by Zachary Knecht
Featured Image: Photo by Weber State Athletics
Weber State Portland State Recap
It was heartbreak for the Weber State Wildcats as they fall 65-64 to the Portland State Vikings on a three-pointer in the final few seconds. After a rocky first half, it seemed like everything was going right for the ‘Cats, but they came up just short of snapping their now ten-game losing streak.
With the loss, Weber State drops to 4-14 on the year with their 0-6 conference record; Portland State gets back to an even 8-8 with a 3-3 record in the Big Sky.
Team Leaders
Daryn Hickok and Jadyn Matthews showed out for the Wildcats Thursday night. Hickok posted a double-double with her 25-point, ten-rebound stat line, shooting 9-15 from the field and 6-9 from the free-throw line. Matthew’s 21 points trailed closely behind, including her 1,000th career point. The two star forwards were the main avenue of production for the ‘Cats, scoring 46 of Weber State’s 64 points on the night as the remainder of their roster struggled to produce.
Esmerelda Morales was the main beneficiary of the night for the Vikings. Her team-high 18 points were just enough to edge out their conference opponent, hitting the final three-point shot to win the game with two seconds remaining. Mia ‘Uhila’s performance from the bench was vital for Portland State’s win. Her 14 points helped stave off a second-half Weber State rally and secure the victory.
Three-Point Shooting
Shooting from beyond the arch was a difference-maker in this game. Though Weber State hit 33.3% of their attempts from three, the ‘Cats only hit two shots from deep, while Portland State hit eight of their 22 tries. The Vikings have an impressive defense against the three-ball, so it was likely in the Wildcats’ best interest to avoid shots from there, but Weber State’s inability to defend it helped send them home with a loss. After all, it was a three-point shot that sealed the game for Portland State.
On the Right Track
This loss hurts Weber State as well because they did everything else right. They won the rebounding battle, won the turnover battle, had the most free-throw attempts, and hit 13 more than Portland State in the contest. It all seemed to be going their way, but they fell just short.
While they are leaving with the loss, it is at least nice to see improvements like this, especially on the road. They need to capitalize on all this positivity as they will face the top team in the Big Sky on Saturday.
What’s to Come
The Wildcats will face the Sacramento State Hornets Saturday, hoping to take down the titan of the Big Sky.
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| Weber State Starters | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT | MIN |
| Daryn Hickok, F | 25 | 10 | 0 | 9-15 | 1-1 | 38 |
| Jadyn Matthews, F | 21 | 5 | 3 | 8-14 | 0-0 | 40 |
| Kaiija Lesane, G | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1-2 | 0-1 | 31 |
| Vicky Parra, F | 2 | 6 | 3 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 19 |
| Laura Taylor, G | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 16 |
| Bench | ||||||
| Ava Williams, G | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2-5 | 0-0 | 21 |
| Aaliyah Ellis, G | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0-3 | 0-2 | 21 |
| Emri Lovell, G | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 9 |
| Taylin Smith, G | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 5 |
| Team Total | 64 | 29 | 14 | 22-43 | 2-6 |
| Portland State Starters | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT | MIN |
| Esmerelda Morales, G | 18 | 0 | 3 | 5-12 | 4-7 | 37 |
| Alaya Fitzgerald, G | 12 | 1 | 5 | 5-9 | 2-4 | 37 |
| Jada Lewis, G | 8 | 0 | 1 | 3-11 | 2-8 | 23 |
| Cinco McCartney, F | 4 | 7 | 3 | 2-3 | 0-0 | 25 |
| Rhema Ogele, C | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 14 |
| Bench | ||||||
| Mia ‘Uhila, G | 14 | 3 | 2 | 7-12 | 0-3 | 30 |
| Syd Schultz, F | 7 | 8 | 0 | 3-4 | 0-0 | 27 |
| Paige Winter-Blanchard, F | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 5 |
| Reilly Kelty, F | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2 |
| Team Total | 65 | 23 | 14 | 26-53 | 8-22 |