Nebraska-Omaha's Paul Djobet stole the show at the Mabee Center, scoring 25 points and grabbing 7 rebounds to propel his team to a 73-62 win over Oral Roberts. The Mavericks' victory was fueled by a strong first-half performance, where they outscored the Golden Eagles 36-30. Omaha maintained their lead throughout the second half, with Djobet and his teammates playing a balanced game to secure the 11-point win.
Oral Roberts' Ofri Naveh put up a valiant effort, scoring 22 points and collecting 13 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Mavericks' cohesive team play. Naveh's performance was complemented by Ty Harper and Connor Dow, who each chipped in 13 points, but the Golden Eagles struggled to contain Omaha's offense. The Mavericks' Lance Waddles also had a notable game, contributing 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists to help his team's cause.
The game unfolded with Omaha taking an early lead, which they maintained at halftime. In the second half, the Mavericks continued to apply pressure, outscoring Oral Roberts 37-32 to seal the win. While the Golden Eagles made some runs, they were unable to close the gap, and Omaha's lead proved insurmountable.
This matchup was a Quadrant 4 game for both teams, and the outcome will have implications for their respective tournament resumes. For Omaha, the win improves their record to 10-12, but their net ranking of 268 still leaves them on the outside looking in. Oral Roberts, meanwhile, falls to 5-17, with their net ranking of 325 making a postseason berth increasingly unlikely.
The loss is a tough pill to swallow for the Golden Eagles, who were looking to build momentum against a beatable opponent. Instead, they were outplayed by a more cohesive Omaha team, led by the outstanding performance of Paul Djobet. As the season wears on, Oral Roberts must regroup and find ways to win games like this if they hope to salvage their campaign.
For Omaha, the victory is a welcome boost, but they know that their work is far from over. With a net ranking of 268, they still have a long way to go to become a serious tournament contender. This win will help their resume, but they'll need to string together more victories against tougher opponents to make a real push for the postseason. As it stands, the Mavericks will take the win and look to build on this performance, hoping to make a late-season surge that could potentially put them in the tournament conversation.