Fiddler Hits Game Winner Omaha Head To Summit Semi's

Photo Credit: Omaha Mavericks

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Making their debut in the 2024 Summit League Championships, No. 6 Omaha upset No. 3 North Dakota with a stunning nine-point comeback in the final three minutes to win 73-72 and move on to the semifinals vs. No. 7 Denver.

This is the first time since the 2018-19 season that the Mavericks will play in the semifinals.

Leaders for Omaha 
Frankie Fidler was the hero once again as he shot 15-for-27 for a season-high 34 points. He also led the team with 10 rebounds for a double-double, was first in steals with two, and recorded Omaha's only block.

Marquel Sutton and Nick Davis both scored in double figures as well, with Sutton totaling 13 and Davis 12. Tony Osburn also returned to the lineup after missing the last five games of the regular season and scored five points, including one from behind the arc.

Leaders for North Dakota
Treysen Eaglestaff was UND's top scorer with 18 points tonight, while B.J. Omott was right behind him with 14 and a team-high three steals. Amar Kuljuhovic paced the Fighting Hawks with 11 rebounds.

Team Stats 
Both teams were incredibly close in FG% tonight, with Omaha just edging out UND with an even 50.0% to 49.1%. The Fighting Hawks had the advantage in 3-PT FG% (33.3% to 26.7%), and FT% (83.3% to 60.0%), but Omaha's dominance in the paint (52 points vs. 30 points) was the difference maker.

Inside the First Half 
After being held to just a single free throw from Davis through the first three minutes, the Mavericks were neck and neck with the Fighting Hawks for the rest of the half. Sutton, JJ White, and Fidler all scored in the next 90 seconds to get Omaha within one at 7-8. UND quickly responded and went back up by five, but four more points from Sutton helped make it a one-score game again with 12:30 left.

Omaha would eventually take its first lead of the day at 8:41 when Davis backed into the lane and made the go-ahead hookshot to make it 19-18. This would come as part of a 9-0 run that was capped off by a pair of buckets from Fidler to grow the lead to 23-18. With just over six minutes left to play, Osburn made his first basket of the day when he drained a three to keep Omaha in front.

Though the Fighting Hawks retook the lead on six straight points, Fidler evened things up at 30-30 with three minutes to go. UND would score six of the next eight to close out the period and take a four-point lead into halftime.

Inside the Second Half 
Fidler provided the bulk of Omaha's offense in the second, shooting 6-for-7 to score 13 of the team's 23 points through the first 11 minutes. Despite this, the Mavericks could not slow down UND's offense as the Fighting Hawks grew their lead to double digits with eight minutes remaining.

Down 64-54 with a little over six minutes left, a driving layup and two from the line from Fidler would get Omaha back within six points, but the Fighting Hawks fought back to regrow their lead to 72-63 with 2:53 to go. The Mavericks, however, were not done yet as they proceeded to go on their best run all day with 10 unanswered over the final three minutes. After three more points from Fidler, White drained a critical three to get Omaha within three, before Sutton made it a one-point game at the one-minute mark. With three seconds to play, Fidler came in clutch one last time and delivered the game-winning layup out of the timeout.

Game Notes 
- Fidler continued his climb up Omaha's all-time scoring list as he moved into seventh place in the record book with 1480 points. This puts him 22 away from CJ Carter's 1502 career points for sixth all-time and second among Division I only Mavericks. Fidler also ends the night with 492 career rebounds, putting him eight away from becoming the 15th Maverick ever and fourth to only play in the Division I era to reach 1000 points and 500 rebounds.
- Fidler's 15 field goals were also tied for the most ever by a player in the Summit League Tournament. Likewise, his 34 points are the most by any player in the tournament since...himself when he dropped 34 on South Dakota State back in 2022.

Up Next
The Mavericks will take on No. 7 Denver in the semifinals round tonight (March 11th) at 8:30 p.m. Denver pulled off a late comeback of their own yesterday, upsetting No. 2 Kansas City 61-60 after a huge second half.

𝗛𝗘. 𝗜𝗦. 𝗛𝗜𝗠.😤@FrankieFidler_ with the game-winning bucket‼️‼️🤘#OmahaMBB | @MidcoSports pic.twitter.com/S7sZcl1pGl

— Omaha Basketball (@OmahaMBB) March 11, 2024