OMAHA, Neb. - Riding their winningest start since 2012-2013, the Mavericks face the conference's favorites in week two of Summit League play at South Dakota State Thursday.

After meeting the Jackrabbits (12-3, 2-0) Thursday night in Brookings, South Dakota at 7 p.m. CT, the Mavericks travel to Vermillion to tip-off at the University of South Dakota (7-9, 1-1) Saturday at 1 p.m..

The Mavericks opened Summit League play with a 71-66 win over the University of North Dakota last Thursday. Their 9-5 record after 14 games has been topped only once since the 2011-2012 transition year (11-3 in 2012-2013). Reeling off seven straight wins in December before closing out the first half with an 8-5 mark, their top record at the close of non-league play in the school's DI Era. 

Both games can be heard on the Omaha Sports Network from Learfield via the Varsity Network app/website, and over the air on 1180 The Zone 2 (KZOT AM) Thursday and NewsTalk 1290 (KOIL AM) Saturday afternoon. All remaining Mavericks regular season games will be televised on the Summit League Network. 

In the conference opener against North Dakota at Baxter Arena, the Mavericks led by 22 points in the second half before the Fighting Hawks rallied late to narrow the margin in Omaha's 71-66 win. The Mavericks were led by senior transfer Ja Harvey with a career-high 24 points. Harvey was named Summit League Newcomer of the Month for the month of December.

At 9-5 after 14 games, the Mavericks are off to their best start since 2012-2013 (11-3). Omaha also started 9-5 in 2015-2016. The Mavericks have already surpassed their wins total from last season.

Omaha women's basketball equaled their longest winning streak in 19 seasons in the month of December before falling to 10th ranked Oklahoma to close out the non-conference portion of the schedule. Prior to Oklahoma, the Mavs reeled off seven straight wins, equaling the longest run of Omaha's NCAA D-I Era. Omaha's eight wins in the first half equal the most going into conference play since Omaha began formally competing for the Summit League crown (2012-2013). In the pre-conference portion of the schedule, Omaha went 8-4 in 2017-2018, 8-6 in 2013-2014 and 8-2 in 2012-2013. 

• Ja Harvey's impact on the Mavericks women's basketball team is gaining regional and national attention, as the senior from San Diego was named Summit League Peak Newcomer of the Month for December. Harvey's story is one of commitment and desire, and the 27-year-old has been integral in leading the Mavericks to their second-best 14 game start in the school's Division I Era at 9-5.

• Since Harvey joined the starting lineup, the Mavericks have lost just once, including a seven-game winning streak. The senior transfer scored double digits in each December game, leading the team in scoring three times, averaging a team-best 16.2 ppg during that span. In December, she led her team in points, ppg, field goals made and three pointers made, steals and minutes played while sinking 19 of 20 free throws.

• The Mavericks are 8-1 since Harvey entered the starting lineup. The 27-year-old Army National Guard Specialist has scored in double figures in eight of nine starts (9 of 10 overall) including a career high 24 points against UND, following a 21 point effort at 10th ranked Oklahoma. The 24 points against North Dakota is the team's best this season.

• Against Bellevue University, Omaha senior Grace Cave surpassed the 1,000 point plateau for her Mavericks career, the 29th in school history. With 1,025 career points, she passed Tanya Hames (1,003, 1999-2003) and moved into 21st in all-time Omaha scoring. Most impressively, Cave is the fourth to do so exclusively in the Omaha DI Era (Mikaela Shaw, 1,809 points, 2013-2017; Aaliyah Stanley (1,204, 2021-2024; Elena Pilaskouta, 1,201, 2018-2023). 

• The senior from Weeping Willow leads the Mavericks in scoring with 13.5 ppg (4.7 rpg, 3.7 apg, 2.0 spg, team co-leader with 4 bs). Senior transfer Ja Harvey is second on the team with 13.3 ppg (3.2 rpg, 3.0 apg, team-leading 2.08 spg). Sophomore Cora Olsen is third in scoring (9.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg).

• Omaha is fourth in the Summit League in three-point shooting percentage (31.6%) and third in three-point percentage defense (29.1%). Cave leads the team in threes made (18-57, 32%), followed by fifth-year Katie Keitges (13-46, 28%) and sophomore Ali Stephens (11-30, 37%). Harvey leads the team in three-point percentage (9-23, 39%).

• Omaha's defense turned up the pressure during the winning streak and has maintained the stop-focused personality. For the season the Mavs lead Summit League teams with 20.21 forced turnovers per game, ranking 54th nationally. Cave has a team-leading 26 steals, followed by Harvey with 25 for a team-leading average of 2.1 spg. Harvey and Cave are third and fourth in the league respectively in steals per game.

• Omaha's 26.6 bench points per game stands second in the Summit League (ORU - 28.6 ppg) and ranks 47th in the nation (South Carolina - 42.7 ppg). Senior transfer Aaliyah Moore, who also has started 6 games, is the most productive with 5.6 points and 4.8 rebounds, playing 16.6 minutes per game. Sophomore Alana Powell averages 5.1 points with 13 assists playing 12.7 mpg exclusively off the bench. Powell's half-court buzzer-beater to close out the third quarter against Bellevue was featured on the ESPN SportsCenter Top Ten plays at number three after the win.

• The Mavericks have been making the most of their freebies, with Harvey pacing the action  from the charity stripe, 88.6% (33rd in NCAA DI). Omaha's 74.3% FT mark is third-best in the Summit League and ranks 69th nationally. Grace Cave is 8th in the league (82%) and Cora Olsen is 10th, leading the team in attempts and makes (43-54, 79.6%).

• Several Mavericks are moving up in the record book, particularly stats relating to the school's transition into NCAA Division I beginning in 2011, reflecting only players whose entire career has been in the DI Era. 

• Grace Cave: In addition to her climb in career points, Grace is 21 shy of becoming just the second playing exclusively in the DI Era to reach 300 assists for Omaha (Mikaela Shaw, 314 assists, 2013-2017). She has 111 career three-pointers, ranking 5th in the Mavs DI Era. Both Cave and Katie Keitges are within striking distance of the school's all-time career three pointers made top 10.

• Katie Keitges: With 107 career 3-pters, Katie is 33 shy of the top 10 in school history, and sixth place in DI Era. With 3 threes against Wisconsin, she became the fourth in the DI Era to reach 100 3-pters.  Her 55 three-pters made in 2023-2024 rank seventh in the DI Era and 11th all-time.

• The Omaha women's basketball games between the Mavericks and Oral Roberts University will now be played one day earlier than originally scheduled. The Summit League game in Tulsa will now be played Wednesday, January 9th at 7 p.m. CT in the Mabee Center. Omaha's home game will now be played Wednesday, February 12th at 7 p.m. CT in Baxter Arena. The games were originally scheduled to be played one day later. 

• The Mavericks return to Baxter Arena for two games next week, Thursday at 7:00 p.m. CT versus North Dakota State and Saturday at 2:00 p.m. against St. Thomas. Tickets for all Omaha home games are available at omavs.com/tix.

LOOKING AT THE JACKS
• This is the 85th meeting between Omaha and South Dakota State University, dating back to the 1977.  The Jackrabbits have claimed the last eight matchups and the Mavericks have won just twice since joining the Summit League and transitioning to NCAA DI.
• Omaha's last win in the series came in the quarterfinals of the Summit League tournament, March 6, 2021. The Mavericks downed the top-seeded #21 Jackrabbits in Sioux Falls 52--40, Omaha's first win over a Top 25 opponent in school history. 
• South Dakota State has dropped out of the AP Top 25 poll, but are receiving votes in the USA Today/Coaches Poll  and rank second in the College Insider Mid-Major Poll. 
• They have claimed four straight Summit League titles, and the Jackrabbits were picked to repeat at the top of the Summit League preseason poll. Reigning Summit League Player of the Year Brooklyn Meyer was named the Preseason Player of the Year and is joined on the preseason first team by Paige Meyer (no relation). Haleigh Timmer was a preseason second team selection.
• The Jacks enter the weekend with a 12-3 overall record and 2-0 mark in Summit League action. SDSU is the only team that picked up two wins in the opening week of conference play. The Jacks are coming off a 79-42 win at Denver during which the team shot better than 60% from the field and had two players score at least 20 points, Brooklyn Meyer (21) and Madison Mathiowetz (20).
• SDSU has won 49 straight Summit League regular season games and 42 consecutive games against Summit League opponents (including postseason contests). The Jackrabbits are 67-1 in the Summit League regular season dating back to the beginning of the 2020-21 season.
• Aaron Johnston is in his 25th season as SDSU head coach and ranks 15th among NCAA DI coaches with 610 career wins (610-194). 

LOOKING AT USD LISTEN/WATCH/FOLLOW
Omaha games can be heard on the Omaha Sports Network from Learfield via the Varsity Network app/website, and over the air on 1180 The Zone 2 (KZOT AM) Thursday and NewsTalk 1290 (KOIL AM) Saturday afternoon. All remaining Mavericks regular season games will be televised on the Summit League Network. Brent Weber handles the play-by-play for the Mavericks. The FNBO Pregame Show begins 15:00 prior to tip-off, however, due to scheduling conflicts there will be no pregame show for the USD broadcast Saturday. All remaining games will be televised on the Summit League Network. 

Connect with Omaha women's basketball on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram, @OmahaWBB.

Links are available on the OMavs.com schedule page. Tickets are available for all Mavericks home games at OMavs.com/tix.