MANKATO, Minn.--It was only fitting that Prince's “1999” blared from the Taylor Center public address system after the final buzzer.

Because it's been nearly that long since the Fighting Sioux men's basketball team has played for a North Central Conference Tournament championship.

But that's exactly what UND will do on Sunday afternoon after the sixth-seeded Sioux continued their postseason run with an 82-68 win over second-seeded Augustana this afternoon.

It will be UND's first appearance in the NCC title game since 2001-02 and a win would land the Sioux their first NCAA postseason appearance since 2003.

The Sioux used a balanced scoring ? along with timely three-point and free-throw shooting ? to survive a physical, back-and-forth affair. Senior guard Ervin Youmans (Hobbs, N.M.) led the Sioux with 20 points, while sophomore guard Travis Bledsoe (Minneapolis, Minn.) and junior forward O.J. Harrison (Danville, Ill.) each added 18.

UND trailed for much of the first half, including a nine-point deficit in the opening four minutes, but was able to climb back into the game with a perimeter attack that hit eight of 13 (61.5 percent) three-pointers in the opening half.

The Sioux finally tied the game with just under three minutes left in the half when Emmanuel Little (Sr., Chicago, Ill.) hit an inside basket, then took the lead on the following possession when Youmans knocked down one of his four three-pointers.

With 2:28 left in the half, the Sioux led 38-35 and would never trail again.

UND emerged from the locker room with a 40-38 lead and quickly asserted itself with back-to-back three-pointers by senior Josh Doyle (Bettendorf, Iowa) and Youmans that pushed the lead to 46-40.

The Sioux would expand the lead to eight on a Little layup 2:17 into the half, but the Vikings would not let UND pull away. While the Sioux shooting went cold for five straight possessions, the Vikes climbed to within three points when Augie senior guard Corey McIntosh drove the lane to make it 57-54 with 8:59 remaining.

However, the Sioux would hold the Vikings without a field goal for the next seven-plus minutes. Freshman center Derek Benter (Crosby, N.D.) converted consecutive layups and the Sioux led 64-58 with 4:38 remaining.

Then Bledsoe took a turn with a pair of big baskets of his own, first on a baseline drive that barely beat the shot clock to make it 66-58 with 3:38 remaining, then on a back door cut to make it a 10-point lead with 2:28 left.

UND then calmly put the game away by hitting 12 straight free throws in a 63-second stretch. Harrison put an exclamation point on the victory by taking a Little alley-oop pass and thundering down a two-handed slam to cap the scoring and the semifinal win.

The slam was Harrison's only field goal of the second half ? he led all players with 14 first-half points ? but it put the finishing touches on a career-high-tying 18-point day.

Doyle added eight points off the bench while Little provided seven points and seven rebounds.

McIntosh scored a game-high 22 points for the Vikings, who shot a blistering 68.4 percent in the first half before cooling considerably to 37.5 percent in the second half.

Marques Blank added 17 points for Augie, while Mike Klepatz had 10.

The two teams each grabbed 26 turnovers.

UND now awaits the winner of the second semifinal between top-seeded and host Minnesota State and third-seeded Nebraska-Omaha.

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