OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Coming off its first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, Omaha men’s basketball is back in the gym for summer workouts.
Optimism is high around the program, but head coach Chris Crutchfield said the team is not settling for the heights its already reached.
“We’re trying to get our energy level up and they’ve come in every single day and been excited about being here,” he said.
The Mavericks have re-tooled their roster with several key departures. For senior guard Tony Osburn, Omaha has become “hard to leave.”
“Since a little kid I’ve loved basketball and I’m getting to do it at the level I wanted to always play, so it’s pretty hard not to be excited and bring joy every single day,” he said.
Osburn is one of the team’s leaders, both vocally and through his actions. Crutchfield said he is expected to play more point guard this season — a challenge he is embracing with joy.
“I get to come out and play basketball with my best friends,” Osburn said.
As the team navigates through summer workouts, Crutchfield said everything is intentional. It all comes in an effort to return to the national stage.
“We talk about energy and enthusiasm every single day,” Crutchfield said. “Now they’re bringing it.”
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