The Basics
The Omaha men's basketball team continues its four-game home stand this Sunday, Feb. 2, welcoming South Dakota for a Noon tipoff at Baxter Arena. The game will be broadcast live on YurView Cox Channel 13, ESPN3 and Midco with Donny Baarns on play-by-play and Jon Schriner providing color commentary, and Gary Sharp and
Kyler Erickson will have the radio call on 1180 Zone 2. Links to live video, audio and stats will be available on OMavs.com.
Quick Hits
• Omaha is one of 29 teams nationally that enter the weekend undefeated at home.
• The Mavericks started 3-0 in Summit League play and were the last undefeated team in the conference until falling at South Dakota on Jan. 11, which snapped their season-long four-game win streak.
• Omaha stopped a two-game losing skid with home wins over Western Illinois last Thursday and Purdue Fort Wayne last Saturday.
• The Mavericks lead the Summit League in average home attendance, which is also their best of the Division I era.
• According to ESPN's Basketball Power Index, Omaha is 116th for strength of schedule -- the highest of any league team. Oral Roberts is the next highest at 124th.
• Omaha was picked fourth in the Summit League's preseason poll, and
Matt Pile and
JT Gibson were both second-team Preseason All-Summit picks.
• The Mavericks had a 3.14 semester GPA as a team in the fall semester. It marked their third straight semester with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• 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 1,193-1,196.
•
JT Gibson,
KJ Robinson,
Ayo Akinwole and
Matt Pile will serve as first-time team captains this season.
Scouting the South Dakota Coyotes
South Dakota has a record of 15-8 (6-3 Summit League) after a 83-87 road triumph over Denver Thursday night, the Coyotes' sixth win in seven games. Stanley Umude led the way with a double-double on 23 points and 13 rebounds, and Tyler Hagedorn added 20 points with four 3-pointers. Triston Simpson (17), Tyler Peterson (16) and Cody Kelley (11) also scored in double figures as USD picked up its first conference road win.
Hagedorn has averaged a Summit League-leading 19.1 points alongside a team-high 7.0 rebounds per game this season. USD was picked second in the Summit League's preseason poll, and Simpson and Umude were both first-team Preseason All-Summit selections while Hagedorn was a second-team pick.
Head coach Todd Lee is in his second season in Vermillion with a record of 28-25 and has a career record of 182-106 over 10 years.
All-Time Against South Dakota
Sunday marks the 95th meeting between Omaha and South Dakota, and the Coyotes lead the all-time series 48-46. In the Mavericks' Division I era, the series is tied 8-8 and is 4-3 in favor of the Mavericks in Omaha, including 3-1 at Baxter Arena.
The two teams last met on Jan. 11 in Vermillion, where the Coyotes won 91-81. The last meeting at Baxter was Jan. 20, 2019, which Omaha won 75-68.
Last Time Out: Mavericks Come Back for 75-71 Win Over Purdue Fort Wayne
Omaha came from behind to win Saturday night, defeating Purdue Fort Wayne 75-71 at Baxter Arena for the Mavericks' 16th straight home victory.
JT Gibson knocked down five 3-pointers en route to a team-leading 23 points on 8-of-16 shooting, adding three rebounds, three assists and a steal in 36 minutes of work.
Matt Pile posted his second straight double-double -- and eighth of the season -- on 12 points and 11 rebounds.
KJ Robinson and
Marlon Ruffin matched each other with 11 points, with Robinson dishing out a season-high six assists.
Zach Thornhill contributed another 10 points with three boards, four assists and a steal.
Omaha shot 50.0% (27-of-54) to Purdue Fort Wayne's 48.1% (26-of-54) and had a slight edge on the glass, 31-30. The Mavericks limited themselves to nine miscues and outscored the Mastodons 21-10 off turnovers.
Up Next
Omaha completes its home stand by welcoming North Dakota State on Wednesday, Feb. 5, with tipoff set for 7 p.m. at Baxter Arena. The game will be broadcast live on YurView Cox Channel 13, ESPN3 and Midco, with Donny Baarns on play-by-play and Jon Schriner providing color commentary. Gary Sharp and
Kyler Erickson will have the radio call on 1180 Zone 2, and links to live video, audio and stats will be available on OMavs.com.
