While many Wildcats spent their winter break spending the holidays with family and friends, the Weber State University men’s basketball team took to the road and captured their first win against the Utah State University Aggies in Logan for the first time since 1993, and defeated both Montana State University and the University of Montana on the road to begin Big Sky Conference play 2-0.
On Dec. 21, Weber State beat the Aggies 77-71 at the Smith Spectrum in Logan for the first time since December of 1993. The game included 18 different lead changes and 13 ties throughout the intense battle for the victory.
Senior Jeremy Senglin led the Wildcats with 22 points, including three 3-pointers. Senglin also grabbed four rebounds before fouling out with under eight minutes to play.
Freshman Jerrick Harding posted a career-high 14 points, including three 3-pointers. Harding was followed by senior Kyndahl Hill who knocked down 11 points and snatched eight rebounds.
Weber State shot 52 percent from the field, compared to USU’s 48 percent.
“I was so proud of our kids tonight,” head coach Randy Rahe said in a post-game press conference. “They showed great toughness, togetherness and resiliency.”
After a much needed confidence-boosting win, the Wildcats headed to Bozeman, Montana, to take on Montana State for the first Big Sky Conference game of the season.
After dropping 17 3-point shots, the Wildcats beat Montana State for the first win of conference play 87-75.
Senglin tied his career high, scoring eight 3-point shots: just one shy of the Weber State all-time game record. Senglin passed Scott Bamforth, Weber State’s career leader in 3-pointers, notching 264 thus far in his career.
Despite being out-rebounded 38-28, Weber State managed to keep their turnovers under 10, turning the ball over only eight times.
Weber State shot 54.5 percent from the field, compared to a 43.8 percentage from Montana State.
The Wildcats continued their time in Montana, as they traveled to Missoula to take on the Grizzlies.
Senglin was the star of the show yet again, as he knocked down a 3-point shot with less than a second to play in overtime against the University of Montana, to give WSU a 84-81 win, putting them in first place in the Big Sky Conference.
Throughout the game, there were 11 lead changes and 13 ties, with neither team leading by more than six points.
Senglin played all 45 minutes of the game and finished the game with 29 points, including five 3-pointers and 10 rebounds, earning his second career double-double.
For the third week in a row, Senglin was named a Big Sky Conference honor for averaging 28 points per game, 7 rebounds and scoring on 12 3-point shots within the first two weeks of conference play.
Over the last five wins, Senglin has made 28 3-point shots and averaged 25 points. Senglin is now Weber State’s career leader in 3-point shots with 269 for his career.
The Wildcats will close out their four game road trip on Jan. 7, as they take on Idaho State University in Pocatello. The ‘Cats will return to the Dee Events Center on Jan. 12 to take on the University of Idaho Vandals for the first home Big Sky Conference game of the season.
