GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- No. 3 ranked North Dakota held the Mavericks to just six points over an eight-minute stretch in the middle of the game to post an 88-64 North Central Conference win Saturday night at the Engelstad Sioux Center.

The loss dropped the University of Nebraska at Omaha to 16-10 on the season and 2-8 in the NCC, while the Fighting Sioux improved to 24-2 and 9-2.

UNO battled the Sioux on even terms in the opening minutes, taking the lead three times, including an 18-17 advantage with 9:13 left in the first half when Kamillia Brown hit a pair of free throws.

The Mavericks trailed by just 32-28 with 4:32 left in the half, but North Dakota held the Mavs to just one field goal, a layup by Cayla Hargrove, and went into the break riding an 11-2 run for a 43-30 lead.

Ashley Nelson connected on a pair of shots in the first minute of the second half, but the Mavs were held scoreless over the next three minutes and the Sioux scored 10 straight points and surged to a 54-34 lead.

UNO came from 25 down to close within 13 at 74-61 on Alyssa Green's three-pointer with 5:55 left. The Sioux refused to fold and scored the next 12 points and held UNO to just one more field goal the rest of the way.

UNO, which shot a chilly 29.2 percent the first half, finished at 35.8 percent from the field to 47.1 for the Sioux.

Green led the Mavericks with 19 points, 13 coming in the second half, while Mary Brown scored 11. Nelson and Jill Wolf led UNO with six rebounds apiece.

Mallory Youngblut led four Sioux in double figures with 22 points. Ashley Langen added 18, Kierah Kimbrough 15 and Karla Beck 10.

The Mavericks return home to close the regular season with a Thursday night game against Minnesota Duluth and a Saturday matinee against Minnesota State.