BROOKINGS, S.D. (Interstat) — A dominant second-half surge, fueled by a monstrous performance from Damon Wilkinson, propelled South Dakota State to an 84-69 victory over Omaha in a Summit League men’s basketball game Thursday night at Frost Arena.

The game was a tale of two halves, with both teams locked in a 36-36 tie at the break. The Jackrabbits emerged from halftime with a decisive 16-4 run over the first five minutes, transforming a deadlock into a commanding lead they would never relinquish. Omaha, which had shown resilience in the first half, could not counter the onslaught as South Dakota State’s offense found its rhythm and its defense tightened.

The most important part of the game was the Jackrabbits’ immediate and overwhelming burst to start the second half. The sequence began with Wilkinson, a 6-foot-10 junior from De Smet, South Dakota, blocking two shots on a single Omaha possession, setting a defensive tone. Matthew Mors followed with a putback layup, Joe Sayler drilled a 3-pointer, and Mors completed a three-point play. When Sayler hit another 3-pointer at the 17:41 mark, the run was complete, giving South Dakota State a 52-40 lead and forcing an Omaha timeout. The Mavericks never got the deficit back to single digits, as the Jackrabbits’ lead ballooned to as many as 18 points.

Wilkinson was the unequivocal star, posting a staggering double-double of 24 points and 19 rebounds in just 29 minutes. He added three assists and three blocks, controlling the paint on both ends. His work on the glass, which included seven offensive rebounds, stifled Omaha’s opportunities and created extra possessions for the Jackrabbits.

Kalen Garry, also of De Smet, provided a versatile line of 13 points, nine rebounds and six assists for South Dakota State. Mors finished with 16 points, while Sayler added 14. Jaden Jackson contributed six points and 10 rebounds.

Omaha was led by Paul Djobet, who scored 22 points. Julian Margrave provided a spark off the bench with 14 points, all in the first half, but was held scoreless after halftime. Brock Scholl added 10 points and seven rebounds, and Lance Waddles dished out five assists.

The loss dropped Omaha to 7-9 overall, while South Dakota State evened its record at 8-8. An announced crowd of 3,542 at Frost Arena saw the Jackrabbits outperform pregame expectations as a 9-point favorite, though the combined score of 153 fell just under the projected total.

South Dakota State’s victory snapped a two-game skid that included close road losses to Milwaukee and Arizona. Omaha, coming off a 23-point defeat at Oregon on Dec. 28, has now lost four of its last five games.

The Jackrabbits continue Summit League play on the road Saturday at North Dakota. Omaha returns home to host Missouri-Kansas City on Saturday.