GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Senior Jaron Nash registered his first career double-double to lead North Dakota to a 76-39 win in its home opener Tuesday at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. Nash led the home team in both scoring and rebounding with 16 and 12 in those categories, respectively.

Junior Josiah Coleman added 13 points and sophomore Quinton Hooker chipped in with 11 to round out a trio of double-figure scorers. Coleman went 3-for-5 from beyond the arc to lead UND in that category, while Hooked dished out a career-high six assists.

The Comets hung around early in the contest and led for the opening nine-plus minutes before Nash threw down back-to-back dunks to give the home team its first lead of the contest at 13-10.

“I think we got back to our game plan,” UND head coach Brian Jones said. “I think (at first) we were doing our own thing offensively and defensively. We were a little too excited early on being back at home for the first time.”

MSU would take one more lead at 14-13 after a jumper by Chuck Robinson, but UND would start to pull away thanks to a 10-0 run sparked by a Coleman long ball.

UND would end up with a 38-24 lead at the break as the Green and White turned 15 MSU turnovers into 19 points. Nash had 12 first-half points, while Coleman added 10 and hit two of the team's four 3-pointers in the opening 20 minutes.

The Comets never threatened in the second half as UND grew its lead to as many as 34 over the NAIA program. UND improved its shooting in the second half, going 13-for-25 from the floor, while holding MSU to an 18.2 percent clip (4-for-22) after the break.

UND outscored the Comets 38-15 in those closing 20 minutes and forced the visitors into 27 turnovers for the game.

Robinson finished with a double-double for the Comets, leading the team with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

UND returns to action on Friday at South Dakota State in a game that will air live on Midco Sports Network at 7 p.m.

-- UND --