OMAHA, Neb.--Saturday's 49-42 North Central Conference victory by the University of Nebraska-Omaha over North Dakota State University was a tale of two halves.

UNO (5-5 NCC, 4-3) rolled up 426 yards in total offense and stormed into halftime with a 34-7 lead. The Bison (2-7 NCC, 1-6) had 408 yards the second half and pulled to within 40-35 before Nick Pearson returned an interception 22 yards for a score and Troy Severson added a 39-yard field goal with 2:08 left to give the Mavs some breathing room.

For the game, NDSU had 578 yards in total offense as quarterback Graig Gorder completed 27 of 42 passes for 416 yards and four scores. Marques Johnson had five catches for 180 yards and a touchdown.

UNO had 558 yards of offense, with quarterback Brian Masek passing 16-for-22 for 283 yards and two touchdowns. James E. Johnson also rushed for 162 yards on 28 carries. Ryan Krause caught 8 passes for 117 yards and Chris Denney three for 112.

Despite the huge Bison offensive output the second half, it was two defensive plays by the Mavericks which spelled the difference. Linebacker Taiwo Onatolu picked off a tipped pass by Gorder and returned it 37 yards for a score midway through the third quarter and a 40-14 lead.

After the Bison scored three times in just over 11 minutes to pull within 40-35, Pearson plucked a bobbled pass out of the air and returned it 22 yards for a score with 7:07 left in the fourth quarter and a 46-35 lead. Severson's field goal, his third of the game, came with 2:08 left and give UNO a 49-35 edge.

The Bison had one more gasp left, and Gorder connected with Johnson on a 68-yard scoring play with 19 seconds remaining. The Mavs' Krause recovered NDSU's onside kickoff to seal the win.

Eight of the 12 touchdowns scored in the game came from 20 yards or more.

North Dakota State is scheduled to close out the 2002 season at home against St. Cloud State University (5-2 NCC, 8-2) at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16 at the Fargodome. The Huskies defeated the University of New Haven 51-7 on Saturday.