This Weekend
The Omaha men's basketball team opens the 2016-17 season this weekend, visiting UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, Nov. 12. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. CT at The Thunderdome in Santa Barbara, Calif., and Gary Sharp will have the call on 1620 The Zone.

Fans can stream audio for the game 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
•Saturday's opener at UC Santa Barbara marks Omaha's third game in school history against a team from the Big West. The Mavericks dropped a 60-59 decision in last year's season opener vs. UCSB and fell 77-73 at Hawaii in 2013-14.
•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 returns to the lineup after redshirting in 2015-16. Tyus has 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 Jake White.
•Omaha was a perfect 10-0 when shooting 50 percent or better last year, including 4-0 in league play.
•Eleven different Mavericks had at least one double-figure scoring performance last season.
•According to kenpom.com, UNO enters the season at second nationally for adjusted tempo (76.8), which estimates of the possessions per 40 minutes a team would have against a team that wants to play at an average Division I tempo.

Scouting the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
UC Santa Barbara went 19-14 (11-5 Big West) in 2015-16 and was picked fourth in the Big West Preseason Poll. The Gauchos return nine letterwinners from last year's squad, including three starters in Eric Childress, Gabe Vincent and Maxwell Kupchak. Vincent is UCSB's leading returning scorer with 14.1 points per game, while Childress had 4.3 assists per game; both earned All-Big West honorable mention recognition. Vincent was a Preseason All-Big West selection for 2016-17.

Head coach Bob Williams is in his 19th season at UCSB with a record of 307-238 and a career mark of 496-338 over 28 years.

UC Santa Barbara leads the all-time series with Omaha, 1-0. The Gauchos defeated the Mavericks at Baxter Arena in last season's opener, 60-59, on Nov. 13, 2015.

Welcome to the Good Life
Omaha's roster includes six players from the state of Nebraska: senior guards Tra-Deon Hollins and Kyler Erickson, junior forward Tre'Shawn Thurman, junior guard Alex Allbery, sophomore forward Mitch Hahn and redshirt freshman forward Ben Kositzke. Hollins, Erickson and Thurman -- all three Omaha natives -- tote previous starting experience, as Hollins and Thurman started every game in 2015-16, and Erickson got the nod in the last seven games of the year.

Success in Season Openers
Omaha is 9-2 in season openers in the Derrin Hansen era, dating back to 2005-06. The Mavericks saw their 2015-16 season opener spoiled as UC Santa Barbara tipped in a missed layup with three seconds left in the game, taking a 60-59 decision at Baxter Arena. Previously, UNO had posted three straight season-opening victories, having defeated Central Arkansas, 100-75, in 2014-15, Northern Illinois, 68-66, in 2013-14 and NIU, 77-64, in 2012-13.

Man of Steal
Senior guard Tra-Deon Hollins led the nation in both total steals (127) and steals per game (3.97), well ahead of the second-ranked player, Hameed Ali of Texas A&M Corpus Christi (88; 2.67).

Hollins finished one steal shy of averaging a full 4.0 steals per game, and he was the first player in more than a decade to tally 3.5 steals per game while appearing in at least 25 contests.

If Hollins can surpass last year's steals output in his senior campaign, he can become just the 12th Division I player to average 4.0 steals or more for a season. The last time it happened was 2002, when Alabama A&M's Desmond Cambridge averaged a nation-leading 5.52 spg and Providence's John Linehan had 4.48 spg.

Hollins has long been regarded for his defensive prowess and is no stranger to pacing the nation in steals, as he led all players in the NJCAA with 4.1 swipes per game while playing at Central CC in 2013-14.

Tyus on Track
Though he has 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 three seasons (2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15), he has amassed 787 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 also sits at 18th on the Mavericks' career triples chart. His 92 3-pointers sit just behind Charles Box (1995-98) and CJ Carter (2011-15), who each had 94.

Tracking Tre'Shawn
After 30 blocked shots to his credit as a freshman and 35 more as a sophomore, junior forward Tre'Shawn Thurman has made his way into the top 10 in school history with 65 career blocks. The Omaha Central product is now tied for 10th with Terry Sodawasser (1981-85), and his next hurdle is Bryan Muellner (1985-89), who had 68 for ninth.

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.

Summit League Preseason Poll Released
Omaha was picked to finish fourth in the 2016-17 Summit League Preseason Poll, the conference office announced in October. The poll was tallied in a vote of the league's head coaches, communications personnel and media.

Fort Wayne was the favorite to win the Summit League, garnering 18 first-place votes for 491 points. South Dakota State was second and received nine first-place votes for 424 points, while North Dakota State earned four first-place votes and 422 points for third. Omaha came in fourth with 352 points, followed by IUPUI, which received one first-place vote and 331 points for fifth. Oral Roberts was sixth in the poll with 199 points, while South Dakota (176), Denver (150) and Western Illinois (107) rounded it out in seventh, eighth and ninth places, respectively.

Erickson Granted Sixth Year of Eligibility by NCAA
Senior guard Kyler Erickson was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA to play in 2016-17, it was announced in May. The waiver was granted after the university submitted a request for an extension of eligibility beyond Erickson's five-year window.

Erickson began his collegiate career at Northwest Missouri State, redshirting in 2011-12 before playing the 2012-13 season. Upon transferring to UNO, he sat out the 2013-14 season in compliance with the NCAA's one-year residency requirement for transfers. Erickson then played in 2014-15 and 2015-16 for the Mavericks, moving into a starting role in the middle of the latter season.

As a senior at Millard South High School, Erickson had witnessed a shooting in his school's administration office on Jan. 5, 2011. Nearly a year and a half later, he suffered the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and since undergoing successful treatment, he has become a vocal advocate encouraging others to seek assistance for mental health issues. Erickson runs a website, KylerErickson.com, that details his story, and his videos have garnered widespread attention with over 120,000 views in 114 countries. Erickson's message of “turning tragedy into testimony” encourages people in all walks of life to confront mental health challenges they may be facing.

For his dedication to community service, Erickson was named to the 2016 Allstate NABC Good Works team. Over the last five years, he has served as a speaker, member and volunteer for the National Alliance on Mental Illness and spoken to over 20 elementary, middle and high schools in Omaha and San Diego. He also starred in an episode of “The Harbor TV,” a hope-filled homeroom program for high schools across the country and has mentored several mentally ill students and residents in the Omaha area. Additionally, Erickson has volunteered with multiple local charities, organizations and schools.

Stacking Up Nationally
In 2015-16, Omaha ranked fourth in the nation for scoring offense (85.3) and steals per game (9.3), 10th for steals (297), 12th for turnovers forced (15.8) and 18th for free throws made (621).

Individually, Tra-Deon Hollins led the nation in steals (127) and steals per game (3.97) and was 20th for assists (196) and 22nd for assists per game (6.1).

League Leaders
Omaha leads the Summit League in seven statistical categories: points (2,729), points per game (85.3), field goals made per game (29.8), field goals attempted per game (63.2), free throws made per game (19.4), free throws attempted per game (26.0) and steals per game (9.3).

Individually, junior guard Tra-Deon Hollins was first among all league players for assists (196) and steals (127).

Transfer Trio Brings Past Division I Experience
Omaha's roster includes a trio of transfers with previous Division I playing experience with junior guard Daniel Norl, sophomore forward Mitch Hahn and senior guard Renard Suggs.

Norl began his collegiate career at Eastern Kentucky in 2014-15, appearing in 11 games in reserve for the Colonels. Last season, he played at Mineral Area CC, where he averaged 10.5 points per game and shot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 75 percent at the free throw line.

Hahn, a Fremont, Neb. native, sat out in 2015-16 in accordance with NCAA transfer rules after playing his freshman season at Holy Cross. He averaged 4.7 points and 2.2 rebounds per game and shot .447 from the field.

Suggs joins the Mavericks after playing at Washington State in 2015-16. He appeared in 25 games for the Cougars, averaging 5.4 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.0 assists over 12.6 minutes per game minutes per game. Suggs scored in double figures in the first three games of the season and posted a career-high 14 points off the bench in WSU's upset of No. 25 UCLA. He will sit out in 2016-17 in accordance with NCAA transfer rules.

Gibson Back at Full Strength
Redshirt freshman guard JT Gibson is back for a second go at his freshman campaign after earning a medical redshirt in 2015-16. The Brooklyn Park, Minn., native appeared in eight games off the bench last year before suffering a season-ending elbow injury in December. Gibson averaged 5.3 points and 1.9 rebounds over 14.3 minutes played per contest. He scored a season-high 13 points against Saint Mary's, shooting 4-for-7 with three 3-pointers, and added another double-figure scoring effort with 11 points in front of a hometown crowd at Minnesota.

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.

History-Making Hollins
Junior guard Tra-Deon Hollins is Omaha's all-time single-season steals leader, and after joining the top 20 for career steals on Feb. 6, 2016, he now enters his senior season ranked 12th in school history. His 196 assists last season were also the second-highest single-season mark in school history.

Hollins had one of his finest performances of the season vs. Fort Wayne on Jan. 16, 2016, finishing with 23 points, a season-high 13 assists and a season-best eight steals alongside five rebounds. He claimed Omaha's single-season steals record (then 81) in the game, clearing the previous mark of 80 set by Vernon Manning (1981-82). Hollins was also the first Omaha player in six years to record a double-double off points and assists.

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.

What Makes Up the Mavericks
•UNO returns 45 percent of its offensive production from last season, as this year's returners accounted for 1,216 of the Mavericks' 2,729 points. The returners are also credited for 51 percent (581) of last season's 1,132 rebounds.
•Junior forward Tre'Shawn Thurman and senior guard Tra-Deon Hollins are UNO's leading returning scorers after averaging 13.9 and 12.5 points per game, respectively, both of which ranked among the top 15 scorers in the Summit League. Hollins also led the league in steals (127) and assists (196).
•Senior guard Marcus Tyus, who last saw action in 2014-15, averaged 13.0 points per game to rank 12th in the league that season.
•Hollins played the most minutes in 2015-16 of any returner on this year's roster, averaging 32.4 minutes per game.
•UNO's 2016-17 roster includes four seniors, four juniors, three sophomores, two redshirt freshmen and one true freshman.
•The Mavericks hail from eight different states. Six are from Nebraska and three are from Minnesota, while Missouri, Kansas, Tennessee, Montana and Colorado are all represented once on the roster.

Championship Pedigree
Seven players on Omaha's roster made appearances in state basketball championship games with their high school programs. Senior guard Tra-Deon Hollins and junior forward Tre'Shawn Thurman played on three state championship teams together at Omaha Central in 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13, and Hollins had another under his belt in 2009-10. Sophomore forward Zach Jackson also won a Kansas state title with Wichita East in 2014-15, and freshman guard KJ Robinson captured one in Missouri with Blue Springs South in 2015-16.

Junior forward Daniel Meyer's Central Catholic squad made it to the Montana championship game in 2012-13. Redshirt freshman guard JT Gibson, from Champlin Park in Minnesota, and sophomore center Zach Pirog, out of ThunderRidge in Colorado, each appeared in state championship contests in 2014-15.

Omaha Goes Overseas
Four former Mavericks have gone on to play professionally overseas in the last two seasons: forward Mike Rostampour (Slovakia), guards CJ Carter (Macedonia) and Devin Patterson (Lithuania) and guard/forward Randy Reed II (Tunisia).

Carter and Rostampour, both 2014-15 graduates, won league championships with their respective teams last season. Carter's MZT Skopje Aerodrom team captured the Prva Liga title, while Rostampour's BC Prievidza squad won the Slovak Extraliga crown.

Two members of the 2015-16 graduating class also signed professional contracts after last season. Patterson joined the BC Šiauliai club, which plays in the Lithuanian Basketball League and Baltic Basketball League, while Reed signed with Jeunesse Sportive d'El Mensah in Tunisia's Ligue 1.

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 hold a combined all-time record of 132-170 over all teams on the regular-season slate.

Next Up
Omaha returns to action on Sunday, Nov. 13, visiting USC. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, Calif., and the game will be televised on Pac-12 Network. Gary Sharp will also have the radio call on 1180 Zone 2, and links to live stats, audio and video will be available on OMavs.com.