OGDEN, Utah (AP) Aaron Anderson scored 19 points and Troy Huff added 18 as second-seeded North Dakota topped No. 5 seed Portland State 79-63 Friday to advance to the Big Sky Conference title game.
North Dakota (17-15) will play top-seeded Weber State (18-11) in the title game on Saturday. Weber State took down No. 6 seed Northern Colorado 66-63 in overtime to reach the championship.
North Dakota (17-15) jumped to a 22-11 lead as Jaron Nash and Alonzo Taylor each scored eight early points. After that point, North Dakota maintained a double-digit lead for nearly the entire game.
Portland State (17-14) came within 62-53 with 8:54 remaining, but North Dakota responded with a 6-0 spurt and continued to pull away down the stretch.
Nash added 13 points. North Dakota sunk 28 of 35 free throws, led by Huff who was 12 of 15.
Portland State made 26 of 36 free throws, but committed 18 turnovers compared with 11 for North Dakota.
Gary Winston scored 14 to lead the Vikings. Kyle Richardson added 13 while Andre Winston Jr. and DaShaun Wiggins each scored 12.
