It finally happened!!! Omaha Men’s Basketball has finally punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament and won the Summit League Conference Basketball Tournament for the first time in Division I history. In 2011, the Omaha Mavericks moved from D-II to D-I and could not participate in any tournament until the 2015-2016 season. Since being eligible, there were a few seasons Omaha Men’s Basketball almost made it to the NCAA Tournament in 2017 where the game winning shot in the Summit League Finals was no good losing to South Dakota State and again in 2019 making it to the Summit League Finals losing to North Dakota State by 10. This season, Omaha got the #1 seed but needed to either win the Summit League Men’s Basketball Tournament or St Thomas win to get the auto bid for the NCAA Tournament.
In the Summit League Quarterfinal matchup against #8 seed Kansas City, Omaha got out to a fast start and led by 18 points in the first half. Omaha at one point was up 19 before their lead slipped to just seven points before a couple of clutch free throws by JJ White for Omaha to win 70-61. The defense was very strong in this game limiting Kansas City to 20-61 in made field goals. Marquel Sutton who is Summit League Player of the Year led Omaha with 28 points, JJ White with 14, Issac Ondekane with 10, Ja’Sean Glover with 10, Lance Waddles with 7, and Tony Osburn with 1 point.
In the Summit League Semifinals against #5 seed South Dakota, it was all Omaha. According to Gary Sharp the pxp radio commentator for Omaha Men’s Basketball, in his 12 years of calling Omaha Men’s Basketball, he had never seen such a dominant performance by Omaha. Omaha got got to a very fast start leading South Dakota 16-4 before opening the lead even further to 23-9 then all of a sudden 38-11 and 46-13. Omaha led South Dakota at the half 55-26 and South Dakota was the 4th highest scoring team in the nation. This got the pro South Dakota crowd in Sioux Falls extremely quiet and fans wanting to go to the concession line to buy a drink. In the second half, Omaha had such a big lead all the starters got pulled with over 8 minutes left to go in the game so they could rest up for the Championship Game the next day. Omaha ended up winning the game 100-75 earning their spot in the Summit League Championship game. Tony Osburn led the way with 30 points and was 8-9 from three point range, Marquel Sutton had 19 points, JJ White 14, Ja’Sean Glover 8, Issac Odekane, Josh Streit, and Grant Stubblefield each with 6, Kam Thomas with 3 points, Khamani Cooper, Pablo Soumare, Sebastian Perry, and Lincoln Palbicki each with two points. St Thomas ended up beating North Dakota later that evening 85-69 earning Omaha the Summit League auto bid into the NCAA Tournament.
Despite Omaha locking up the auto bid, more was to be played for the next day in the Summit League Championship Game. In the Summit League Championship Game, St Thomas got off to a 6-0 start before Omaha responding typing the game at 9 all. It was mostly a back and forth affair before Omaha getting out to an eight point lead at one point and led St Thomas by six points at the half 39-33. With 14 minutes left in the game, Omaha got out to a 15 point lead and St Thomas tried to come back numerous times but Omaha responded with baskets of their own. With two minutes left in the game, Omaha was only up by six points but St Thomas would miss the second free throw and Omaha got the rebound Marquel Sutton had two clutch free throws, St Thomas missing a three point basket and JJ White with a clutch layup sealed Omaha’s win. Omaha won the game 85-75 earning them the true undisputed champions of the Summit League both regular and postseason. JJ White had a total of 29 points, Marquel Sutton 22 points, Lance Waddles 15 points, Tony Osburn 8, Issac Odekane and Ja’Sean Glover each with four points, and Josh Streit with three points. We now await what happens on Selection Sunday at 5pm to see where Omaha is travelling to and who Omaha will be playing in the first round of NCAA March Madness.