11/15/2008

Associated Press

Daniel Harkins scored 14 points and Travis Bledsoe added 13 as North Dakota beat Missouri-Kansas City 61-56 Friday night in the season opener for both teams.

It was the first NCAA Division I game for the Fighting Sioux, who had won 1,422 games in Division II.

O.J. Harrison, who finished with 10 points, hit a 3-pointer with 18 seconds left to put North Dakota up 58-56. Pat Mitchell came off the bench to score 12 points.

Reggie Hamilton led UMKC with 22 points and Spencer Johnson scored 15 before fouling out with 5:21 left.

North Dakota led 39-24 at halftime but went cold in the second period, scoring only three points in the first 11 minutes as the Kangaroos came back to tie it at 42.