GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- The University of Nebraska at Omaha rallied from nine points down in the final half to claim a 96-88 North Central Conference win over North Dakota Saturday night at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.

The win pushed UNO over the 20-victory mark for the fifth time in the past eight years, but the first in coach Derrin Hansen's three seasons. UNO is now 20-5 overall and 6-4 in the NCC, clinching a home game in the first round of the league tournament March 5. UND is now 12-14 and 1-10.

The Mavericks trailed by as many as seven the first half before holding UND to just one field goal the final three minutes. Jerry Bennett's layup at the buzzer gave UNO a 41-39 lead at the break.

North Dakota used a 10-1 run to produce a 59-50 lead with 13:41 left. The Fighting Sioux maintained the margin as late as 11:28 and led 67-59 with 10:37 to play.

But UNO wiped that out with an 11-point run to take a 70-67 lead on a pair of Mitch Albers free shots with 8:15 to play. The Sioux answered with their own rally and took their final lead on Travis Bledsoe's three-pointer, 77-74, with six minutes to play.

Justin Petersen hit a pair of free throws and Mitch Albers' jumper with 5:07 to play gave UNO the lead for good, 78-77. Mitch Albers scored eight straight in the three-minute, 14-2 run that gave UNO an 88-79 lead with two minutes left.

The Mavericks, the No. 2 free throw shooting team in Division II, secured the win at the stripe, hitting 31 of 34 the second half and 82.5 percent for the game, despite going 2-6 the first half.

Mitch Albers led UNO with 25 poionts, Jerry Bennett added 20, Justin Petersen 17 and Denny Johnston 15.

UNO returns to Sapp Fieldhouse for its final two regular season games, hosting Minnesota Duluth Thursday and Minnesota State Saturday.