The Basics
The Omaha men's basketball team plays its final home series of the season this weekend, welcoming North Dakota on Friday, Feb. 19 and Saturday, Feb. 20. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. both nights at Baxter Arena, and Saturday also marks Senior Night for the Mavericks' senior duo,
Ayo Akinwole and
Matt Pile.
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.
Quick Hits
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Ayo Akinwole carries a four-game double-figure scoring streak into this weekend.
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Nick Ferrarini made his first career starts last weekend at Kansas City.
Darrius Hughes is slated to make his first career start Friday against North Dakota.
• Omaha has utilized five 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 881 career rebounds are the seventh-most of any active player in NCAA Division I, and his 24 career double-doubles are the 17th-most.
• Pile has started 90 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 1,199-1,220.
• 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 North Dakota Fighting Hawks
North Dakota is 8-15 (7-7 Summit League) after an 85-81 win over South Dakota, part of weekend sweep of the Coyotes. Four Fighting Hawks finished in double figures, led by Bentiu Panoam's team-high 22 points.
UND was picked sixth in the league's preseason poll, and Filip Rebraca was a first-team Preseason All-Summit selection.
Second-year head coach Paul Sather has a record of 23-33 at North Dakota and a career mark of 305-184 over 16 years.
All-Time Against North Dakota
Friday marks the 86th meeting between Omaha and North Dakota. The Fighting Hawks lead the all-time series, 45-40, but Omaha has won 12 straight meetings dating back to 2007.
The Mavericks have an 8-0 advantage in its Division I era, including 4-0 in Omaha.
Last Time Out: Mavericks Fall 55-47 in Tough Battle at Kansas City
Omaha saw a second-half lead slip away Saturday night, falling 55-47 to Kansas City at the Swinney Center.
Ayo Akinwole was the Mavericks' lone double-figure scorer, finishing with a team-high 16 points alongside five rebounds, two assists and two steals.
La'Mel Robinson added eight points.
Kansas City shot 47.6% (20-of-42) for the night, while Omaha finished at 34.0% (17-of-50). The Roos had a 33-29 rebounding advantage.
This and That
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Ayo Akinwole has averaged 19.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg and 3.3 apg over the last four games against Western Illinois and Kansas City, hitting 84% (16-of-19) at the line. Akinwole had double-figure performances in all four, finishing as Omaha's leading scorer in three of them.
• Akinwole has averaged 13.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg and 3.1 apg over the last 12 games.
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Marlon Ruffin 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 in league contests.
• Ruffin (15.5 ppg),
Ayo Akinwole (12.4 ppg),
La'Mel Robinson (10.8 ppg) and
Matt Pile (10.3 ppg) have all averaged double figures in league play.
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Nick Ferrarini has averaged 8.4 ppg over the last five 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 closes the regular season with two games at Denver on Friday, Feb. 26 and Saturday, Feb. 27. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. CT both nights at Hamilton Gymnasium in Denver, Colo.
Gary Sharp will have the radio call on 1290 KOIL on Friday and 1180 The Zone on Saturday, and links to live video, audio and stats will be available on OMavs.com.
