The Basics
The Omaha men's basketball team hits the road for a weekend series at Kansas City this Friday, Feb. 12 and Saturday, Feb. 13. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. both nights at the Swinney Center in Kansas City, Mo.
Gary Sharp will have the radio calls on 1290 KOIL, and links to live video, audio and stats will be available on OMavs.com.
Quick Hits
• Omaha's visit to Kansas City is a homecoming for five Mavericks.
Darrius Hughes,
Zach Thornhill,
La'Mel Robinson,
Dylan Brougham and
Marco Smith all hail from the KC area, and Smith began his collegiate career with two years at UMKC (2017-19).
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Ayo Akinwole had back-to-back 20-point scoring performances last week against Western Illinois, including a career-high 27 points Friday night.
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Nick Ferrarini is slated to make his first career start Friday night at Kansas City.
• Omaha has utilized four different starting lineups this season.• While Omaha played its non-conference schedule from Nov. 25 to Dec. 29, its home facility, Baxter Arena, served as the host site for the NCHC Pod, with 38 hockey games held Dec. 1-21.
• Omaha plays 18 of its 24 games away from Baxter Arena this season.
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Matt Pile became the 42nd 1,000-point scorer in Maverick history on Dec. 17 at Wyoming.
• Pile's 837 career rebounds are the seventh-most of any active player in NCAA Division I, and his 23 career double-doubles are the 16th-most.
• Pile has started 88 consecutive games, the longest streak of any active Maverick.
• 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 1,199-1,218.
• Omaha was picked fourth in the Summit League's preseason poll. Pile was a first-team Preseason All-Summit selection, and
Marlon Ruffin was a second-team pick.
• Pile and
Ayo Akinwole are serving as team captains for the second straight season.
Scouting the Kansas City Roos
Kansas City is 7-10 (3-5 Summit League) after a 49-47 win over North Dakota State, part of a Jan. 29-30 weekend split with the Bison. Zion Williams finished with a team-leading 12 points with seven rebounds and five steals, and Arkel Lamar narrowly missed a double-double with 11 points and nine boards. Jacob Johnson added 10 points.
UMKC was picked seventh in the league's preseason poll. Second-year head coach Billy Donlon has a record of 23-24 at Kansas City and a career mark of 132-118 over eight years.
All-Time Against Kansas City
Friday marks the 13th meeting between Omaha and Kansas City, and the Mavericks lead the all-time series, 8-4, including 3-2 in their Division I era. Omaha looks for its third straight win in the series, having won 95-89 in OT at home on Nov. 17, 2015 and 80-75 on the road on Dec. 15, 2016. The Roos have a 2-1 advantage in Kansas City since 2011-12.
Last Time Out: Akinwole Puts Up 21 As Mavericks Fall to WIU, 75-73
Ayo Akinwole registered his second straight 20-point scoring performance Saturday night as Omaha fell 75-73 to Western Illinois at Baxter Arena. A night after finishing with a career-high 27 points, Akinwole came up big again, finishing with 21 to lead the way for Omaha. The senior captain hit 8-of-11 from the floor and added three rebounds and three assists.
Marlon Ruffin posted 13 points with a trio of 3-pointers, and
Wanjang Tut had 12 points and six rebounds.
La'Mel Robinson matched Tut with another 12 points, as well as three assists and a game-best three steals.
Matt Pile also pulled down a game-high 16 rebounds alongside five points and a season-high five blocks.
Omaha shot 44% (28-of-63) to WIU's 38% (24-of-63), but the Leathernecks were 96% (21-of-22) from the free throw line to the Mavericks' 60% (12-of-20). WIU had a 43-37 rebounding advantage.
This and That
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Marlon Ruffin has opened Omaha's Summit League slate with by scoring in double figures in seven out of eight games. He has averaged 16.8 ppg and 4.0 rpg.
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Ayo Akinwole averaged 24.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg and 3.5 apg while shooting 77% (17-of-22) from the field and 82% (9-of-11) from the line in last weekend's Western Illinois series. Akinwole was the Mavericks' leading scorer both nights against the Leathernecks.
• Akinwole has averaged 12.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg and 3.1 apg over the last 10 games.
• Ruffin (15.5 ppg),
Ayo Akinwole (11.6 ppg),
La'Mel Robinson (11.0 ppg) and
Matt Pile (10.3 ppg) have all averaged double figures to start league play.
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Nick Ferrarini has averaged 10.7 ppg over the last three games with two double-figure scoring efforts. He had a career-high 15 points in 16 minutes at South Dakota (Jan. 30), followed by 11 vs. Western Illinois (Feb. 5).
• Eleven different Mavericks have scored in double figures this season.
Up Next
Omaha caps its home slate with two games against North Dakota on Friday, Feb. 19 and Saturday, Feb. 20 at Baxter Arena. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. on both nights. Gary Sharp and Kyler Erickson will have the radio calls on 1290 KOIL, and links to live video, audio and stats will be available on OMavs.com.
Socially-distanced single-game tickets are available for purchase through Ticketmaster.com, OMavs.com/MyMav or by phone at (402) 554-MAVS. Tickets must be purchased in advance, as walkup sales will not be permitted at Baxter Arena.
