by Zachary Knecht
Featured Image: Photo by Weber State Athletics
Weber State Sacramento State Recap
In another low-scoring duel, the Weber State Wildcats snatch the victory against the Sacramento State Hornets 52-49. It was a challenge on the road in The Nest, but the ‘Cats survived the back-and-forth contest to secure another win in conference play.
The win elevates the Wildcats (14-13) in the tight race with the top four seeds of the Big Sky (9-5), while the loss for the Hornets (12-15) damages their chances to gain leverage in the conference (5-9) as the season nears its end.
Game Lines
WEB +2
Under 126
Team Leaders
Although the contest was low-scoring, Weber State had a few productive offensive performances from their starters. Dillon Jones was a key factor in the win with his team-high 13 points and 13 rebounds, notching another double-double under his belt. The sophomore big man passed the ball well with his three assists, making an impact on defense as well with two steals.
Steven Verplancken Jr. and Alex Tew had efficient games from the field for the ‘Cats. They combined for 23 points on nine of 15 shooting, limiting mistakes in the decisive contest with one turnover between them.
Zach Chappell led the charge for the Hornets, grabbing 17 points, four rebounds, and four assists. Though he had the most points on the night, he struggled shooting, hitting four of 14 from the field, including four of 12 from three.
Akol Mawein was productive from off the bench, scoring 11 on five of ten shooting. His performance helped keep Sacramento State in it until the very end, but they came up just short of securing the home dub.
Late Push
The Wildcats entered halftime with a 26-20 lead, but the Hornets were determined to stifle their efforts in the second half. Sacramento State led as late as 4:17 in the final half, but a couple of late runs for Weber State would be enough to fend off their conference rival. The three-headed beat of Jones, Verplancken Jr., and Tew were the main contributors in the closing minutes. The ‘Cats continue to prove they won’t crack when the pressure is on. This quality has kept them in the top three of the Big Sky.
Just Enough
Weber State did just enough to keep itself afloat on the road. Coincidentally, they did just enough in their last bout against the Hornets, where they won similarly, 50-48. The Wildcats shot decently from the field (40.4%) but struggled to find their groove from three (16.7%) They also contained Sacramento State’s offense, limiting them to 36.0% from the field and 29.2% from range.
The ‘Cats won the rebounding and turnover battles narrowly. Weber State outrebounded the Hornets 33-32, forcing ten turnovers to the nine of their opponent. While the margin seems so slim when a victory comes down to one possession, each one matters in the final result.
What’s to Come
The road trip continues for Weber State, heading to Portland State Saturday to face the Vikings.
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| Weber State Starters | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT | MIN |
| Dillon Jones, F | 13 | 13 | 3 | 5-13 | 0-0 | 38 |
| Steven Verplancken Jr., G | 12 | 3 | 2 | 5-9 | 1-2 | 37 |
| Alex Tew, C | 11 | 4 | 0 | 4-6 | 0-0 | 28 |
| Zahir Porter, G | 8 | 3 | 1 | 2-7 | 0-4 | 33 |
| Dyson Koehler, F | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1-4 | 1-3 | 27 |
| Bench | ||||||
| Handje Tamba, C | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2-2 | 0-0 | 8 |
| Daniel Rouzan, F | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 4 |
| Junior Ballard, G | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0-5 | 0-3 | 25 |
| Team Total | 52 | 33 | 7 | 19-47 | 2-12 |
| Sacramento State Starters | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT | MIN |
| Zach Chappell, G | 17 | 4 | 4 | 4-14 | 4-12 | 37 |
| Callum McRae, C | 6 | 6 | 0 | 3-8 | 0-0 | 20 |
| Austin Patterson, G | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2-4 | 2-4 | 34 |
| Kiir Kiir Chol Deng, F | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 11 |
| Gianni Hunt, G | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0-3 | 0-2 | 16 |
| Bench | ||||||
| Akol Mawein, F | 11 | 4 | 1 | 5-10 | 0-0 | 20 |
| Cameron Wilbon, G | 7 | 5 | 3 | 3-6 | 1-2 | 30 |
| Hunter Marks, F | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1-5 | 0-4 | 29 |
| Quadry Adams, G | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 3 |
| Team Total | 49 | 32 | 13 | 18-50 | 7-24 |