FARGO, N.D. – The Omaha women's basketball team lost a Summit League game at North Dakota State on Sunday afternoon, 74-67. The Mavericks are now 12-13 overall and 5-8 in Summit League play, while the Bison improve to 7-19 overall and 2-11 in league play.
UNO had three players in double-digit scoring led by Mikaela Shaw's 23 points and seven rebounds, five steals, and two blocks. Abi Lujan had her first double-double as a Maverick with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Lujan added four steals. Remy Davenport added 15 points. Amber Vidal chipped in four points and four assists.
NDSU had three players in double-figures led by Taylor Thunstedt's 21 points. Emily Spier added 20 points, while Marena Whittle just missed a triple-double with 14 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists.
Omaha shot 75 percent (9-of-12) from the field in the first half, while North Dakota State shot 53.3 percent (8-of-15). Shaw scored the Mavericks first eight points of the game as UNO held a two point lead early, 8-6. Spier tied the game at 10-10 at the 6:00 minute mark of the quarter. Two buckets by Shaw and another from Caroline Hogue put the Mavs up six with less the five minutes remaining in the first quarter. A Spier jumper tied the game at 16-16 with 2:14 left in the period. Jumpers by Vanessa Barajas and Ellie Brecht pushed the lead back to four points, before a Brittany Wiebe jumper made the score at the end of the half 20-18 in favor of Omaha.
The second quarter saw the Mavericks get outscored by the Bison, 17-7. Marissa Preston opened the quarter with a bucket to push Omaha's lead back to four points, 22-18. NDSU held UNO without a bucket for 4:38 as they took a 31-22 lead midway through the period. Two Shaw free throws stopped the 13-0 Bison run. Omaha trailed by eight at the end of the half, 35-27.
The third quarter saw the two teams combine for 43 points. North Dakota State started the half as the offensive aggressor by pushing its lead to 16 with 7:31 left in the third quarter, 43-27. Omaha started to chip away at the NDSU lead. Two Shaw free throws and four straight points from Lujan started the Maverick comeback. Davenport's first 3-pointer of the game cut the lead to nine midway through the period, 45-36. The Bison regrouped and pushed its lead back to 15. Again the Mavericks would chip away at the lead, led by a pair of Davenport three's. Lujan was fouled as she drove the lane for a layup. She made the ensuing free throw and cut the lead to seven with 1:08 left in the third. NDSU made a pair of free throws to make the lead 57-48 after three quarters of play.
Vidal opened the fourth quarter with two quick buckets. Another 3-pointer from Davenport and a layup from Shaw tied the game with 8:03 left in regulation, 57-57. Hogue went 1-for-2 at the free throw line to give Omaha its first lead since early in the second quarter. The two teams exchanged makes over the next 2:29 before baskets by Spier and Kennedy Childers put NDSU back ahead by four. North Dakota State went five for six down the stretch to put the game out of reach, 74-67.
Omaha shot 42.1 percent (24-of-57) from the floor, while North Dakota State hit 47.5 percent (28-for-59). The Mavericks struggled from the 3-point arc making only 4-of-21 shots (19 percent), while the Bison shot 4-of-10 (40 percent) from deep.
Omaha returns to action on Thursday, Feb. 18 against IUPUI. Tip-off for the game is set for 7 p.m. Thursday's game will be the last home game for senior Bobbi Beckwith and a ceremony to celebrate her career will be held prior to the game. The Mavericks will wrap up their regular season with two road games at Oral Roberts (Feb. 25) and at Denver (Feb. 27).
