The Basics
The 2022-23 season tips off Monday, Nov. 7. Omaha heads to the reigning national champions in Lawrence, Kansas for the season opener. The Mavericks and Jayhawks are scheduled for a 7 p.m. start at Allen Fieldhouse.

Omaha looks to rebound this season with a new coaching staff and plenty of new faces on the 2022-23 roster. The Mavericks finished 5-25 last season and fell in the Summit League quarterfinals to South Dakota State to cap the season.

Gary Sharp will have the call on 1180 KOZN, and links to live stats, audio, and video can be found at OMavs.com.

Quick Hits
• Omaha had its first taste of competitive action this season with a home exhibition vs. Mid-America Christian last Tuesday.
• The Mavericks are under new direction this season with UNO alum Chris Crutchfield at the helm. Joining him is associate head coach Kyan Brown and assistant coaches Kenya Crandell and Warren Niles.
• Omaha was tabbed ninth in the Summit League Preseason Poll, while sophomore forward Frankie Fidler garnered Preseason All-Summit First Team honors.
• Omaha finished its 2021-22 campaign at the 5-25 mark. A 4-14 finish in the Summit League earned them a trip to the championship as the No. 8 seed where the Mavericks fell in the opening round to South Dakota State.
• Fidler takes home a preseason all-league nod following a stellar freshman season. He led the Mavericks in scoring with 12.9 points per game on 48.6 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from three-point range, and 82.4 percent from the foul line.
• The Bellevue, Nebraska native scored double-figures 19 times last season including two 30-point performances. Fidler dropped a career-high 37 points at North Dakota which was the most points scored in a game last year by a freshman. His 35 points vs. SDSU in the league quarterfinals was the second most by a freshman in tournament history.
• In addition to Fidler, Omaha returned five players from last year's roster. Akol Arop, La'Mel Robinson, Dylan Brougham, Kyle Luedtke, and Grant Frickenstein will play another season as Mavericks.
• Crutchfield added 10 new players, which includes five freshman and five transfers.
• Crutchfield enters his first season at the helm with a 10-9 overall coaching record. It marks his second season as a head coach and first with the Mavericks.

Scouting the Kansas Jayhawks
The Jayhawks put together a 34-6 campaign last season on their way to their sixth national championship in program history. Kansas enters the regular season ranked fifth in the AP top-25. It's the 11th consecutive season the Jayhawks enter the season ranked seventh or higher in the preseason poll.

Jalen Wilson returns as the team's leading scorer from last season. He was third on the 2021-22 squad with 11.1 ppg and grabbed a team-best 7.4 rebounds per game. Wilson was one of 20 players named to the 2023 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award Watch list. Wilson was also one of 20 players named to the 2023 NABC Division I Player of the Year Watch List.

Kevin McCullar earned similar honors to Wilson with a 2023 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award Watch List nod. The senior guard was a Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable mention and is a transfer from Texas Tech. He was a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year in 2021-22. Last season, McCullar averaged 10.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg, and led the team with 3.1 assists per game.

The Jayhawks are led by Bill Self. He's in his 19th season with a 556-124 record leading Kansas. Prior to the regular season opener, Self received a four-game suspension and will remain out vs. Omaha.

All-Time Against Kansas
Kansas leads the all-time series 2-0. The Mavericks last took on the Jayhawks in the 2020-21 season. No. 5 Kansas toppled Omaha, 95-50.