OMAHA, Neb. – The Omaha women's basketball team opens Summit League play this weekend when it hosts Oral Roberts on Saturday, Dec. 30. Saturday's game starts at 1 p.m. at Baxter Arena.
Follow the Game
Links to live stats, audio and video will be available on OMavs.com. Donny Baarns will have the radio call on 1180 Zone 2. Additionally, Saturday's game also will be carried on Yurview on Cox Cable (Omaha channel 13/1013) with Ben Stevens as studio host.
Connect with the Mavericks on Social Media
Fans are encouraged to connect with the Mavericks on Facebook (OmahaWBB), Instagram (@OmahaWBB) and Twitter (@OmahaWBB). They are also encouraged to use #MaverickUprising in posts.
Maverick Fast Breaks
• Omaha is 8-4 overall (0-0 Summit League) after defeating CSUN 68-60 on Dec. 20.
• The 8-4 start is the program's best start since the 2012-13 season.
•
Amber Vidal,
Claire Killian and
Courtney Vaccher each scored in double-figures against CSUN.
• Creighton snapped UNO's seven-game winning streak on Dec. 10. It was the ninth time in school history the Omaha had won at least seven games in a row.
•
Ellie Brecht,
Amber Vidal and
Jess Walter lead Omaha's offensive attack through the first half of the year. The trio has averaged 34.5 points, 11.6 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game while shooting 40.9 percent from the field and 32.8 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.
•
Courtney Vaccher leads the team in rebounds and blocked shots.
• Brecht, Vaccher, Walter and
Jay Bridgeman each average over 4.1 rebounds per game.
• 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 Vaccher and Vidal.
• UNO also returns juniors Brecht and
Kalen Phillips, along with sophomore Bridgeman.
• Walter and sophomore
Sara Echelberry 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.
Getting to Know Oral Roberts
The Golden Eagles returned three starters and four letter winners from last year's team that finished 15-15, including a 7-9 Summit League mark.
Oral Roberts is off to an 8-5 start in 2017-18 and is 7-3 in its last 10 games. Last time out, ORU dropped a 71-50 decision at Utah. Maria Martianez had a team-high 14 points with eight rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals. Faith Ihim scored 11 points and grabbed six rebounds along with one assist and one steal.
The tandem of Ihim (13.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.8 apg) and Martianez (11.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.9 apg) lead the Golden Eagles this season. Maya Mayberry (9.6 ppg, 1.8 apg) and Sarah Gavie (8.2 pp, 1.0 spg) have proven to be significant contributors.
Head coach Misty Cussen is in her sixth year leading the Golden Eagles and has a career mark of 82-85 at Oral Roberts.
Inside the Oral Roberts Series
Saturday's meeting will be the ninth meeting between Omaha and Oral Roberts with the Golden Eagles holding a 6-2 series advantage. Last season, UNO and ORU split the season series with each squad winning on the other's home court. The Golden Eagles drained a 3-pointer with five seconds left on the clock to defeat the Mavericks 67-65 in Omaha on Dec. 28, 2016. Omaha shot over 45 percent from the floor and routed Oral Roberts 64-49 in Tulsa, Okla., on Feb. 11, 2017.
Looking Ahead
Omaha hits the road for the first time in Summit League play on Wednesday, Jan. 3, visiting preseason league favorites South Dakota State. Tipoff at Frost Arena is set for 7 p.m.
