OMAHA, Neb. - Omaha continues its four-game homestand this week by hosting Northern Iowa on Wednesday, Dec. 6. Tipoff at Baxter Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Follow the Game
Donny Baarns will have the radio call on 1180 Zone 2 and links to live video, audio and stats will be available on OMavs.com.
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 enters Wednesday's game with a 6-2 mark after defeating College of Saint Mary and Graceland last week.
• The Mavericks are on a six-game winning streak, the longest unbeaten stretch since the transition to Division I.
• Four members of Omaha's junior class,
Ellie Brecht,
Courtney Vaccher,
Amber Vidal and
Jess Walter, have led Omaha's offensive attack. The quartet has combined to average 47.5 points, 18.5 rebounds and 11.8 assists per game, while shooting .482 from the field and .364 from deep. Brecht, Vidal and Walter are UNO's top three scorers so far this season with all three averaging at least 11.5 points a contest.
• Vidal's numbers have been outstanding this season. The junior from San Antonio, Texas, averages 11.5 points, 5.9 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game. She has played 283 of a possible 320 minutes and leads the team with 47 assists.
• Vidal is the conference leader in minutes per game (35.4 mpg) and second in assists (47).
• Walter leads the Summit League with 16.8 points per game and is sixth in assists (26).
• Brecht is tops the Summit with 28 made 3-pointers.
• Freshman
Claire Killian is averaging 9.9 points and 3.6 rebounds in her first eight games as a Maverick.
• Brecht, Vaccher, Walter, and sophomore
Jay Bridgeman each average over 4.0 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.
About Northern Iowa
The Panthers are 2-5 overall (0-0 MVC) on the season and enter Wednesday's contest on a three-game skid. UNI dropped an 80-72 road decision at North Dakota on Dec. 2. Kennedy Kirkpatrick led Northern Iowa with a career-high 21 points.
Kirkpatrick averages 13.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists to lead Northern Iowa. Meagan Maahs averages a double-double per game with 10.4 points and 11.0 rebounds. Maahs has earned three double-doubles this season and ranks 20th nationally in rebounding.
Head coach Tanya Warren is in her 11th season in Cedar Falls, Iowa, with a career mark of 188-144 with Northern Iowa.
Omaha vs. Northern Iowa
Omaha leads the all-time series with Northern Iowa, 2-1. Wednesday is the first meeting between the two programs since 1982.
Looking Ahead
The Mavericks conclude their four-game homestand on Sunday, Dec. 10, against Creighton. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. at Baxter Arena.
