Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Montana State
Wildcats Rally From 10 Point Half Time Deficit To Defeat Montana State 73-63 In The Final Home Game Of The Regular Season
2/24/2008 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
OGDEN, UTAH - At half time the Weber State Wildcats looked a bit perplexed and somewhat bewildered. They had made 47 percent of their shots from the field and held Montana State to 45 percent. They had a 16-12 rebounding edge and were 7-13 from the line while MSU was 4-4, but 12 turnovers and some deadly outside shooting by the Bobcats were enough and the Wildcats found themselves down 35-25.
All it took was a stern half time speech by head coach RANDY RAHE and the Wildcats came out of the fog to out score the Bobcats 48-28 in the second half, posting a 73-63 win before 6,061 on Mascot Night in the Dee Events Center. Montana State came out and made a statement in the first half as the Big Sky's leading scorer, CARLOS TAYLOR scored 15 points hitting 5-8 from the field including 3-4 beyond the three-point arc. They forced the Wildcats into 12 turnovers and took advantage scoring 12 points off of those miscues. Weber State's lone first half bright spot was forward DAVIIN DAVIS who tried keeping up with TAYLOR scoring 11 points on 4-7 shooting from the floor and 3-5 from the line. It was DAVIS who ignited the second half engine for the Wildcats throwing down a dunk off a steal just 15 seconds into the half. WSU then went on a 24-12 scoring run over the next eight minutes pulling to within two at 47-49 on a three-pointer by DEZMON HARRIS at the 12:06 mark. The Bobcats stopped the bleeding and forged a five point margin at 56-51 on a three-pointer by CARLOS TAYLOR with 8:58 remaining. BRODY VAN BROCKLIN, who scored all 12 of his points in the second half, countered with a three and when TREVOR MORRIS made a lay up with 6:34 to go in the game the Wildcats tied it at 56-56. MSU forward MECKLEN DAVIS put the Bobcats up 58-56 with a lay in at the 6:15 mark. VAN BROCKLIN's second three-pointer of the half put the Wildcats up 59-58 with 5:45 left and a free throw by KELLEN McCOY upped the margin to 60-58 just 30 seconds later. Montana State's last lead came with 3:19 remaining on a long three-pointer by CASEY DURHAM. But is was VAN BROCKLIN again to the rescue hitting back-to-back baskets giving the Wildcats a 66-63 lead. It would have been a four-point lead but VAN BROCKLIN missed his free throw after being fouled. That score stood for nearly two minutes as both teams missed scoring opportunities. ARTURAS VALEIKA missed a three-pointer after rebounding VAN BROCKLIN's missed free throw, and MSU center DIVALDO MBUNGA missed a lay up, got his own rebound the TAYLOR turned it over without getting another shot at the basket. KELLEN McCOY then committed an offensive foul giving the ball back to the Bobcats and that was followed by another turnover by CARLOS TAYLOR. MSU then fouled putting JUAN PABLO SILVEIRA on the line with 34 seconds remaining. He made both shots giving the Wildcats a five-point lead at 68-63. TAYLOR missed a three-point try with 26 seconds remaining and VALEIKA picked off the rebound. He fouled and made one free throw making it 69-63. JUAN PABLO SILVEIRA then made a basket and two free throws in the last seven seconds for the final out come. Montana State (15-12 overall / 7-7 Big Sky) was led by CARLOS TAYLOR with 22 points. MECKLEN DAVIS had 11 and DIVALDO MBUNGA chipped in with 10. Weber State (14-12 overall / 9-5 Big Sky) had three players in double figures led by DAVIIN DAVIS's 17. BRODY VAN BROCKLIN had 12 giving him his first back-to-back double figure scoring games in his 57-game career. He had 10 on Thursday night at home vs. Montana. ARTURAS VALEIKA recorded his 10th "double/double" of the season with 11 points and 16 rebounds. He had 16 points and 20 rebounds in the 76-67 win over Montana on Thursday night. The Wildcats can now finish no lower than 4th place in Big Sky regular season play so in the worst case scenario they would be hosting a quarterfinal game against either the 6th seed or 5th seed on Saturday, March 8. WSU can still finish 2nd with two wins next week on the road AT NORTHERN ARIZONA (Thursday, February 28) and AT SACRAMENTO STATE (Monday, March 3.) They could actually still win the regular season with two wins next week, but Portland State would have to drop all three of its remaining games @Montana, @Montana State and at home to Eastern Washington AND Montana State would have to finish ahead of Northern Arizona in the standings to make that possible.
