Late run lifts Montana by Eastern Washington 74-66

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — Mathias Ward scored 19 points, Kareem Jamar added 18 points and 13 rebounds and Montana used a late 11-0 run to get by Eastern Washington 74-66 on Tuesday night in a Big Sky tournament semifinal.

Will Cherry had 16 points and Derek Selvig 12 for the top-seeded Grizzlies (24-6), who play No. 2 seed Weber State for the championship on Wednesday.

It is a rematch of the teams’ Feb. 28 meeting on the same floor, in which the Big Sky’s regular-season crown was on the line. Montana won 66-51 to earn the championship and right to host the tournament semifinals and title game.

Cliff Colimon scored 27 points and Cliff Ederaine 16 for the Eagles (15-17). Laron Griffin had 15 points and 14 rebounds.

Eastern Washington led 62-61 when Cherry’s three-point play with 1:45 left began the 11-point surge. Ward followed with a dunk and Jamar a three-point play, making the score 69-62 with 35 seconds remaining.

Montana added three free throws before Colimon scored on a layup for the Eagles with 13 seconds to go. That ended the drought, but the Grizzlies’ victory celebration was well under way.