Kansas State defeats North Dakota in opener

Kansas State defeats North Dakota in opener

Published Nov. 9, 2012 9:39 p.m. ET

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.

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