FARGO, N.D. (AP)--Brett Winkelman and Ben Woodside combined for 48 points to help North Dakota State defeat Colorado State 83-69 on Saturday and spoil the return of former Bison coach Tim Miles.

Winkelman scored 26 points and hauled down 11 rebounds for NDSU (6-5), which trailed only once at 2-0 in winning its 15th straight home game. Woodside, the Bison point guard, added 22 points and eight assists.

The Bison led by as many as 16 points in the first half and were ahead 42-30 at intermission. The Rams (5-5) could get no closer than five points in the second half.

A pair of Josh Simmons free throws cut Colorado State's deficit to 72-67, but NDSU made 7 of 8 free throws in the final 4:04 to hold off the Rams.

Stuart Creason, a 7-foot senior, led Colorado State with 25 points and eight rebounds.  Creason was 9 of 10 from the floor and 7-for-7 at the free-throw line.

Miles, in his first year with the Rams, is facing a rebuilding job with the Mountain West Conference team. They finished eighth in the league last season.

Miles received a standing ovation when he took the floor and shook hands with a handful of students before tip-off. He spent six years at NDSU, compiling a 99-71 record.

A crowd of 5,134 was on hand at the Bison Sports Arena.

North Dakota State is off until Friday, Dec. 28, when the Bison play Bucknell in the first round of the Cal Golden Bear Classic in Berkeley, Calif.