On Oct. 18, Weber State University’s men’s basketball traveled an hour north to Logan to face Utah State University in an exhibition game that showcased the excitement of the upcoming basketball season. With a crowd of 4,157 fans at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, the Aggies emerged victorious, defeating the Wildcats 85–66 in a game that provided a glimpse into what both teams could offer this season.
The game was a charity exhibition with proceeds benefiting CAPSA, a nonprofit supporting victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse.
Shooting guard Ian Martinez stole the show for Utah State, scoring a team-high 17 points. Junior center Isaac Johnson and newcomer Drake Allen each contributed 12 points, while Dexter Akanno added 10 off the bench. The team shot 49.2% from the field, demonstrating cohesion under new head coach Jerrod Calhoun.
“I told the guys before the game that I’m not calling timeouts to stop runs. We got to learn to play through it. We know it’s early in the season. We gotta see how tough we are and see if we can build on some of that. So, we’ll learn from it and get better. We have a great group of guys this year,” head coach Eric Duft said.
For Weber State, the effort came primarily from sophomore Viljami Vartiainen with 16 points and senior Blaise Threatt with 15. Despite starting strong with an early lead, the Wildcats struggled to maintain momentum against Utah State’s aggressive defense and finished the game shooting 42% from the field. The Aggies’ unique matchup zone shut down anything Weber did on offense, forcing 15 turnovers and converting them into 27 points.
The Wildcats prepare for their regular-season opener against Northwest Indian College on Nov. 4. Weber State’s roster has seen significant changes since last season, including the departure of Big Sky MVP Dillon Jones, who was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder. With Jones gone, the Wildcats will look to their returning players and new recruits to fill the void. Three starters return: Dyson Koehler, Alex Tew and Threatt, alongside several transfers like Miguel Tomley and Nigel Burris eager to make their mark as Wildcats.
“You gotta take this game with a little bit of grain of salt, you know, there’s obviously a lot of things that we gotta improve on and we gotta learn from in this game,” Tomley said. “Obviously, this environment was fun. I think it was cool for the freshmen to come in at the end with five or six minutes left, and they honestly played our best segment for sure,” Tomley said.
One notable change for Weber State is the new court design at the Dee Events Center, featuring a vibrant dark purple and an updated logo. This fresh look symbolizes a new era for the Wildcats as they strive to build on last season’s success and push deeper into the Big Sky postseason.
As the Wildcats gear up for their next exhibition against Adams State, excitement is building around the team. With a rigorous schedule ahead, including key matchups in the Arizona Tip-Off and the Big Sky conference, fans can expect a season filled with both challenges and triumphs.
