• Photo showcase: UNO's 75-65 loss to Cal State Bakersfield
• Box score: Cal State Bakersfield 75, UNO 65

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The UNO men’s basketball team’s transition to Division I could be most easily summed up by the Mavericks’ game results this season.

UNO entered Sunday’s contest with Division I independent Cal State-Bakersfield with a 1-12 record against D-I schools and a 9-3 record against all other opponents.

That trend continued in front of 1,379 at Sapp Fieldhouse as the Mavs were able to stay with the Roadrunners, and at times were in control, but were unable to come up with plays down the stretch as CSU-Bakersfield dropped UNO 75-65.

Mitch Albers led the Mavs with 24 points while John Karhoff added 18 points and eight rebounds.

Albers, who is No. 2 on the UNO career scoring list, can become the school’s career scoring leader by tallying 67 points over the Mavericks’ final three games.

The game was tied 56-56 as late as 4:33 remaining, but the Roadrunners were able to outscore the Mavs 19-9 the rest of the way to pull away and nab the road win.

“As the game went on, you know, they just made more plays than us down the stretch,” Albers said.

“They seemed to keep coming at us. They threw the punch, and we just kind of accepted it and didn’t really fight back.”

The Roadrunners were able to get some offensive firepower from some unexpected sources.

Zach Lamb, who entered the contest averaging 8.0 points per game, led all scorers with 27 points.
Stephon Carter, who had hit six of 33 3-point shot attempts in 25 games this season, was 2 of 4 from beyond the arc and finished with 21 points.

Albers said UNO had scouted well, but the Roadrunners were able to make the plays when it counted.

“(Carter) is shooting 20 percent from 3 and he knocks two in which were two big 3s. We’re playing the percentages on that,” Albers said.

UNO coach Derrin Hansen said the difference in the quality of opponent between a Division I program and a lower ranked school is significant, and it’s something the Mavs will have to deal with when they become a Summit League member.

“There are no more half-scholarship guys walking on the floor. There are no more tuition waiver guys walking on the floor,” Hansen said.

“We’ve stepped it up, and we know that, but we knew that going in.”

UNO held a 32-26 advantage at the break, led by Albers’ 12 points.

Both teams made 12 of 34 shots from the floor (35.2 percent) in the first half, and the Roadrunners held a 21-17 rebounding edge.

Seniors John Ring and Albers were honored before the game as part of UNO’s Senior Day recognition.

The Mavs next host their rivals from the University of Nebraska at Kearney on Wednesday in their final appearance at Sapp Fieldhouse.

The UNO men will begin playing at the Ralston Sports and Event Center next season.

The Mavs will finish out the season on the road at CSU Bakersfield on Feb. 25 and at future Summit League foe Western Illinois on Feb. 29.

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