Northern Colorado RPI – 259, UNO – 303

• So it’s finals week at UNO…
• Still not entirely sure what’s going on with this bench.  Although, I’m sure it has been difficult to figure out a rotation with and without Jake White available.
• Jake White is back, he shot 2-8 against Kansas City and that’s less than ideal, but what coach doesn’t want 11 boards a game from a guy?
• UNO is 3-0 at home.  UNC is 0-4 on the road (one of those losses is to undefeated Colorado State…CSU is really 10-0).
• There is not much of a post game for UNC, they only have two guys that are 6’8″ or bigger that get any playing time.  That’s what is most important in basketball, right?  Being taller, so you can be closer to the basket?
• UNC is not really that great of a rebounding team.  They average 31 boards a game, only one player grabs more than 4 rebounds a game.  UNO has 4 guys that average 4 or more (White – 11, Rostampour – 7.6, Thurman – 5.1, Patterson – 4)
• UNC turns the ball over only 9 times a game, compared to UNO’s 15 turnovers a game…ehhhh
• UNC is also a better all around shooting team, percentage wise.  So what are you trying to say, you think you’re better than me?
• This is a homecoming for UNC’s Dwight Smith.  Smith graduated from Ralston, probably the first and last Ralston guy to play a collegiate game at the Ralston Arena.  Not even going to look that up, just going to roll with it.  Smith started his career at Colorado State before transferring over the summer, UNO was one of his possible destinations to travel to.
• Omaha Benson grad Riak Bol also committed to UNC, but apparently isn’t on the roster.
• UNC is pretty big at the wing position, big wings have hurt UNO in the past.  Maybe this means more playing time for Randy Reed at the wing position to guard against that.
• UNC doesn’t really seem to have a set rotation, players have been in and out of the starting line up.
• If the Mavs run into foul trouble (again), it will create a challenge, but Meyer, Murry, Newsome,  Reed, and Smallwood all capable against UNC.
• The only team UNO has played in the Big Sky since transition is North Dakota, who they’ve gone 2-0 against.  Didn’t North Dakota make it to the Big Sky championship game last year?  I don’t have much respect for the Big Sky.  I used to work at Weber State (probably the Sky’s best basketball program).  Some of their players would sneek their way onto Intramural teams, and the players never really stood out in the rough and tough Intramural leagues of Ogden, Utah…by the way, Weber State has a senior, James Hajek, who played at Omaha Skutt, and their head coach, Randy Rahe, is from Iowa…why couldn’t we get Weber State to come to Omaha?  I know like 3 people that would travel for that game.  And if the Mavs have to go to Ogden the following year, there is a place near campus with the best nachos I’ve ever had.

Some milestone notes

• CJ Carter is 12 points away from passing John Karhoff for most points by any player since transition.  Carter is/was the first (and only so far) 4 year starter since the transition, so it’s not a surprise for him to be number one.
• Tre’Shawn Thurman’s 4 steals vs. UMKC was the most by any freshman since the transition (not trying to downplay it, but the only freshmen UNO has had before this year have been: Carter, Farr, Tyus, Krych, and Bradley).