Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Northern Arizona
'Cats hit the road in the Big Sky for first time this year
1/6/2026 4:54:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Weber State plays at Northern Arizona on Thursday at 6 p.m. in Flagstaff.
• Weber State hits the road for the first time in Big Sky play with two games this week beginning Thursday at Northern Arizona.
• The Wildcats and Lumberjacks will tipoff at 6 p.m. on Thursday from the Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff, Arizona. 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 7-8 overall and 1-1 in Big Sky play. The Wildcats opened the conference season last week with two home games. They lost in overtime to Portland State on Thursday, then defeated Sacramento State 95-82 on Saturday.
• Northern Arizona is 6-9 overall and 0-2 in Big Sky play. The Lumberjacks started the conference season with two road losses at Montana and Montana State last week.
• Weber State now has six players averaging in double figures, currently one of only three teams in the nation to do so. Weber State, top-ranked Arizona, and Baylor are currently the only schools in the country with six players averaging in double figures
• Tijan Saine Jr. leads the Wildcats in scoring at 13.5 points per game. He averaged 21.5 points, 5.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game in the two Big Sky opening games last week. He had 23 points with eight assists and seven rebounds against Portland State and had 20 points with four steals, three rebounds, and three assists in the win over Sacramento State.
Saine has scored in double figures in 10 of 15 games and has reached 20 four times, including three of the last four games. He currently ranks sixth in the Big Sky in assists and steals.
• Junior Viljami Vartiainen also chipped in 20 points in the win over Sacramento State in just his second game back after missing six games with a knee injury. Vartiainen knocked down a season-high six 3-pointers, including five in the first half, and finished the day 6 of 8 from 3-point range.
In his nine games played this year, Vartiainen is averaging 12.2 points per game and has made 27 3-pointers. He has scored in double figures in eight of nine games.
• Nigel Burris, the only senior on this year's Wildcat team, added 14 points in the win over the Hornets, the seventh time he has scored in double figures.
Saturday's game was the 100th career game for Nigel Burris as a college player. He began his career at Idaho and was the Big Sky Freshman of the Year in 2023. He then played one season at Utah State and is now in his second year at Weber State.
• The Wildcats rank 11th in the nation in 3-point field goal defense, allowing opponents to shoot 27.9 percent from 3-point range this season.
Weber State is also 11th in the country in fastbreak points, averaging 18.3 fastbreak points a game.
• Weber State is first in the Big Sky in 3-point field goal defense, rebounding, and rebounding margin. WSU also ranks second in the conference in scoring offense and steals.
• Individually, Jace Whiting leads the Big Sky in assist to turnover ratio at 3.1. Edwin Suarez Jr. is fifth in the conference in rebounding at 7.2 and Malek Gomma is right behind in sixth at 7.0 per game. Tijan Saine is sixth in assists and steals.
• Northern Arizona enters Thursday's game at 6-9 overall and 0-2 in Big Sky play. In the non-conference schedule they had Division I wins over Cal Poly, SEMO, and Southern Utah. The Lumberjacks started Big Sky play with road losses at Montana and Montana State last week.
NAU is 6-1 at home this season.
• This season NAU is first in the Big Sky in steals at 8.0 per game. They also rank second in the conference and 28th in the nation in 3-point percentage at 38 percent. The Lumberjacks are also second in turnover margin.
Zach Davidson leads the Big Sky and is 24th in the country in field goal percentage at 61.7 percent. He also leads the team in scoring at 14 points per game.
• The Lumberjacks were 18-16 overall last season and finished in a tie for sixth in the Big Sky at 8-10. They were picked 10th in the Big Sky preseason polls.
NAU is coached by Shane Burcar who is in his seventh season with the 'Jacks.
• This will be the 122nd all-time meeting between Weber State and Northern Arizona with the Wildcats holding a 91-30 series lead. The 91 wins are the most by Weber State against any opponent in its history.
The two teams split last season with each winning at home, but WSU has won 10 of the last 11 and 17 of the last 19 games against the Lumberjacks.
In games in Flagstaff, WSU is 35-2 all-time. NAU won the game 80-77 last season at the Skydome but Weber State had won the previous three games before that.
• 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.
• The Wildcats will play at Northern Colorado on Saturday at 6 p.m. in Greeley, Colorado. WSU will be back home hosting Eastern Washington and Idaho next week.
