#16 SBU BEARCATS (14-3, 5-2 MIAA) vs. NEBRASKA-OMAHA MAVERICKS (12-2, 5-2 MIAA)

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2010 • 7:30 PM
BOLIVAR, MO • MEYER SPORTS CENTER
LIVE STATS: www.sidearmstats.com/sbuniv/mbball
RADIO:  KBFL 99.9 FM  (Josh Thompson, play-by-play)
INTERNET AUDIO: www.radiospringfield.com/kbfl.aspx
VIDEO: www.b2livetv.com/partner_members.asp?id=296 (B2 networks pay-per-view)

SBU NOTES | UNO NOTES
   
BOLIVAR, Mo. -- The #16 SBU Bearcats will be tested as they look to extend the nation's second longest D-II home court winning streak Thursday night, when they host the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks. SBU is currently in a three-way tie for third place in the MIAA with Missouri Western and Nebraska-Omaha. With their win last Tuesday over Washburn, SBU extended their home court streak to 38 games which begain in February 2007. Findlay leads Division II with a 45-game home court streak. The Bearcats look to get back on track after Saturday's loss at league-leading Fort Hays. All three SBU losses this season have been road setbacks to nationally-ranked teams.
   
National Player of the Year candidate Matt Rogers is the center of focus for the Bearcats and their opponents, averaging 23.3 points per game, the most in the MIAA and ninth in the country. Rogers is also fourth on the MIAA rebounding list, with 7.7 boards every contest. With 59 blocks on the year, Rogers is fourth nationally (3.9 bpg), and has 37 more blocks than anyone else in the league. Rogers is also among the MIAA leaders in field goal percentage (57% - 3rd), free throw percentage (82% - 8th), and defensive rebounds (6.3 rpg - 2nd). Junior point guard Tomas Brock is third in the MIAA in assists per game (5.2), second in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.3) and tied for fourth in free throw percentage (84%).
    
Tristan Steele has led the Bearcats in scoring in three conference matchups this season, tallying 24 points at UCM, 22 points against Pitt State and 21 versus Washburn. Steele has a team-high 35 three-pointers on the season (10th in the MIAA), and is averaging 4.3 rebounds per game as well. Another player who has stepped up during the last month is junior forward Kurt Koenig. The Minnesota native is averaging 12.9 points per game (18th in MIAA), 5.3 rebounds per night and is hitting 45% from three-point range.
   
As a team the Bearcats are ninth nationally in scoring, seventh in three-point percentage and fifth in free-throw percentage. SBU also leads the MIAA in scoring (89.5 ppg) and free throw percentage (77.5%) and is third in three-point percentage (40.6%).

THE COACHES AND THE ALL-TIME SERIES
SBU head coach Jeff Guiot is in his sixth season in Bolivar, where he has led the Bearcats to a 121-46 (.725) record. Guiot has a 339-139 record overall, and has yet to suffer a losing season during his fifteen-year career. Guiot has won 20 games ten times, as well as eight conference titles, including three of the last four MIAA regular season championships while at SBU.
   
Derrin Hansen is in his fifth year as head coach of the Mavs, where he previously served as an assistant for seven seasons. Hansen has earned a career record of 81-52, which includes three winning seasons over the last four years, and an 11-9 conference record in UNO's opening season in the MIAA. In their final season as a member of the North Central Conference, Hansen led Omaha to the conference tournament title, as well as an appearance in the NCAA tournament.
   
The all-time series between the Bearcats and Mavericks began just last year, as UNO knocked off the 'Cats in Omaha, 88-84. SBU returned the favor in Bolivar with a 13-point victory later in early 2009.

SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS
The Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks were owners of a six-game winning streak before last Saturday, when they dropped a close four-point game to Central Missouri. Currently, the Mavs and 'Cats are in a three-way tie for third place in the MIAA along with Missouri Western. Guard Tyler Bullock is tied for fifth in the MIAA in scoring at 17.8 points per game and is sixth in free throw percentage (83.3%). Bullock (55.5% - 5th) is one of the leaders in the MIAA in field goal percentage. Dion Curry (12.5 ppg - 19th) and Jeff Martin (12.4 ppg - 20th) are also among the league's scoring leaders. Eugene Bain is fifth in rebounds (7.4). Andrew Bridger leads the MIAA in assists (6.5) and is tied for fourth in free throw percentage (84.0%, tied with Bearcat Tomas Brock). Martin is the MIAA leader in threes made (2.9). The Mavs are the third best scoring team (85.4 ppg) and second-best field goal shooting percentage squad (50.6%).
        
NEXT UP FOR THE SBU BEARCATS
SBU will head north for the last road trip of the month on Saturday, as they take on the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats. Northwest has struggled in conference play this season, but have turned things around as of late, winning three of their last four games, the sole loss coming on the road against Missouri Western by a narrow four-point margin. Senior guard Girod Adams is the green Bearcats leading scorer, averaging 17.8 points per game, tying him for fifth among the MIAA's leading scorers. Elijah Allen is not far behind, putting in 16.6 a game, ninth-most in the conference. The junior from Columbus, Ohio is also one of the league's most accurate shooters, and at 54.3%, ranks sixth in the MIAA. Freshman point guard DeShawn Cooper can be dangerous, averaging 4.5 assists each game, putting him just inside the conference's top five.