BOISE, Idaho — In an impressive performance, Isaiah Hawthorne scored 29 points, leading Northern Colorado to a commanding 76-52 win over Weber State in the Big Sky Conference Tournament quarterfinals on Sunday night.
As the top seed, Northern Colorado, with a record of 24-8, advances to the semifinals slated for Tuesday. They will face off against the winner of the quarterfinal match between fourth-seeded Idaho State and fifth-seeded Montana State, which is scheduled for Monday.
Aside from his scoring prowess, Hawthorne was a key player for the Bears, securing seven rebounds. Brock Wisne contributed significantly by scoring 12 points with a perfect 5-for-5 from the field. Jaron Rillie also made his mark on the game by adding 11 points, along with nine rebounds and six assists.
On the other side, ninth-seeded Weber State, which closes the season with a 12-22 record, was led by Blaise Threatt. He managed to score 12 points, collect eight rebounds, and notch two steals. Contributions also came from Viljami Vartiainen and Vasilije Vucinic, who each scored 10 points.
Northern Colorado established control early on, taking the lead just 15 seconds into the game and maintaining it throughout. By halftime, thanks largely to Hawthorne’s impressive 17-point contribution, the Bears were up 42-22.
