Weber State University’s men’s basketball team traveled 2,993 miles and fought valiantly but fell short in a 73–68 overtime loss to the University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors in Honolulu on Nov. 17. The last time these two schools faced off in a regular season basketball game was back in 1975, when Hawaii took the victory 106–88.
The Wildcats entered the matchup against Hawaii looking to rebound after back-to-back road losses to Oregon State University and the University of Nevada. Against Oregon State, Weber State struggled to find a rhythm offensively, shooting just 36% from the field in a 76–48 defeat. The trip to Reno offered little reprieve, as the Wildcats fell 88–58 to a hot-shooting Nevada team that capitalized on Weber State’s 20 turnovers.
Against Hawaii, Weber State dominated the first half, shooting an impressive 59% from the field and heading into halftime with a 38–31 lead over the Rainbow Warriors. Blaise Threatt continued his stellar form, posting a career-high 27 points, nine rebounds and five steals.
“I would say that Blaise, Alex [Tew] and Dyson [Koehler], those guys are emotional leaders,” head coach Eric Duft said. “They’re returning, and they know how we do things. They’re very invested in our program.”
Threatt’s offensive showcase, paired with sharp shooting from Miguel Tomley and contributions from the supporting cast, gave Weber State a 10-point lead early in the second half. However, Hawaii fought back with a determined effort on both ends of the floor. Tanner Christensen was unstoppable for the Rainbow Warriors, scoring 25 points on near-perfect shooting, including the game-tying layup with six seconds remaining in regulation.
Overtime proved decisive, as Hawaii capitalized on Weber State’s struggles from beyond the arc and at the free-throw line. The Wildcats managed only four 3-pointers on the night and shot 60% from the charity stripe, compared to Hawaii’s 65%, including a dominant 26-for-40 performance in the extra period. A 10–0 Hawaii run in overtime put the game out of reach, though the Wildcats battled until the final buzzer.
The loss highlighted growth areas for the Wildcats, who forced 13 turnovers and held Hawaii to just 20% shooting from 3-point range but struggled to maintain defensive consistency down the stretch. Key blocks and steals kept Weber State competitive, but Hawaii’s ability to dominate the paint and capitalize on free-throw opportunities proved too much.
“We just have to keep getting better, and we have to find an identity of who we are, and we’re developing that,” Duft said. “We have those three new transfers, we have some freshmen, we have to find an identity of what we are, who we are; we’re getting there. We’ve made great strides. I’m really proud of this team right now for how hard they practice, how hard they work. It’s just a process of getting ready for conference play.”
Returning home after a long road trip, the Wildcats will host the University of California, Irvine, on Nov. 22 at the Dee Events Center.
