INDIANAPOLIS -- Marques Warrick scored 18 points and Sam Vinson added 16 to lead Northern Kentucky to a 63-61 victory over Cleveland State and win the Horizon League Tournament championship on Tuesday.
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.