HOUGHTON, Mich. -- Michigan Tech outscored Wisconsin-Parkside, 12-1, in overtime to capture an 80-69 men's basketball victory as part of the GLIAC/GLVC Challenge tonight at the SDC Gym. Radayl Richardson exploded for 22 points after halftime including seven of the team's 12 points in overtime to help the Huskies open their season with a win. Parkside, which came into the game with a 3-0 record, suffered its first loss.

"I thought we beat a really good basketball team tonight," said head coach Kevin Luke, who is starting his 13th season at the helm. "We defended really well, especially in the overtime."

The game had no signs of being an overtime affair with the Huskies leading by a dozen and 6:27 left in regulation. The Rangers scored nine unanswered points in less than three minutes to close with 65-62. The gap remained three points until LaVontay Fenderson's jumpshot in the paint cut it to one (66-65) with 33 ticks to go.

With the shot clock off, UWP was forced to foul, sending Richardson to the free throw line. He made both tries with 29 seconds left for another three-point lead. The lead didn't last, however, as Parkside's Tyrone Deacon was able to get free for a three-pointer from the top of the key.

Tech had 10 seconds after the Deacon triple, but Richardson's pull-up jumper from 17 feet was off the mark.

"I didn't want to call timeout at the end of regulation because Dell (Richardson) had a head of steam and could have drawn a foul," said Luke. "We wouldn't have had time to set up a play."

Parkside took its only lead of the second half just 48 seconds into overtime on a free throw by Fenderson. Tech then rattled off 12 straight points to close the extra session. Richardson hit two free throws, then assisted on sophomore transfer Kris Alpers' layup at the 3:15 mark for a 72-69 edge. Nearly two minutes later, Richardson converted a three-point play for a six point gap. UWP was forced to foul, and Tech made five of six free throws in the final 1:13 for the final margin.

"I thought our toughness and leadership pulled us through the overtime," said Luke. "Credit goes to our upperclassmen. We didn't hang our heads when they made the three to send it to overtime."

Richardson finished with game highs of 24 points -- aided by 10-of-10 free throw shooting -- and eight rebounds. Tim Strom added 14 points, while Stephen Folson had 10 points behind the strength of an eight-of-eight performance at the foul line.

In all, the hosts shot the ball remarkably well, finishing the game at 57 percent from the field and 82 percent from the stripe. Tech's defense did its job, too, holding UWP, to 35 percent from the floor including a glaring 0-for-10 in OT.

Michigan Tech led, 39-34, at halftime despite Richardson playing just four minutes because of foul trouble. The Huskies were able to cope as eight players shared the scoring duties and Josh Makela tallied all of his nine points in the opening frame.

Tech (1-0) will host Lewis (1-0), who defeated Lake Superior State, 75-72, in an earlier game at the SDC Gym, tomorrow in the finale of the GLIAC/GLVC Challenge. Tipoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.

Notes: Alpers, from NCAA Division I Lipscomb, tallied nine points on four-of-four shooting in his Huskies' debut ... Folson's 10 points tied a career high ... The overtime affair was MTU's second extra session game in its last three outings. The Huskies went four overtimes against Northern Michigan in their next-to-last game of 2005-06.