E. Washington ousts Weber

CHENEY, Wash. -- Marc Axton scored 21 points as Eastern Washington beat Weber State 72-53 in the semifinals of the Big Sky Conference basketball tournament on Tuesday.

Top-seeded Eastern Washington (16-12) will play second-seeded Northern Arizona (15-13) tonight, with the winner earning the Big Sky's automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. Northern Arizona, which beat Idaho State 91-72 earlier Tuesday, last made the NCAAs in 2000.

Eastern Washington has never made the NCAA tournament since moving to Division I in 1983. The Eagles lost in the Big Sky title game in each of the past three seasons, last year to Weber State.

Nic Sparrow had 20 points and Slobodan Ocokoljic 18 for Weber State (15-14). The Wildcats shot just 36 percent, making 15 of 41 shots.

Axton made his first seven field goals and finished 8 of 10, as Eastern shot 57 percent. Alvin Snow added 18 for the Eagles.

Eastern Washington made 18 of 27 shots to take a 40-22 halftime lead, after bolting to a 22-6 advantage.

Weber State made only 7-of-23 field goals in the first half, 30 percent, with four of those in the final four minutes. Sparrow hit a pair of 3-pointers in an 8-2 run to open the second half, as Weber closed to within 42-30.

But Eastern built a 54-36 lead on consecutive 3-pointers by Axton and Snow, and Weber State did not threaten again.

Weber State won the Big Sky NCAA slot last year, losing to Wisconsin in the first round.

This year, Eastern Washington won 11 straight league games to run away with the Big Sky title.

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