Kansas State defeats North Dakota in opener
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) -- Angel Rodriguez and Thomas Gipson each scored 13 points as Kansas State won its 10th straight season opener and started out new coach Bruce Weber's tenure with an 85-52 victory over North Dakota on Friday night.
Martavious Irving added 11 points for the Wildcats.
Troy Huff led North Dakota with 12.
A veteran North Dakota team gave the Wildcats all they could handle in the first half and trailed just 36-27 at halftime, but Kansas State widened the gap quickly after the break.
Rodriguez scored eight straight for Kansas State to begin the second half, sinking a pair of 3-pointers and slicing into the lane for a layup.
Rodriguez's first 3 gave the Wildcats their first double-digit lead of the game. After his scoring flurry, Kansas State got comfortable in the paint, getting buckets there from Will Spradling, Gipson and Rodney McGruder in addition to a couple of free throws. Seven minutes into the second half, the Wildcats led 54-36.