MILWAUKEE (AP)--Ben Woodside scored 20 points to lead North Dakota State to a 57-50 victory over Princeton Friday in the opening game of the Marquette Pepsi Blue and Gold Classic at the Bradley Center.

Mike Nelson had 16 points and Brett Winkelman added 11 points and 10 rebounds for North Dakota State (4-2).

Kyle Koncz had 13 points to lead Princeton (4-2).

North Dakota State will play either No. 8 Marquette or Northwestern State in the finals of the four-team tournament at 8 p.m. Saturday.  Both teams advanced to the NCAA tournament last year.

Andre Smith, North Dakota State's leading scorer with an 18.8-point average, was held scoreless until he sank two free throws with 52 seconds left for the final margin but had 11 rebounds.

North Dakota State tied the game three times in the second half before taking the lead for the first time on Nelson's two free throws that made it 40-38 with 9:05 to play. Lucas Moormann blocked a shot--one of his three on the night--and Winkelman hit a jumper that pushed the lead to four.

Justin Conway's layup pulled Princeton to 42-41 with a 5:55 to play, but that was as close as the Tigers would get as Woodside answered with four free throws and Winkelman added a rebound basket.

NDSU made 8 of 10 free throws in the last 5:21 for the final margin.

Trailing by as many as 15 points in the first half, North Dakota State used a 14-0 run that bridged the end of the first half and a minute into the second to tie it at 26 on a basket by Woodside, who was questionable before the game with a sprained ankle.  He played 39 minutes.