Blake Ahearn, the seventh leading scorer in Missouri State Bears’ basketball history and the all-time leading free throw shooter in NCAA Division I history, has signed a contract with the National Basketball Association Development League and will play this season for the Dakota Wizards, based in Bismarck, N.D.

Ahearn was selected in the fourth round of the 10-round D League draft and will join a Dakota team which is the reigning D League champion. Dakota finished 33-17 last year and won the league playoffs in its first season in the D League. The Wizards are coached by Duane Ticknor and play in the 8,000-seat Bismarck Civic Center. Dakota opens play for the 2007-08 season when the Wizards host the Iowa Stampede in Bismarck, Nov. 23 and Nov. 24.

Ahearn collected 1,677 points in his four seasons for the Bears of coach Barry Hinson. He led Missouri State in scoring and was a Missouri Valley Conference all-league first team selection as a junior and senior. He was selected to all-district teams twice and set school and Valley records for consecutive free throws made with 60 in a row once each in his freshman and sophomore seasons. His .975 free throw percentage (117/120) as a freshman set a new Division I single season percentage mark, and his final figure of .946 (435/460) established a new NCAA career record. Ahearn graduated from Missouri State in August with a degree in marketing.