OMAHA, Neb. - On a night Omaha Men's Basketball celebrated last season with championship banners, the Mavericks celebrated their first win of the season in a thriller against Southern Utah.
Omaha closed out Saturday's game at Baxter Arena on a 12-6 run to earn a 90-85 victory.
Senior
Tony Osburn scored nine of his game-high 27 points in the final 1:55.
Grant Stubblefield added 16 points, six assists, six steals and five rebounds, while
Julian Margrave and
Khamani Cooper combined to hit six timely 3-pointers as both were in double figures off the bench.
Head coach
Chris Crutchfield said Saturday's win came down to toughness as the Mavs (1-3) found a way to win after trailing by five with eight minutes to go.
Prior to tipoff, Omaha unveiled three banners from last year's historic season when for the first time it won the Summit League regular-season title, the conference's tournament title and played in the NCAA tournament.
The Mavericks were energized from the banner ceremony as they started quick. Omaha led 14-6 five minutes in after Osburn drained a 28-footer, and the Mavs led most of the half.
Omaha scored 10 straight as the lead ballooned to 27-14 when Osburn drained a transition 3 from the right wing with 9:35 left in the half.
But Southern Utah answered with a pair of 10-0 runs in the next six minutes as the Thunderbirds took a 36-35 lead at the 3:15 mark.
Omaha took a four-point lead in the break, but the Mavericks weren't able to build a cushion in the second half.
Southern Utah used a 12-2 run to take a 66-61 lead with 8:25 left, but Omaha then got a boost from
Khamani Cooper as he hit two 3s in 20 seconds from the right wing to make it 67-66 Mavs.
The final 6:10 featured four lead chances and two ties.
Omaha took the lead for good with 1:55 left when Osburn converted a three-point play as his shot in the lane touched every part of the rim before dropping in and he made the ensuing free throw. Osburn was 7 of 7 at the line in the last 1:55.
Omaha will play at Baxter Arena again on Wednesday, Nov. 19 when it faces NAIA's Concordia (Neb.).
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