UND women's basketball falls to Omaha in rematch

The Fighting Hawks struggle offensively without senior center Walker Demers in a 58-54 loss to the Mavericks.

Feb. 5, 2026 at 11:39pm

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The UND women's basketball team, who had previously defeated Omaha by 21 points, suffered a 58-54 loss to the Mavericks on Thursday night. Omaha surged ahead at halftime and held on in the fourth quarter for their first Summit League victory of the season. The Fighting Hawks' offense struggled mightily, shooting just 26.6% from the field and 7-for-35 from beyond the arc, without the presence of senior center Walker Demers.

Why it matters

This loss is a setback for the UND women's basketball team, who were looking to build momentum after their previous victory over Omaha. The absence of Demers, a key player, highlighted the team's reliance on her contributions and the challenges they face without her in the lineup.

The details

Omaha improved to 1-9 in conference play and 3-22 overall with the victory, while UND dropped to 6-18 overall and 2-8 in league play. Sophomore guard Mataeya Mathern led the Fighting Hawks with a career-high 12 points, while sophomore forward Ava Miller and graduate guard Mackenzie Hughes added 11 and 10 points, respectively. The Mavericks held a 54-43 lead with 3 minutes, 14 seconds remaining, but the Fighting Hawks mounted an 8-0 run to draw within three points before Omaha made its free throws to seal the win.

  • The teams had previously met on January 8, with UND winning by 21 points.
  • Thursday's game was played at Baxter Arena in Omaha, Nebraska.

The players

Walker Demers

A senior center for the UND women's basketball team who was absent from the lineup due to illness.

Dennis Hutter

The head coach of the UND women's basketball team.

Mataeya Mathern

A sophomore guard for the UND women's basketball team who led the team with a career-high 12 points.

Ava Miller

A sophomore forward for the UND women's basketball team who scored 11 points.

Mackenzie Hughes

A graduate guard for the UND women's basketball team who scored 10 points.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The Fighting Hawks will look to bounce back on Saturday when they take on Kansas City on the road.

The takeaway

The absence of senior center Walker Demers proved to be a significant factor in UND's loss to Omaha, highlighting the team's reliance on her contributions and the challenges they face without her in the lineup. The Fighting Hawks will need to regroup and find ways to overcome the loss of key players if they hope to turn their season around.