Avants, North Dakota hold off Milwaukee for 63-60 win

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Conner Avants scored 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting and Cortez Seales made two free throws with 13 seconds left to help North Dakota hold off Milwaukee for a 63-60 win on Saturday night.

Seales finished with 12 points but shot just 4 of 18 from the field. Kienan Walter had 10 points, seven rebounds and three blocks for North Dakota (2-0).

Seales made a layup to spark a 14-3 run that gave the Fighting Hawks a 25-12 lead late in the first half and Aanen Moody's 3-pointer with 7:55 to play pushed the lead to 15. Carson Warren-Newsome hit all of his four 3-pointers in the next one minute, 43 seconds to trim Milwaukee's deficit to 54-47 and Darius Roy scored seven points during a 10-1 spurt that pulled the Panthers within one with 16 seconds to go. After Seales was fouled and made both foul shots, Roy missed a potential tying 3.

Roy led Milwaukee (0-2) with 18 points and six assists. DeAndre Abram, a guard who sat out last season after transferring from George Mason, added 12 points and 12 rebounds.