Jordan Ford scored 26 points to lead No. 20 Saint Mary's to a 65-63 overtime victory over Wisconsin on Tuesday night in the season opener for both teams at Sioux Falls, S.D.

Malik Fitts added 16 points and made the decisive shot in overtime for the Gaels.

Nate Reuvers matched his career best of 22 points and also blocked four shots for Wisconsin. Brad Davison added 16 points and D'Mitrik Trice scored 10.

Reuvers split two free throws with 2:40 left in overtime to give the Badgers a 61-60 lead. Trice knocked down a jumper 33 seconds later to make it a three-point game.

Fitts made two free throws with 1:38 remaining and scored on inside move to give Saint Mary's a 64-63 lead with one minute left.

Reuvers missed a potential go-ahead jumper with 38 seconds left. Wisconsin chose not to foul and Tanner Krebs missed a shot with six seconds left for the Gaels but Kyle Bowen collected the rebound and was fouled with 4.4 seconds left. He split two free throws.

Aleem Ford's 30-foot, 3-point attempt as time expired for Wisconsin didn't draw iron.

The Badgers shot 42.3 percent from the field, including 5 of 19 from 3-point range.

The Gaels shot 39.3 percent and were 8 of 18 from 3-point range.

Wisconsin trailed by nine points with eight minutes left in regulation before Trice connected on a 3-pointer and Reuvers hit two free throws and added a 3-pointer to trim the Saint Mary's advantage to 50-49 with 4:11 left.

Davison split two free throws to tie it at 50 with 3:29 left. Jordan Ford ended the Gaels' scoring drought of 4:57 with a basket with 3:03 remaining before Davison's layup knotted the score with 2:40 remaining.

Matthias Tass scored on the inside to give Saint Mary's a 54-52 advantage with 1:51 left. Aleem Ford converted a layup for Wisconsin to tie it at 54 with 53.5 seconds left. Both teams missed shots on their final possessions.

Earlier, Jordan Ford had 15 points in the first half as Saint Mary's held a 30-24 lead at the break.

Wisconsin controlled the first 12-plus minutes and held a 17-9 lead after Davison's layup.

Jordan Ford buried a 3-pointer to start a 16-2 run. A 3-pointer by Alex Ducas gave the Gaels a 20-19 lead with 4:31 left and Ford added the final five points of the surge to provide Saint Mary's with a 25-19 lead.

Ford drained a 3-pointer to make it 30-20 with 1:14 remaining before the Badgers scored the final four points of the half.

Fitts scored back-to-back baskets to give Saint Mary's a 50-41 lead with eight minutes left.

--Field Level Media