GRAND FORKS, N.D. (Interstat) — North Dakota used a dominant second quarter to defeat Omaha 75-54 in a women’s basketball game Thursday at Engelstad Arena. The Fighting Hawks outscored the Mavericks 25-13 in the period to take control. Walker Demers led North Dakota with 23 points. Ali Stephens scored 15 for Omaha. North Dakota improved to 4-12 overall. Omaha fell to 2-16.

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (Interstat) — Walker Demers scored 23 points and North Dakota used a dominant second quarter to pull away from Omaha for a 75-54 victory in a Summit League women’s basketball game Thursday night at Engelstad Arena. The Fighting Hawks outscored the Mavericks 25-13 in the pivotal second period, turning a narrow 15-16 deficit after one quarter into a 40-29 halftime lead they would not relinquish. The surge was fueled by efficient offense and capitalizing on Omaha mistakes, as North Dakota scored 20 points off 18 Mavericks turnovers. Demers, a 6-foot-1 guard from Grafton, North Dakota, was the catalyst, adding four assists in 27 minutes. Her backcourt partner, 5-foot-5 guard Mackenzie Hughes of Thompson, North Dakota, provided crucial support with 16 points, including three 3-pointers. Mikayla Aumer added 12 points and four assists for the Fighting Hawks, who improved to 4-12 overall. Omaha, which fell to 2-16, was led by Ali Stephens with 15 points and a block. Leekaya Burke-Perryman dished out a game-high six assists for the Mavericks. The game’s decisive stretch began early in the second quarter. With North Dakota leading 21-18, Omaha endured a scoring drought of over four minutes. The Fighting Hawks seized the opportunity, embarking on a 14-2 run. The spurt included five points from Hughes, a layup from Ava Miller, and a 3-pointer from Aumer. It was capped by a Demers free throw that extended the lead to 35-20 with 3:44 left in the half. Omaha struggled to mount a sustained challenge after intermission. The Mavericks shot just 20 of 55 from the field overall and a frigid 4 of 8 from the free-throw line. Their offensive rating of 76.3 points per 100 possessions paled in comparison to North Dakota’s mark of 108.9. North Dakota also controlled the interior, outscoring Omaha 34-16 in the paint and attempting 17 more free throws, making 20 to Omaha’s four. The Fighting Hawks maintained at least a 10-point lead throughout the second half. Any fleeting hope for Omaha was extinguished early in the fourth quarter when Demers scored five quick points, part of a 7-0 North Dakota run that pushed the advantage to 63-48 with 4:44 remaining. Elsa Vedral scored nine points for Omaha off the bench. Miller finished with eight points, two assists and a block for North Dakota in a game attended by 1,386 fans. The victory gave North Dakota a sweep of the season’s first meeting ahead of a rematch in Omaha on Feb. 5. Both teams return to Summit League action on Saturday, with North Dakota hosting Missouri-Kansas City and Omaha traveling to face North Dakota State.

Preview: Omaha Mavericks at North Dakota Fighting Hawks GRAND FORKS, N.D. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking a foothold in the Summit League will meet Thursday when the North Dakota Fighting Hawks host the Omaha Mavericks in a women’s basketball contest at Engelstad Arena. The matchup features struggling squads, with Omaha entering at 2-15 overall and North Dakota at 3-12. Both are looking to rebound from decisive road losses this past Saturday. The Mavericks fell 65-36 to South Dakota State, while the Fighting Hawks were defeated 95-67 at Oral Roberts. Omaha’s season has been defined by offensive difficulties, failing to reach 50 points in seven of its 15 losses. In its most recent outing, the team shot just 23.2% from the field. Guard Daria Shelby, a player to watch for the Mavericks, led the team with 10 points and five rebounds in that loss to South Dakota State. She has averaged 5.9 points over her last seven games. North Dakota has also struggled against Division I competition, with its three victories coming against Dickinson State, Mayville State and Wyoming. The Fighting Hawks have allowed 80 or more points in six of their 12 losses. Guard Lauren Hillesheim provides a spark off the bench for North Dakota, coming off a 13-point performance in just 12 minutes at Oral Roberts. She averaged 9.8 points over a recent four-game stretch in December. This game represents one of the more winnable league opportunities for both programs in the early Summit schedule. The Fighting Hawks will aim to leverage home-court advantage, while the Mavericks search for a consistent scoring rhythm to complement their defense. The teams will complete their regular-season series in Omaha on Feb. 5. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Central Time on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026.