Preview: Omaha hosts Bradley on Kids Day at Sapp Fieldhouse

Game time: 12 PM CT

Location: Sapp Fieldhouse, Omaha, NE

Watch: Live Stream

HuskerGeek Rankings:
Omaha: 312
Bradley: 121

Scouting Omaha

Omaha comes into the game with a 5-4 record, with most wins coming over the bottom of the Division 1 pool. Their defense, and ability to slow the game down, look to be their strong suits.

Omaha ranks 42nd nationally allowing just 55.8 PPG. Conversely, they rank 264th nationally averaging just 59.9 PPG themselves. Omaha is led in scoring by junior guard Rayanna Carter (10.2 PPG), but look for sophomore guard Claire Killian to try to find as many open looks from long distance as possible. Killian is shooting a team-low 20% from beyond the arc, but is leading the team in attempts from long range.

Freshmen power duo Elena Pilakouta and Josie Filer lead the team in rebounding, but a total team effort in attacking the glass contributes to Omaha's +5.4 rebounding margin. Seven players on the roster average 2.9+ rebounds per game.

Omaha is a point-by-committee roster, with six players recording more than 10 assists so far this season, led by forward Elena Pilakouta's 22. Additionally, everyone is contributing in the paint, with four players recording 5+ blocks so far this season.

Look for Omaha to hope this game stays in the 50's in order to come out on top.

Scouting Bradley

Bradley enters today's game as one of 18 remaining unbeaten teams in NCAA Division 1. The Braves find their success at a much faster pace than Omaha, ranking 59th nationally at 75.6 PPG.

They are led by an impressive duo of freshman Lasha Petree (16.7 PPG) and sophomore Gabi Haack (16.4 PPG). The two account for 36 of Bradley's 42 made 3-pointers this season. The Braves will try to play up tempo and get Omaha's bigs either in foul trouble, or off the floor for a breather.

Bradley's strength of schedule has been weak so far, and Omaha is not exactly an exception.

How to Win

Omaha MUST slow the game down. They do not have the transition speed to keep up with Bradley. Extended possessions, offensive rebounds, and limiting the damage from long range will keep Omaha in this game. Second chance points are a must.

Bradley will win if they get to 65 points. Any pace will prevent Omaha's young players from getting settled into defense, creating open looks from long range as well as lanes to the basket. In two fewer games, Bradley has attempted 27 more free throws, and is shooting significantly better from the field.

Prediction: Bradley 72-58

Mavericks Sweep Jackrabbits, prepare for Coyotes

A balanced attack helped lead the Omaha Mavericks past the South Dakota State Jackrabbits 25-21, 25-18, 25-21 Friday night at the Sapp Fieldhouse.

"It's been a trademark of ours this entire year to have multiple hitters that are doing well and we try to spread the love as much as possible," said Coach Shires after the game. "I think that needs to continue for us to be successful."

Sophomores Isabella Sade and Anna Blaschko hit an identical .571 with 9 kills on 14 swings. Freshman Sadie Limback led the Mavericks with 13 kills hitting .524 on 21 swings. Freshman setter Sydney Case had her hand in 42 total points, recording two assisted blocks and a kill to go along with her game-high 39 assists.

Freshman Sadie Limback paced the Mavs with 13 kills.

South Dakota State (4-21, 1-11) never let Omaha pull away, and had a three point lead late in the third set. The Jacks were led by junior Makenzie Hennen, who recorded a game-high 14 kills on 31 swings, troubling Omaha all night.

"[South Dakota State] hasn't won a lot of games, but they're a team that comes at you and comes at you. I don't think that there was one time where I felt that they were giving in. We just had to stay mentally tough."

Makenzie Hennen led both teams with 14 kills.

Due to the Mavericks hockey game being played at the usual home, Baxter Arena, the volleyball match was moved to the much more intimate Sapp Fieldhouse. Despite a below-average attendance of 355, the packed-in crowd was on top of the game all evening.

"It is tremendous home court advantage playing at the Sapp." -Omaha Head Coach Rose Shires

"I love playing at the Sapp. Baxter is a phenomenal facility, but the crowd is so involved, right on top of the court, and it is a tremendous home court advantage playing at the Sapp."


Freshmen are Key

The Freshmen duo of setter Sydney Case and OH Sadie Limback are absolutely dynamic. In the front row they connected with each other about 20 times, and their serving styles complement each other perfectly. Case prefers methodical location to potentially pull a setter out of system; Limback prefers to hammer the ball as hard as physically possible and force serve-receive to react appropriately.

A for Effort

South Dakota State brought a very small bench to the game. While Omaha has 17 total players on their roster, SDSU brought just 16 people to Omaha in total, including 12 players and 4 coaches. Three of the six players on the SDSU bench were assigned to holding clipboards.

Despite the numbers, SDSU fought hard all match, and Omaha was never able to completely pull away in any set.

Looking Ahead

The Mavericks are set to host the South Dakota Coyotes Sunday afternoon, in a match up that will have important seeding implications for the Summit League tournament in Denver. Both teams are tied at 10-3 overall in the conference with just 3 games remaining.

"South Dakota is really playing well. [Second place in the standings] is very important to us, and we're going to have to block very well."

The match for Omaha's senior day Sunday afternoon is set for 1 PM Central Time in Baxter Arena.

Reporting on Creighton, October 27, 2018

Approximately 30 games populate my list of college basketball games to cover this season. This past Saturday, while being only the second of the year, may just be the biggest.

The Creighton men's basketball program ranked 5th nationally in attendance last season, behind Kentucky, Syracuse, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. For that reason I never even considered requesting media credentials last year, but seeing as my personal schedule was open for the evening, I decided to give this exhibition a shot.

I've covered local teams plenty now: Creighton women's basketball, Omaha Mavericks men's and women's basketball, Omaha volleyball, and NAIA College of Saint Mary women's basketball. I hoped that having covered Creighton before may help.

On game day, I had to sprint from a basketball game I was coaching to get to the arena in time for the game. I've been to the CHI Health Center a hundred times, but never underneath, so I had no clue where I was going. I had to ask staff every hundred feet or so if my pass was supposed to let me go this direction.

I found my way to the media room and grabbed a few slices of pizza and a soda and got to work on the Live Blog on Reddit.

I also walked out to the arena floor, trying to look casual while seeing if I was given a spot at the media table. Fortunately they gave me one.

The atmosphere on the floor is just something else. I'm used to sitting a decent distance up and looking down on the players in the CHI Health Center, but looking up at the crowd (listed favorably as 15,804) was quite spectacular.

The location of the post-game press conference is in a different location, down a different hallway from the media room.

After the conference I had to walk out through the crowd of Winona State parents and fans greeting their players, which offered me an opportunity to say hi to a player I know personally who is from Omaha.

Also, here is an additional picture of me and my dad with Coach Greg McDermott on their trip to North Texas while I was a graduate manager there. UNT won 62-58 to start a nine game losing streak for the Blue Jays.

Cold Shooting, Sydney Mortensen Conspire to Sink Flames

A hot start by Kansas Wesleyan deflated the College of Saint Mary Flames early, and the Coyotes cruised to a 79-63 win at the Lied Fitness Center Friday afternoon.

A stifling press and an effective inside-out game caught the Flames off guard early and put them in a whole from which they could not recover. KWU senior Sydney Mortensen shot a red hot 4 of 6 from long range in the first half as the Coyotes built a commanding 42-22 lead, despite committing more turnovers in the half (11 to CSM's 8).

Freshman Veronica Kobza was the lone bright spot in the first half for the Flames, leading the team at the break with 10 points and providing respite from free throw woes, hitting all 3 of her freebies.

The tide turned a bit coming out of half time, with the Flames pushing tempo, and junior Lynsey Curran igniting her offense with 9 points in a span of just a few minutes. Curran finished the day leading the Flames in points with 14, all of which came in the second half. At several points throughout the 3rd period, the lead was cut to just twelve, breathing life into the bench and the crowd, but KWU's Sydney Mortensen was there to kill runs every step of the way.

CSM's Lynsey Curran scored all 14 of her points in the 2nd half

Mortensen finished the day with 23 points thanks to 7-for-11 shooting from long range.

I See You

Flames Freshman Veronica Kobza provided some much needed depth, recording 26 minutes off the bench for a team that is almost exclusively run by the senior class.

Sydney Mortensen was left open most of the day, contributing to her 23 point effort.

KWU's Sydney Mortensen led all scorers with 23 points

Injury Report

Flames junior Alleigh Gates fell hard in the 3rd quarter, landing on her head. She did not return to the game after that.


Up Next

CSM takes a short road trip to face Bellevue University just a few miles south of campus on Monday.

KWU will have their first home game of the season on Tuesday as they host #13 Hasting College.

College of Saint Mary to host Kansas Wesleyan Friday Afternoon

Game Info

Where: Lied Fitness Center, Omaha, NE
When: 2 PM CT, Friday, October 26
Watch: Live Stream available at tip-off

The College of Saint Mary Flames hit the ground running to start their NAIA season, the first under new head coach Kirk Walker. Friday's game against Kansas Wesleyan will be the Flames' second game in as many days, having dropped their season opener to Bethany College Thursday evening.

The Flames have four games scheduled in the first 7 days of the season as the get themselves prepared for a long year in the GPAC. Twelve games scheduled this year are against GPAC opponents ranked in the top 16 nationally at the NAIA Division 2 level, with four contests total against the top two: Concordia (NE) and Dakota Wesleyan. The 22-game conference slate begins November 7 at #11 Morningside.

Thursday's game was a tough battle that ended in a 64-59 loss to Bethany.

Scouting CSM

The Flames are absolutely loaded with experience. Nine seniors, four juniors, and a single freshman make up the CSM roster. There is certainly hope that CSM can capitalize on that experience this season and see more success than their 5-25 2017-18 campaign.

It was a team effort that kept the game close against (Received Votes) Bethany College; Ashley Nelson led the team with 4 steals, Corryne Millet led the team with 15 points, and the Flames forced 27 total turnovers on the day to make up for being out-rebounded 37-23.

Scouting KWU

The Coyotes dropped a 67-55 decision to perennial GPAC cellar-dweller Doane Thursday night in Crete, NE. The victory for Doane snapped a seven game losing streak dating back to last season. The Coyotes sport a 25-player roster, and it is too early to tell how many make the trip to Omaha.

Accepting the Challenge

College of Saint Mary has an absolutely brutal schedule this year. Along with 12 conference games against ranked foes, the Flames will play (RV) Bethany College, (RV) Bellevue University, NCAA Division 2 Northwest Missouri State, NCAA Division 1 South Dakota, and NCAA Division 2 Nebraska Wesleyan.

Seventeen of the 31 games on their schedule are against either ranked, receiving votes, or NCAA programs, with the only true respite coming on Halloween against NCCAA foe Nebraska Christian, whom the Flames crushed 78-41 last season.

Mavericks Use 4th Set Rally to Defeat North Dakota 3-1

In a game of new versus old, the freshmen on the Omaha Mavericks squad outlasted the powerful senior hitter Jordan Vail to defeat the Fighting Hawks 3-1 at Baxter Arena Friday night in front of the largest crowd of the season.

"[Vail] jumps high and it was hard to time the block, but by the end of the game we shut her down pretty well" said freshman Sadie Limback after the game.

"Early North Dakota set her high, and she clearly has the better jump," said Omaha head coach Rose Shires, "We did a good job of serving to [get North Dakota] serving lower. She is a phenomenal athlete, we can only jump as high as we can jump against her, but our serving was the key."

North Dakota senior Jordan Vail challenged Omaha all night, with 16 kills on .333 hitting

Omaha freshman Sadie Limback was the favorite target for freshman setter Sydney Case, registering a team high 16 kills on 44 swings. Case did her part in spreading the ball out; four Mavericks finished the evening with 12+ kills. "We like to have Sadie involved in the offense, I think it's a very good connection that Sydney and Sadie have," said Shires. 

Omaha overcame a sloppy 2nd set in which they dropped a 25-20 decision. Both teams failed to build momentum throughout the set, with 14 ties and 9 lead changes. North Dakota capitalized on errors down the stretch in a 6-1 run to end the set.

Freshman Sadie Limback led the Mavs in kills (16) and service errors (5)

Omaha responded by coming out of the break on fire, jumping out to an early 5-0 lead and cruising to a 25-11 victory in the 3rd set. 

The Mavericks jumped out to an early lead once again in the 4th set, leading 15-9 before getting outscored 16-5 and facing three set points down 24-21. North Dakota failed to convert on five set-points, allowing Omaha to claw back one last time and win the match with a 28-26 win.

The listed attendance of 731 is the largest home crowd of the season, and the third largest crowd to watch Omaha play this season. Omaha Head Coach Rose Shires was very proud of the crowd and the noise they brought in big moments. "The players feed off of it and responded well to the crowd tonight," said Shires after the game.

Omaha's Rose Shires recently picked up her 500th career victory

Omaha improves to 10-7, 5-0 Summit. North Dakota falls to 12-9, 4-2. Omaha also remains unbeaten at 6-0 in home games this season.

Quick Hits

North Dakota freshman libero Taliyah Flores returned home to a loud ovation. The Omaha native graduated from Papillion-La Vista South High School.

Omaha freshman Kenzie Michalek is from rival high school Papillion-La Vista, and it may just have been part of the system, but I noticed Flores serving at Michalek every chance she got.

UND Freshman Taliyah Flores was one of seven Omaha-area natives between the two teams 

Omaha's Sydney Case recorded 50+ assists for the 7th time this season. Her 55 assists tonight were good for a 13.75 assists per set average.

Omaha will next visit South Dakota on Friday, October 12. North Dakota's next match will be a home game against Summit League favorite Denver on Sunday.

When NAIA meets NCAA: XULA set to host North Texas and Auburn

It's not all too uncommon to see NCAA Division 1 schools host NAIA opponents in exhibitions, early season tune-ups, or even to fill the Winter Break Gap between the non-conference season and the start of conference play.

Rare though, is an NAIA team hosting an NCAA Division 1 opponent, but it happens. Rarer still, hosting a P5 opponent.

Enter Xavier University of Louisiana. 

XULA is an NAIA Division 1 school participating in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference

A 3-mile walk from the French Quarter, XULA boasts 3,000 students. Compare that to two NCAA Division 1 teams they are hosting this year: Auburn (30,000) and North Texas (38,000).

A few years ago, Grambling State men's basketball visited USCAA Mid-Atlantic Christian University in a chin-scratching matchup, an 85-36 breeze in an exception that proved the rule: NCAA Division 1 rarely ventures into smaller ponds. So what made the XULA women's basketball program special? The Gold Nuggets will face four total Division 1 opponents: UNT and Auburn at home, and Southeastern Louisiana and Louisiana-Lafayette on the road.

I reached out for comment from XULA's Head Coach Bo Browder, as well as UNT's Sports Information Director Luke Della and Associate Head Coach Bobby Brasel. 

XULA Coach Bo Browder on scheduling 4 NCAA Division 1 teams this year: 

"We love taking on quality teams. We love competing against some of the best teams in the country. We were blessed to get four games against DIs this season. One year we won at Tulane, UNO and Nicholls (2004-05), and after that our chances to get DIs dried up pretty good for a while."

That 2004-05 season, the Gold Nuggets finished with a 29-5 record and lost to Cumberland in the opening round of the NAIA National Tournament.

Bo Browder is entering his 20th season leading the Gold Nuggets

So how did they land Auburn and North Texas this year?

XULA assistant Tarniesha Scott has known Auburn assistant Adrian Walters, which helped when Auburn was looking to fill a hole in their 2017-18 schedule.

"[Auburn] needed to fill a spot," said Coach Browder, "We helped them out and they promised to play a second game at our place this season."

At North Texas, guard Terriell Bradley is entering her Redshirt Senior season. Bradley is from New Orleans, and Head Coach Jalie Mitchell was looking for an opportunity to find a game for Bradley in her home town, according to UNT's Luke Della.

"Every year coach Mitchell likes playing road games in cities where some of our out of state student athletes come from. For example, last year we went to Chicago where Tosin Mabodu was from and then to Eastern Illinois, which is kind of close to where another player was from. They talked to all the schools in the New Orleans area and XULA was the one that worked best for scheduling."

"They checked all the DIs in the area, but no one was interested," said Browder, "Then they called us. We were happy to help. We'll play a second game at North Texas next season."

"Remember what Southern Miss used to say about their football program? Anyone, anywhere, any time. That's us, too, because we love good competition."

XULA begins their season with four home games, and host the Xavier Classic on November 2nd and 3rd.

Creighton’s Non-Conference Schedule is a Regional Showcase

The Creighton Bluejays released their non-conference slate this week, and it leans heavily on regional talent. Head Coach Jim Flanery takes the lead with scheduling. “I try to play almost all regional games and then take one warm-weather trip,” Flanery stated in an AMA on Reddit last season, “I want to be fiscally responsible but provide that one really nice trip for players.”

Jays Head Coach Jim Flanery enters is 17th season leading the Bluejays.

This season is certainly showcasing the regional flavor. Let’s have a look at the non-conference opponents:

Nebraska-Kearney Lopers (D2, Exhibition)

2017-18 Record: 21-7 (13-6 MIAA)

Series: UNK leads 6-4

About the Lopers: UNK is coming off their best record in a decade, finishing the year 21-7, but ending in a first-round exit in the MIAA conference tournament. The Lopers will have to resupply their roster, after losing their top 3 scorers from last season.

The last official game between Creighton and UNK came in 1984, a 79-48 Bluejay victory. The fewest points ever scored in a home game by Creighton was 25, in a 38-25 loss to UNK in 1974.

South Dakota Coyotes

2017-18 Record: 29-7 (14-0 Summit)

Postseason: WNIT Quarterfinals

Series: Creighton leads 12-11

About the Yotes: South Dakota has hardly missed a beat since Head Coach Amy Williams left for Nebraska after winning a WNIT championship in 2016. Dawn Plitzuweit is 52-16 in two seasons, finishing an undefeated 14-0 in conference play last season. South Dakota will be looking for more this year as the Summit League battles to be a 2-bid conference in March.

This game is a return trip after Creighton visited last season, a 73-68 victory for South Dakota in Vermillion. The Yotes return 4 starters, as well as their top three scorers for the 2018-19 campaign.

North Dakota State Bison

2017-18 Record: 9-20 (2-12 Summit)

Series: Creighton leads 8-1

About the Bison: NDSU is not a particularly strong program, with their lone win over the Bluejays coming in 2005 on a night in Albuquerque, NM. The last 10+ win season for NDSU was 2014-15. The last season with a winning record was 2009-10.

South Dakota State Jackrabbits

2017-18 Record: 26-7 (12-2 Summit)

Postseason: NCAA 1^st Round

Series: Creighton leads 7-3

About the Jacks: SDSU is coming off its 3^rd NCAA Tournament bid in 4 seasons, and it took an upset over South Dakota to get there. Creighton topped SDSU earlier in the year72-65 in Omaha.

The Jacks will be dangerous once again this year as they return 5 of their top 6 scorers, led by senior Macy Miller.

Northern Iowa Panthers

2017-18 Record: 19-14 (13-5 Missouri Valley)

Postseason: WNIT 1^st Round

Series: Creighton leads 38-17

About the Panthers: UNI has qualified for 4 consecutive postseasons, including an NCAA Tournament bid in 2017. Last season the Panthers fell in the MVC Championship Game to Drake.

This is a return game for UNI and Creighton; the Bluejays defeated the Panthers 89-78 in 2OT in Omaha last season. The Panthers are equipped for another great season, returning 4 starters including team MVP Megan Maahs.

Drake Bulldogs

2017-18 Record: 26-8 (18-0 Missouri Valley)

Postseason: NCAA 1^st Round

Series: Drake leads 38-27

About the Bulldogs: Since becoming regular conference opponents in 1993, the series has been a much tighter 28-27 Drake lead, highlighted by the 4 OT marathon last year in Des Moines, in which Creighton finished on top 108-100. The Bulldogs didn’t let that setback slow them down as they dominated their way through the Valley en route to an NCAA Tournament berth.

The Bulldogs are geared for another run, as they return 10 of 11 players that saw action, including their top 9 scorers. They will be led by their 6-foot scoring duo Becca Hittner and Sara Rhine; the two combined for 30 points and 10 rebounds per game.

Nebraska Cornhuskers

2017-18 Record: 21-11 (11-5 Big Ten)

Postseason: NCAA 1^st Round

Series: Nebraska leads 30-13

About the Huskers: The ship was quickly righted coming off the worst season in program history; Amy Williams led the Huskers to a 3^rd place tie in the Big Ten standings in her second season. Last season, Creighton picked up just their second road win over Nebraska in series history in a 64-49 victory. The previous road win came in 1993.

Nebraska returns their top five scorers from last season, led by junior Hannah Whitish, who led the team in scoring (12.6 PPG), steals (41), and assists (150).

Omaha Mavericks

2017-18 Record: 12-16 (3-11 Summit)

Series: Omaha leads 15-13

About the Mavericks: Omaha is still looking to establish themselves in their new home in Division 1, with a sprinkling of great wins and tough losses. The highs include wins over South Dakota, South Dakota State, and Northern Iowa in the past two seasons, which are offset by their 3-11 finish in conference play.

The Mavericks are hitting a hard-reset this year, losing their top four scorers. Amber Vidal, who led the team in points and assists, transferred to Lamar for her senior season. Sophomore Claire Killian will have to spearhead the offense this season.

Wichita State Shockers

2017-18 Record: 14-17 (9-7 American)

Series: Creighton leads 34-25

About the Shockers: Wichita State had quite the roller coaster of a season under first-year Head Coach Keitha Adams. Respectable efforts against Tennessee and Illinois and a win against South Florida were offset by baffling games such as a nail-biting escape from hapless Chicago State at home, and a game in which UConn scored almost as many points in the first quarter (41) as the Shockers scored in 40 minutes (43).

The Shockers must replace almost everything they had from last season; they have 9 freshman and two JuCo transfers on their roster this year.

Florida State Seminoles

2017-18 Record: 26-7 (12-4 ACC)

Postseason: NCAA 2^nd Round

Series: Florida State leads 1-0

About the Seminoles: The Seminoles were shocked by the 2^nd best team in the MAC when they got bounced 86-65 by Buffalo in the 2^nd round of the NCAA Tournament. Florida State must replace all five starters, including their top 3 scorers from last season.

This game is a return trip for Creighton; the Jays hosted Florida State last season, a 92-82 Seminole victory.

South Florida Bulls *Sunshine Classic*

2017-18 Record: 26-8 (13-3 American)

Postseason: NCAA 1^st Round

Series: Creighton leads 1-0

About the Bulls: South Florida was the first victim of Buffalo Uprising in the NCAA tournament, falling 102-79 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Bulls will have some key pieces to replace, but will build around senior scoring leader Kitija Laksa.

Vanderbilt Commodores *Sunshine Classic*

2017-18 Record: 7-24 (3-13 SEC)

Series: Vanderbilt leads 1-0

About the Commodores: Success feels like it was so long ago for the Commodores. Vanderbilt is coming of their worst season in program history; the only season in which they’ve ever won fewer than 11 games. Head Coach Stephanie White hopes to right the ship in her 3^rd season.

The Other Side of Division 1 Baseball

Omaha, NE – Less than ten miles from TD Ameritrade Park, home of the College World Series, sits a public park named for the local politician Seymour Smith. Between the constant cracks of the skeet shooting range and the disc golf course sits a baseball stadium that is home to the Omaha Mavericks. The Mavericks have been a member of NCAA Division 1 since 2012, and claim Summit League Regular Season Championships in 2013 and 2014. The signs hang prominently on the backstops of the bullpens.

The stadium looks reasonably equipped for a high school Legion Ball game. Past the dugouts was roped off for the players’ equipment bags, and the field technically offers batting cages and mounds for both teams to warmup.

I walked up to the gates about 30 minutes before first pitch expecting to be stopped to pay. Nobody was there. The scoreboard in left field was being configured as I approached. I looked around and counted four total people that were obvious fans, and a dozen or so that were obviously required to be there. I head over to the concession stand which has multiple signs indicating it was open; good news!

“Last season they wouldn’t even let us use the scoreboard,” said the gentleman manning the modest concession stand under the press box. “Occasionally I would walk out to check the score, and the fans didn’t couldn’t even tell me what inning it was. One night after about an hour in silence I checked to see how the game was going only to find everyone had already left, the stadium was empty.” I bought a hotdog as a token entrance fee to the game.

The temperature never cracks 40 and a stifling wind coming in from left chilled the players and fans to the bone. Between innings I walked off to the bathroom to provide score updates. The bathroom provided the only real shelter from the cold; it had a very small space heater going on full blast. A few dogwalkers would stop by throughout the game to see how it was going.

Omaha picked up an early lead thanks to a leadoff double in the first and an RBI-groundout. Oral Roberts tied in the second and took the lead in the 3^rd thanks to a two-out error on Omaha third baseman Cole Thibodeau. When it was ORU’s turn to bat, a handful of their players would come into the bathroom, primarily to warm up. Occasionally both teams would have players warming up in the communal bathroom.

Between innings the PA announcer would come on to remind everyone that Omaha will face Oral Roberts again Sunday, and “Sundays are free at the ballpark, so bring your family!” I turned to the heavily bundled man next to me and asked “were we supposed to pay to get in today?”

“I don’t know, I didn’t. Probably too cold.”

Omaha picked up four runs in the bottom of the 6^th, all of which can be blamed on cold-induced fielding errors, even those that were ruled hits. Three more in the bottom of the 8^th made up the final 8-2 score.

The final attendance was listed at 103 on the box score, which when you include staff and players sounds accurate enough to have been hand-counted by one person. I hand-counted 53 spectators and 3 dogs.

I walked back to my car with my extremities still intact, after bidding farewell to my single-serving friends. A high of 46 degrees is listed for the Sunday as the Mavs look to stay unbeaten in conference play. Perhaps the warm weather will entice a larger crowd.

College of Saint Mary Parts Ways with Head Coach

The College of Saint Mary Flames have parted ways with Head Coach Jesse Flanagan after three seasons.

The Flames finished the 2017-18 campaign with a 5-25 (2-18 GPAC) record. Coach Flanagan finished with a 28-61 overall record leading the Flames.

The College of Saint Mary failed in the past two seasons to compete in arguably the toughest conference in NAIA Division 2, with ten conference games against opponents ranked in the top 20 nationally, highlighted by Concordia (NE), who is currently ranked 2nd nationally after spending time at #1.

The Flames picked up just 4 conference wins in the past two seasons.

College of Saint Mary hosts Nebraska Christian in Final Non-Conference Matchup

Who: College of Saint Mary Flames (3-23) vs. Nebraska Christian Sentinels (12-13)

When: 6 PM Friday, February 9

Where: Lied Fitness Center, Omaha, NE

Watch: Live Stream Available at Tip-Off



The CSM Flames of NAIA D2 play host to the Nebraska Christian Sentinels of NCCAA Division 1. The Flames are coming in on a 5 game losing streak, with their last victory coming over NCCAA Division 2 foe Grace University. Their last game was an 80-65 setback to GPAC opponent Midland University. The Flames played close in the first half, but Midland used a dominant 3rd quarter to pull away. The Flames utilized their inside game to keep pace with Midland, but they will have to change their game plan for today.

Nebraska Christian comes into the game after dropping two straight, but they have been without one of their top scorers in Alexis Frondarina. Kayla Bloodworth, the 6'3" junior from Oxford, MS, has recorded a staggering 175 blocks in 24 games for an average of 7.3 blocks per game. That average leads the nation at all levels of play, men or women, NCAA, NAIA, NCCAA, USCAA. Bloodworth is averaging 16.9 PPG and 15.0 rebounds per game, as well. She has recorded 5 triple-doubles this year, and likely has a few blocks that did not go recorded due to small college stat-keeping errors.


Home is Where You Make It

Nebraska Christian College is in it's first year back with an athletic department after an extended hiatus. They have no true home gym to play in. Their soccer teams play at the Springfield Soccer Complex 5 miles from campus, their men's basketball team plays at DJ Sokol Arena on Creighton University's campus, 20 miles away, and the NCC women have played their home games all over town: the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center in Bellevue (12 miles from campus), DJ Sokol Arena, and at College of Saint Mary's own Lied Fitness Center, where today's game is held.


Common Opponents

Dordt: CSM lost 74-69, NCC lost 86-52

Bellevue: CSM lost 76-62, NCC lost 72-40

Grace: CSM won 89-46, NCC lost 70-67

LIVE BLOG: Grace University @ College of Saint Mary

I am reporting today from the Lied Fitness Center on the campus of the College of Saint Mary in Omaha, Nebraska, where the CSM Flames are set to host the Grace University Royals, also of Omaha.

Tip-off is set for 6 PM CT.

You can read the preview on Reddit HERE.

Watch LIVE at CSMFlames.com.

Players to watch:

Grace: #2 Karen Orozco

CSM: #20 Miranda Acuna, #30 Tyler Sumpter

Live Blog

60:00 - Looks like Grace U just arrived. They have a roster of 8 players, or one more than my youth basketball roster.

40:00 - Had a fun 10 minute conversation with CSM Sophomore Alleigh Gates. She's out with a knee injury but didn't expect to play anyway. Apparently she could be quite the smartass in high school.

Game Time

Starting Lineups:

Grace: Tschida Johnson, Karen Orozco, Darielle Evans, Marisa Brown, Alyssa Strickland

CSM: Alyssa Laudato, Ashley Nelson, Miranda Acuna, Lacey Knudsen, Tyler Sumpter

First Quarter

10:00: Grace wins the opening tip.

9:24: 3-0 CSM after 2 blocks on the defensive side and a transition 3

7:14: 5-5 Tie, GU hit a couple open looks early, CSM moves into a press.

4:09: 15-5 CSM. Flames went on quite a run and sophomore guard Lynsey Curran has a hot touch with two quick 3's.

2:45: 15-5 CSM. no baskets but accelerated pace for both teams with CSM trapping wings.

2:22: 15-6 as Grace's Marisa Brown hits one of two free throws.

End 1st: 23-6 CSM.

Flames went on a tear in the final 5 minutes. Tons of 2nd and 3rd chances. Current scoring leader is CSM's Tyler Sumpter, with 9.

Second Quarter

8:40: 28-6 CSM. Flames sink 3 free throws on a shooting foul and turn it into a trap turnover against Grace's Karen Orozco.

6:47: 31-9 CSM. Grace trying to get aggressive in the paint and drawing a few fouls, but unable to finish with contact.

6:21: 31-9 CSM. Timeout CSM after teams share a couple turnovers.

5:43: 31-9 CSM, 1 total shot between the two teams in the last minute+, just can't hold on to the ball.

4:20: 38-9 CSM. Flames end drought with an open 3 and a layup on another possession extended by offensive rebounds.

3:11: 38-9 CSM. Grace calls timeout after some sloppy play. Grace has switched from 3-2 to 2-3 likely to compensate for the short bench. CSM has been in man the whole game.

1:45: 43-13 CSM. You can see the wear on the short-benched Grace. Mental mistakes leading to fast break layups.

Halftime: 47-17

Half Time: CSM 47 - 17 Grace

College of St Mary is doing almost everything right tonight. The Flames are shooting 42% from the field and 44% from long range. They are currently a perfect 5-5 at the line. CSM also has extended quite a few possessions with 11 offensive rebounds.

Grace has struggled putting together their offense, turning over the ball 17 times in the first 20 minutes. Marisa Brown is the team's main highlight, with 6 rebounds to go with 6 points.

College of Saint Mary has been very successful with their limited use of the trap in the corners and at mid-court. Grace has been trying to run through the high post but most of those passes are getting deflected as well.

Game Leaders:

Points: CSM Tyler Sumpter, 15
Rebounds: CSM Lacey Knudsen, 8
Assists: CSM 4 tied with 2
Turnovers: GU Karen Orozco, 5
Steals: CSM Tyler Sumpter, 3

Third Quarter

7:45: 50-17 CSM. A corner 3 is the only points of the half, Orozco turns the ball over again. Grace has three so far this quarter.

5:46: 53-24 CSM. Flames coach Flanagan not happy with the effort of his starting 5 and subbed them all out.

4:05: 57-27 CSM. Flames' Keona Cadore going to the line from transition layup attempt, hits one of two.

End 3rd: 66-31 CSM.

Not a clean quarter for CSM. Rushed shots or bad finishes, but Flames pull away just a bit further anyway.

Fourth Quarter

8:16: 68-36 CSM. Missed opportunity for Grace on a steal and fast break layup. CSM got fired up once again by some pretty passing. Grace responds with 2nd chance points.

6:30: 70-36 CSM. Timeout Grace. CSM has been taking advantage of tired and confused defense leading to backdoor baskets. Grace switches to 2-3 zone to compensate.

6:02: 73-36 CSM. Flames make Grace pay for 2-3 zone switch with wide open three.

4:36: 77-36 CSM. More open looks from the wing thanks to the 2-3 zone.

4:18: 77-37 CSM. Grace hits 1 of 2 at the line after drawing a foul on a fast break layup.

2:49: 80-37 CSM. Grace calls TO after another open three. Looking at a shorter roster presumably to offset the swing passes.

1:31: 86-39 CSM. Flames' Amy Talavou has been tearing it up in the post.

Final: 89-46 CSM.

Recap to come.

College of Saint Mary set to host Grace in Midtown Matchup

Who: College of Saint Mary Flames (2-18) vs. Grace Royals (10-10)

When: 6 PM Friday, January 19

Where: Lied Fitness Center, Omaha, NE

Watch: Live Stream available at game time

There is no rest for the weary as the CSM Flames (2-18) of NAIA Division 2 host the Grace Royals (10-10) in Division 2 of the National Christian College Athletic Association. College of Saint Mary is 10-0 against Grace dating back to 2011.

For the Flames, this is game two of a home stand in which they play three games in four days. On Wednesday the Flames hosted #1 Concordia, and tomorrow they face Mount Marty College.

The Flames enter the contest on a seven game losing streak which includes battles against two top 10 programs in Concordia and #9 Dakota Wesleyan. The road gets no easier as four ranked teams are still in front of them.

College of Saint Mary does not lack the fight; they forced 20 turnovers with 11 steals against top-ranked Concordia and shot a respectable 41% from the field. The game, however, was lost on the boards. Concordia out-rebounded the Flames 53-29, and grabbed 25 offensive rebounds making way for many second chance points.

Grace enters the game on a three game winning streak, with all those wins coming on the road. One small caveat to that fact is the Grace University is two miles away from DJ Sokol Arena where they took on host Nebraska Christian College. Nebraska Christian's campus is 18 miles away from DJ Sokol.

Grace is in a tough spot as a program. The Royals have just nine games remaining in their program history; the school will be closing at the end of the school year due to financial issues. The Royals have certainly made the most of a bad situation; at 10-10, they have already guaranteed their most successful season in six years.

College of Saint Mary is led by seniors Miranda Acuna (15.0 PPG) and Tyler Sumpter (13.5 PPG), but the two were held to just 9 combined points against Concordia. Their game leaders on Wednesday were sophomore A'leah Davis (11 points) and junior Corryne Millett (14 points).

Grace University will be led by junior guard Karen Orozco, who has been averaging nearly 20 PPG on their current winning streak. Junior forward Marisa Brown has been averaging 15 rebounds per game in their last three games, as well.