BOISE, Idaho — In an intense matchup during the first round of the Big Sky Conference Tournament, Weber State emerged victorious over Sacramento State with a score of 83-70 on Saturday night. The victory was driven by Viljami Vartiainen, who delivered an impressive performance by scoring 30 points for the Wildcats, who entered the tournament as the No. 9 seed.
Weber State, which now holds a season record of 12-21, is set to advance and take on the tournament’s top-seeded Northern Colorado, which boasts a 23-8 record, in the second round scheduled for Sunday.
Vartiainen’s contributions didn’t stop at scoring, as he also gathered five rebounds. His teammate Blaise Threatt played a pivotal role as well, adding 26 points to the scoreboard with an efficient shooting performance of 10-for-18. Threatt further bolstered the team’s effort by contributing six rebounds and seven assists. Completing Weber State’s key players was Trevor Henning, who chipped in eight points.
On the other side, Sacramento State, holding a 7-24 record, was led by Jacob Holt who came alive in the second half, scoring all 20 of his points during that period. EJ Neal supported the effort with an 18-point show, while Bailey Nunn added nine points and distributed five assists.
The Wildcats took a decisive lead with 3:42 left in the first half and maintained it throughout the game. By halftime, Weber State was holding a 37-33 advantage, largely thanks to Vartiainen’s 19 first-half points, setting the stage for their subsequent triumph.
