Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Utah
Utes Overcome Early Deficit to Defeat Weber State 72-52
11/29/2007 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
OGDEN, UTAH - Visions of sugar plums danced in the heads of the Weber State Wildcats for eight minutes in Wednesday's home court match up with instate rival Utah, but those visions quickly turned to reality for the Wildcats as the Utes overcame a quick 16-4 scoring run by the ?Cats to start the game, putting the hammer down on both ends of the court to post a 72-52 win before 5,340 in the Dee Events Center.
Arturas Valeika and Brody Van Brocklin each hit two three-pointers, and a thunder dunk by Daviin Davis with 12:51 left in the first half gave the Wildcats a 16-4 lead.
Utah then put the defensive clamps on the Wildcats not allowing another field goal by the 'Cats until Van Brocklin made his third three-pointer of the half with 37 seconds left. That, however, was answered by Utah forward Shaun Green who made his fifth three-pointer of the half, this one from 27 feet out as the buzzer sounded, to give the Utes a 27-21 half time lead.
The Utes shot just 32 percent (10-29) in the first half but hit 6-14 from the arc, five of them by Green. The Wildcats helped the Ute's cause by committing 12 first half turnovers. WSU concentrated on stopping Utah's big center Luke Nevill (7-1, 265 Jr.). Nevill was just 1-5 from the field and had two first half points. That allowed Green to spring free for several uncontested three-pointers.
The Wildcats came out in the second half and held Green to just 1-2 shooting, but Nevill came alive hitting 7-11 from the field. The Utes hit a blistering 18-25 (.720) from the floor in the second half staking a 20 point lead (48-28) in the first eight minutes and never looked back.
Green led all scorers with 18 points. Nevill had 16 while. Tyler Kepkay added 10 pints and Johnnie Bryant came off the bench to score 12 and hand out four assists. Utah ended the game hitting 11-20 (.550) from the arc and 52 percent for the game.
The Wildcats were led by Arturas Valeika who recorded his fifth straight "double/double" scoring and rebounding game of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds. He was the lone Wildcat in double figures. Brody Van Brocklin had nine - all in the firs half - and freshman center Trevor Morris came off the bench to score a career high six points on a perfect 2-2 shooting from the field and 2-2 from the line.
Weber State was held to its lowest shooting percent of the season hitting just 16-44 (.364) and 7-19 (.368) from the arc. It marked the first time this season the ?Cats have shot less than 46 percent in a game.
It doesn't get any easier for the young Wildcats. They travel to Champaign, Illinois for a Saturday, December 1 match up against Big 10 power Illinois. Game time is 4:05 (CST), 3:05 (MST).
