The Basics
The Omaha men's basketball team caps its week at the #BeachBubble at the Gulf Coast Showcase against Abilene Christian this Saturday, Nov. 28. Tipoff is set for 10 a.m. CT at Hertz Arena in Estero, Fla.
Gary Sharp will have the radio call on 1180 Zone 2, and Aaron Berlin and Keith Jouganatos will handle play-by-play and color commentary on the FloHoops broadcast. Links to live video, audio and stats will be available on OMavs.com.
Quick Hits
• The 2020-21 season is the 108th overall in program history and the 10th of the Mavericks' Division I era. All-time, the program is 1,198-1,203.
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Marlon Ruffin has been Omaha's leading scorer in back-to-back games, averaging 19.0 ppg off the bench, which ranks third among Summit League players.
• Ruffin has been solid at the stripe, hitting 11-of-12 over the first two games.
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Matt Pile (11.0 ppg/11.5 rpg) is the only Summit League player averaging a double-double over the first two days of the season.
• Pile moved up to fifth in school history for career rebounds in Wednesday's opener.
• Former Maverick Mike Rostampour (2013-15) heads to the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers with Team Iran this weekend in Doha, Qatar. Iran meets Saudi Arabia on Nov. 27 and Syria on Nov. 30.
• The Mavericks have a 10-game non-conference slate, all on the road from Nov. 25 to Dec. 29. During that time, their home facility, Baxter Arena, will serve as the host site for the NCHC Pod, with 38 hockey games held Dec. 1-21.
• Omaha was picked fourth in the Summit League's preseason poll. Pile was a first-team Preseason All-Summit selection, and Ruffin was a second-team pick.
• Pile needs 61 points to become the 42nd 1,000-point scorer in Maverick history.
• Pile and
Ayo Akinwole are serving as team captains for the second straight season.
Scouting the Abilene Christian Wildcats
Abilene Christian is 2-0 after an 80-72 win over Austin Peay Friday afternoon. Coryon Mason scored a team-leading 14 points, and Joe Pleasant (12), Reggie Miller (10) and Kolton Kohl (10) also finished in double figures.
ACU finished the 2019-20 campaign at 20-11 (15-5 Southland) after winning eight of their last nine games of the year. The Wildcats were picked second in the Southland Conference's preseason poll, and Pleasant was a first-team preseason all-conference pick. Pleasant was a second-team all-conference selection last season.
Head coach Joe Golding is in his 10th year at Abilene Christian with a career record of 136-139.
All-Time Against Abilene Christian
Saturday marks the second meeting all-time between Omaha and Abilene Christian. The two teams previously met as Division II foes on Nov. 25, 2000 in the Maverick Basketball Classic at Sapp Fieldhouse, with Omaha winning 74-54. Head coach
Derrin Hansen was an assistant on then-head coach Kevin Lehman's Maverick staff at the time.
Against the Southland
Saturday's game with Abilene Christian is the third matchup all-time with a member of the Southland Conference.
Up Next
Omaha returns to the city of Omaha for a crosstown clash with No. 11 Creighton on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. at CHI Health Center Omaha.
The game will be televised live on FS1, and 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.
