Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Utah Valley
Wildcats finish road trip at Utah Valley Wednesday
12/15/2025 4:33:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Weber State and UVU will tipoff on Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Orem. The game will be on ESPN+.
• After a week off, Weber State returns to the road for an instate matchup with Utah Valley on Wednesday night in Orem.
• The Wildcats and Wolverines will tipoff at 6 p.m. on Wednesday from the UCCU Center in Orem.
The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. The Weber State radio broadcast with Carl Arky will be on 103.1 FM.
Live stats and video links are at WeberStateSports.com and the Weber State Wildcats app.
• Weber State is 5-5 on the season heading into Wednesday's game, which will be WSU's third game of a three-game road trip. The Wildcats are coming off a 64-60 win at Kansas City last Wednesday.
• Utah Valley is 8-3 on the season heading into Wednesday's in-state matchup. The Wolverines have won their last three games and are also 4-0 at home this season.
• This is the third of four in-state games for Weber State this season, including two this week. The Wildcats lost at Utah and Utah State in November. WSU will host Utah Tech on Saturday.
• Malek Gomma led the Wildcats had career-highs and his first career double-double in leading Weber State to the win at Kansas City last week. He scored 19 points and pulled down 13 rebounds, both career-highs in the win. He was 9 of 13 from the field and also tied his career-high with three assists. He pulled down six offensive rebounds.
On the season, Malek ranks third in the Big Sky in rebounding at 7.6 per game. He also leads the Wildcats in field goal shooting at 61 percent.
• Once again, Weber State leads the country in 3-point field goal defense. The Wildcats are allowing opponents to shoot just 23.5 percent from 3-point range this season, currently the best in the country. WSU held Kansas City to 4 of 25 from 3-point range in Wednesdays' win. The 'Cats have allowed three or fewer 3-pointers four times this season.
• WSU also ranks 16th in the country in rebounding at 42.8 per game. The 'Cats have outrebounded their opponents in eight of the 10 games, and lead the Big Sky in rebounding margin at +8.3.
• The Wildcats are also third in the Big Sky in field goal defense at 41.4 percent and also rank fourth in scoring offense and fifth in scoring margin.
• WSU senior Nigel Burris added 14 points in the win at Kansas City, just one off his season-high. Burris also knocked down three 3-pointers in the win.
He is averaging 10.1 points per game this season. Weber State is one of 22 teams in the country with one or fewer seniors on the roster.
• Jace Whiting leads Weber State in scoring at 13.8 points per game. He has scored in double figures in seven of the 10 games this season after transferring from Boise State and UNLV. Whiting is also first in the Big Sky and 26th in the country in assist to turnover ratio at 3.8.
• Utah Valley is 8-3 this season and has won its last three games. The Wolverines are also 4-0 at home this season.
UVU won the Cancun Challenge in November with wins over UC Irvine, South Dakota State, and Samford. They defeated Bowling Green, Idaho State, and UC Santa Barbara in their last three games.
This season the Wolverines rank 14th in the country in assists at 19.4 per game and 14th in blocks at 5.8. UVU is also 21st in the country in field goal percentage, shooting 51 percent from the field, and also ranks 21st nationally in scoring defense, allowing 64.5 points per game.
Taylor Hendricks is fifth in the country in 3-point field goal percentage at 52.7 percent and Trevan Leonhardt is ninth in assists at 6.9.
• UVU was 25-9 overall last season and won the Western Athletic Conference title at 15-1. They lost in the finals of the WAC Tournament and advanced to the NIT.
Utah Valley was picked second in the WAC preseason polls and Leonhardt was named to the preseason all-conference team. This is UVU's final season in the WAC as they will leave for the Big West next season.
The Wolverines are coached by Todd Phillips who is in his third year at UVU and has a record of 49-28.
• The all-time series between the two schools is tied 8-8, and UVU has won the last two games, including a 64-62 win in Ogden last season.
Weber State is just 1-6 all-time in games in Orem. The Wolverines won the last game two seasons ago, 70-54. WSU's only win in Orem was in December 2019, a 72-67 win, led by Jerrick Harding who scored 36 points for the Wildcats.
• The Wildcats are coached by Eric Duft who is in his fourth season as head coach and his 20th 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. He has been on the coaching staff for over 600 games at Weber State, more than anyone in WSU's history.
This summer, NBA superstar and Wildcat legend Damian Lillard was named the General Manager of Weber State Basketball.
• After Wednesday, Weber State will play its next four games at home. The Wildcats will host Utah Tech on Dec. 20 and Lincoln on Dec. 22 in the final non-conference games of the season.
The Wildcats will open 2026 and the Big Sky season on January 1 against Portland State.
