by Zachary Knecht
Featured Image: Photo by Weber State Athletics
The Weber State Wildcats have strung together a solid two wins in the early campaign, getting their record up to 4-7 after the slow start. The team has composed a couple of good performances, and their abilities will be put to the test as their road trip continues to Utah State to face the Aggies.
This matchup will be no walk in the park for the ‘Cats, coming in as 16-point underdogs to one of the hottest teams in the nation. WSU was an underdog in their previous game where they dominated, but the Aggies will be a taller mountain to climb to preserve their winning streak.
Playing Beyond Potential
There isn’t a whole lot to say for the Wildcats in this one. Or maybe there is too much to say. Weber State will be playing way out of their weight class, and they will be playing on the road, where they have struggled most of this season.
The Aggies sport one of the most prolific scoring offenses in NCAA basketball, posting 88.2 points per game which is good for fifth in the nation. They shoot efficiently from anywhere on the court and disperse the ball well to get open shots with 20 assists per game to show for it. Steven Ashworth leads the charge with 18.4 points, and three others post 12+ per contest. They don’t turn the ball over much, and they rebound well, leaving little opportunities to capitalize on mistakes.
For the Wildcats to win, they need everything to go right. They will need to continue their dominance from three as they have in their previous two games, and they will need the defense to play above its potential to keep the game within reach. Steven Verplancken Jr. and Dillon Jones will need to lead this team to an astronomical performance collectively. 66.5 points per game isn’t going to cut it when dueling a team like this, so this roster will have to find a way to put points together. Their defensive effort has been respectable on the season, allowing 68.9 points per game, but they will need to be absolutely stellar to keep this from being a blowout.
The Wildcats will face off against the Aggies at 7 p.m. MST where the ‘Cats can make a real statement with a win.