Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Oral Roberts
Wildcats host Oral Roberts Wednesday in Big Sky-Summit League Challenge
12/2/2025 10:49:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Weber State hosts Oral Roberts on Wednesday and plays at St. Thomas on Sunday.
• It's the third Big Sky-Summit League Challenge this week as Weber State will face two teams from the Summit League, beginning Wednesday night with a home game against Oral Roberts.
• The Wildcats and the Golden Eagles will tipoff at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at the Dee Events Center in Ogden. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and the ESPN app with Tony Parks and former Weber State head coach Joe Cravens calling the action. The WSU radio broadcast will be on 103.1 FM with Carl Arky and former Weber State standout and Big Sky MVP David Patten on the call. Live stats are available at WeberStateSports.com and the Weber State Wildcats app.
• This is the third year for the Big Sky-Summit League Challenge which will include 36 men's and women's games this week. Weber State will host Oral Roberts on Wednesday and play at St. Thomas on Sunday. The Wildcats are 2-2 in the four Big Sky-Summit League Challenge games over the last two seasons.
• Weber State enters Wednesday's game at 3-4 on the season. The Wildcats are coming off an 82-61 win over Kansas City last Saturday at the Dee Events Center. WSU never trailed in the game, had five players in double figures and shot 52 percent from the field with 10 3-pointers.
• Wednesday's game will be the last of four straight home games for Weber State. The 'Cats hosted the Junction City Jam with a win over Campbell and a one-point loss to UT Arlington, before the win over Kansas City. It will also be the second of four straight games against teams from the Summit League. WSU will play Kansas City on the road on Dec. 10, after Sunday's game at St. Thomas.
• Through seven games, Weber State continues to lead the country in 3-point field goal defense. The Wildcats are allowing opponents to shoot just 20.4 percent from 3-point range this season, the best in the nation through seven games. Kansas City was 6 of 20 from 3-point range in Saturday's win. WSU has allowed three or fewer 3-pointers in four of the seven games this season.
• WSU also ranks seventh in the nation in rebounding, averaging 44.9 rebounds per game. The 'Cats pulled down 41 rebounds in Saturday's win and outrebounded the Roos 41-24.
• Wildcat junior Viljami Vartiainen led the Wildcats with a season-high 17 points in Saturday's win and knocked down a season-high five 3-pointers. He was 5 of 10 from 3-point range in the win and also had four rebounds, before leaving the game late with a knee injury.
On the season, Vartiainen is averaging 11.4 points per game. He ranks third in the Big Sky in 3-pointers per game at 2.7 and is sixth in 3-point percentage at 36.5.
• Edwin Suarez Jr. had his first double-double of the season as he finished with season-highs of 16 points and 12 rebounds in Saturday's win. He was 7 of 13 from the field and also had two assists and two blocks. It was his third time scoring in double figures and his second time in double figures in rebounding. He leads the Wildcats in rebounding at 7.2 rebounds per game, which is fifth in the Big Sky.
Suarez has played in six games and started five games for the 'Cats after transferring from Arizona Western College where he was a junior college All-American.
• Weber State currently has six players averaging in double figures. Trevor Hennig leads the team at 14.8. Jace Whiting, Vartiainen, Tijan Saine Jr., Nigel Burris, and Suarez are all averaging at least 10.0 points per game.
• Weber State leads the Big Sky in field goal defense, 3-point defense, and rebounding. The 'Cats are also second in the conference in rebounding margin and scoring margin, and rank third in scoring offense.
• The Golden Eagles of Oral Roberts University enter Wednesday's game at 3-6 this season. ORU has wins over John Brown, Haskell, and Kennesaw State.
The Golden Eagles welcomed a new coach and 12 newcomers this season with eight transfers and four freshmen.
• Oral Roberts was 7-23 overall last season and finished ninth in the Summit League at 3-13. Like Weber State, ORU was picked ninth in the conference preseason poll.
• The Golden Eagles are coached by Kory Barnett who is in his first season as head coach. He has previously been an assistant coach at West Virginia, Nevada, UNLV, and Indiana.
• This will be the ninth ever meeting between Weber State and Oral Roberts with the Wildcats holding a 6-2 lead and the 'Cats have won the last six meetings. The two teams last played in January 2024 in the first year of the Big Sky-Summit League Challenge in Tulsa. The Wildcats won that game 83-78, led by Dillon Jones how had 26 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. Dyson Koehler added 17 points.
In games in Ogden, Weber State is 4-1 all-time and has won the last four. The 'Cats played the Golden Eagles twice in 2013 and 2014 at the Dee Events Center. Weber State beat ORU 83-74 in the third round of the CIT Tournament in Ogden. Davion Berry led the 'Cats with 27 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds.
The last meeting in Ogden was in December 2014, a 62-61 Weber State win.
• 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.
• After Wednesday, game two of the Big Sky-Summit League Challenge will be on Sunday at St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minnesota. The game was originally scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 6, but has been moved to Sunday, Dec. 7 at 12 p.m. Central time, due to a scheduling conflict.
That will be the first of three straight road games for the 'Cats who will then play at Kansas City on Dec. 10 and Utah Valley on Dec. 17.
