The Weber State Wildcats punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament after dispatching North Dakota, 88-67, to win the Big Sky championship. It will be their 15th tournament appearance and first since 2007.
Weber State wins 2014 Big Sky basketball tournament: Wildcats thrash North Dakota, 88-67
Not much drama in the Big Sky championship game, as Weber State routed North Dakota to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
Weber State jumped out to a quick 18-6 lead and never let North Dakota get into things. The Wildcats shot a blistering 58.3 percent from the floor in the first half alone, led by Davion Berry’s 14 points. Weber State was money from beyond the arc, making 7-of-13 three pointers, and took a 44-34 lead into halftime.
The Wildcats continued to pour it on in the second half, building a 20-point lead with less than eight minutes to go. North Dakota had a slight burst down the stretch, but it was far too late by then. Weber State emphatically proved that it was the best team in the Big Sky after winning the regular-season title. Despite playing in a weak conference, the Wildcats might have shown enough to avoid a trip to Dayton for the First Four.
Berry cooled off a bit in the second half and finished with 19 points, but Kyle Tresnak picked up the slack and ultimately led Weber State with 27 points overall. The Wildcats shot 56.6 percent from the floor, compared with North Dakota's 39.3 percent. Three pointers were the big difference in this one -- Weber State drained 10-of-22 threes, while North Dakota could only manage 1-of-11. Troy Huff led North Dakota with 17 points. With a 17-16 final record, North Dakota is a longshot to earn an NIT berth.
See More:
