OMAHA, Neb. (Interstat) — A dominant second-half performance propelled the Omaha Mavericks to an 80-71 victory over the South Dakota State Jackrabbits in a Summit League men’s basketball game Wednesday night at Baxter Arena.

In a contest that was tightly contested for the first 20 minutes, the Mavericks erupted after halftime, outscoring the Jackrabbits 48-37 to turn a narrow halftime deficit into a decisive win before a crowd of 3,312.

The game’s pivotal shift came early in the second half. Leading just 32-34 at the break, Omaha opened the final period on a decisive 14-4 run. The surge was fueled by efficient offense and disruptive defense. Grant Stubblefield, who finished with 13 points and five assists, initiated the run with a floating jumper. Brock Scholl converted a layup off a Stubblefield assist, and after a South Dakota State turnover, Paul Djobet capped the run with a layup to give Omaha a 46-38 lead with 15:54 remaining. The Mavericks never trailed again.

South Dakota State, which had won the previous meeting between the teams 84-69 on Jan. 1, struggled to find consistent offense against an energized Omaha defense. The Jackrabbits shot just 39.3 percent from the floor for the game and a frigid 19.2 percent from three-point range. Despite holding a significant 12-6 advantage in offensive rebounds, they could not capitalize enough to keep pace.

The Mavericks, meanwhile, executed with precision in the half-court. They shot 47.5 percent from the field and were a near-perfect 18 of 22 from the free-throw line. Their offensive rating of 112.0 on 71 possessions starkly contrasted with South Dakota State’s 97.4 rating on 73 trips, underscoring Omaha’s superior efficiency.

Kalen Garry and Damon Wilkinson shouldered the load for South Dakota State. Garry, a guard from De Smet, South Dakota, scored 22 points, while Wilkinson, a 6-foot-10 forward also from De Smet, added 24 points. Their combined 46 points, however, were not enough to offset a more balanced Omaha attack.

The Mavericks placed five players in double figures. Alongside Stubblefield, Djobet of Lille, France, was instrumental with 16 points, three assists and a block. Tony Osburn of Fairfax, Missouri, scored 15, while Ja’Sean Glover of Madelia, Minnesota, and Kamryn Thomas of Chicago each added 10 points. Thomas also contributed two blocks.

A key factor was Omaha’s ability to protect the ball and create turnovers. They committed only eight turnovers while forcing 12 from South Dakota State, translating to an 8-5 edge in steals. This allowed them to control the game’s tempo, especially in the second half, where they methodically extended their lead and closed out the game at the free-throw line.

With the win, Omaha improved its overall record to 11-12 and evened its Summit League mark. South Dakota State fell to 10-12. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Omaha entered with a 56 percent probability to win, defying the pregame spread which had installed South Dakota State as a 1.5-point favorite. The total score of 151 points went under the betting over/under line of 148.5.

The victory gives Omaha momentum as they prepare to hit the road to face Denver on Saturday. South Dakota State looks to rebound at home against Oral Roberts, also on Saturday.