Box Score
Postgame Press Conference
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Mavericks held the slimest of margins during the final stretch of the MIAA Postseason Tournament championship game and then they survived a last-second attempt from Washburn as they held off the Ichabods, 69-67 Sunday at Municipal Auditorium.
Nebraska-Omaha (22-8) won its first MIAA trophy in just its second year in the league. The win also gave the Mavericks an automatic bid into the NCAA South Central Region tournament next weekend. The pairings and location of the eight-team tournament will be announced later Sunday night.
#Jeff Martin#, who missed nine of his first 11 attempts, hit a 3-pointer with 3:11 remaining that put the Mavs up by five, 67-62. Logan Stutz then scored four straight for the Ichabods to pull them within a point with 2:27 to go.
His field goal at that mark ended up being the last make of the game from the field for either team. #Dion Curry# made one of two free throws with just under two minutes remaining to put the Mavs up by two. De'Andre Washington then hit a free throw at the 50-second mark to pull Washburn within a point.
#Tyler Bullock missed a 3-pointer and WU called a timeout after securing the rebound. The Ichabods missed their 3-point attempt after that and Aaron Terry# was fouled after getting the rebound with three seconds remaining and his team up by one.
He made the first free throw and then missed the second. WU got the rebound and then William McNeill caught a pass too far under the basket to get a good shot as time expired.
Bullock, the tournament MVP, led the Mavericks with 19 points. #Eugene Bain# added 11 and he, #Matt Newman and Bullock all tied with six rebounds. Alex Welhouse# had six points off 3-of-5 shooting and he pulled in three rebounds in 11 minutes on the court.
#Andrew Bridger# had nine points and six assists and he was named to the all-tournament team.
The Mavericks shot 40 percent while the Ichabods shot 43 percent from the field. The Mavericks were just 22 percent (7 for 32) from 3-point range. Washburn edged UNO in rebounds, 35-34.
The game featured five ties and nine lead changes, most of them in the first half. Nate Daniels' 3-pointer with 46 seconds remaining in the first half tied the score and then Virgil Philistin's free throw gave Washburn a 31-30 lead at halftime.
The Mavs took the lead right away in the second half as Bullock scored four straight points. Washburn regained it right away, but a three-point play from Eugene Bain put the Mavs up for good at the 16:51 mark.
Those three points turned into a 10-2 run that put UNO up by eight, 46-38. That ended up being the Mavs' highest lead of the game. Washburn quickly closed within a point at the 10:08 mark and then the Mavs never led by more than five the rest of the game.
Logan Stutz led the Ichabods with 23 points as he went 7 for 9 from the field and 9 of 11 from the free throw line.
The Mavericks claimed their first postseason tournament title since 2007-08, the last year of the North Central Conference.
UNO will be making its 12th trip to the NCAA tournament. The Mavericks last advanced two years ago.
