Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Cal Poly
Wildcats back home to host Cal Poly Saturday night
12/7/2023 4:56:00 PM | Men's Basketball
• Weber State returns home for a matchup with Cal Poly Saturday night at the Dee Events Center.
• The Wildcats and Mustangs will tipoff at 7 p.m. Saturday night in Ogden. The game will be televised on ESPN+ and the ESPN app with Steve Brown and former Weber State head coach Joe Cravens on the call. WSU radio coverage will be on 103.1 FM "The Wave" with Steve Klauke and former WSU standout and Big Sky MVP David Patten on the call. Live stats will be available at WeberStateSports.com and the Weber State Wildcats app.
• Weber State is 4-3 on the season. The Wildcats opened the year with a win over Benedictine Mesa, then went to No. 23 Saint Mary's and defeated the Gaels 61-57. It was WSU's first win over a ranked opponent in 23 years. The 'Cats then traveled all the way to Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada for three games at the Atlantic Slam Tournament. Weber State lost to Gardner-Webb, beat Yale in overtime and lost to Colgate. WSU defeated Navajo Tech 107-45 on November 27.
• WSU is coming off a 70-54 loss at Utah Valley on Tuesday night in Orem. The Wildcats held a seven point lead in the first half before the Wolverines pulled away. Weber State shot 35 percent from the field, while the Wolverines shot 53 percent and made eight 3-pointers.
• Weber State leads the Big Sky and is eighth in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 59.7 points per game. The 70 points by Utah Valley was the most the 'Cats allowed in a game this season. WSU is also first in the conference in scoring margin at +13.0. The 'Cats entered Tuesday's game leading the nation in free throw percentage but were just 6 of 18 from the line in the game. WSU is still first in the Big Sky and now 30th in the nation in free throw percentage at 77.0 percent. Steven Verplancken is a perfect 19 of 19 from the line this season. He is one of five players in the country with at least 19 attempts that has not missed a free throw this season.
• WSU is also second in the Big Sky in field goal defense, and ranks third in 3-point defense, and turnover margin. The 'Cats are 16th in the nation in fouls per game, at just 13.7 fouls per game.
• Wildcat standout Dillon Jones led the Wildcats in scoring with 13 points and had seven rebounds in Tuesday's game. Through his first six games, Jones has twice been named Big Sky Player of the Week. He leads the nation in defensive rebounds and is ninth in the country in total rebounds at 10.8 per game. He is also first in the Big Sky and 23rd in the nation in scoring, averaging 20.5 points per game. He has four double-doubles in six games this season.
• Jones was the unanimous selection as the Big Sky Preseason MVP. He is a two-time first-team all-conference selection and a two-time all-district selection. He participated in the G League and NBA Draft combines this summer before returning to school. He has played in 93 career games at Weber State and ranks fourth in school history in career rebounding with 891. He is also 16th in career scoring, fourth in steals, and 10th in free throws made. He has 42 career double-doubles.
• Junior Alex Tew tied his career-high with eight rebounds and led the team in rebounding in Tuesday's game. He is second on the team in rebounding this season at 4.3 per game. Tew has played in 69 career games in three seasons at Weber State.
• Weber State has all five starters returning from last year and the Wildcats were picked first in the Big Sky Conference preseason media and coaches polls. WSU had two players named to the Big Sky preseason all-conference team in Jones and senior Steven Verplancken.
• Verplancken earned third-team All-Big Sky honors last season. Also returning as starters for the Wildcats are KJ Cunningham, Dyson Koehler, and Alex Tew. Other returners that played last season include Louie Jordan, Handje Tamba, and Cole Lake, as well as red shirt freshman Chris Dockery.
• The Wildcats have added several new players to this year's team, including transfers Blaise Threatt and Arnaud Revaz. The 'Cats also added three international freshmen including Viljami Vartiainen from Finland and Marko Sarenac from Serbia.
• The Wildcats are coached by Eric Duft who returns for his second season as head coach and his 18th season overall at Weber State. He spent 16 seasons as an assistant coach under Randy Rahe before becoming the 10th head coach in WSU history in May 2022. Weber State finished 18-15 overall last season and was third in the Big Sky at 12-6.
• Weber State has one of the most international rosters in the country as the Wildcats have eight players that come from outside of the United States, representing six different countries. Two players are from England (Louie Jordan, Alex Tew), and two from Serbia in cousins Marko and Nemanja Sarenac. WSU also has players from Switzerland (Arnaud Revaz), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Handje Tamba), Finland (Viljami Vartiainen), and the Dominican Republic (Steven Verplancken).
• Cal Poly is 3-6 overall on the season and has won four of the last five games. The Mustangs have wins over La Verne, St. Thomas, and an overtime win over San Jose State. Cal Poly has losses at Denver and Wyoming, at Cal Baptist, and is coming off a double overtime loss at Oregon State. They also have played two Big Sky teams, with a 73-57 loss to Portland State and a 85-70 loss at Idaho. The Mustangs are coached by John Smith who is in his fifth season as head coach. Cal Poly assistant coach Keith Berard was an assistant coach under Randy Rahe at Weber State in 2012-13, the year WSU beat Cal Poly in Ogden.
• This will be the third all-time meeting between the two schools with Weber State having won both previous meetings. The Wildcats beat the Mustangs 85-43 on March 20, 2013, in the first round of the CIT Tournament in Ogden, the only time Cal Poly has ever played in the Dee Events Center. WSU shot 60 percent from the field and made 10 3-pointers in the win. Scott Bamforth had 23 points with seven 3-pointers for the Wildcats and Kyle Tresnak added 20 points.
• The two teams met last season in San Luis Obispo with Weber State winning 74-45 last December 16. The Wildcats made 11 3-pointers and shot 53 percent from the field in the win. Four Wildcats scored in double figures led by Steven Verplancken with 15 points and three 3-pointers. Dillon Jones had 13 points and 10 rebounds and Dyson Koehler added 10 points.
• After Saturday's game it will be Mountain West Conference week next week for the Wildcats. Weber State will play two road games at Mountain West schools playing at Nevada on Wednesday and at Wyoming on Saturday.
