OMAHA, Neb. – The Omaha women's basketball team continues its two-game opening road swing this Monday, Nov. 13, visiting Kansas State. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kan.
Follow the Game
Links to live stats, audio and video will be available on OMavs.com. The game can be seen live on K-StateHD.TV with Brian Smoller and Missy Heidrick on the call. Donny Baarns will have the radio call on 1180 Zone 2.
Keeping Up with the Mavericks
Stay current with everything going on with the Mavericks by following Omaha women's basketball on Twitter (@OmahaWBB), Instagram (@OmahaWBB) and "liking" the Mavericks on Facebook at 'OmahaWBB.'
Maverick Fast Breaks
• Omaha opened the 2017-18 season with a 69-56 loss at Bradley on Nov. 10.
•
Amber Vidal matched a career-high 20 points to pace the Mavericks.
• Last season, UNO finished 16-15 overall and fifth in the Summit League with a mark of 8-8. The Mavericks were picked fifth in the league's 2017-18 preseason poll last month.
• Omaha returns two of five starters from last season's team, including juniors
Courtney Vaccher and
Amber Vidal.
• A native of Yorba Linda, Calif., Vaccher averaged 6.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. She played every game last season with 30 starts.
• Vidal, a guard from San Antonio, Texas, averaged 3.4 points and 3.4 assists per game in 2016-17.
• Omaha also returns juniors
Ellie Brecht and
Kalen Phillips, along with sophomore
Jay Bridgeman.
•
Sara Echelberry (So.) and
Jess Walter (Jr.) return to action after redshirting in 2016-17.
• The Mavericks welcome six newcomers in juniors
Alicia Mountain and
Romekia Wallace, and freshmen
Kylee Coulter,
Emily Dewey,
Claire Killian and
Emily Petersen.
About Kansas State
The Wildcats opened the season with a 74-49 home victory over Stephen F. Austin last Friday.
Kaylee Page led K-State with 18 points on a 7-of-13 shooting performance. Kayla Goth and Rachel Ranke joined Page in double-figures. Goth scored 11 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out four assists. Ranke chipped in 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
On the defensive side of the ball, Kansas State had 13 steals and nine blocks against Stephen F. Austin. The Wildcats limited the Ladyjacks to 26.6 percent (17-for-64) from the field and 17.3 percent (4-for-23) from the 3-point line.
Omaha vs. Kansas State
K-State leads the all-time series with UNO, 3-0. The Wildcats defeated the Mavericks 70-57 in Omaha, Neb., last December. The last time Omaha played in Manhattan, Kan., was during the 1980-81 season.
Looking Ahead
The Mavericks open the home portion of their schedule with a pair of games next weekend. Omaha welcomes Montana State to Sapp Fieldhouse on Friday, Nov. 17 at Noon. The Mavericks then host Florida A&M at Sapp on Sunday, Nov. 19 at 1 p.m.
The Big 2-0
Amber Vidal scored 20 points at Bradley last Friday tying a career-high. The junior went 7-for-10 from the floor and 5-for-5 at the free throw line to reach her total. Vidal previously went for 20 on Dec. 3, 2015, against UMKC.
Opening for Omaha
Five players made their first appearance in a Maverick uniform on Friday.
Jess Walter and
Claire Killian started for Omaha and combined for 20 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals in 59 minutes of action.
Alicia Mountain,
Emily Petersen and
Romekia Wallace each came off the bench.
Brecht's Boarding
Ellie Brecht grabbed seven rebounds against Bradley in the season-opener to tie a career-best. The last time the junior grabbed seven boards was against Illinois State on Nov. 29, 2015.
Walter Waiting
Jess Walter made the most of her first game with Omaha after sitting out the 2016-17 season due to transferring from Indiana. Walter scored 11 points, dished out five assists, grabbed four rebounds and had two steals in 37 minutes.
Look Who's Back
Omaha returns six newcomers, including two starters from 2016-17. Returning starters include guard
Amber Vidal (16 starts) and center
Courtney Vaccher (30). Other returners include guard
Ellie Brecht (29 games), forward
Jay Bridgeman (30),
Sara Echelberry (20 games) and
Kalen Phillips (11 games).
Fresh Faces
Along with the team's six returners, six newcomers are eligible to make their debuts this season. In addition to junior Jessica Walter, junior transfers
Alicia Mountain and
Romekia Wallace will join the rotation. Freshmen
Kylee Coulter,
Emily Dewey,
Claire Killian and
Emily Petersen will look to see their first minutes for the Mavericks this season.
Mavericks Picked Fifth in Summit League Poll
Omaha was picked fifth in the 2017-18 Summit League Preseason Poll. The poll was tallied in a vote of the league's head coaches, communications personnel and media.
South Dakota State was the favorite to win the Summit League, garnering 16 first-place votes for 380 points. Western Illinois was second and received 12 first-place votes for 372 points. South Dakota came in third with 307 votes, followed by Oral Roberts (238) in fourth. Omaha was fifth in the poll with 185 points, while North Dakota State came in sixth with 150 points. Denver (143) and Fort Wayne (60) rounded it out in seventh and eighth place, respectively.
