by Zachary Knecht
Featured Image: Photo by Weber State Athletics
Idaho Weber State Recap
The Weber State Wildcats continue to derail after falling to the hands of the Idaho Vandals 66-52. It was not the homecoming they were looking for, dropping their 12th game in a row without putting up a real fight.
After the loss, the ‘Cats stay firmly in last in the Big Sky. They stand at 4-16 on the season and remain the lone conference team without a win in conference play, losing in all nine attempts. Though Idaho’s year has been anything but spectacular, the victory gets them to 3-6 in the Big Sky and a 7-13 overall record.
Team Leaders
Ava Williams had the team-high in points for the Wildcats with 14. The Weber State guard had the hot hand on the day, shooting 7-10 from the field in her 30 minutes on the floor. She massively exceeded her typical point total on the day of 4.6 PPG and was the only player on the roster to find much of a shot in the contest.
Kaiija Lesane impressed with her ten rebounds on the day. Just like Williams, Lesane’s night was far beyond her usual averages. The sophomore averages only 1.9 rebounds per game but shined in the boards category despite the loss. She struggled from the field – just as many players did – only hitting one of her nine attempts, ending with two points against the Vandals.
For Idaho, Sydney Gandy was at the head of the charge. She galloped into battle, leaving with 19 points, including shooting five of seven from range. Beyonce Bea also dominated, as she has all season, ending with a 15-point, 15-rebound double-double. Their 34 points played a big part in Idaho’s winning effort.
Three-Point Woes
Not a lot went wrong for Weber State on Thursday, but their lack of three-point shooting dismantled their effort. The ‘Cats shot a woeful 1-14 from deep, Laura Taylor hitting the only three-pointer on the day which was a full-court heave. This lack of production was crippling, especially given Idaho’s success from three, hitting 12 on the day with 40% shooting.
Gandy was the most efficient with her 5-7 shooting from three. Brooke Malone and Ashlyn Wallace also played well, combining for 4-9 from range.
Even Fight
Other than their lack of shooting help from deep, the game was mostly even. Each team shot similarly from the field, Weber State shooting 35% and Idaho shooting 37.9%; each team rebounded comparably, Weber State snagging 40 rebounds to Idaho’s 38; each team turned the ball over similarly, Weber State giving it up 16 times to Idaho’s 13.
Despite the 14-point loss, the game wasn’t as out of reach as it looked. Unfortunately, the Wildcats continue to disappoint offensively, maintaining a serviceable defense. The road only gets tougher as the ‘Cats get deeper in the season.
What’s to Come
The Wildcats will stay home Saturday, facing the Eastern Washington Eagles who have played impressive basketball all season.
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| Weber State Starters | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT | MIN |
| Ava Williams, G | 14 | 1 | 0 | 7-10 | 0-0 | 30 |
| Jadyn Matthews, F | 11 | 6 | 2 | 4-13 | 0-3 | 35 |
| Daryn Hickok, F | 10 | 6 | 2 | 4-11 | 0-1 | 31 |
| Laura Taylor, G | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2-5 | 1-4 | 26 |
| Kaiija Lesane, G | 2 | 10 | 1 | 1-9 | 0-3 | 32 |
| Bench | ||||||
| Aaliyah Ellis, G | 8 | 3 | 0 | 2-6 | 0-1 | 17 |
| Vicky Parra, F | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 16 |
| Tamalii Fonoti, C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 |
| Nakilah Johnson, G | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0-2 | 0-2 | 4 |
| Emri Lovell, G | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 8 |
| Team Total | 52 | 40 | 8 | 21-60 | 1-14 |
| Idaho Starters | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT | MIN |
| Sydney Gandy, G | 19 | 1 | 2 | 7-13 | 5-7 | 36 |
| Beyonce Bea, G | 15 | 15 | 3 | 4-11 | 0-1 | 33 |
| Brooke Malone, F | 11 | 5 | 1 | 4-9 | 2-3 | 30 |
| Sarah Brans, F | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2-7 | 2-6 | 21 |
| Ashlyn Wallace, G | 6 | 7 | 5 | 2-6 | 2-5 | 32 |
| Bench | ||||||
| Tiana Johnson, G | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3-7 | 1-4 | 25 |
| Asha Phillips, G | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 10 |
| Rosa Smith, G | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0-4 | 0-3 | 13 |
| Team Total | 66 | 38 | 14 | 22-58 | 12-30 |