Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Montana
Wildcats Hold Off Grizzlies 76-67
2/21/2008 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
OGDEN, UTAH - Weber State's men's basketball team literally rebounded for two losses on the road last week to post a 76-67 win over the University of Montana Grizzlies to complete a season sweep.
WSU forward ARTURAS VALEIKA, the Big Sky's leading rebounder in 2007-08, collected a career high, and a Big Sky season high, 20 rebounds. Nineteen of those 20 boards came on the defensive end as the Wildcats came up with a season high 43 rebounds while allowing Montana 35. The game got off to an unusual start. Weber State was assessed a technical foul for a player hanging on the rim during warm ups. Montana forward JORDAN HASQUET made both free throws which started a 9-2 scoring run by the Grizzlies. The Wildcats then dug their heels in and proceeded to string together a 30-3 scoring run beginning with a three-pointer by BRODY VAN BROCKLIN at the 16:24 mark and ending with a jumper by KELLEN McCOY with 6:53 remaining in the first half giving the ?Cats a 32-12 lead. They almost got the 20 point lead back when STEVE PANOS made two free throws giving WSU a 39-20 lead at the half. WSU hit a 15-26 (.577) first half field goals including 5-6 from beyond the three-point arc while holding the Grizzlies to just 5-25 (.200) from the field and 2-9 from the arc. Montana came into the game as the Big Sky's top field goal shooting team at over 50 percent in league games, the top three-point shooting team at just over 40 percent and the top three-point field goal defense team holding league opponents to just 30 percent from the arc. Both teams struggled with their field goal shooting in the second half with both teams hitting 40 percent from the floor. Montana got more second half shots (42 to 25) and made seven more field goals (17 to 10) than the Wildcats bringing the final margin back to respectability. For just the second time this season the Wildcats placed five players in double figure scoring led by VALEIKA and DEZMON HARRIS with 16 a piece. STEVE PANOS had 13 including a 7-8 performance at the free throw line. DAVIIN DAVIS and BRODY VAN BROCKLIN each added 10. It was VAN BROCKLIN's first double figure scoring game of the season. Montana was led by CEYLON ELGIN-TAYLOR's 14 points. JORDAN HASQUET and ANDREW STRAIT each added 10. STRAIT had a "double/double" with 10 rebounds. Weber State ups its overall record to 13-12 and are now 8-5 in Big Sky Conference play and currently sitting in third place one game ahead of both Idaho State and Saturday night's opponent MONTANA STATE. The Wildcats can cinch a berth in the Big Sky post-season tournament with a victory on Saturday night at home vs. MSU or a loss by Eastern Washington which plays at Northern Colorado on Saturday. The Wildcats are one-half back of Northern Arizona for second place.
