Weber State Is Going Dancing

In their third straight Big Sky Championship game, Weber State was just not going to be denied. After their overtime win over Northern Colorado in the semifinals, there was some thought that they might be a little tired after having to go an extra frame in a physical game. However, they put any notions of that to rest very quickly.

Weber State beat North Dakota 88-67, and they are your Big Sky champions.

The Wildcats came out firing in this game, hitting their first six shots and 10 of their first 11. Before UND knew what hit them, the score was 18-6 and the crowd was very much in the game. North Dakota did a really good job of hanging around, but they could just never full recover, and were forced to play from behind the whole game.

Weber State got things going by hitting their outside shot, and that stayed with them the whole way. They finished 10/21 from behind the arc, and always seemed to have a big shot in them whenever one was needed. The defining moment of the game may have been at the end of the first half... UND scratched and clawed to get the game back to 41-34, only to see Davion Berry drain the three at the buzzer, and turn around to have Damian Lillard, sitting in the front row, there to high-five. It was that kind of night for Berry (19 points) and the Wildcats.

In the second half, with UND forced to respect the outside shot, it became the Kyle Tresnak show. He was unstoppable in the second half, playing perhaps the best game of his career. He scored a career high 27 points on 11/15 FG, and 5/5 from the charity stripe. He was great.

For North Dakota, it's a tough end for a great group of seniors who accomplished so much, but won't get a taste of the NCAA Tournament. Guys like Troy Huff, Aaron Anderson, Jamal Webb, Josh Schuler, and Brandon Brekke (though he battled injury problems) really lifted the program to another level. They have a lot to be proud of. In this one, Josh Schuler and Jamal Webb didn't play (well, Webb very sparingly) and that hurt them, but I'm not sure it would have made a difference with the way Weber State was playing.

Weber State had 55 wins the past two seasons but couldn't get over the hump in the championship game. This year, they did it emphatically. At 19-11, Weber State is going to the NCAA Tournament. They are a great program, and you have to be happy for those guys and the coaching staff! Now let's go win an NCAA Tournament game!

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Northern Colorado Exerts Their Will on Weber State

If Northern Colorado had merely beaten Weber State, it would have been a nice statement for them, given Weber State's recent run in the Big Sky and status as preseason favorite. However, the Bears went beyond that, really taking control almost from the outset and beating the Wildcats in all phases of the game.

When UNC beat North Dakota, I came away impressed. After this game, it is now clear that at the current moment, the Bears are the best and deepest team in the Big Sky. It all starts with Derrick Barden, who looks like he could be the league MVP to this point. Barden had 21 points and 13 rebounds, while battling Kyle Tresnak and Joel Bolomboy all night in the post. After taking some early shots from the outside, he settled down offensively and was his typical efficient self, shooting 10/15 from the floor.

After Barden, it's a revolving door of guys that make plays when they are called on. Tim Huskisson had another nice night with 12 points, Tevin Svihovec had 15 efficient points off the bench (he is the sixth man of the year in the Big Sky), and Tate Unruh had 10. On this night, even a guy like Cody McDavis stepped up and gave them 16 really solid minutes, grabbing four rebounds, finishing a nice post move, and playing solid defense in the post. Everything that Coach BJ Hill did worked.

On Weber State's side, well, mama said there'd be days like this. It just wasn't their night. Early on, they forcefed the ball to Bolomoby and Tresnak, and had some success. Those guys had 14 of the team's 15 points, and combined for 24 points on the night (Bolomboy also grabbed 14 rebounds). However, even Tresnak, who had a nice offensive game, missed a couple bunnies that he probably makes 98 times out of 100. It was that kind of night.

In the second half, the Bears tightened up their post defense, and the Wildcats struggled to get anything going. UNC came with a lot 3/4 court pressure, and the Wildcats young guards struggled a lot with it. It is clear that Jeremy Senglin and Richaud Gittens are very talented guys, but the stage was a little too big on this night. Fortunately for them, it's only the third Big Sky game.

As of now, the Bears have established themselves as the early front-runners in the Big Sky with a great all-around performance. However, circle February 8th on your calendar - the rematch in Ogden. I think this Weber State team is going to look a lot different than the one we saw on Thursday night.

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Kyle Tresnak Article

Jim Burton at the Standard-Examiner has posted a nice article on Kyle Tresnak and his development.

Weber State senior Kyle Tresnak spent part of the off season trying to improve his left-hand game. It's not as though he doesn't understand the importance of balance in his game, but in preparing for the 2013-14 season the 6-foot-10 center figured he could elevate his low-post play by strengthening his left hand.

"In the past I've kind of favored going to the right hand, shooting with that," he said last week. "But I've been trying to open up my game as much where I can take what the defender is giving me instead of trying to make my own move."

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Weber State Loses CIT Title Game on Buzzer Beater

Weber State got a home game for the CIT Finals, but it wasn't enough for them to bring home the championship. In a wild game, East Carolina got a buzzer beating three pointer from Akeem Richmond to snatch the 77-74 victory.

Weber State trailed by seven at halftime, but they had a lot of chances down the stretch. The Wildcats had a 71-65 with 2:30 left to play, but struggled to put the game away at the line. They finished just 9/19 from the charity stripe, including six free throws in the final three minutes. Davion Berry (76% FT shooter) was 4/6, Kyle Tresnak (72%) was 2/7, and even Scott Bamforth (87%) missed a free throw down the stretch.

Weber State finishes the season 30-7, the most wins in school history. It was a great season for them, and they have a lot to be proud about. They had a nice postseason run, and that should pay dividends for a lot of their young guys.

Seniors Frank Otis and Bamforth ended their careers with outstanding games. Otis was 8/12 for 16 points and 8 rebounds, while Bamforth had 19 points, including four more three-pointers. They had great senior years, and they will be missed next year.

With the end of this game, it means that the offseason is officially upon us for all Big Sky teams.

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Weber State Beats Oral Roberts to Advance to CIT Semifinals

For the second time this season, Weber State has beaten Oral Roberts. The first time, it was during Bracket Busters. This time, it was to advance to the semifinals of the CIT. Weber State led the whole way, but it was close throughout, as the Wildcats won it by a final score of 83-74.

Weber State was led by a huge performance from Davion Berry, who finished with 27 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds. He had some help also from Kyle Tresnak (19 points, 8 rebounds) and Scott Bamforth (18 points). Those three guys have been playing at a high level lately, and Tresnak is showing more consistency as the excellent big man that his talent suggests he can be.

“I couldn’t be more proud of how our team fought and played together against a really good team,” said WSU head coach Randy Rahe. “The whole team really stepped up and we had lots of guys contribute. We came out with really good energy in the second half.”

Weber State moves to 29-6 on the year, which is pretty remarkable! They will try to reach the 30 win mark on Friday, as they head to take on Northern Iowa on the road in the CIT semifinals. If they win, they would play the winner of East Carolina and Evansville.


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Weber State Advances in the CIT

Weber State got another home game on Saturday night, as Air Force came into Ogden. Air Force was playing without Michael Lyons, its leading scorer at 17.7 points per game. Weber State took advantage, never trailing in the game. They led by 6 at the break before jumping out to an 11-2 run to kick off the second half, eventually winning 78-57 to advance in the CIT. They will play in Ogden again, facing the winner of the UC Irvine and Oral Roberts game on Wednesday night.

A couple of records were broken in this game as well:

The win breaks the WSU school record of 27 wins set by Phil Johnson’s squad in 1968-69 and is also a new Big Sky Conference record for wins in a season.

“Reaching that record is terrific for our program and I’m really happy for our players,” Rahe added. “I think it really speaks volumes for our players and how tough they have worked. It’s a great accomplishment and it’s something they will never forget.”

WSU also had another school record broken Saturday night. WSU senior Scott Bamforth knocked down five three-pointers and became the Weber State career leader with 247 three-pointers, breaking Damian Lillard’s previous record of 246. Bamforth is now tied for fifth in Big Sky history in career three-pointers.

Scott Bamforth finished the day with 21 points, and kudos to him for breaking that record (which Lillard held for one year). Bamforth came into the conference as just a great shooter, and he will leave it as an all-around great Big Sky player.

Kyle Tresnak also had 21 points (on 9/10 shooting) and finished with five rebounds.

No matter who they take on Saturday, it will be a rematch for Weber State. They beat UC Irvine 65-51 earlier this year (in Ogden) and beat Oral Roberts 70-66 in  Bracket Busters as well (that was in Tulsa).

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Weber State Wins in the Best Big Sky Game of the Year

Our dream Big Sky finals matchup awaits us: Montana vs Weber State, part 3. How did they get there? On Friday night, the road wasn't as easy as some might have expected, especially for Weber State.

In one of the most exciting games of the Big Sky season, Weber State clawed back from a 12 point second half deficit to beat North Dakota 76-74 and clinch their spot in the Big Sky championship. It was everything you would want in a game of this magnitute. North Dakota played their best game of the year, but just couldn't pull it out, thanks to Weber State making a ton of plays down the stretch, as you would expect them to do.

UND pulled up 52-40 at the 17 minute mark, though you need the Wildcats would not go away. That they did not was in large part due to the play of Davion Berry and freshman Joel Bolomboy. To me, Bolomboy was the player of the game. He had 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 blocks, continually making an impact on both ends of the court. He showed more post moves than he has all season, and showed more of the potential that he has hinted at this year. He was outstanding.

Berry paced the Wildcats with 25 points, though he was just 7/19 from the floor. He attacked relentlessly, earning himself 12 trips to the free throw line. He also pulled down six rebounds.

In the last minute and a half, though, it was neither of those guys making the big plays for Weber State. Scott Bamforth had a quiet 10 points before hitting a corner three to tie the game late. That was just a senior making a huge shot when his team needed it the most. Then, on the Wildcats last possession, with the game tied at 74, they went inside to Kyle Tresnak, who had a nice baby hook for what wound up being the game-winner. Tresnak played 18 minutes because of foul trouble, but he was the man that Randy Rahe trusted with the final shot, and he delivered.

North Dakota certainly has nothing to hang their heads about, as they gave a really good team everything they could handle and then some. Troy Huff led the way with 22 points and 8 rebounds, getting a head start on his 2014 Big Sky POY campaign. He was seemingly everywhere. Guys like Aaron Anderson, Brandon Brekke, Mitch Willmer, and Jamal Webb also had solid games, but UND just wasn't able to finish it out. They turned it over just five times in the game, but struggled to get good looks at times in the second half, with a lot of credit for that going to WSU.

North Dakota finishes the year at 16-16, though there is a chance they could make it into a small tournament. Weber State moves to 26-5 as they prepare for the Big Sky title bout.

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Weber State Is The Best Team in the Big Sky

The standings will show that Montana is 14-1, while Weber State is 13-2. The Grizzlies still have Will Cherry and Kareem Jamar, who might be the two best players in the conference. They still have Wayne Tinkle, the best coach in the Big Sky. But on Thursday night, Weber State clearly looked like the best team in the Big Sky.

The Wildcats beat Montana 87-63 on Thursday night in Ogden, and the game was never really in doubt from about midway through the first half and on. Montana's record-setting winning streak ended with a thud, as they had no answer for Weber on either end of the court.

Weber has been the best defensive team in the Big Sky this year, so it was appropriate that they got started in this game defensively. Montana scored just 24 first half points, because the Wildcats were using their athleticism to shut down everything. Kareem Jamar had no room to operate (finishing with 4 points), and that caused Will Cherry to press a bit. The Grizzlies turned the ball over early, and WSU just got more and more aggressive.

Offensively, Weber State aggressively pounded the ball down low, and they got whatever they wanted. Kyle Tresnak had 19 points on 8/10 shooting, and Frank Otis had 14 points on 5/7 shooting. This is a winning blueprint for Weber, because the Grizzlies don't have the size to match up. Put it this way... when Tresnak or Otis have the ball down low, Montana does not even have one guy to match up defensively with them them, let alone a defender for each guy. They got anything they wanted inside, and that was not a fluke.

WSU also got big games from Gelaun Wheelwright (14 points, 4/4 from downtown) and Davion Berry (16 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals), as those two guys seemed to have an answer for Montana often in the second half.  Anytime the Grizzlies threatened to threaten (it would be a stretch to say they threatened in the second half), there was an answer.

On the year, Weber State has been the better offensive team by a smidgen, while being much better defensively. The fact that they lost by 2 to Montana and slipped against Montana State (which the Grizzlies almost did as well) does not change the fact that on a neutral court, Weber State is the better team.

However, that is the ace in Montana's hand. If they win out, they have home-cpurt advantage in the Big Sky tournament, meaning that if the teams meet again, it would be in Missoula. The Grizzlies have a tough schedule down the stretch, but with Tinkle at the helm and a leader like Will Cherry on the court, it would not surprise anyone if the Big Sky will still go through Montana.

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Weber State Cruises to 85-64 Victory

Northern Colorado scored the first basket of the game, but Weber State was in control the rest of the way. At the half, Weber State led 45-25, shooting 62.1% from the floor (while holding UNC to 32.3%), prompting Bears coach BJ Hill to bring out his second unit to start the second half. However, there was no tactic that was going to work for UNC in this game - Weber State was just dominant on both ends of the floor.

On offense, the Wildcats were a model of efficiency in this game. They shot 60.8% from the floor for the game, including 8/17 from downtown and 15/18 from the stripe. They are unselfish with the ball, and can hurt you in so many ways. Five guys were in double figures tonight. Among the ways they hurt you:

- Scott Bamforth is so good. He is one of the top two shooters in the Big Sky (if not the best), but he is also really good handling the ball and always in control. If he gets a split second (and they are good at getting him that time), look out.
- Davion Berry is so smooth. He has a beautiful jumper, and is a good passer as well. He doesn't force things, but seems to be able to get a good look whenever he wants to. Very versatile offensive player.
- Frank Otis, a guy that really impressed tonight. He was 6/6 from the field, and is now shooting 68.1% from the floor over the season (72% in Big Sky games). He is another guy that doesn't force things, and he even had a sweet spin move tonight. He's a senior who has seen a lot of things in his college career, and it shows.
- The two-headed PG monster of Jordan Richardson and Gelaun Wheelwright is really good, and combined for 17 in this game. Richardson  does everything well, while Wheelwright is a little more up and down, but more prone to make a spectacular play. In this one, it was a sick stepback three that nobody could have guarded.
- Finally, there is Kyle Tresnak in the post. When matched up against UNC's second line, he simply had his way down low.
- Also, Joel Bolomboy is not a dangerous weapon offensively per se, but he is very good at getting second chances for the team, and had a monster putback jam in this game. There are not a lot of guys more fun to watch than him.

Defensively, Weber State is really tough. First, they are the best team in the country at not allowing their opponents to shoot threes. This is a very real and very important skill. When opponents do get off three-point attempts, they aren't that good, which is why opponents shoot less than 28% against them. If you try to go down low, guys like Tresnak and Joel Bolomboy are there to block you. They have made huge strides on the defensive end of the floor.

Here is the difference between Weber State and most other teams in the Big Sky (and this was evident tonight). When the game speeds up and intensity rises, most other teams in the conference get out of control, and look a bit out of sorts, making bad decisions. These Wildcats stay within themselves and more often than not, make the right play.

A couple positives for UNC... Emmanuel Addo looked solid. He was aggressive, finishing with 11 points. This is big for UNC, because Addo and Paul Garnica are the only consistent scorers on the second unit. Greg Tucker continues to come along as well. He made some freshman mistakes early, but overall was a nice contributor for the Bears.

Here is my takeaway from the game... I understand that Montana is a lot better now even than they were three weeks ago when I saw them in Greeley. But so far this year, Weber State is the best Big Sky team I have seen. The Grizzlies have the two best players in the conference... but Weber State is the deepest team. We have at least one more game between these two teams coming up, and I am hoping for two more.

* Photos courtesy of my lovely wife!

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Kyle Tresnak is Big Sky Player of the Week

Kyle Tresnak for Weber State got off to a little bit of a slow start this year, but it's safe to say that is in the rearview mirror.

The junior big man has been named the conference Player of the Week after scoring 18 points and grabbing 7.5 rebounds per game in two wins.

Tresnak has scored at least 16 points in each of the last three games — all WSU victories. After six games, he is averaging 9.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. He is also third in the Big Sky in blocks at 2.0 per game.

If he is on track, he can be a potential kryptonite versus Montana, because on paper, he should be able to score in bunches against them inside.

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Weber State With Impressive Win Over Dayton

Early in the season, the Big Sky has struggled to get victories that would garner a lot of respect around the country. That was helped on Wednesday night, as Weber State went to Dayton and got a big, 62-61 road victory.

"I can't tell you how proud I am of our team and how they fought tonight," said WSU head coach Randy Rahe. "We stayed together and played really tough throughout and had so many players step up and contribute. It's a huge win for us and our program in a very tough environment and it really gives our team a lot of confidence."

It was an ugly first half for the Wildcats, and it didn't look like there would be a happy ending. The Flyers led 25-20 at the break, and WSU turned it over 12 times before the intermission. However, the Wildcats looked like a different team in the second half.

It started as they went on a quick 13-0 run early in the second half, and made their first six field goals (including 3 threes). They shot 62% in the second half and turned the ball over six times. In short, they looked like the team that could win the Big Sky.

 I talked earlier in the week about how Weber State needed a go-to scorer, and how their stars Scott Bamforth and Kyle Tresnak had struggled early in the year. That changed against Dayton.

Tresnak led the team with 16 points and 7 rebounds (in 22 minutes), shooting 6/10 from the field, even throwing in a big dunk. He has the ability to be a very good low post scorer, and he showed it in this one. Bamforth had 15 points, and hit perhaps the biggest shot of the game for the Wildcats. With the game knotted at 57, Bamforth hit a three with 1:26 to play to push the lead to 60-57. Then Bamforth hit two free throws with 8 seconds left to help seal the win.

Weber State improves to 2-2 on the year, while Dayton falls to 4-2. Post Damian Lillard, this is a big win to show that WSU is still an extremely talented team. Plus, they at least went a little way toward getting the Big Sky a little bit of respect.

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Montana Is Going Dancing

Congratulations to the Montana Grizzlies. After beating Weber State 85-66 in the Big Sky title game, they will be headed to the NCAA Tournament.

I thought that if they won, they would do it because they are the best defensive team in the conference. Instead, they did it by being almost literally unstoppable offensively in the second half.

Weber State led 36-31 at the break, but it was all Montana in the second half, as they outscored the Wildcats 54-30 after the intermission. In the second half, they simply could not be stopped. They were 19/32 from the field in the second half, including 8/12 from downtown.

Mathias Ward started out the half by giving them big shot after big shot. He was firing on all cylinders, and finished with 23 points on 10/16 shooting. Offensively he is one of the most diverse big men in the conference, and he showed it in this one. He also had eight rebounds.

From there, it was Kareem Jamar that took over offensively. He seemed to hit from everywhere on the court... at one point the announcer said Damian Lillard just looked over at Randy Rahe and shook his head. Sometimes, there is not much that you can do. Jamar finished with 23 points (on 9/12 FG, 5/8 3PT) and seven assists. He was fantastic all tournament long and was the Big Sky Conference Tournament MVP. Well deserved.

All other starters were in double figures for the Griz. Will Cherry finished with 13 points and six assists. Derek Selvig had 16 points, including 13 in the first half when he kept the Grizzlies in it. Art Steward had 10 points and seven rebounds. The bench played only nine minutes combined, as it was the starters that carried the day.

For Weber State, it's a tough way to go out. Damian Lillard played great for most of the night (had one stretch where he was a bit too passive) and finished with 29 points, ten rebounds, and seven assists. However, he just didn't get a lot of help. Byron Fulton had ten points, and Kyle Tresnak had 12, but nobody else was in double figures. It was the same story for WSU offensively as last week... they simply didn't look like they knew what to do for most of the night against the Montana zone. They stopped being aggressive, and jacked up too many threes. It worked in the second half, but they couldn't keep it going.

Montana has won 14 straight games, and 20 of their last 21. They will head to the tournament as hot as any team in the country. They are currently projected by most pundits as a 15 seed, and I would not want to see them in my bracket if I was a 2 seed. They have the type of balanced offense and stout defense that could make them a candidate to pull a shocker in the NCAA Tournament.

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Montana is Your Big Sky Regular Season Champion

You won't find a lot of people surprised that Montana beat Weber State on Tuesday night, but I bet it is harder to find people who thought the win would be so convincing. Montana topped Weber State 66-51, sealing the regular season title and ensuring that the conference tournament will be going through Missoula.

There were a lot of reasons for Montana's win, but two things stick out the most.

One, Montana's defense harrassed Weber State all night long, and Weber State did not get many open looks. Even when they did, they didn't convert them. Weber State shot an 30.2% from the field, and an astounding 3/26 from downtown. Damian Lillard and Scott Bamforth combined to shoot 2/19 from beyond the arc, which is, frankly, shocking. I thought Montana would have to force some turnovers from their 1-2-2 press, but WSU only gave it away 11 times. But the press did take them out of their rhythm. At times, it looked like Weber State had never seen a zone defense before. It was a flawless defensive effort from Montana.

The other key was that Will Cherry simply outplayed Damian Lillard. Plain and simple, he was the better player tonight. He was much more aggressive offensively, got his teammates involved better, and was better on the defensive end. The elephant in the room for the Wildcats is this - as awesome as Lillard has been this year (and make no mistake, he has simply been excellent), he has struggled in their biggest games.

With Montana clinging to a 50-45 lead late in the game, it was Cherry that stepped up and made the plays. First, he had a sweet step-back jumper over Lillard to move the game to 52-45. It was a big-time play by a big-time player, right when his team needed it the most, because WSU was getting some momentum. The next possession, he got the ball but was outnumbered, and looked like he was going to pull it out. As the WSU defense relaxed, he quickly reversed, and got right to the rim for a layup. It was a smart, athletic, game-ending move that put the Grizzlies up 9, and Weber State didn't get closer the rest of the way. In short, those are the plays we thought Lillard would be making, but it was Cherry making the plays at the end of the game.

Cherry finished with 23 points, 4 assists, and was the point man in the zone all game long. He controlled the Grizzlies offense. There is no praise to high for how he stepped up in the biggest game of the season.

I have a lot more thoughts on the game, but wanted to end with one other key. Early in the first half, Derek Selvig picked up his second foul, and Kyle Tresnak began going to work. He was unguardable one on one early in the game, and had six quick points. Then, he picked up his second foul, and to me, that was the turning point of the game. Momentum changed, and it opened the door for the Grizzlies to bring in Mike Weisner (rather than sticking with Eric Hutchison), who provided a huge spark in the first half. Improbably, this was huge.

Montana ends the year at 15-1 in the Big Sky, and they have now won 12 straight games, and 18 of 19. They become the favorite now in the Big Sky (taking away that which has belonged to Weber State all year), and they will host the tournament next week. Weber State drops to 14-2, and you can bet they will take an "us-against-the-world" mentality into the conference tournament.

It is going to be a really fun conference tournament.

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Weber State Has Too Much Offense for Northern Colorado

 

I finally got to watch Weber State in person, and came away very impressed. It was a desperation game for Northern Colorado, and one they needed to win to feel decent about their chances to make the Big Sky Tournament. They have a good effort, but in the end Weber State was too deep, and Damian Lillard was too good for an upset to happen.

With 15 or so NBA scouts in attendance, Damian Lillard delivered a show. He dropped 30 points for the eighth time this season, and did it in a variety of ways. He made 5/10 from downtown, and got to the line 14 times (making 13 of them). Even more than the points though, is that he was in complete command of the game. He had eight assists with one turnover, and got his teammates multiple easy baskets, including a couple off of in bounds plays. It was clear to see that he was the best player on the court.

Northern Colorado was not happy with the way that Lillard was officiated, and while there were no blatantly bad calls from my point of view, it did seem like Lillard was getting the benefit of the doubt more often than not. Lillard shot 14 free throws, and UNC shot 19. In the past couple games, Lillard has been having some tough calls go against him, so I suppose this was things evening out. All that being said, there is no doubt that Damian is masterful at creating contact.

One guy that was big for WSU which I did not expect was Gelaun Wheelwright. He has been looking better and better all year, but he was huge for them tonight. He had 11 in the first half (including 3/3 from downtown) and finished with 15 points. He is the clear #1 guard off the bench for WSU right now, and certainly looks in line to start next year, assuming Lillard leaves. He has a ways to go to becoming an all-around point guard and playmaker, but he has great quickness and puts pressure on a defense.

Down low, I got a good look at Kyle Tresnak, who had 14 points in 20 minutes. There are still some things he doesn't do very well (like rebound), but strictly as a low-post scorer, he is one of the best of the Big Sky. He has a nice baby hook, and he knows how to handle himself around the basket. Kyle Bullinger and Darin Mahoney are not guys that jump out at you for the Wildcats, but they may be the toughest duo in the conference.

For UNC, it was an emotional night for them, and senior Mike Proctor played very good ball in his final home game. He had a line of 15 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists, and really gave it his all out there. As the only senior on the team, he was the leader, and he will be missed. He was a lot of fun as a fan to watch, because you know he gave 100% at all times. We wish him the best of luck in the future.

The Bears also showed a lot of promise, and a lot of what makes fans so excited about the team in the upcoming years. They got to within three points in the second half, but they ran out of gas. They went to some zone at times, which Coach BJ Hill said was in part to try to save their legs. Tevin Svihovec, Tate Unruh, and Paul Garnica are all guys with potential to be above average (and perhaps all-conference) players in the Big Sky, and the word I am hearing is that redshirt James Davis is a guy that athleticism and defensive tenacity that has been missing a bit in the backcourt. Their future is bright.

For the present, it is Weber State who is king, as they sit at 14-1 with just a roadtrip to Montana remaining. The Grizzlies moved to 13-1, and should be 14-1 by the time the teams meet. Both teams are playing with tons of confidence, and playing great basketball.

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Thursday Night Big Sky Preview (Part 2)

Earlier we started our Big Sky preview for the four games on Thursday night, and now let's take a look at the last two.

Montana State @ Portland State
How MSU can win: They are a very balanced team, as noted by Gidal Kaiser, and that is key to their success. They don't have a star (though Xavier Blount can play like one at times), and so having multiple guys step up is critical to their success. Another key is to keep PSU out of the lane. They are efficient at getting easy shots, so they need to force PSU into jumpshots.
How PSU can win: Guard the three. MSU does not have a lot of consistent inside scorers, and they rely on the outside shot and their guard play to score points. If PSU can take that away, they have a great chance. MSU made 13 threes last week against Northern Colorado, so stopping that should be high on their priority list. The other thing is to be aggressive and get to the line. That has been key to PSU's offensive success this year - they get to the line a lot and they are good foul shooters when they get there.
Who will win: Montana State won the first meeting between these teams, but PSU is a better team at home than they are on the road (not a surprise). In Portland, I think they are the better team. MSU will have trouble slowing them down, particularly with the roll that Charles Odum is on. PORTLAND STATE 81, MONTANA STATE 74

Weber State @ Sacramento State
How WSU can win: Simply put, avoid making big mistakes, and just play their game. Weber State is clearly the better and more talented team, and as long as they can avoid turning the ball over often and making boneheaded plays, they will win this game.
How Sac State can win: They have not been great about making threes this year, but that can be a big equalizer in games like this. They need to hit some outside shots to keep pace with WSU. If they can force some turnovers, that will be key as well. The other thing is to slow the game down. WSU is great at forcing turnovers and getting easy baskets, and that is something that the Hornets cannot allow. Weber State's offense is potent enough, any easy baskets you give them, and it is going to make it very tough to pull the upset.
Who will win: Sacramento State has shown they can stay in some games against better competition, but I don't believe they have the firepower or the confidence to win this game. Damian Lillard should have a field day, and he has been getting a lot of help lately from Scott Bamforth and Kyle Tresnak. It will be too much for Sac State to contend with. WEBER STATE 82, SACRAMENTO STATE 61

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Weber State Improves to 2-0 in Big Sky

As expected, Weber State took care of Sacramento State on New Year's Eve afternoon, beating the Hornets 74-63 in Ogden.

Weber State jumped out to fast start, and though Sacramento State was able to keep it within the 10-15 range for most of the day, they were never really able to threaten.

Damian Lillard again led the Wildcats with 22 points, 19 of which came in the second half. He also had 8 rebounds. He did not shoot overly well, but he got to the line often, making 10 of 11 free throws. Scott Bamforth threw in 19 points (though he also struggled with his shot), and Kyle Tresnak had 20 (on 9/12 shooting) for Weber State.

For Sacramento State, they did some things well, but could not force any turnovers and just couldn't hit enough shots. John Dickson led them in scoring with 20 points, but it took him 19 shots to get there. Joe Eberhard also continued his solid season with 15 and 7, but nobody was really able to get it going for the Hornets.

At the end of the day, Weber State improves to 2-0 in the Big Sky, a mark matched by Montana (and Northern Arizona could match as well with a victory tonight), while Sacramento State joins Portland State at 0-2. Weber State will travel to take on Eastern Washington in what should be an excellent game Thursday night, while Sacramento State will host Northern Colorado Thursday.

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Frank Otis Injury Update; Weber State Beat Southern Utah

This is a couple of days old, but from The Standard-Examiner:

Frank "Mook" Otis limped off the court with loose cartilage in his knee in the first half of the BYU contest, just days after Weber State lost 6-foot-6 senior forward Kyle Bullinger for up to six weeks with a dislocated elbow. Otis, a 6-6 junior forward from Oakland, Calif., is out indefinitely as doctors try to rehab his knee without having to scope it out as they did last spring.

There are varying reports on how long Otis will be out... I have heard 2-3 weeks (from someone who talked to Otis), while the coaching staff sounds less certain.

It will be a big adjustment to their lineup. When Kyle Bullinger got hurt, they went with a big lineup, and Otis slid from the 4 to the 3. Now, they started G Jordan Richardson at the 2, with Scott Bamforth sliding to the 3. It definitely worked on Saturday, as the Wildcats beat Southern Utah 84-66, taking control of the game and never looking back. It was one of the Wildcats best offensive performances of the year, as they shot 57% from the field.

Damian Lillard was the star again, scoring 31 points on 9/15 shooting, and dishing out 9 assists. Kyle Tresnak had 15 points, while Jordan Richardson (10 points) and Byron Fulton (10 points) were also in double figures. Strangely, Scott Bamforth did not attempt a shot, and finished scoreless with 5 rebounds.

The Wildcats take on California on Friday in perhaps their last chance to get a real statement, non-conference victory.

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What Does the Loss Of Kyle Bullinger Mean For Weber State?

In case you missed, Weber State's All-Conference Forward Kyle Bullinger got injured against San Jose State, as he is out with a possible dislocated elbow. (If you are so inclined, watch the video. Be warned, it is graphic and will make you a bit sick, especially if you have a weak stomach).

Word is that Bullinger will miss 3-4 weeks (which again, if you watch the video, seems unreal). Tuesday night's game against BYU will be the first start Bullinger has missed his whole career, and it will be a tough one to absorb. First, let's look at what Bullinger has brought to the table.

He has struggled with his outside shot a bit this year, in part because he has been battling a back injury. His shooting percentages (both 2 and 3 pointers) are way down this year, but I don't expect that trend to continue. What Weber State will miss is his rebounding and toughness. He has a 27.2 DR% on the year, good for 26th in the country. They will miss that a lot.

I have heard that in his place, Frank Otis will move from the 4 to the 3 and play on the wing a bit more, and senior Darin Mahoney will get the start at the 4. Mahoney is probably their best post defender, and they will try to replace Bullinger's toughness with Mahoney's.

However, it will be a strain on their offense. Damian Lillard has already been carrying a heavy load, as teams have been keying on Scott Bamforth ever since he lit up Utah State. Kyle Tresnak has been very solid in the post, but not sure where the rest of the offense is going to come from.

They will need production from Byron Fulton, as he is the man off the bench with the most scoring ability at this point. He has good range, and can get down on the block a little bit (though he has the tendency to settle for the fadeaway). Freshman Mike Brown has been pretty productive in limited minutes, but I am not sure how well he will fare against athletic opponents. Jordan Richardson is a talented guard, but not a big offensive threat. For some more explosiveness, the word is that freshman Gelaun Wheelwright will have his redshirt pulled, but I am not sure that will solve the problem either.

In short, the injury to Bullinger means there will be even more pressure on Damian Lillard. He is a guy that is already very heavily relied on, and there is one less weapon for defenses to have to account for.

We wish Kyle Bullinger a speedy recovery, and he can't come back quick enough for Weber State.

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Weber State Falls to St. Mary's 87-70

Photo courtesy of Weber State

Going into the game, we knew that Weber State's chances of securing an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament were pretty slim. After Monday night's loss to St. Mary's, it seems those chances are probably getting closer to non-existent.

It was not a "bad" loss, but Weber State doesn't have a ton of chances to impress the voters and committee in the non-conference slate, so this was a big one. In the first half, it looked like it was going to be a good night, as the Wildcats jumped out to a lead as big as 10 points, and entered the break ahead 32-31.

However, midway through the second half, the wheels came off. Weber State took a 52-50 lead with 12:37 to play, but St. Mary's then went on a 28-8 run, sealing up the victory. The Gaels scored 56 points in the second half, and alarmingly struggles in the second half are becoming a trend for the Wildcats.

“We played hard and executed well early on but the last 10 minutes we had some breakdowns,” said WSU head coach Randy Rahe. “We fought extremely hard but we need to improve in some areas. We let them shoot 69 percent in the second half and outrebound us. Damian was fantastic tonight but we need to have more contributions and balance from the rest of the team.”

Damian Lillard was indeed phenomenal, and led all scorers with 36 points. At one point in the second half, he scored 21 straight points for the Wildcats, showcasing his talent and the fact that not a lot of others were stepping up. He finished with 11/18 FG, 2/5 from 3PT, and 12/15 from the FT line. He was the best player on the floor.

Kyle Tresnak was a key going into the game, and he did step up, finishing with 17 points on the game. He was a force in the first half when Weber State went on a run to take the lead, and the only blemish of the day was at the foul line (3/10). Beyond those two guys, Weber State simply did not get production.

Kyle Bullinger was battling an injury, and finished scoreless in 32 minutes. Scott Bamforth was hounded all game long, and had 5 points on just 3 shot attempts. Frank Otis contributed 8 points in 24 minutes. Nobody else scored more than 4. To go on the road and beat a team like St. Mary's, who will be a player in the WCC, you need balance and a lot of guys to step up, but unfortunately they didn't have that in this one.

Weber State will be off until Saturday, when San Jose State comes to town. The loss drops Weber State to 4-1.

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Weber State to Take on St. Mary's

It wasn't the most pretty game for Weber State, but they beat Jacksonville State 69-61 in the first round of the St. Mary's Classic, setting up a championship game tilt with St. Mary's.

As is alarmingly becoming a bit of a trend, the Wildcats jumped out to a big lead, leading by 20 at the break, but let the Gamecocks hang around. The star was Damian Lillard, who had 23 points, shot the ball well, and pulled down 8 rebounds. He was the most consistent outside threat for the Weber.

Weber State still needs to feed the ball inside a bit more. Kyle Tresnak was solid with 10 points and Byron Fulton had a nice game with 8, but they need to keep feeding these guys. If they can get better balance that will serve them very well.

They now take on St. Mary's tonight at 8:30pm mountain time, and the stakes are simple: If they win, the small ripple of Weber State's at-large chances get a little bigger. If they lose, that talk ends. They are certainly good enough for this win, and needless to say it would be a really big one if they can get it.

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