Bobcats, N. Arizona In Sky Final

Men’s Big Sky tournament

Damon Ollie, scoreless in the first half, had a tip-in and two free throws during a surge that carried Montana State to a 69-64 victory over Weber State Friday in a Big Sky Conference semifinal game.

Top-seeded Northern Arizona, the first Big Sky team to win back-to-back regular-season titles in six years, defeated Cal State Northridge 86-79 in the other semifinal.

The Bobcats (19-10) went on a 12-3 run to take a 65-57 lead with 1:39 to play.

In the last minute, Weber’s Damien Baskerville made two baskets and Luke Condill hit a 3-pointer to bring the Wildcats within three points at 67-64.

But Nate Holmstadt made two free throws with 17.8 left to allow fifth-seeded MSU to reach the title game for the second time in three years.

Holmstadt had 14 points and seven rebounds, and Jamie Hooper had 14 points for the Bobcats.

Baskerville had 16 of his 21 points in the second half for Weber (14-13), which had won 13 of its previous 16 games.

Dante Rabb brought the Bobcats from behind twice in the second half, starting the key run with a jumper that made it 55-54 with 6:00 to play.

Casey Frank had 12 of his 14 points in the second half and Kawika Akina had 12 points and 10 assists to lead Northern Arizona’s victory.

Dan McClintock led Northern Arizona (20-7) with 18 points.

Carl Holmes had 26 points for the Matadors (12-16) and Mike O’Quinn added 22.

The Lumberjacks won despite not scoring a field goal for 9:21 of the second half - from 11:02 to 1:41 - and missing 12 free throws in the same span. Northridge picked up three of its four technicals during the cold spell.

Ross Land hit the two technical free throws, sending Northern to a 76-66 lead with 2:42 to go, and the Lumberjacks held on.