Montana Punches Its Ticket

Kamarr Davis scored 19 points and Montana held off Weber State’s rally for a 63-61 victory in the Big Sky Conference tournament title game Wednesday night at Portland, Ore., earning the Grizzlies (18-12) an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Matt Martin made both of his free throws after getting fouled with 14.4 seconds left to make it 62-58.

Montana first-year Coach Larry Krystkowiak screamed and raised his hands in victory as his players mobbed each other at center court.

Northeast: Center Andrea Crosariol scored 18 points and Fairleigh Dickinson earned its first trip to the NCAA tournament since 1998 with a 58-52 victory over Wagner in the conference’s tournament championship game at Hackensack, N.J.

Atlantic 10: Jermaine Thomas and Mike St. John scored all 11 of La Salle’s points in overtime to lead the Explorers to a 70-64 victory over Massachusetts in the first round of the conference tournament at Cincinnati.... Freshman Marcus Stout scored 31 points and Fordham earned its first conference tournament win, 65-53 over Duquesne.

Big East: Ricky Shields scored 21 points, including the first four of Rutgers’ game-closing 8-0 run, and the Scarlet Knights beat Notre Dame, 72-65, night in the opening round of the conference tournament at New York. The loss may have ended the NCAA tournament at-large hopes for Notre Dame (17-11), which has lost four of five.... Darrel Owens scored all 14 of his points over the last eight minutes, and Georgetown ended a five-game losing streak with a 56-51 victory over Seton Hall.

Conference USA: Terrence Leather broke a 64-64 tie by scoring with 26 seconds left, and South Florida held on to upset Houston, 69-64, in the opening round of the conference tournament at Memphis, Tenn.... Sammy Mejia and Quemont Greer each scored 18 points, and DePaul defeated Tulane, 81-71, to end a two-game losing streak and improve to 19-9.... Corey Santee’s three-point basket with 12.8 seconds gave Texas Christian a 60-57 overtime victory over Marquette.