OMAHA, Neb. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a dominant first-half performance from Omaha and a relentless second-half surge from North Dakota State, it was a final, frantic sequence that decided a Summit League thriller Saturday afternoon at Baxter Arena.

The North Dakota State Bison, trailing by as many as 15 points in the first half, completed a dramatic comeback to edge the Omaha Mavericks 78-76 before a crowd of 3,669.

The most critical stretch unfolded in the final 30 seconds. With the score tied at 73, Omaha’s Paul Djobet missed a driving layup that was blocked by North Dakota State’s Treyson Anderson. After a scramble and a shot-clock violation on the Mavericks, the Bison called timeout with 23 seconds left.

Out of the break, Damari Wheeler-Thomas hit a pull-up jumper to put North Dakota State ahead 75-73 with just five seconds remaining. Omaha, with no timeouts left, rushed the ball upcourt. Grant Stubblefield found Tony Osburn on the left wing, and the senior guard drained a deep 3-pointer, tying the game at 76 and sending the home crowd into a frenzy with 0.5 seconds on the clock.

The celebration was short-lived. On the ensuing inbounds play, the Bison executed a perfectly designed set. Wheeler-Thomas, inbounding from under his own basket, found a cutting Anderson near the elbow. Anderson immediately fired a pass to a wide-open Trevian Carson cutting baseline. Carson caught and laid the ball in at the rim as the horn sounded, delivering the stunning walk-off victory for the visitors.

The finish capped a remarkable turnaround. Omaha, led by the stellar play of Paul Djobet and Christian Richardson, controlled the opening 20 minutes. The Mavericks shot 60% from the field in the first half, with Richardson scoring 17 of his 21 points and Djobet orchestrating the offense with 10 points and four assists. They led 44-32 at the break, capitalizing on a 9-of-15 performance from 3-point range.

The second half was a different story. North Dakota State tightened its defense, holding Omaha to 32 points on 34.5% shooting after halftime. The Bison chipped away, using a 14-4 run early in the period to close the gap. The offensive efficiency of the Bison proved decisive; they scored 46 second-half points on just 27 possessions, shooting 57.7% from the floor.

Treyson Anderson led the Bison with 22 points, three assists and three blocks, including two critical denials in the final minute. Damari Wheeler-Thomas added 14 points and six rebounds, hitting several key shots down the stretch. Trevian Carson scored 14 points, none bigger than the final two.

Omaha was paced by Paul Djobet’s 22 points, six rebounds and five assists. Christian Richardson matched his efficiency with 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting. Tony Osburn scored 16, including the clutch late three, and Grant Stubblefield dished out seven assists.

Statistically, the game was a study in contrasts. Omaha’s early hot shooting gave way to North Dakota State’s sustained efficiency. The Bison finished the game shooting 55.6% from the field and a near-perfect 10 of 11 from the free-throw line. They also won the battle in the paint, 38-34, and scored 15 points off 10 Omaha turnovers.

The victory improved North Dakota State to 14-5 overall and marked its fourth consecutive win. Omaha fell to 8-11. The two teams are scheduled to meet again in Fargo on Feb. 7.

North Dakota State next hosts South Dakota State on Wednesday. Omaha travels to face Oral Roberts next Saturday.