OMAHA, Neb. (Interstat) — Tony Osburn scored 27 points to lead the Omaha Mavericks to a 90-79 victory over the North Dakota Fighting Hawks in a Summit League men’s basketball game Thursday night at Baxter Arena. Omaha led 47-38 at halftime and maintained control throughout the second half. The Mavericks shot 60% from the floor and made 28 of 35 free throws. Osburn was supported by Paul Djobet, who added 18 points. North Dakota was led by Eli King with 21 points and Greyson Uelmen with 19. The Fighting Hawks struggled with 40% shooting and were outscored 36-28 in the paint. Omaha improved to 8-10 overall, while North Dakota fell to 8-11. An announced crowd of 2,072 attended the game.

OMAHA, Neb. (Interstat) — In a game defined by offensive efficiency and a decisive early surge, the Omaha Mavericks defeated the North Dakota Fighting Hawks 90-79 in a Summit League men’s basketball contest Thursday night at Baxter Arena. A crowd of 2,072 watched as the Mavericks, propelled by a blistering first-half shooting performance and a game-high 27 points from Tony Osburn, improved to 8-10 overall. North Dakota, despite a valiant 21-point effort from Eli King and 19 from Greyson Uelmen, dropped to 8-11. The most critical phase of the game unfolded in the opening half, where Omaha built a lead that North Dakota would spend the remainder of the evening unsuccessfully trying to erase. The Mavericks shot a scorching 60% from the field in the first half, connecting on 6 of 11 three-point attempts, to take a 47-38 lead into the break. Osburn, a 6-foot-2 guard from Fairfax, Missouri, was the catalyst, scoring 20 of his points before halftime. His early flurry included three three-pointers in the first five minutes, setting a tone of offensive aggression that North Dakota could not match. Omaha’s offensive execution was nearly flawless, scoring 90 points on just 70 possessions for an offensive rating of 129.3. They shot 60% for the game (27 of 45) and were equally effective from deep (8 of 17, 47.1%) and the free-throw line (28 of 35, 80%). The Mavericks also dominated inside, outscoring North Dakota 36-28 in the paint. North Dakota, by contrast, struggled with its shooting touch, finishing 24 of 60 (40%) from the floor and 10 of 31 (32.3%) from beyond the arc. The Fighting Hawks did force 12 Omaha turnovers, converting them into 12 points, and won the offensive rebounding battle 11-4, but those advantages were negated by the Mavericks’ superior shot-making. Osburn’s backcourt mate, Paul Djobet of Lille, France, provided crucial support with 18 points, while Lance Waddles and Ja’Sean Glover each added 9 and 10 points, respectively. Glover also contributed a game-high five assists. For North Dakota, King, a 6-foot-4 guard from Caledonia, Minnesota, battled throughout, adding a block and a steal to his 21 points. Uelmen, from Excelsior, Minnesota, sparked the offense with his 19 points, and Garrett Anderson of Phoenix, Arizona, chipped in 15. George Natsvlishvili, the 6-foot-10 forward from Tbilisi, Georgia, recorded a double-double with 10 points and a team-high offensive rebounding presence. The second half saw North Dakota attempt multiple rallies, closing the gap to single digits on several occasions. A driving layup by Eli King with just over seven minutes remaining brought the Fighting Hawks within 71-69, marking the closest they had been since the opening minutes. Each time, however, Omaha had an answer, often from the free-throw line, where they attempted 15 more shots than North Dakota. A key sequence followed King’s basket, as Omaha’s Brock Scholl drew a foul and sank two free throws. After a North Dakota miss, Djobet found Khamani Cooper for a three-pointer, pushing the lead back to seven. Omaha then sealed the game in the final two minutes by making 10 of 12 free throws, preventing any last-ditch comeback. The victory was Omaha’s first in conference play this season, while North Dakota saw its two-game league win streak snapped. Both teams return to action Saturday, with Omaha hosting North Dakota State and North Dakota traveling to face Missouri-Kansas City. According to pregame analytics from National Statistical, Omaha was projected with a 79.3% probability to win and was favored by 5.5 points. The combined score of 169 points significantly exceeded the over/under line of 146.5.

OMAHA, Neb. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking momentum in the Summit League will meet Thursday when the Omaha Mavericks host the North Dakota Fighting Hawks at Baxter Arena. Both squads enter the Jan. 8 contest with losing overall records. North Dakota sits at 8-10, while Omaha is 7-10. Each is coming off a different result in its league opener this past Saturday. The Fighting Hawks earned a significant 90-87 overtime victory over South Dakota State, while the Mavericks fell 73-66 to Missouri-Kansas City. North Dakota arrives with confidence, having won three of its last four games. Guard Greyson Uelmen has been pivotal, averaging 12.1 points per game. He is coming off a strong 17-point, 4-rebound performance in 29 minutes against South Dakota State. Anthony Smith III (16 points, 5 assists) and Wylee Delorme (12 points, 6 rebounds) also provided key contributions in the win. Omaha looks to halt a three-game skid, all by double-digit margins, including losses to Oregon and South Dakota State. Guard Grant Stubblefield, averaging a team-leading 12.3 points, will be central to the Mavericks’ efforts. He scored 14 points in the loss to UMKC, where Paul Djobet added 16 points. The matchup is the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams, with the rematch set for Feb. 5 in Grand Forks, N.D. Following this game, North Dakota visits Missouri-Kansas City on Saturday, while Omaha hosts North Dakota State. Thursday’s game will tip off at 7 p.m. CST at Baxter Arena. The contest features two teams with nearly identical records looking to establish an early foothold in the conference standings. North Dakota will aim to carry its offensive rhythm from an overtime win on the road, while Omaha seeks to leverage its home court to reverse its recent fortunes.