The Basics
The Omaha men's basketball team plays its first road game of the Summit League slate this Wednesday, Jan. 8 with a visit to North Dakota. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center in Grand Forks, N.D.
The game will be broadcast live on YurView Cox Channel 13, Midco and ESPN+ with Alex Heinert and Zachary Dosch on the call. Gary Sharp will have the radio call on 1180 Zone 2, and links to live video, audio and stats will be available on OMavs.com.
Quick Hits
• Omaha (2-0), North Dakota (2-0) and North Dakota State (2-0) are the only teams undefeated in Summit League play.
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Matt Pile ranks fifth nationally for total rebounds (178) and 16th for rebounds per game (10.5).
• The 2019-20 season is the 107th overall in program history and the ninth of the Mavericks' Division I era. All-time, the program is 1,190-1,194.
• The Mavericks have shot 50.0% as a team five times this year and have 18 straight wins when shooting 50.0% or better.
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JT Gibson,
KJ Robinson,
Ayo Akinwole and
Matt Pile will serve as first-time team captains this season.
Scouting the North Dakota Fighting Hawks
North Dakota has a record of 8-8 (2-0 Summit League) after an 83-69 win Sunday night at home. Marlon Stewart led the Fighting Hawks with a career-high-tying 29 points alongside six rebounds and eight assists. Filip Rebraca had a double-double on 12 points and 13 boards, and Kienen Walker (12), Brady Danielson (11) and De'Sean Allen-Eikens (10) also scored in double figures.
Stewart, the defending Summit League Player of the Week, has averaged a team-leading 16.7 points per game this season, which ranks third among league scorers. Rebraca's 9.9 rebounds per game also rank third in the league. UND was picked eighth in the Summit League's preseason poll.
Head coach Paul Sather is in his first season in Grand Forks and has a career record of 290-159 over 15 years.
All-Time Against North Dakota
Wednesday marks the 84th meeting between Omaha and North Dakota. The Fighting Hawks lead the all-time series, 45-38, but Omaha has won 10 straight meetings dating back to 2007.
Omaha has a 6-0 advantage in its Division I era, starting with an 83-75 win on Feb. 23, 2013 at Ralston Arena for the ESPN Bracket Busters event. The Mavericks picked up a 91-75 win at Ralston on March 19, 2014 in the first round of the CIT, then an 80-78 triumph in Grand Forks on March 3, 2015.
Their first meeting with UND as members of the Summit League was Jan. 10 in Grand Forks, where
Mitch Hahn's clutch three with eight seconds left handed Omaha a 92-91 victory. On Feb. 3, UND made a return trip to Baxter Arena, where the Mavericks won 90-72. They met one final time in 2018-19 in the quarterfinal round of the Summit League Tournament, with Omaha prevailing 81-76 in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Last Time Out: Second-Half Rally Propels Omaha Past ORU, 74-67
Omaha overcame an 11-point deficit Saturday night, defeating Oral Roberts 74-67 at Baxter Arena to open the new decade. The win was the Mavericks' 14th straight home victory dating back to the 2018-19 season.
Wanjang Tut led the Mavericks with a season-high 17 points on 8-of-10 shooting.
Marlon Ruffin was outstanding off the bench, finishing with 15 points on a perfect 5-of-5 effort, including two key threes in the second half.
JT Gibson (13) and
Zach Thornhill (12) also scored in double figures.
Matt Pile pulled down a team-leading eight rebounds with eight points, and
Ayo Akinwole dished out a game-high seven assists.
Omaha shot 52.6% (30-of-57) to ORU's 37.9% (22-of-58). The Golden Eagles had a 39-28 rebounding advantage, including 19-8 on the offensive end.
Up Next
Omaha visits South Dakota on Saturday, Jan. 11, with tipoff set for 3:30 p.m. at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center in Vermillion, S.D. The game will be broadcast live on YurView Cox Channel 13, Midco and ESPN+, and Gary Sharp will have the radio call on 1180 Zone 2. Links to live video, audio and stats will be available on OMavs.com.
