Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
*at Northern Arizona
Wildcats Survive in Flagstaff
1/9/2011 3:38:00 AM | Men's Basketball
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- The Weber State men's basketball team survived a late rally by Northern Arizona to take a 68-67 win over the Lumberjacks for its first Big Sky win of the season.
Leading 65-64, Lindsey Hughey hit a contested three-point shot from deep on the left wing as the shot clock expired to put the 'Cats ahead by four with nine seconds left. NAU's Gabe Rogers answered with a three of his own with two ticks left, and after Hughey missed a free throw, the 'Jacks could only heave a desperation full-court shot that was off the mark to end the game.
Hughey's only other trey of the game came at the 10:46 mark of the second half and seemed to put the Wildcats in control with a 57-41 lead. But the Lumberjacks responded with a 13-0 run to cut the lead back to a single possession at 57-54 with 6:59 left.
Durrell Norman converted a three-point play with 4:11 left to bring Northern Arizona all the way back, tying the contest at 62-62, and Shane Johannsen gave the 'Jacks their first lead since early in the second half on a layup with just under two minutes to play. Hughey then scored on a layup to give Weber State the lead back at 65-64 and the Wildcats made a defensive stop to set up Hughey's final seconds heroics.
Kyle Bullinger led the Wildcats with 18 points, while Scott Bamforth added 14. Trevor Morris chipped in with 13 points and Hughey had 12 to give the Wildcats four players in double figures.
NAU leaned heavily on Cameron Jones, who poured in a game-high 26 points for the Lumberjacks' lone player in double figures. Rogers and Johannsen each added eight points for the 'Jacks.
Weber State improves to 7-7 overall and 1-2 in Big Sky play with the win, while NAU drops to 9-7 overall and 1-3 in league play. The win gives the Wildcats a much needed road conference win after being swept on the Montana road swing to open the league schedule. WSU now returns home to open the home Big Sky schedule with Sacramento State and Idaho State next week.
