Wildcats Power Past Bobcats 68-63

It wasn't always pretty, but on Thursday night the Weber State Wildcats sent the Montana State Bobcats away from the Dee Events Center by beating them 68-63.

If you watched the opening quarter of action, then the result probably was expected. The Wildcats had opened the game up by swarming the Bobcats with their defensive intensity which in turn made life easier on the offensive end. WSU allowed just 6 points in the first frame and were able to score 12, the early low-scoring affair felt like it'd continue throughout the night but both teams would eventually find their groove.

Thursday night's game was a clash of styles. The Wildcats pose a constant threat in the paint regardless of who has the ball in their hands while MSU prefers to get up as many good looks from beyond the arc as they can - where both teams are similar is their desire to apply full-court pressure to dictate the game's tempo.

Throughout the season, the Wildcats have been primarily been a team that's contributed scoring bunches by committee but against the Bobcats, Daryn Hickok made her presence felt. In such a tight game each of her baskets felt bigger than the previous as she torched MSU for 28 points on 8-13 shooting and went 12-12 from the free-throw line. She spent 33 minutes on the floor where she typically was applying full-court pressure; Hickok also finished with 9 rebounds.

Before the Wildcats were celebrating in front of their fans, they were digging deep in the locker room at halftime. MSU had come out in the second quarter and knocked down four three-pointers and at times looked poised to rattle off a big run until WSU found their legs and was able to stop the bleeding; going into the half down 29-26.

The 'Cats came out during the second half looking like a team that had remembered who they were and suddenly, Emma Torbert was back to dominating in the paint and Jadyn Matthews was muscling in lay-ups through contact. The team was once again playing with energy and they held a 47-44 lead heading into the final frame because of it.

As a whole, the fourth quarter is without question the biggest stretch of the game but what was more pivotal was how the first couple of minutes of it went. After playing such a fast-paced game, both teams were tired which meant that whoever wanted the win more would go grab it - and it became clear quick that WSU wanted it. They were closing out hard on shooters despite the exhaustion setting into their legs, they were being patient on offense despite a full-court press that was throwing numerous double-teams at WSU's ball-handlers and they ultimately were just more energetic. Even when taking a 58-52 lead with 3:05 left and all the momentum on their side, the Wildcats refused to get too comfortable and make a mistake which helped them fend off a pesky MSU squad.

The Weber State Wildcats will head into 2022 with a 6-6 record but more importantly, 2-1 in conference play. Next, they'll battle their foes from Missoula, MT as they host the Montana Grizzlies on Saturday, Jan. 1 at 1 P.M. on ESPN+.

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Team Stats

Daryn Hickok

Jadyn Matthews

Emma Torbert

Laura Taylor

Players Mentioned

Daryn Hickok

Jadyn Matthews

Emma Torbert

Players Mentioned

Daryn Hickok

Jadyn Matthews

Emma Torbert

Weber State University Athletics