks
Omaha's 2016-17 schedule includes 29 games, and the team will play in 13 states against schools from nine other Division I conferences. The schedule has two opponents from both the Big 12 and Big West and one each from the Pac-12, Big Ten, ACC, Conference USA, MAC, Big Sky and WAC. Five opponents – USC, Iowa, Iowa State, Pitt and defending Summit League champion South Dakota State – played in the 2016 NCAA Tournament.
Entering the season, the Mavericks have never faced four of their opponents: USC, Rice, Cal State Fullerton and Pitt. They now hold a combined all-time record of 134-173 over all teams on the regular-season slate.
Next Up
Omaha returns to action on Wednesday, Nov. 30, traveling to Cal State Fullerton. Tipoff is set for 9:30 p.m. CT at Titan Gym in Fullerton, Calif., and Gary Sharp will have the call on 1180 Zone 2. Links to live stats, audio and video will be available on OMavs.com.
The Omaha men's basketball team visits Eastern Michigan this Saturday, Nov. 26, with tipoff set for Noon CT at the EMU Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, Mich. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3, and Gary Sharp will have the radio call on 1180 Zone 2. Fans can stream audio on their smartphones by downloading NRG Media's app “1620 The Zone,” and links to live video, audio and stats will be available on OMavs.com.
Quick Hits
•Omaha is 3-1 all-time against MAC teams -- 0-1 vs. Eastern Michigan and 3-0 vs. Northern Illinois.
•Omaha capped the 2015-16 season at 18-14 overall and 10-6 in the Summit League, finishing third in the conference standings. The Mavericks were picked fourth in the league's 2016-17 preseason poll last month.
•Senior guard Tra-Deon Hollins and junior forward Tre'Shawn Thurman were both named Preseason All-Summit, with Hollins on the first team and Thurman on the second team.
•Hollins was the nation's leader in both steals (127) and steals per game (3.9) as a junior.
•Senior guard Marcus Tyus has returned to the lineup after redshirting in 2015-16. Previously, Tyus had not played in a game since Feb. 7, 2015 at Denver, when he suffered a season-ending knee injury.
•UNO lost five letterwinners from 2015-16, including second-team All-Summit performers in guard Devin Patterson and forward Jake White.
•Omaha was a perfect 10-0 when shooting 50 percent or better last year, including 4-0 in league play.
•Eight different Mavericks have had a double-figure scoring effort over the first five games this year.
Scouting the Eastern Michigan Eagles
Eastern Michigan is 3-3 (0-0 MAC) on the year following a 97-60 win over Madonna Wednesday afternoon. Ray Lee paces the Eagles in scoring, averaging 19.3 points per game, while Willie Mangum IV has 15.8 points per game. James Thompson IV leads the Eagles on the glass with 11.5 rebounds per game.
Head coach Rob Murphy leads Eastern Michigan with a career record of 94-83 in his sixth season.
Saturday's meeting marks the second meeting between Omaha and Eastern Michigan. In their last matchup, EMU defeated the Mavericks 80-73 on Dec. 1, 2015 at Baxter Arena.
Last Time Out: Mavericks Throttle Past Buena Vista, 112-65
Every Maverick scored Tuesday night as Omaha propelled past Buena Vista, 112-65 at Baxter Arena. Sophomore guard Zach Jackson led the Mavericks with a career-high 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting with a trio of 3-pointers and five rebounds. Freshman guard KJ Robinson followed with a season-high 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting, hitting three 3-pointers and dishing out three assists with a steal and two boards.
Junior forward Tre'Shawn Thurman also scored in double figures, hitting 5-of-6 from the field en route to 12 points, and senior guard Kyler Erickson added another 10 with a pair of threes, marking his season high. Sophomore forward Mitch Hahn rounded out the double-figure scoring performances with 10 points, five rebounds and a season-high five blocks.
Junior forward Daniel Meyer pulled down a team-leading six rebounds for the second straight game, adding nine points and a block. Junior guard Daniel Norl matched him on the glass, grabbing a season-best six caroms with seven points, four assists and a steal. Senior guard Tra-Deon Hollins also notched team highs of eight assists and five steals with nine points and four rebounds.
As a team, Omaha shot a season-high .580 (40-of-69) and converted 23 turnovers into 37 points, while holding Buena Vista to .338 (23-of-68) from the field. The Mavericks drained 16 3-pointers in the game, the most since they had 17 against Montana State-Billings in 2007-08.
Tyus on Track
Though he entered the 2016-17 season having not played a game since Feb. 7, 2015, senior guard Marcus Tyus is the next Omaha player on track to join the prestigious 1,000-Point Club. Over four seasons (2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2016-17), he has amassed 843 career points. If he reaches 1,000, Tyus will be the 37th UNO player to achieve the feat.
Omaha's active career leader for 3-pointers, Tyus is tied for 15th on the Mavericks' career triples chart. His career total of 101 matches Andy Price (1994-96), who had 101, and sits behind Devin Patterson (2013-16), who had 116.
Tracking Tre'Shawn
After 30 blocked shots to his credit as a freshman and 35 more as a sophomore, junior forward Tre'Shawn Thurman made his way into the top 10 in school history with 65 career blocks. With his combined five at UC Santa Barbara and USC last weekend, the Omaha Central product now sits at seventh on the list with 70, and his next hurdle is Matt Hagerbaumer (2010-14), who had 79 for sixth.
Thurman's 35 blocks in 2015-16 were the 10th-highest single-season mark in school history, and the total ranked him third in the Summit League. His 21 blocks in league play were also the second-most of any league player last year.
Feelin' Hahn, Hahn, Hahn
Sophomore forward Mitch Hahn is averaging 9.8 points per game, the most of any Maverick coming off the bench.
The Fremont, Neb., native had an impressive debut Nov. 12 at UC Santa Barbara, leading all scorers with 15 points in reserve with five 3-pointers. Hahn was the first Maverick to knock down at least five triples in a season opener since former Maverick Jeff Martin did so in 2009-10.
Hahn matched his season best of 15 points last Saturday vs. Rice, shooting 5-of-7 with two 3-pointers. He now holds the team lead for threes made this season with 10.
Looking to the Bench
Omaha's bench outscored Buena Vista's bench 60-28 last Saturday. The last time the Mavericks' bench enjoyed a scoring margin of 30 or more was March 1, 2014, when UNO outscored Fort Wayne's reserves 59-26.
The 2016-17 Mavericks are averaging 33.2 points per game by bench scorers, the highest of any Derrin Hansen-coached team. The next highest average is courtesy of the 2013-14 squad, which had 24.9 bench points per game.
Stacking Up Nationally
As a team, Omaha ranks in the top 30 nationally in two categories -- 22nd for 3-point attempts (132) and 27th for 3-pointers made (46).
Individually, senior guard Tra-Deon Hollins is third for total steals (16), fourth for total assists (36), ninth for steals per game (3.2) and 14th for assists per game (7.2).
League Leaders
Senior guard Tra-Deon Hollins is first among Summit League players for total assists (36) and total steals (16). It marks the second straight season he has led the league in both categories.
Action Jackson
Sophomore guard Zach Jackson started 24 games in his freshman campaign in 2015-16, averaging 3.5 points and 2.1 rebounds per contest. A native of Wichita, Kan., he scored in double figures twice, first notching 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting vs. Saint Mary's, then 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting at Montana State.
Jackson was the first Omaha freshman to start a season opener since CJ Carter in 2011. Jackson also had the distinction of making the first basket in Baxter Arena history, nailing a jumper 52 seconds into last year's season opener vs. UC Santa Barbara.
In Omaha's season opener, Nov. 12 at UCSB, Jackson scored 14 points and pulled down a career-best and game-high eight rebounds. He matched the rebounding performance Nov. 15 at Kansas State, grabbing eight more. Jackson owns four double-figure scoring performances this season, including his latest with a career-high 15 points vs. Buena Vista.
Robinson's Ready
Freshman guard KJ Robinson is the only true freshman on Omaha's roster this season, and he comes with a list of prep accomplishments. At Blue Springs South High School in Blue Springs, Mo., Robinson received a three-star rating from Rivals and helped the Jaguars win their first state championship in 2015. He was a three-time first-team all-conference, all-area and all-district selection over his career and earned all-state accolades as a senior after averaging 25.0 points per game. Additionally, Robinson played AAU ball for Team YOBO, coached by former Oklahoma State standout Victor Williams.
Robinson made his career debut for Omaha in the Nov. 12 season opener at UC Santa Barbara, finishing with seven points on 2-of-3 shooting off the bench. In Tuesday's win over Buena Vista, he tallied a season-high 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting with three 3-pointers.
Compared to the Opposition
Over the first five contests of the 2016-17 season, Omaha has:
•More or equal 3-point field goals made compared to its opponent three times
•More or equal free throws made compared to its opponent three times
•More rebounds compared to its opponent one time
•More or equal steals compared to its opponent two times
•Fewer or equal turnovers compared to its opponent three times
•More or equal blocks compared to its opponent three times
Hitting the Century Mark
Omaha hit the century mark for the first time this season in its 112-65 win over Buena Vista on Tuesday. Over the 12-year Derrin Hansen era, the Mavericks are 18-2 when scoring 100 points or more in a game.
2016-17 Slate = Tough Test for Mavericks
Omaha's 2016-17 schedule includes 29 games, and the team will play in 13 states against schools from nine other Division I conferences. The schedule has two opponents from both the Big 12 and Big West and one each from the Pac-12, Big Ten, ACC, Conference USA, MAC, Big Sky and WAC. Five opponents – USC, Iowa, Iowa State, Pitt and defending Summit League champion South Dakota State – played in the 2016 NCAA Tournament.
Entering the season, the Mavericks have never faced four of their opponents: USC, Rice, Cal State Fullerton and Pitt. They now hold a combined all-time record of 134-173 over all teams on the regular-season slate.
Next Up
Omaha returns to action on Wednesday, Nov. 30, traveling to Cal State Fullerton. Tipoff is set for 9:30 p.m. CT at Titan Gym in Fullerton, Calif., and Gary Sharp will have the call on 1180 Zone 2. Links to live stats, audio and video will be available on OMavs.com.
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