This season for Omaha has been one crazy and unpredictable season. Currently they are 14-17 and finished 6th in the Summit League with a 7-9 record just as what I predicted before the season started where they would finish. The Mavs have been in so many close games this season especially in conference play. In games decided by single digits this season in conference play Omaha is 4-6. With how crazy Summit League play is this season, Omaha could easily be in first place or in last place based on these results. Here is how Omaha has gotten to a 6 seed.
Omaha started off slow losing to a red hot Tommy Bruner (1st team Summit League) led Denver team at home 95-80 then defeated South Dakota on national tv 67-51 in a game where Frankie Fidler (1st team Summit League) was red hot. Omaha would then beat North Dakota 79-61 and North Dakota State in overtime 96-92 at home. These games showed who the Summit League player of the year was at the time of Frankie Fidler who in addition to scoring baskets, draws fouls and goes to the free throw line a ton and makes at least 85% of free throws.
A week later, things started to turn south for Omaha. In the first meeting against South Dakota State in Brookings, Omaha was down by as many as 14 and came storming back in the second half after a flagrant 1 foul was called by South Dakota State and had a chance to send the game into overtime. Omaha missed the game tying three and then would lose a close game to Kansas City after that at home. Omaha struggled against Oral Roberts shooting the three and lost a close one in Tulsa 74-67. Omaha would then face a hungover Denver team after beating South Dakota in multiple overtimes and blew out Denver 91-72. The Mavs would then face St Thomas at home and won a close game 69-65.
A week later is when injuries started piling for the Mavs. Omaha lost JaSean Glover to a season ending injury and could not stop North Dakota at all in Grand Forks losing 99-78. The next game, Omaha was down as many as 13 against North Dakota State and Tony Osburn suffered a hand injury that game. Omaha was down by 10 with 90 seconds to go only for North Dakota State to almost give the game away and Frankie Fidler had a chance to win the game at the buzzer but missed and Omaha lost by 2. A lack of depth came as Omaha was playing only a 7 man rotation but had no issues against South Dakota as the Mavs won 91-84.
In the game against South Dakota State, Omaha was down 11-0 to start the game only to take the lead and having a back and forth affair for a while. Omaha would then go up by 8 points then the lead evaporated quickly due to them being out rebounded, turning the ball over in crucial stages of the game, and a missed JJ White game winner which sent the game to overtime. This caused the mavericks to be gassed and lost to the Summit League Regular Season Champs 85-77.
The last home game Omaha played a tight matchup against Oral Roberts and hung on to win 71-70. In the game against Kansas City it was a back and forth affair during the entire game only for Omaha to turn the ball over late and Kansas City scoring the exclamation point basket and lost 63-58 causing a SportsCenter Scott Van Pelt Bad Beat segment to air of this game. In the game against St Thomas in St Paul, Omaha did not show up to the game at all. It felt like Omaha was intentionally playing to lose due to a potential rematch with St Thomas if they won based on seeding and could not make any basket offensively and St Thomas was red hot shooting the basketball.
As a result, Omaha got the 6 seed in Sioux Falls and will be taking on 3 seed North Dakota on Sunday at 830pm central time. The game will be televised on Midco Sports Network (in the Dakotas and Western Minnesota), The Summit League Network (available nationwide via streaming), and on Yurview Cox Channel 13 in the Omaha Metro Area. Omaha’s starting five is Frankie Fidler (junior forward), Nick Davis (senior forward), Jaeden Marshall (junior guard), JJ White (junior guard), and Marquel Sutton (junior forward). The other two players off the bench in the rotation are Grant Stubblefield (freshman guard) and Jamal Ambrose (freshman forward). The question will be on Sunday is Tony Osburn (sophomore guard) going to return to the roster or not. This could be a make or break for this team if Tony returns. It will also add depth to the roster for late game situations and overtime.
Both Omaha and North Dakota have split the regular season series and it will come down to which teams show up on Sunday night. North Dakota has a big three of their own senior guard Tyree Ihenacho, sophomore forward B.J. Omot (Summit League 1st team), and one of the most improved players in the Summit League sophomore guard Treysen Eaglestaff. This season North Dakota has had wild games and finishes as well. If North Dakota plays like they did against Nebrasketball back in December, it will be a very tough outing for the Mavs and a first round exit. If North Dakota plays like they did against Kansas City at home or at Pacific (one of the worst DI teams this season), Omaha has a shot at advancing or making a run in the Summit League Tournament. The game could come down to player decision making, coaching, free throws, foul trouble, turnovers, and rebounds late in the game.