First round against Sacramento State
Viljami Vartiainen and Blaise Threatt powered Weber State University past Sacramento State University with an 83–70 win in the first round of the Big Sky Conference Tournament on March 8 at the Idaho Central Arena.
With the victory, the No. 9-seeded Wildcats, standing 12–21, advanced to face the top-seeded University of Northern Colorado on March 9 at 5:30 p.m.
Vartiainen torched Sacramento State for a career high of 30 points, marking the third time this season he surpassed 20 points — all against the Hornets. The sophomore sharpshooter from Finland hit seven 3-pointers on 10-of-13 shooting.
Threatt erupted in the second half. After scoring just 6 in the first, he finished with 26 points, seven assists, six rebounds and two steals. Threatt is the only player in the nation averaging at least 20 points per game.
The win over Sacramento marked coach Eric Duft’s 50th win in program history.
Weber State shot 56% from the field, hit 12 3-pointers, and tied a season-low with only five turnovers while limiting Sacramento State to 45% shooting.
Vartiainen set the tone early, draining five first-half 3-pointers. His hot start helped WSU jump out to a 16–6 lead, but an 11–0 run by Sacramento State gave the Hornets a 23–20 edge. The Wildcats responded with an 8–0 run and led 37–30 at halftime.
WSU’s offense caught fire in the second half, hitting eight straight field goals, including key shots from Threatt and Nigil Burris.
The Wildcats extended their lead to double digits and never let Sacramento State get closer than 8 points the rest of the way.
Second round against Northern Colorado
Weber State’s Big Sky Tournament run came to an end on March 9 as the Wildcats fell to Northern Colorado 76–52 at Idaho Central Arena.
The Wildcats, now standing 12–22, couldn’t carry the momentum from their first-round victory over Sacramento State, struggling to find an offensive rhythm against a dominant UNC Bears squad that shot 53% from the field and never trailed.
Northern Colorado stormed out of the gates, hitting three early 3-pointers and building a commanding 17–2 lead within the first five minutes. Weber State missed nine of its first 10 shot attempts and couldn’t recover from the early deficit. By halftime, the Bears had extended their advantage to 42–22, holding the Wildcats to just 19% shooting in the opening period.
Threatt led Weber State with 12 points, eight rebounds and two steals in his final collegiate game.
Fellow senior Vasilije Vucinic contributed 10 points on 3-of-5 shooting, ending his collegiate career after playing 120 games. Vartiainen also finished with 10 points, knocking down the Wildcats’ only two 3-pointers of the night. Freshman Trevor Hennig added 9 points while continuing his strong late-season form.
Weber State’s shooting struggles defined the night. After making 12 3-pointers in the first round, the Wildcats managed just two against Northern Colorado and shot 30% from the field overall. The Bears dominated the glass with a 38–25 rebounding edge and controlled the tempo throughout the remainder of the game.
Northern Colorado’s Isaiah Hawthorne led all scorers with 29 points on 10-of-14 shooting, including four 3-pointers. Jaron Rillie added 11 points, nine rebounds, and six assists for the Bears, who advanced to the semifinals on March 11.
While Weber State’s season ends with a 12–22 record, the program bids farewell to key seniors. Threatt, who played 145 career games between Colorado Mesa and Weber State, scored 986 points in his two seasons with the Wildcats. Vucinic and Alex Tew also played their final games in a Weber State uniform, with Tew finishing his career ranked eighth in program history in games played.
With the offseason ahead, Weber State will look to regroup and build for the future, seeking a return to contention in the Big Sky next season.
