Wildcats drop second round game to Bears

BOISE - No. 1 seed Northern Colorado shot 53 percent from the field and defeated Weber State 76-52 in the second round of the Big Sky Tournament Sunday evening in Boise, Idaho.

The Bears never trailed and held Weber State to 30 percent shooting. WSU's season comes to an end at 12-22.

The Bears came out on fire and jumped out to a 17-2 lead 5:28 into the game. The Wildcats missed nine of their first 10 field goals, while the Bears made six of their first eight with three 3-pointers. The Wildcats were never closer than eight points the rest of the half.

The Wildcats went almost nine minutes without a field goal midway through the half, and UNC closed the half on an 8-0 run and led 42-22 at the break. Northern Colorado shot 59 percent from the field in the half and held the Wildcats to 19 percent.

Viljami Vartiainen made back-to-back 3-pointers for the 'Cats five minutes into the second half to cut the lead to 18, but Weber State was never closer than that the rest of the way.

Northern Colorado outrebouned the Wildcats 38-25 and made eight 3-pointers. Weber State was 20 of 27 from the free throw line but made just two 3-pointers.

Weber State senior Blaise Threatt led the 'Cats with 12 points. He also had eight rebounds and two steals.

Threatt scored in double figures in all 32 games he played this season and had one of the top seasons in Wildcat history. He earned All-Big Sky first team honors and finished the season leading the Wildcats in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. He is currently the only player in the nation averaging at least 20 points, five rebounds, and four assists.

Threatt played in 145 games in his five-year college career that included three seasons at Colorado Mesa and the last two seasons at Weber State.

Another senior, Vasilije Vucinic also scored in double figures for the Wildcats as he finished with 10 points on 3 of 5 shooting. It was the final game of his 120-game college career.

Alex Tew had four points and played his 126th and final game at Weber State, the eighth most games in Wildcat history.

Sophomore Viljami Vartiainen also scored in double figures as he finished with 10 points with two 3-pointers.

Freshman Trevor Hennig added nine points and concluded his season playing in all 34 games and started the final 11 games.

Team Stats

Blaise Threatt

Viljami Vartiainen

Vasilije Vucinic

Trevor Hennig

Players Mentioned

Trevor Hennig

Alex Tew

Blaise Threatt

Viljami Vartiainen

Vasilije Vucinic

Players Mentioned

Trevor Hennig

Alex Tew

Blaise Threatt

Viljami Vartiainen

Vasilije Vucinic

Weber State University Athletics