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DENVER, Colo. – The UNO men's basketball team completed its two-game weekend swing on Sunday afternoon, defeating Johnson & Wales 81-68 at the Wildcat Center. With the win, the Mavericks improve to 7-11 on the year, while JWU drops to 4-11.

Senior guard Mitch Albers led the way with 22 points and a career-high nine rebounds, while sophomore center John Karhoff also managed a 20-point performance. Junior forward Alex Welhouse and junior guard Tyler Egli chipped in 11 points apiece – with Egli's effort a career high with the help of a trio of 3-pointers. Freshman guard CJ Carter added 10 points of his own, along with seven assists.

Johnson & Wales was paced by 23 points from Jake Campbell. Three other Wildcats finished with double-figure scoring – Cedric Ennis (15), Corey Puckett (12) and Kahler Grandbouche (10). Grandbouche also pulled down a team-leading seven boards.

As a team, Nebraska Omaha shot 55.6 percent from the floor to JWU's 36.8 percent. The Mavs also outrebounded the Wildcats, 34-31.

A shaky start allowed Johnson & Wales to build a 15-8 lead, but the Mavs tied it with seven straight points from Karhoff, Albers and Welhouse. Karhoff was UNO's main scoring threat in the first half, accounting for 14 points – including six of the Mavs' first seven. A layup by senior center John Ring gave the Mavs the lead again, and an Egli basket stretched it to 30-26. Campbell's scoring helped the Wildcats threaten within one, but Egli fired in a 3-pointer to make it 35-31. A final 7-0 run to end the second half – with two shots from Karhoff and an open three from Welhouse – spotted Nebraska Omaha the 42-34 advantage going into the locker room.

Johnson & Wales opened the second stanza with back-to-back baskets, but sophomore guard Caleb Steffensmeier and Carter responded with shots of their own. Sophomore guard Isiah Gandy gave UNO its first double-digit lead of the day with a score of his own, and a jumper from Albers, coupled with a dunk by Carter, pushed it out to 53-41.

A 9-4 JWU run brought the Wildcats within six, but Karhoff halted the effort with a pair of free throws, and Egli dropped in another 3-pointer to get back in control at 65-51. Later, six straight Wildcat points cut the margin to 69-63, and back-to-back layups from Welhouse and Albers made it a 10-point game again. Johnson & Wales managed five more points, but a combined eight from Albers and Welhouse sealed the win at 81-68.

UNO returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 14, traveling to Briar Cliff. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. in Sioux City, Iowa.