Weber State University Athletics
'Cats Host Final Home Game Saturday
2/29/2008 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Wildcats host Sacramento State in final home game
Weber State plays the final home game of the 2007-08 season this Saturday when the ?Cats host Sacramento State. The game will begin at 12:00 p.m. at the Dee Events Center. Weber State (11-15, 5-9) is coming off a 70-68 overtime loss to Northern Arizona Thursday night that dropped the ?Cats to seventh in the Big Sky standings. Sacramento State comes in with a 6-20 overall record and a 4-10 conference record after falling 95-78 at Idaho State Thursday.
Big Sky standings update
With a 66-55 win at Northern Colorado Thursday Montana clinched at least a share of the Big Sky regular season title. The Lady Griz have won five straight and are now 12-2 in Big Sky play. They need one more win to secure the conference title and the right to host the conference tournament. Idaho State beat Sacramento State and moved into second place with a 10-4 record and Portland State, who did not play Thursday, is third at 9-4. Montana State is fifth at 8-5 followed by Northern Colorado at 6-7 and Northern Arizona at 6-8 after Thursday's win over the Wildcats.As for Weber State, the Wildcats are currently in seventh place in the league standings at 5-9 with two games remaining. Weber State must have some help to get into the conference tournament. There are several scenarios for the Wildcats to get in but they most likely need two wins and some help to advance to the tournament. However, there is still a scenario where the ?Cats could get in even if they loss Saturday to Sacramento State.
Sara Tuomi sufferers injury in Thursday's loss.
Weber State Sara Tuomi suffered a meniscus injury in her right knee early in the second half of Thursday's loss to the Lumberjacks. Tuomi almost assuredly will not play in Saturday's game with Sacramento State, but depending on the severity of the injury, could be available to play next week. Tuomi had an MRI scheduled for Friday to determine the severity of the injury.
The senior from Billings, Montana finished with seven points in Thursday's loss, the first time this season she has not posted double-figures in scoring. Tuomi ranks ninth in Weber State history in career scoring with 1,415 career points and is tenth in rebounding with 664. She has started all 116 games of her career at Weber State and is now tied for tenth in career games played. She also ranks sixth in career free throws made a eighth in three-pointers. This season Tuomi is fourth in the Big Sky in scoring, eighth in rebounding, and second in free throw percentage.
Tonya Schnibbe posts first career double-double
Sophomore Tonya Schnibbe was the only Wildcat to finish in double figure scoring when she finished with 12 points in Thursday's loss. She also tied a career-high with ten assists to post her first career double-double. Schnibbe is currently tied for second in the Big Sky in assists and has 142 assists this season, the fourth most in WSU single-season history.
Field goal percentage makes a difference
Weber State is still last in the Big Sky in field goal percentage at 37.1 percent, after shooting 39 percent in Thursday's loss. The Wildcats have shot less than 40 percent from the field in 19 games this year. WSU is 9-2 when leading the opponent in field goal percentage, including 5-1 in Big Sky games. They are 2-13 when shooting worse, including 0-8 in conference games.
?Cats host Sacramento State in home final at 12:00 p.m.
Weber State will play the final home game of the 2007-08 season Saturday when the Wildcats host Sacramento State at the Dee Events Center. The game will begin at a special time of 12:00 p.m. and will be broadcast live on KWCR 88.1 FM with Eric Knighton calling the action. Audio and live stats of the game are on weberstatesports.com and video is on bigskytv.org.
Senior Day for three Wildcats
Saturday will also be the final home game for three Wildcats seniors who have combined to play in 276 career games at Weber State, including starting 191 of those games. Sara Tuomi, Tashina Taylor, and Ahkiah Hunter will all be honored before the game as WSU's three seniors. Tuomi and Taylor have both played all four years at Weber State, with Hunter playing the last two seasons. The three players have combined to score 2,330 points at Weber State.
About Sacramento State
Saturday the Wildcats will welcome Sacramento State to the Dee Events Center at 12:00 p.m. The Hornets are 6-20 overall and 4-10 in Big Sky play, following their 95-78 loss at Idaho State Thursday night. The Hornets were only down two points at halftime but Idaho State shot 58 percent and scored 55 points in the second half to earn the victory. Sacramento State has now lost five straight games. The Hornets still have a chance to advance to the Big Sky Tournament if they win their remaining two games and get some help.
Sacramento State ranks last in the Big Sky in scoring defense, scoring margin, field goal percentage defense, rebounding, blocks, and assist/turnover ratio. They are also eighth in scoring offense and seventh in field goal percentage. They do rank fifth in the conference in steals and sixth in assists.
This season the Hornets are led by junior Atty Boyer who is 8th in the league in scoring at 13.0 points, sixth in field goal percentage at .471, and sixth in rebounding at 7.5 per game.
Head coach Dan Muscatell
The Hornets are coached by Dan Muscatell who is in his fifth season with Sacramento State. Muscatell has an all-time record of 27-110 with the team. He is 14-58 in Big Sky games. Muscatell has never defeated the Wildcats, going 0-9 all-time. WSU head coach Carla Taylor is 22-1 in her career against Sacramento State.
All-time series
Weber State has dominated the all-time series with Sacramento State, leading 22-1 all-time, including a 77-46 win over the Hornets earlier this season in Sacramento. WSU has won the last 16 meetings between the two teams, dating back to January 2000, its only loss to the Hornets. Weber State is 11-0 all-time against the Hornets in Ogden, but has won both of the last two games in Ogden by four points each.
Earlier this season in Sacramento
Weber State dominated the Hornets with a 77-46 win January 24 in Sacramento. The 77 points is a season-high for the Wildcats and they were 14-34 from three-point land in the win. The 34 attempts is a school record and the 14 made threes is the second most in school history. WSU also held Sacramento state to just 24 percent shooting, the lowest field goal percentage of an opponent this season. Sara Tuomi led WSU with 25 points.
Looking ahead
The Wildcats will close out the 2007-08 regular season next week with the final game of the year when they play at Idaho State, Saturday, March 8 at 2:00 p.m. The Big Sky Championships will be held March 13-15 at the site of the regular season champion with the top six teams competing.
