Just in time for Nebraska-Omaha basketball's move to Division 1 came the opening of Baxter Arena, which replaced the old Omaha Civic Auditorium as the team's home base. Though Baxter Arena was built with the school's hockey team in mind, the basketball team plies its craft each winter as well.

Nebraska-Omaha Basketball History

The University of Nebraska-Omaha sports teams go by the easier-to-say Omaha Mavericks moniker, but it's Nebraska through and through. The men's basketball team is a fresh addition to Division 1 of the NCAA, having begun the four-year transition period from Division 2 in 2011, completing it in time for the 2015-2016 season.

The Mavericks joined the Summit League, one of the many conferences in Division 1 that has roots in the Midwest. Among the immediate rivals for the Mavericks were four schools in the nearby Dakotas, as well as schools in Indiana, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Illinois.

The decision to jump up a division hasn't paid dividends for the Mavericks on the court. The team has yet to win more than 18 games in any season since the transition, though they have been competitive in conference play each year since arriving. More than that, the team now has a tangible goal that would increase their national profile: making the NCAA Tournament.

The school does have a history of success at Division 2, where it played before the 2011-2012 season. The Mavericks made three regional semifinals in their history, as well as three other trips to the regional quarterfinals in the Division 2 tournament. It might take some time, but they certainly will be looking to replicate that success at the top level of college basketball. That will start with the Summit League tournament, the winner of which gets entry into the Big Dance. The Mavericks might be new to Division 1, but if they can get settled in and recruit strongly, they could be a force to be reckoned with out of the Midwest.