Men's Basketball Feb 9, 2016 Omaha Athletics

Omaha Set for Rematch With South Dakota State

This Week
The Omaha men's basketball team is set for a rematch with South Dakota State this week, welcoming the Jackrabbits on Wednesday, Feb. 10. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at Baxter Arena, and the game will be televised on Midco and ESPN3 with Tom Nieman on play-by-play and Brad Newitt providing color commentary. Gary Sharp and Grant Nieland will also have the radio call on 1180 Zone 2, and fans can stream the audio on their smartphones by downloading NRG Media's app “1620 The Zone.” Links to live video, audio and stats will be available on OMavs.com.

Quick Hits
•Omaha received votes for the fifth straight week in the CollegeInsider Mid-Major Top 25 poll. The last time the Mavericks received votes in the poll was Jan. 13, 2013.
•Four Mavericks average double-figure scoring: senior guard Devin Patterson (18.0 ppg), senior forward Jake White (17.1 ppg), sophomore forward Tre'Shawn Thurman (14.4 ppg) and junior guard Tra-Deon Hollins (11.1 ppg).
•Hollins is the nation's leader in both steals (99) and steals per game (4.0). He is also Omaha's all-time single-season thefts leader, and his 134 assists are the eighth-highest single-season total in school history. Additionally, Hollins joined UNO's top 20 for career steals last Saturday and ranks 19th.
•Patterson had his ninth 20-point scoring effort last Saturday with 26 points against Denver, which marked the 26th Maverick performance of 20 or more points this season. UNO had 20 scoring efforts with 20+ over 29 games in 2014-15.
•Patterson became the 36th 1,000-point scorer in program history on Jan. 23 at Oral Roberts.
•White owns the highest scoring average against SDSU of any current Maverick, averaging 12.3 points over the last three meetings. Thurman is close behind with 11.7 points and a team-leading 6.3 boards per contest in that span.
•Senior guard Tim Smallwood has averaged 8.6 points in reserve over the last five games, hitting 13 3-pointers for 52 percent (13-of-25) long-range shooting.
•Omaha has posted double-digit steals in 11 games this season.
•Eleven different Mavericks have had at least one double-figure scoring performance this season.
•According to kenpom.com, UNO is sixth nationally with an adjusted tempo of 76.5, 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.
•Omaha was picked seventh in the Summit League's preseason poll.

Scouting the South Dakota State Jackrabbits
South Dakota State brings a record of 19-5 (8-2 Summit League) and a five-game win streak into Wednesday's matchup with Omaha. The Jackrabbits last played Saturday, defeating IUPUI 80-58 at home. Deondre Parks led the Jackrabbits with 17 points.

Head coach Scott Nagy is in his 21st season at SDSU with a record of 403-237. Wednesday is the 70th meeting between UNO and SDSU, with the Jacks leading the all-time series, 41-28, after four straight wins. SDSU took the most recent matchup, 87-76, on Jan. 28 in Brookings, S.D., as well as the last game in Omaha, 87-68, on Jan. 10, 2015.

Last Time Out: Mavs' Rally Falls Short in 75-72 Loss to Denver
Omaha rallied from a 16-point deficit but its comeback fell just short Saturday afternoon, as the Mavericks suffered a 75-72 loss to Denver at Baxter Arena. Senior guard Devin Patterson paced Omaha with a game-leading 26 points for his ninth 20-point performance of the season. The Portsmouth, Va., native was a perfect 7-of-7 at the free throw line and added a game-high six assists, three rebounds and three steals.

Sophomore forward Tre'Shawn Thurman added 17 points, shooting 5-of-8 from the floor. Junior guard Tra-Deon Hollins chipped in seven points, a team-high six rebounds, a game-best seven steals, three assists and two blocks.

Omaha shot 41 percent (23-of-56) from the field, 39 percent (5-of-13) behind the arc and 75 percent (21-of-28) at the line. Denver hit 43 percent (21-of-49) from the floor, 42 percent (8-of-19) from long range and 86 percent (25-of-29) at the stripe. The Pioneers held the advantage on the glass, 39-25, with a 16-12 edge on the offensive end, which led to outscoring Omaha 20-8 in second-chance points. UNO, for its part, forced 18 turnovers with 12 steals, scoring 19 points off miscues.

Erickson Named to Allstate NABC Good Works Team
Senior guard Kyler Erickson has been named to the 2016 Allstate NABC Good Works Team, it was announced Tuesday. The Allstate NABC Good Works Team recognizes a distinguished group of student-athletes who have demonstrated a commitment to enriching the lives of others and contributing to the greater good in their communities. Erickson was one of 154 NABC nominees.

As a senior at Millard South High School, Erickson 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 50,000 views in 110 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.

Erickson 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.

Members of the Allstate NABC Good Works Team will be invited by Allstate to be recognized at the 2016 NCAA Men's Final Four and NABC Convention and will participate in a community service project to benefit the host city of Houston.

Man of Steal
Junior guard Tra-Deon Hollins leads the nation in both total steals (99) and steals per game (4.0). Driven by his efforts on defense, Omaha as a team is also fourth in the country for total steals and seventh for steals per game.

If Hollins maintains his pace, he will 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 the all players in the NJCAA with 4.1 swipes per game while playing at Central CC in 2013-14.

Stacking Up Nationally
Omaha is fourth in the nation for free throws made (494) and for steals (233), seventh in steals per game (9.3), eighth for free throw attempts (660), ninth for scoring offense (84.3 ppg) and 18th for turnovers forced (15.8).

Individually, junior guard Tra-Deon Hollins leads the nation in steals (99) and steals per game (4.0) and is 15th for assists (143) and 30th for assists per game (5.7).

Bouncing Back
Omaha has shown the ability to bounce back from losses this season, going 6-2 in games that follow a defeat.

DP for Three
Senior guard Devin Patterson hit three 3-pointers vs. Fort Wayne on Jan. 16, becoming the Mavericks' active career leader in that category. He now owns 100 treys in three seasons and leads Omaha this year with 41 triples. In games when Patterson knocks down at least three 3-pointers, UNO is 4-2.

Two for 20
Omaha has had at least two scorers with 20 or more points on the same night six times this season and is 5-1 in those games. An astonishing four Mavericks were 20-point scorers on Jan. 16 vs. Fort Wayne, marking the first time that has occurred in the modern era.

Last season, the Mavericks had two 20-point scorers in the same game just twice -- last on Nov. 22, 2014 in their road upset of Marquette, when Patterson had 26 points and CJ Carter had 25.

League Leaders
Omaha leads the Summit League in seven statistical categories: points (2,107), points per game (84.3), field goals made per game (29.4), field goals attempted per game (63.0), free throws made per game (19.8), free throws attempted per game (26.4) and steals per game (9.3).

Individually, junior guard Tra-Deon Hollins is first among all league players for assists (143) and steals (99).

Close Calls
Omaha's losses have come by an average margin of 5.0 points this year, its lowest average in the Derrin Hansen era. The Mavericks have fallen by one (vs. UC Santa Barbara, at Wyoming), three (at Minnesota, vs. Denver), five (at Colorado, vs. Fort Wayne), seven (vs. Eastern Michigan, at Missouri, at Western Illinois) and 11 (at South Dakota State). Last season's average margin of loss was 10.8 points.

Terrific Trio
Senior guard Devin Patterson, senior forward Jake White and sophomore forward Tre'Shawn Thurman are the highest-scoring trio in the Summit League this season. Their average of 49.5 points per game is over seven points ahead of the scoring average for the next trio on the list, Oral Roberts' Obi Emegano, Jalen Bradley and Albert Owens (42.0). Patterson is third among conference scorers with 18.0 ppg, while White is fourth (17.1) and Thurman is 10th (14.4 ppg).

Pitter Patterson
Senior guard Devin Patterson is known for his quickness, and the Portsmouth, Va., native led the Summit League in steals each of the last two seasons. In the middle of his senior season, he is sixth on the Omaha career steals list with 162 in three years. His next hurdle is Seth Nelson (1999-2003), who had 166.

Patterson also joined the top 20 in school history for career assists in the opening weekend, and his total has risen to 293 for 10th place. His next target is Richard Jones (1993-96), who dished out 299 assists.

Additionally, Patterson has pushed his career scoring total to 1,091 points, which is the most of any active Maverick. He became Omaha's 36th 1,000-point scorer on Jan. 23 at Oral Roberts and now ranks 2nd in school history for scoring, needing two points to tie Terry Sodawasser (1981-85), who had 1,091.

Tracking Tre'Shawn
After 30 blocked shots to his credit as a freshman and 30 more this season, sophomore forward Tre'Shawn Thurman has made his way into the top 15 in school history for career blocks. The Omaha Central product is now 12th on the list with 60 blocks, and his next target is Jerry Bennett (2006-08), who had 63 for 11th place.

Thurman put up five blocks at South Dakota on Jan. 9, matching his career high set against Nevada as a freshman.

Picking Up the Pace
Omaha ranks ninth nationally in scoring with 84.3 points per game, up from 76.3 ppg at this point of the season last year. In its 15 wins this season, UNO has averaged 88.3 points per contest, scoring 95 points or more in six of those games. In their wins, the Mavericks have also shot 49 percent from the field, 32 percent from long range and 78 percent at the line, compared to 43 percent, 32 percent and 70 percent, respectively, across their 10 losses.

White Out
In 2015-16, senior forward Jake White is one of four Mavericks averaging in double figures, credited for 17.1 ppg, and has scored in double figures in all but three games. The Chaska, Minn., native owns six double-double performances this season: Dec. 1 vs. Eastern Michigan (14 points/12 rebounds), Dec. 9 at Missouri (18 points/10 rebounds), Dec. 16 vs. Simpson (17 points/11 rebounds), Dec. 19 at Wyoming (17 points/career-high 13 rebounds), Jan. 16 vs. Fort Wayne (26 points/11 rebounds) and Feb. 3 at Western Illinois (21 points/career-high-tying 13 rebounds).

White was named to the Global Sports Classic All-Tournament Team for his play over the four tournament games, Dec. 13-22. He averaged 19.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game, shooting 62 percent (26-of-42) from the field and 77 percent (23-of-30) at the line.

Compared to the Opposition
One of the nation's top teams in steals per game, Omaha has equaled or tallied more steals than its opponent in all but three games this year. Over 25 contests UNO has:
               •More or equal steals compared to its opponent 22 times
               •Fewer or equal turnovers compared to its opponent 20 times
               •More or equal free throws made compared to its opponent 18 times
               •More rebounds compared to its opponent 13 times
               •More or equal blocks compared to its opponent 12 times
               •More or equal 3-point field goals made compared to its opponent 11 times

Home Sweet Home Advantage
During head coach Derrin Hansen's career, Omaha has won 70 percent of its home contests, going 103-44. The Mavericks secured their first win at brand-new Baxter Arena on Nov. 15, 104-58 vs. Saint Mary's (Minn.).

The 2014-15 season marked UNO's third and final season playing at Ralston Arena, which served as the home of Maverick men's basketball since 2012-13. Over three years at Ralston, Omaha posted a home record of 25-16.

Last season on its home court, UNO's average margin of victory was 17.3, and it scored an average of 79.8 points per game. Over the 10 previous years of the Hansen era, the Mavericks averaged 81.6 points per game at home at Sapp Fieldhouse and Ralston Arena, including 80.5 during the four Division I years.

#euromavs: A Maverick Adventure to Italy
Omaha embarked on its first overseas training trip August 12-22 of this year with a tour of Italy, spending 11 days in three cities with four games against foreign competition. The Mavericks won all four contests, defeating All Star Varese 85-43, Stellazzurra 75-39, Isernia 107-31 and Luiss University 81-41. Sophomore forward Daniel Meyer (11.5 points per game), senior forward Jake White (10.0 ppg) and senior guard/forward Randy Reed II (10.0 ppg) all averaged double-figure scoring for the trip.

The team stayed in Milan, Florence and Rome, and sightseeing activities included a private boat tour at Lake Como, visits to the Duomo, the Accademia Museum, Ponte Vecchio, Santa Maria Novella, the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain and tours of the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Vatican.

Hansen Guides Mavericks in 11th Season
Head coach Derrin Hansen is in his 11th season at the helm of the Omaha men's basketball program in 2015-16, boasting a career record of 176-148 over his head coaching career. He took the job after serving as an assistant coach for seven years with former Maverick head coaches Kevin McKenna and Kevin Lehman. Hansen has the second-most victories of any coach in program history, behind only Bob Hanson.

Hansen has coached or assisted teams that have earned five trips to the NCAA Division II Tournament, while also garnering two regular-season league titles and three tournament crowns. In 2007-08, his squad recorded a school-record 25 wins in its final season of North Central Conference play, and the Mavs won their final NCC Tournament to advance to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the first time since 2004-05. In 2009-10, UNO earned an NCAA Tournament berth by capturing the MIAA Tournament crown in just its second year as a member of the league.

As a player at Nebraska Wesleyan, Hansen's 1988 squad advanced to the NCAA Division III semifinals, and while serving as a student coach, the 1990 Plainsmen advanced to the final 16.

Hansen is assisted by assistant coaches Tyler Erwin, Pat Eberhart and James Miller.

2015-16 Slate Takes Mavericks Around the Nation
Omaha's 2015-16 schedule includes 30 games, and the team will play in 13 states against schools from 10 other Division I conferences. The schedule has two opponents from both the WAC and the Big Sky and one each from the Big West, Pac-12, Big Ten, MAC, SEC, Mountain West, OVC and SWAC. Two opponents – Wyoming and defending Summit League champion North Dakota State – played in the 2015 NCAA Tournament.

Entering the season, the Mavericks had never faced six of their opponents: UC Santa Barbara, Saint Mary's (Minn.), Colorado, Eastern Michigan, Montana State and Southern. They hold a combined all-time record of 173-196-2 over all teams on the regular-season slate.

Next Up
Omaha returns to action on Saturday, Feb. 13, hosting North Dakota State. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. at Baxter Arena, and Gary Sharp and Grant Nieland will have the radio call on 1180 Zone 2. Fans can stream the audio on their smartphones by downloading NRG Media's app “1620 The Zone,” and links to stats, audio and video will be available on OMavs.com.

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Players Mentioned

#10 CJ Carter: G; 6' 1"; Senior

#4 Kyler Erickson: G; 6' 0"; Senior

#24 Tra-Deon Hollins: G; 6' 2"; Junior

#32 Daniel Meyer: F; 6' 9"; Sophomore

#3 Devin Patterson: G; 5' 11"; Senior

#2 Randy Reed: G/F; 6' 6"; Senior

#5 Tim Smallwood: G; 6' 2"; Senior

#15 Tre'Shawn Thurman: F; 6' 7"; Sophomore

#43 Jake White: F; 6' 8"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#10 CJ Carter
: 6' 1"; Senior
: G

#4 Kyler Erickson
: 6' 0"; Senior
: G

#24 Tra-Deon Hollins
: 6' 2"; Junior
: G

#32 Daniel Meyer
: 6' 9"; Sophomore
: F

#3 Devin Patterson
: 5' 11"; Senior
: G

#2 Randy Reed
: 6' 6"; Senior
: G/F

#5 Tim Smallwood
: 6' 2"; Senior
: G

#15 Tre'Shawn Thurman
: 6' 7"; Sophomore
: F

#43 Jake White
: 6' 8"; Senior
: F