Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Montana State
Wildcats and Bobcats in another Big Sky showdown Saturday
2/4/2022 12:13:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Weber State has won eight straight games; Montana State has won seven straight. Two teams meet Saturday at 6:00.
• With an eight game winning streak, Weber State is right back home Saturday night for another key Big Sky showdown against Montana State. The Wildcats and Bobcats will tipoff at 6 p.m. at the Dee Events Center. The game will be televised throughout Utah on KJZZ TV as well as streamed online on ESPN+. The WSU radio broadcast will be on 103.1 FM "The Wave" with live stats at WeberStateSports.com.
• The Wildcats are 18-5 overall and in first place in the Big Sky standings at 11-1. Weber State won its eighth straight game with an 80-75 win over Montana Thursday night. This is the 14th time in 16 years under coach Randy Rahe that Weber State has won at least 10 conference games during the Big Sky regular season.
• Montana State enters Saturday's game at 16-5 overall and 8-2 in Big Sky play. The Bobcats have won seven straight games and have not lost since the 85-75 loss to Weber State on December 30 in Bozeman. The Bobcats have not played since last Saturday.
• Wildcat senior transfer Koby McEwen had a career night in Saturday's win. He set a new career-high with 32 points and broke a Weber State school record with 19 free throws made. He was 5 of 12 from the field, including 3 of 7 from 3-point range. He also finished 19 of 20 from the free throw line, the most free throws made in a game in school history, breaking the old record of 18 held by Davion Berry and Harold Arceneaux. The 20 free throw attempts is tied for the third-most ever in game. McEwen also added three rebounds, three assists and one steal in Thursday's win.
• On the season, McEwen leads the Wildcats and is third in the Big Sky in scoring at 18.2 points per game. He is averaging 19.8 points per game in Big Sky games. He has scored in double figures in all but one game and has reached 20 or more nine times. McEwen is also fifth in the Big Sky in field goal percentage and eighth in 3-point percentage and 3-pointers per game. Thursday's game was his 140th career game, including two seasons at Utah State and two at Marquette, and he now has 1,900 career points.
• Dillon Jones recorded his 12th double-double of the season as he finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds. The 12 double-doubles is tied for the eighth-most of any player in the nation this season. Jones also dished out four assists Thursday for the third consecutive game. He continues to lead the Big Sky and ranks 10th in the nation in rebounding at 10.7 per game. He is also third in the conference in minutes played, fifth in steals and seventh in free throw percentage.
• The Wildcats shot 43 percent from the field in Thursday's win, snapping a streak of four-straight games shooting 50 percent or better. Thursday's game was also the first win this season for the Wildcats when shooting less than their opponent. WSU 17-0 this season when leading their opponent in field goal percentage and 1-5 when trailing. The Wildcats have shot 50 percent or better 11 times and are 11-0 in those games.
• After going 26 of 29 from the free throw line in the win, Weber State is now second in the country in total free throws made with 388, an average of 16.9 per game. The 'Cats are also second in the country in free throws attempted at 518, an average of 22.5 free throw attempts per game. Koby McEwen is third in the country in total free throws made with 125, an average of 5.4 per game, and is seventh in total attempts.
• The Wildcats are 12-1 when leading at halftime and 2-4 when trailing, including Thursday's win. Weber State is also 13-1 this season when scoring 80 or more points in a game and 5-4 when scoring less than 80. WSU has scored 80 or more in six of the last seven games.
• Weber State is 6-0 at home in Big Sky play. The Wildcats have won 12-straight Big Sky home games, dating back to March 2020.
• Montana State will not have played a game since beating Idaho last Saturday, while the Wildcats have played two games since then. MSU's game against Idaho State on Thursday was rescheduled. The Bobcats have won seven straight games and have not lost since the 85-75 loss to Weber State on December 30 in Bozeman.
• The Bobcats lead the Big Sky in blocked shots and are second in scoring defense, field goal defense, 3-point defense, rebounding margin and assists.
• MSU is coached by former Bobcat standout Danny Sprinkle who is in his third season as head coach. He is 45-30 overall and 26-18 in Big Sky play.
• Weber State holds an 87-38 all-time series lead over Montana State and the 87 wins is the most for WSU against any opponent in its history. The Wildcats have won the last three games, including a win earlier this season in Bozeman. In games in Ogden, WSU is 54-8 all-time against Montana State and the Wildcats have won the last two and 11 of the last 12 games against the Bobcats at the Dee Events Center.
• The Wildcats beat the Bobcats 85-75 on Dec. 30, in Bozeman. Koby McEwen had a WSU season-high 31 points with five 3-pointers in the win, while Dillon Jones had 19 points and JJ Overton added 16. The Wildcats shot 50 percent from the field and held the Bobcats to 37 percent shooting and just 3 of 20 from 3-point range.
