Northern Illinois at Nebraska Omaha

Tonight’s game is part of Nebraska-Omaha's campus-wide Homecoming Week celebration for fans at the football and basketball games. This Northern Illinois team was a train wreck as last season's squad went 5-26 (3-13 MAC). In addition to Homecoming Weekend, Friday marks the inaugural basketball game played at newly constructed Ralston Arena, so the fans are celebrating a new arena. The Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks are led by head coach Derrin Hansen, who is in his eighth year at the helm of the UNO program with a career record of 121-86. They are an experienced team led by senior forward Alex Welhouse after averaging 10.4 points and a team-leading 6.7 rebounds per game last year. This is their only home game for a while as the Mavericks embark on a 10-game road trip that keeps them on the road until December 18. Look for a big win by the home team. Play on Nebraska-Omaha.