Northern Kentucky claims Horizon title

The Norse (22-12), one-point losers to Wright State in last year’s title game, advance to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time since 2017.

Warrick made four consecutive free throws in the final half-minute to give the Norse a seven-point lead. The Vikings (21-13) scored twice in the final 10 seconds but a final 3-pointer came with just 0.2 left.

Trey Robinson added 12 points for the Norse, who outscored the Vikings 21-7 off turnovers, making 14 steals. They sank 16 of 18 at the line to 5 of 10 for Cleveland State.

Tristan Enaruna scored 17 points and Deshon Parker 14 for Cleveland State. Deante Johnson grabbed 10 rebounds.

There were 14 lead changes and 12 ties in a game in which neither team led by double figures.

NO. 9 GONZAGA 77, NO. 16 SAINT MARY’S 51: Drew Timme scored 18 points and became Gonzaga’s all-time leading scorer to lead the sharp-shooting Bulldogs past Saint Mary’s in the West Coast Conference Tournament championship game in Las Vegas.

The Zags (28-5) continued their domination of the WCC with their fourth consecutive tournament championship and 10th in 11 years, with Saint Mary’s in 2019 being the only exception. Gonzaga has won 21 tournament titles overall.

Saint Mary’s (26-7) actually was seeded first in the tournament and the teams split the regular-season series. The Gaels were the last team to beat Gonzaga, which takes a nine-game winning streak into the NCAA Tournament that includes beating Saint Mary’s to end the regular season.

Both teams will find out their seedings and destinations Sunday.

CHARLESTON 63, UNCW 58: Ryan Larson scored 23 points and his effort at both of ends of the floor late helped send Charleston past upset-minded UNC Wilmington Tuesday night in the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament championship in Washington to clinch an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

It’s Charleston’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2018 and sixth overall.

Larson, a 6-foot-1 senior, scored 15 points after halftime, making 4 of 7 from 3-point range after missing his first two 3s before the break. He came up with all four of his steals after halftime, too.

Larson had pair of steals — one of which led to a breakaway layup — and banked in a 3-pointer with the Cougars (31-3) in the midst of a late 12-0 run they used to secure the win.

ORU 92, NDSU 58: Max Abmas scored 26 points and distributed 11 assists and Oral Roberts overwhelmed North Dakota State in the Summit League Tournament championship game in Sioux Falls, S.D., clinching an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.

Reserve Patrick Mwamba scored 17 of his 20 points in the first half and Isaac McBride, Connor Vanover and reserve Deshang Weaver each scored 10 points for Oral Roberts

Oral Roberts (30-4) finished 18-0 in league play and won twice in the league’s post-season tournament. It’s the program’s seventh NCAA Tournament berth.

GA TECH 61, FLORIDA ST. 60: Miles Kelly scored 21 points, Javon Franklin made a go-ahead free throw with 0.3 seconds left and 13th-seeded Georgia Tech rallied to beat No. 12 seed Florida State in the opening game of the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, N.C.

BOSTON COLLEGE 80, LOUISVILLE 62: Makai Ashton-Langford scored 16 points and Jaeden Zachery added 15 points and eight assists to lead Boston College over Louisville without leading scorer and rebounder Quinten Post.

VIRGINIA TECH 67, NOTRE DAME 64: Grant Basile scored 20 points, Justyn Mutts added 18 and Viriginia Tech rallied to beat Notre Dame.

ST. JOSEPH’S 72, LOYOLA CHICAGO 67: Led by Lynn Greer III’s 22 points, Saint Joseph’s defeated Loyola Chicago in the first round of the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament in New York.

RICHMOND 71, UMASS 38: Tyler Burton scored 28 points in Richmond’s victory against Massachusetts.

LA SALLE 73, RHODE ISLAND 56: Jhamir Brickus had 18 points as La Salle defeated Rhode Island.

VERMONT 79, BINGHAMTON 57: Dylan Penn had 26 points in Vermont’s home victory over Binghamton in the America East Conference Tournament semifinals.

UMASS LOWELL 75, NEW HAMPSHIRE 64: llin Blunt had 19 points in UMass Lowell’s victory against New Hampshire at home.

NO. ARIZONA 83, MONTANA 71: Jalen Cole had 28 points in Northern Arizona’s victory over Montana in the Big Sky Conference Tournament semifinals in Boise.

SAINT PETER’S 70, FAIRFIELD 52: Jaylen Murray had 23 points in Saint Peter’s victory over Fairfield in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament contest in Atlantic City.

MOUNT ST. MARY’S 67, CANISIUS 66: Dakota Leffew scored 15 points as Mount St. Mary’s took down Canisius in overtime in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament.

TEXAS A&M-CC 80, MCNEESE 63: De’Lazarus Keys had 18 points and Texas A&M-CC beat McNeese in the Southland Conference Tournament in Lake Charles, La.

MERRIMACK 67, FDU 66: Ziggy Reid scored 23 points, Jordan Minor had 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists and Merrimack closed on an 8-0 run to beat Fairleigh Dickinson to capture the Northeast Conference Tournament championship in North Andover, Mass. FDU had already secured the conference’s automatic bid because Merrimack is ineligible for the NCAA Tournament due to a four-year transition to Division I.

CAL BAPTIST 69, ABILENE CHRISTIAN 62: Tre Armstrong scored 23 points to lead California Baptist past Abilene Christian in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament in Las Vegas.

GRAND CANYON 82, UT ARLINGTON 77: Rayshon Harrison’s 30 points led Grand Canyon over UT Arlington in the first round of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament.

TARLETON ST. 74, UT RGV 70: Reserve Jakorie Smith scored 26 points to lead Tarleton past UT Rio Grande Valley in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament.