by Zachary Knecht
Featured Image: Photo by Weber State Athletics
Northern Colorado Weber State Recap
Monday night was another disappointment for the Weber State Wildcats, dropping the contest 73-60 to the Northern Colorado Bears. The ‘Cats continue to stumble this season, ending their homestand on a sour note.
The loss drops Weber State to 5-18 with a 1-10 record in the Big Sky; the win inches the Bears closer to .500 at 11-12 with a 4-8 conference record.
Team Leaders
Daryn Hickok was the leader in points for the Wildcats with her 14-point performance. She shot 5-12 from the field, hitting one of her two three-point attempts. She struggled at the free throw, though, only shooting 50% on her six tries. The star forward added seven rebounds and two assists to her game resumé.
Jadyn Matthews followed behind with her 13 points, shooting six of 11 from the field. She had a hard time securing boards like she usually does, snagging five on the night but stealing the ball three times against the Bears.
Delaynie Byrne was the story of the day for the Bears. The junior forward had the second-highest scoring night of her season with 23, grabbing eight rebounds to top her impressive night. Hannah Simental had 16 points on the night, practically living at the free-throw line, knocking down 11 of her 14 shots.
Poor Shooting
Weber State’s Achilles heel Monday was their shooting abilities. They shot poorly from the field and the free-throw line, hitting a measly 37.7% FG and 60% FT. Despite these struggles, the ‘Cats exceeded their season average of 58.8 PPG. No one on this roster sustained a hot hand in this game, leaving a lot of points on the table against the conference’s ninth-place team. They played a solid game throughout, but missed opportunities gave the Bears the chance to run away with this one.
Better Outing
This game was a better outing than their previous loss to Idaho State. While the defense had its lumps against a more average Northern Colorado offense, the team won the rebounding battle and greatly improved on the turnover differential. A game removed from turning the ball over 24 times, the ‘Cats limited this number to 14, staying more competitive throughout the contest.
Unfortunately, this roster continues to have single-digit quarters in the mix. A seven-point first quarter gave this team the kiss of death, making them have to climb out of a hole early on in the battle. These cold streaks mid-game will continue to spell disaster for a roster looking to turn things around.
What’s to Come
The Wildcats will hit the road Thursday, heading to Montana State to duel with the Bobcats.
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| Weber State Starters | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT | MIN |
| Daryn Hickok, F | 14 | 7 | 2 | 5-12 | 1-2 | 36 |
| Jadyn Matthews, F | 13 | 5 | 2 | 6-11 | 0-0 | 38 |
| Kaiija Lesane, G | 10 | 3 | 2 | 4-11 | 1-2 | 23 |
| Aaliyah Ellis, G | 9 | 1 | 0 | 3-6 | 1-3 | 25 |
| Vicky Parra, F | 4 | 6 | 2 | 1-6 | 0-0 | 20 |
| Bench | ||||||
| Laura Taylor, G | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1-6 | 1-5 | 18 |
| Emri Lovell, G | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1-5 | 1-2 | 14 |
| Tamalii Fonoti, C | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 6 |
| Ava Williams, G | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 15 |
| Nakilah Johnson, G | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 2 |
| Charlotte Hegvold, G | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 3 |
| Team Total | 60 | 33 | 12 | 23-61 | 5-14 |
| Northern Colorado Starters | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT | MIN |
| Delaynie Byrne, F | 23 | 8 | 1 | 8-14 | 3-6 | 33 |
| Hannah Simental, G | 16 | 3 | 5 | 2-5 | 1-3 | 34 |
| Averee Kleinhans, G | 14 | 3 | 6 | 4-10 | 0-2 | 28 |
| Lauren Andrews, F | 7 | 1 | 0 | 3-5 | 1-3 | 19 |
| Gabi Fields, G | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3-6 | 1-1 | 23 |
| Bench | ||||||
| Avery Bang, F | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 18 |
| Aniah Hall, F | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 10 |
| Sydney Stensgard, G | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1-3 | 0-1 | 15 |
| Liliah Moore, F | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 12 |
| Luka Malinka, G | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 8 |
| Team Total | 73 | 24 | 15 | 23-47 | 6-16 |