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Ogden • Weber State senior Davion Berry struggled through most of Friday night's Big Sky Conference semifinal against Northern Colorado.
It didn't stop him from dominating overtime.
Berry scored seven of his 15 points in the extra five minutes, leading the Wildcats to a 66-63 victory over the Bears at the frenzied Dee Events Center.
Top-seeded Weber State moved into Saturday night's tournament championship game against North Dakota.
The Wildcats are seeking their first trip to the NCAA tournament since 2007.
Berry, the Big Sky's Most Valuable Player, managed only eight points in regulation.
What was his mindset going into overtime?
"I had to push through," he said. "I'm a senior so, if we lose, I go home."
Weber State seemed headed for victory midway through the second half, when freshman Jeremy Senglin's three-pointer gave the Wildcats a 48-37 lead.
It was still 55-48 with 3:37 remaining when another freshman, Richaud Gittens, converted a three-point play.
But Weber State didn't score again.
The Wildcats failed to convert their final five possessions, including Kyle Tresnak's miss from the lane with 35 seconds left in a 55-55 tie. Looking to win, Northern Colorado worked the ball to Tate Unruh, whose 18-footer missed as time expired.
In overtime, Berry scored the first five points and the Wildcats built a 63-56 lead on Jordan Richardson's three from the corner with two minutes remaining.
"I knew if I set my feet," he said, "it was going in."
Northern Colorado didn't quit, however, and used Tevin Svihovec's jumper with 42 seconds left to make it 64-63.
Suddenly, Weber State's tournament came down to one possession and Berry took charge.
He drove the baseline and bulled his way to the basket. His layup dropped in with 12 seconds left.
"I was going to take the last shot," Berry said, " ... unless somebody was wide-open."
Northern Colorado still had a chance to tie, but Weber stuffed a possession intended to go to Unruh. Jordan Wilson was forced to take a straight-away three.
It didn't come close.
"They tried to run [Unruh] off a pin-down," Weber coach Randy Rahe said. "But Joel Bolomboy jumped out on him. ... He made a really heads-up play."
Said Unruh: "For whatever reason, I didn't come off the screen clean."
Derrick Barden finished with 21 points for Northern Colorado, which dropped to 18-13 this season, which began with a win in November at Kansas State.
"Congratulations to Weber State," said UNC coach B.J. Hill. "Great program. Great team. Great coach. But like I told our players, I've coached 20 years and have never been more proud of a team. ... They gave me everything they had."
Said Rahe: "That's a tough team — a veteran team. We knew we would get their best shot."
Storylines
O Weber State moves into the finals of the Big Sky Conference tournament with a 66-63 overtime win over Northern Colorado.
• Davion Berry scores seven of his 15 points in overtime to lead the top-seeded Wildcats past the No. 6 Bears.
• Northern Colorado overcomes an 11-point deficit in the second half. Derrick Barden finishes with 21 points. —
Weber State 66,N. Colo. 63 (OT)
N. COLORADO (18-13)
Barden 9-17 0-2 21, Unruh 5-13 2-2 12, Osborne 2-2 0-0 4, Wilson 1-5 1-2 3, Svihovec 3-6 1-2 7, Spence 0-1 0-0 0, McDavis 5-7 0-0 10, Lee 0-0 0-0 0, Huskisson 1-3 0-0 2, Johnson 2-2 0-0 4.
Totals 28-56 4-8 63.
WEBER ST. (18-11)
Berry 6-13 2-2 15, Bolomboy 2-5 0-0 4, Tresnak 5-9 1-2 11, Richardson 4-8 1-2 13, Senglin 2-10 0-0 6, Gittens 4-6 2-2 10, Fulton 1-1 0-0 2, Hill 2-4 0-0 5.
Totals 26-56 6-8 66.
Halftime—Weber St. 27-24. End Of Regulation—Tied 55. 3-Point Goals—N. Colorado 3-11 (Barden 3-6, Svihovec 0-2, Unruh 0-3), Weber St. 8-20 (Richardson 4-8, Senglin 2-6, Hill 1-2, Berry 1-3, Gittens 0-1). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—N. Colorado 31 (Barden, McDavis, Unruh 7), Weber St. 31 (Bolomboy, Hill 7). Assists—N. Colorado 16 (Svihovec 6), Weber St. 14 (Berry 5). Total Fouls—N. Colorado 14, Weber St. 12. A—5,228. —
Big Sky Tournament
At Ogden
Semifinals
Friday
• North Dakota 79, Portland State 62
• Weber State 66, Northern Colorado 63 (OT)
Championship
Saturday
• North Dakota (17-15) vs. Weber State (18-11), 6 p.m.