by Zachary Knecht
Featured Image: Photo by Owen Main of KSL Sports
It has been a tough season on the road for the Weber State Wildcats coming into their game against the Cal Poly Mustangs, but the ‘Cats made sure to silence the naysayers en route to a dominant 74-45 victory in a matchup where they were five-point underdogs to get to 4-7 on the year.
Offensive Explosion
Weber State kept the hot hand in this one, shooting 50% from three in their second consecutive game, proving they can sustain their efficient scoring for at least one more trip. They, once again, were led by their star Steven Verplancken Jr. who had the game-high 15 points, shooting 3-4 from deep. The Wildcats showcased a balanced offensive attack with three other players – Dyson Koehler, Junior Ballard, and Dillon Jones – displaying double-digit scoring numbers.
WSU moved the ball well in the showdown Friday, dishing out 16 assists, with Jones and KJ Cunningham combining for nine of the team’s total.
Great Defensive Effort
The Wildcats also maintained possession of the ball, something they struggled to do before their recent hot streak. They rebounded the ball well – 33 times compared to the 25 of the Mustangs – with Jones snagging ten on his way to another double-double. The team collectively made fewer mistakes as well, only turning over the ball 12 times while forcing 14.
While the offensive surge was a main factor in the victory, the stout defense shouldn’t be forgotten. This is a roster that was allowing more than 70 points per game coming into a contest where they would have their hands full against a team of scorers. The ‘Cats limited the Mustangs to two double-digit scoring performances and kept them shooting 34.7% from the field and an underwhelming 25% from three. Alimamy Koroma’s 11-point performance was at the top of the Cal Poly box score.
Never Looked Back
The Wildcats ran away with this one after the first few minutes. A 9-2 lead would be the greatest the Mustangs held in this game because once WSU came back, there was no stopping them. Weber State went into halftime with a 40-25 lead and only expanded on that in the latter twenty minutes.
They need to maintain all the momentum they can going into their game Monday against the Utah State Aggies, one of the hottest teams in college basketball.