Karen Thies' three-point barrage in the final 5:16 helped the Mavericks end a 24-game losing skid to North Dakota Saturday night. The sophomore guard forced overtime with a three with 16 seconds left, then knocked down four more and scored all 15 UNO points in the extra session to produce a 77-72 win by UNO over the No. 8 ranked Fighting Sioux.

The victory by 12-5, 2-0 UNO was the first over 12-4, 0-1 North Dakota since February, 1992, and the first at Sapp Fieldhouse over the Sioux since February, 1987. The North Central Conference win by the Mavs was the second in three nights over a ranked team. UNO downed No. 20 Augustana 58-57 Thursday night.

Thies, in scoring UNO's final 18 points, recorded career-highs with 29 points and 12 rebounds, while JJ Smith added 22 points and eight rebounds before fouling out in the final minute of regulation.

Boese led the Fighting Sioux with 32 points and 15 rebounds and Jahner added 19.

Both teams battled cold shooting the first half before UNO emerged with a 29-23 lead. UNO expanded that to 37-30 with 15:18 left in the second half before North Dakota came back to tie at 45 with 8:26 left on two straight field goals by Carissa Jahner.

Jahner hit two free shots and Kristi Boese converted a three-point play with 2:19 left, giving North Dakota a 61-56 lead. JJ Smith narrowed the gap for UNO with a field goal with 1:35 left, then hit one of two free throws with 51 seconds left. Jahner missed a chance to give the Sioux a cushion when she hit just one of two from the line with 41 seconds left, producing a 62-59 lead.

Thies, who had hit just one of four from behind the arc for the game, knotted the game with a three with 16 seconds left. She bounced a 30-footer off the rim at the buzzer as well.

Jahner opened the extra session with a short jumper on North Dakota's first possession, but Thies put UNO up for good with a three from the top with 4:12 left and added another with 3:46 left for a 68-64 lead.

After the Sioux trimmed the lead to a point with 2:49 left, Thies connected on two more three-pointers around a pair of free shots by Boese for a 74-69 lead with 49 seconds left. Boese hit a three with 20 seconds left, but Thies put the game out of reach with two free throws with 10 seconds left.

The Mavericks, who shot just 26.8 percent from the field the first half, warmed to 46.4 percent the second half and hit four of six shots in overtime to finish at 37.3 percent. North Dakota shot 24.1 percent the first half and 32.8 percent for the game.

UNO and North Dakota will stage a rematch in Grand Forks Friday night.