OMAHA, Neb. (Interstat) — In a game defined by offensive efficiency and a decisive early surge, the Omaha Mavericks defeated the North Dakota Fighting Hawks 90-79 in a Summit League men’s basketball contest Thursday night at Baxter Arena.

A crowd of 2,072 watched as the Mavericks, propelled by a blistering first-half shooting performance and a game-high 27 points from Tony Osburn, improved to 8-10 overall. North Dakota, despite a valiant 21-point effort from Eli King and 19 from Greyson Uelmen, dropped to 8-11.

The most critical phase of the game unfolded in the opening half, where Omaha built a lead that North Dakota would spend the remainder of the evening unsuccessfully trying to erase. The Mavericks shot a scorching 60% from the field in the first half, connecting on 6 of 11 three-point attempts, to take a 47-38 lead into the break. Osburn, a 6-foot-2 guard from Fairfax, Missouri, was the catalyst, scoring 20 of his points before halftime. His early flurry included three three-pointers in the first five minutes, setting a tone of offensive aggression that North Dakota could not match.

Omaha’s offensive execution was nearly flawless, scoring 90 points on just 70 possessions for an offensive rating of 129.3. They shot 60% for the game (27 of 45) and were equally effective from deep (8 of 17, 47.1%) and the free-throw line (28 of 35, 80%). The Mavericks also dominated inside, outscoring North Dakota 36-28 in the paint.

North Dakota, by contrast, struggled with its shooting touch, finishing 24 of 60 (40%) from the floor and 10 of 31 (32.3%) from beyond the arc. The Fighting Hawks did force 12 Omaha turnovers, converting them into 12 points, and won the offensive rebounding battle 11-4, but those advantages were negated by the Mavericks’ superior shot-making.

Osburn’s backcourt mate, Paul Djobet of Lille, France, provided crucial support with 18 points, while Lance Waddles and Ja’Sean Glover each added 9 and 10 points, respectively. Glover also contributed a game-high five assists.

For North Dakota, King, a 6-foot-4 guard from Caledonia, Minnesota, battled throughout, adding a block and a steal to his 21 points. Uelmen, from Excelsior, Minnesota, sparked the offense with his 19 points, and Garrett Anderson of Phoenix, Arizona, chipped in 15. George Natsvlishvili, the 6-foot-10 forward from Tbilisi, Georgia, recorded a double-double with 10 points and a team-high offensive rebounding presence.

The second half saw North Dakota attempt multiple rallies, closing the gap to single digits on several occasions. A driving layup by Eli King with just over seven minutes remaining brought the Fighting Hawks within 71-69, marking the closest they had been since the opening minutes. Each time, however, Omaha had an answer, often from the free-throw line, where they attempted 15 more shots than North Dakota.

A key sequence followed King’s basket, as Omaha’s Brock Scholl drew a foul and sank two free throws. After a North Dakota miss, Djobet found Khamani Cooper for a three-pointer, pushing the lead back to seven. Omaha then sealed the game in the final two minutes by making 10 of 12 free throws, preventing any last-ditch comeback.

The victory was Omaha’s first in conference play this season, while North Dakota saw its two-game league win streak snapped. Both teams return to action Saturday, with Omaha hosting North Dakota State and North Dakota traveling to face Missouri-Kansas City.

According to pregame analytics from Interstat, Omaha was projected with a 79.3% probability to win and was favored by 5.5 points. The combined score of 169 points significantly exceeded the over/under line of 146.5.