2011-12 UNO Men's Basketball Schedule

OMAHA, Neb. – The UNO men's basketball program has finalized its 2011-12 season schedule, head coach Derrin Hansen announced Thursday. The Mavericks' first schedule as a reclassifying Division I school includes 10 home games in the final season at venerable Sapp Fieldhouse, home of UNO basketball since 1949.

The Mavs' 2011-12 schedule includes 16 Division I games, three Division II opponents and eight NAIA pairings, and the team will play in 14 different states and all four time zones across the country. UNO is in its first year as a reclassifying Division I institution and will begin play as a member of the Summit League with a full conference schedule in 2012-13. Also in 2012-13, the Mavericks will move their home games to the new Ralston Sports and Event Center, which is currently under construction and expected to open in the fall of 2012 with a capacity of 4,000 seats.

“It will be special playing at Sapp Fieldhouse one final season,” Hansen said. “A lot of great games, players and coaches have come through here, and we are glad to have the chance to pay tribute to the facility that has been our home for over 60 years.”

The slate also features games against a pair of 2011 NCAA Tournament teams, highlighted by Michigan State. MSU hosted UNO in an exhibition game last season and bring the Mavs back to East Lansing in December. Michigan State is led by senior forward Draymond Green, the brother of former Maverick Torrian Harris, and the Spartans have two returning All-Big Ten honorees on the roster.

Former MIAA foe Washburn is the Mavericks' other NCAA postseason-qualifying opponent, and the two squads will face off twice – in Omaha (Nov. 29) and in Topeka, Kan. (Jan. 21).

Nebraska Omaha makes its season debut with four straight away games with future Summit League opponents IPFW (Nov. 12), UMKC (Nov. 16), South Dakota (Nov. 20) and North Dakota State (Nov. 22).

“After our seven Summit League games this year, albeit five of them on the road, that should give us a true gauge of where we are and where we are trying to go,” Hansen said.

The Mavs then host their first two home games of the year with Chadron State (Nov. 26) and Washburn (Nov. 29).

The following week, the team plays three straight road contests, beginning with back-to-back dates at Northern Illinois (Dec. 3) and Michigan State (Dec. 4). UNO completes the road swing with a game at Benedictine College (Dec. 6) in Atchison, Kan.

The Mavericks return home to Sapp Fieldhouse for two home games before the end of the semester, hosting IPFW (Dec. 10) and St. Mary's of Kansas (Dec. 15). They then travel to Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Dec. 17) before another home game against Hastings College (Dec. 19). After time off for the holidays and Winter Break, UNO closes 2011 at the Elgin Baylor Classic in Seattle, Wash., pairing with Seattle (Dec. 29) and Coppin State (Dec. 30).

Nebraska Omaha kicks off the new year with a home game against Doane College (Jan. 2), then travels west for match-ups at Colorado State (Jan. 7) and Johnson & Wales of Denver (Jan. 8). In the midst of the challenging five-game travel schedule, the Mavs hit the road for Briar Cliff (Jan. 14) before another Division I game against Nevada (Jan. 17) in Reno. The squad finishes its road swing at Washburn on Jan. 21.

UNO comes back to Sapp Fieldhouse for a week to entertain Western Illinois (Jan. 24) and Peru State (Feb. 1). A quick trip to Avila on Feb. 2 breaks up the schedule, followed by the last homestand in Omaha, as the Mavs host two games for their final home appearance. On Feb. 12, Cal State Bakersfield visits UNO, followed by a match-up with in-state rival Nebraska-Kearney for Senior Night on Feb. 15.

The Mavericks take on their final two games of the season with a trip to CSU-Bakersfield (Feb. 25) and close the year with another future Summit League foe, Western Illinois, on Feb. 29.

“We have a wide range of opponents this year, each with its own individual challenges,” Hansen said. “At times, our schedule will be fast and furious, and at times we will have a break in the action. We are fortunate to have 13 second-semester games, which was difficult to accomplish with our program being a non-counter in transition.

“One of the biggest games on our schedule is Michigan State, and we are looking forward to a great experience going back there this year. Last year we faced them in exhibition, and now we have the chance to play them again mid-year. Playing against a program like Michigan State and in a venue like the Breslin Center is certainly a rewarding experience our players won't forget as we fully transition to Division I.”

Hansen enters his seventh season at the helm of the Maverick program, boasting a career record of 110-68. His 2010-11 squad finished 19-9 (15-7 MIAA) and played in the MIAA Tournament semi-finals in UNO's final year in the league. The Mavs have posted four consecutive winning seasons from 2007 to 2011.