Weber State pulls away late to defeat Sacramento State, advance to face Northern Colorado

BOISE, Idaho — In a high-stakes first-round matchup at the Big Sky Tournament, Weber State took control in the final minutes to defeat Sacramento State 83-70 Saturday night.

The Wildcats advance to face No. 1 seed Northern Colorado in the quarterfinals on Sunday.

Weber State, the No. 9 seed in the tournament, entered the contest with an 11-21 overall record and a 5-13 mark in conference play and were looking to avenge an 80-77 loss to Sacramento State in February. The Wildcats did just that with a balanced offensive attack and a strong defensive finish.

A dominant offensive performance led Weber State to victory, as the Wildcats shot 56.6% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. Viljami Vartiainen scored a game-high 30 points on 10-of-13 shooting, including seven 3-pointers.

Blaise Threatt followed closely behind with 26 points, adding six rebounds and seven assists in an all-around performance.

Despite entering as the lower seed, Weber State maintained control for most of the game. Sacramento State, led by Jacob Holt's 20 points and EJ Neal's 18, kept the game close through the first 35 minutes. The Hornets shot an impressive 89.5% from the free-throw line but struggled to contain Weber State's perimeter shooting.

The final five minutes, Weber State tightened up defensively, forcing multiple turnovers and capitalizing on second-chance opportunities to pull away. The Wildcats ended the game on a 12-2 run, putting the contest out of reach.

With the win, Weber State now turns its attention to Northern Colorado, the Big Sky's top team. The two squads met just days ago, with the Bears claiming a 68-63 victory. Weber State will need to adjust quickly as they aim for an upset and a deeper run in the tournament.

The quarterfinal matchup is set for Sunday at 5:30 p.m. MDT in Boise.

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