Fighting Hawks Fall to Omaha, Prepare for Kansas City Showdown
GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The University of North Dakota women’s basketball team fought hard but ultimately fell short against Omaha, losing 76-70 in a closely contested matchup at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center on Thursday night. The loss drops the Fighting Hawks to 10-18 overall and 5-10 in Summit League play.
The game started strong for North Dakota, as they established a 14-9 lead in the first quarter through a dominant inside presence, led by Fatima Ibrahim who recorded nine rebounds and four points early on. However, the second quarter saw a dramatic shift as Omaha outscored the Fighting Hawks 17-3, taking a 26-17 lead into halftime. North Dakota struggled offensively, shooting only 7.7% from the field and failing to make a three-pointer during this period.
In the third quarter, the Fighting Hawks regained momentum, outscoring Omaha 26-23 and narrowing the gap to 49-43 heading into the final period. Kiera Pemberton was instrumental during this stretch, contributing seven points. Despite a valiant effort in the fourth quarter, where North Dakota shot 71.4% from the field, the team couldn’t seal the comeback as Omaha used free throws and effective perimeter shooting to secure the win.
Pemberton led the Fighting Hawks with 26 points and six rebounds, while Ibrahim notched her third career double-double with 12 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. Jocelyn Schiller added 15 points to the effort.
Next up, the Fighting Hawks will host Kansas City on Saturday, March 1, at 1 p.m. in their final regular-season game. For updates, follow @UNDwbasketball on social media.
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