MENOMONIE, Wis. - Senior Noah Beck recorded his first-career double-double as the St. Olaf College men's basketball team downed UW-Stout, 63-57, in the season opener for both teams at Johnson Fieldhouse on Friday night.

Beck recorded 13 points, 10 rebounds and three assists for St. Olaf (1-0), which improved to 6-1 in its last seven season openers with the win over UW-Stout (0-1). The Blue Devils led 44-41 with 13:28 remaining in the second half before the Oles went on a decisive 13-2 run to take the lead for good.

In addition to Beck's double-double, senior Nate Albers and first year Jake Weber both came off the bench to score in double figures, as Albers shot 8-for-9 from the free-throw line to provide 12 points and Weber added 10 points in his first collegiate contest. Junior Dominic Bledsoe chipped in with nine points, five rebounds and two steals for the Oles.

St. Olaf outscored UW-Stout by a 14-1 margin at the free-throw line, shooting 14-for-20, compared to 1-for-3 for the Blue Devils. The Oles also sank seven three-pointers while holding the Blue Devils to four makes from behind the arc.

Beck scored five of St. Olaf's first seven points as the two teams were tied at 7-7 just over three minutes in. First year Mac Hubbard's first collegiate basket, a three-pointer, gave the Oles a 17-16 lead midway through the half before St. Olaf stretched its lead to as many as seven, 27-20, with 5:04 left after a Weber three-pointer off an assist from Albers.

The Blue Devils ended the half on an 11-4 run to even the score at 31-31 heading into the half after holding the Oles to one point in the final 4:02 of the half.

Back-to-back baskets by Tyreese Alexander and Kaden Koski gave UW-Stout its largest lead of the night at 44-39 with 14:06 remaining. Later in the half, back-to-back three-pointers from Hubbard and Beck followed by a three-point play by Bledsoe put the Oles up eight, 54-46, with 6:05 to go.

The Blue Devils scored the next five points to get back within three, 54-51, but the Oles answered with a three-point play by Albers off his own steal, as the senior scored seven-straight points to push St. Olaf's lead to 10, 61-51, inside the final minute.

In the win, St. Olaf got 28 points off its bench and shot 12-for-15 from the free-throw line in the second half to help secure the victory.

The Oles are back on the road on Wednesday, Nov. 13 for a non-conference contest at UW-Stevens Point at 7 p.m.