Box Score

DAVIS, Calif. - UC Davis celebrated its 2015 Big West title by raising a championship banner during Friday's pregame ceremony, but North Dakota State spoiled the celebration by rallying from a late nine-point deficit to force overtime where the Bison prevailed 79-71 in a season-opening men's basketball game in front of 3,366 fans at the Pavilion.

Senior Josh Fox and junior Neal Monson each picked up their first career double-doubles for the Aggies who had their 14-game home winning streak snapped, the 14th-longest active streak in the country. Fox went 16 and 12 while Monson had 14 points to go with 10 rebounds. Dexter Werner had 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Bison, who've been to the last two NCAA Tournaments, while Kory Brown added 10 points and 10 boards.

"Give them credit, they took advantage of any mishap we had, and that's what good teams do," said UC Davis head coach Jim Les following the game. "I told the guys after the game, 'sometimes you need to go through a little adversity to get better,' and they will continue to work hard.

"They are disappointed, I'm disappointed, but the beauty of it is that we get to play again on Sunday."

Fox and Monson led four Aggies in double figures. Graham added 13 points while Butler transfer Nolan Berry, who made his UC Davis debut after sitting out last year, had 11 points. Brynton Lemar pitched in with eight rebounds -- one short of a career high.

Led by Fox, who set a new career high with his total, the Aggies outrebounded the Bison by a 46-42 margin.

The Bison had an early 14-9 lead but Berry's layup eventually tied the game, 19-19, midway through the first half. Graham's 3-pointer put UC Davis in front 22-21 and keyed a 16-8 run that gave the Aggies their biggest lead before halftime at 35-27 with 3:56 to go. They led 39-33 at the break.

UC Davis didn't trail in the second half and enjoyed nine-point leads four times after turning back several Bison challenges that got the lead down to as little as a point before North Dakota put together its late rally.

UC Davis led 69-60 with 2:10 remaining in regulation after Fox put in a layup, but North Dakota State rallied and forced overtime after Kory Brown drove the lane to tie the score at 69 with three seconds to go.

Werner scored the first four points of overtime and the Bison opened with a 10-0 run to hold a 79-69 lead with 33 seconds to go. Neal Monson's free throws with 21 seconds remaining snapped an OT scoring drought for the Aggies.

Before tipoff, UC Davis raised its conference championship banner that commemorated a 25-7 record -- the best in the Aggies' Div. I history -- before the game. Their 2014-15 record included a 14-2 mark in the Big West, another program-best.

UC Davis returns to action on Sunday when it hosts Portland at 4 p.m.

NORTH DAKOTA STATE 79, UC DAVIS 71

NORTH DAKOTA STATE (1-0)
Paul Miller 7-13 3-4 20; Dexter Werner 8-12 0-0 16; Malik Clements 5-9 1-1 13; Kory Brown 5-9 0-1 10; Carlin Dupree 4-16 0-1 8; A.J. Jacobson 3-8 0-2 7; Khy Kabellis 2-7 0-0 5; Dylan Miller 0-1 0-0 0; Spencer Eliason 0-0 0-0 0; Brian Ishola 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 34-77 4-9 79.

UC DAVIS (0-1)
Fox, Josh 8-20 0-3 16; Monson, Neal 3-6 8-8 14; Graham, Darius 5-9 1-6 13; Berry, Nolan 4-6 2-4 11; Schneider, Siler 3-6 1-2 7; Lemar, Brynton 2-12 2-2 6; Printup, Rogers 1-1 0-0 3; White, Lawrence 0-1 1-6 1. Totals 26-61 15-31 71.

North Dakota State............ 33 36 10 - 79
UC Davis............................ 39 30 2 - 71

3-point goals--North Dakota State 7-23 (Paul Miller 3-8; Malik Clements 2-5; Khy Kabellis 1-4; A.J. Jacobson 1-2; Carlin Dupree 0-3; Kory Brown 0-1), UC Davis 4-13 (Graham, Darius 2-6; Berry, Nolan 1-3; Printup, Rogers 1-1; Lemar, Brynton 0-3). Fouled out--North Dakota State-A.J. Jacobson, UC Davis-None. Rebounds--North Dakota State 42 (Dexter Werner 12), UC Davis 46 (Fox, Josh 12). Assists--North Dakota State 13 (Kory Brown 3; Dexter Werner 3), UC Davis 13 (White, Lawrence 3; Graham, Darius 3). Total fouls--North Dakota State 21, UC Davis 14. Technical fouls--North Dakota State-None, UC Davis-None. A-3366