SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The No. 9 Omaha Mavericks have advanced to the quarterfinals of the Summit League Tournament after a thrilling 61-55 victory over No. 8 Kansas City in the first round.

Omaha will now face off with No.1 South Dakota State in tomorrow's quarterfinals round.

Leaders For Omaha
In one of the most complete games of her career, Polina Nikulochkina led the Mavericks with 17 points after taking the second most free throw attempts in tournament history (16) and making 11 of them. She also finished with a team-high nine rebounds, just one shy of having her first career double-double.

Grace Cave and Aaliyah Stanley both had nine points tonight, with the latter also leading the team with four steals. 
 
Leaders for Kansas City
Three Roos scored in double figures tonight, led by Emani Bennett with 18 points after shooting 8-for-10 on field goals. She was also tied with Lisa Thomas for the team lead in rebounds with five.

Team Stats
Kansas City held a slight advantage in overall shooting with a 38.7 FG% vs. 33.3% for Omaha. Both teams were also tied in 3-PT FG% at 21.4%. The real difference maker proved to be free throws, which Omaha dominated at 77.8% in 36 attempts vs. just 44.4% in nine attempts for the Roos. The Mavericks also won the rebounding battle at 37 to 30.

Inside the First Quarter
Initially falling behind 5-0 to start the game, the Mavericks went on a tear over the rest of the first quarter, outscoring the Roos 21-10. Katie Keitges drained Omaha's first three of the night two minutes in to tie it at 5-5, before Cave made Omaha's second from behind the arc to give them a 15-13 lead with four minutes remaining.

A trio of defensive boards for Cave and steals for Stanley and Nikulochkina helped limit Kansas City to just four points over the final five minutes.

Inside the Second Quarter
Another three for Keitges put the Mavericks up 24-17, giving them their largest lead yet just three minutes into the second. In what ended up a low-scoring period for both teams, a pair of free throws from Nikulochkina would be the only other points for Omaha until a buzzer-beater from Cora Olsen in the paint to send Omaha to halftime up 28-23.

Inside the Third Quarter
Omaha continued to succeed at the line as three free throws from Stanley and another from Nikulochkina helped the Mavericks maintain a seven-point lead halfway through the quarter at 36-29.

After a Kansas City triple cut Omaha's lead down to four with just under five to play, back-to-back buckets from Nikulochkina and Deanay Watson made it 40-32. Nikulochkina's eighth free throw of the night would cap off the period and give Omaha a 43-37 lead.

Inside the Fourth Quarter
Free throws continued to be the difference maker in the final quarter, as the Mavericks went to the line eight times for 14 points. Holding the Roos to just six points through the first seven minutes, Omaha took its largest lead of the day with 2:58 on the clock at 55-45.

Over the next three minutes, though, Kansas City managed to fight back and eventually pull within two with 15 seconds left. Fortunately, four straight free throws for Morgann Gardner would ice the game for Omaha.

Next Up
Tomorrow's quarterfinals game against No. 1 SDSU will get underway at 3 p.m.