by Zachary Knecht
Featured Image: Photo by Weber State Athletics
Portland State Weber State Preview
The Weber State Wildcats end their home stand against the Portland State Vikings, looking to end their five-game skid. Without Daryn Hickok, the ‘Cats fell handily to Sacramento State, but they hope to get a W under their belt before they hit the road.
Weber State (5-21) remains the bottom seed in the Big Sky (1-13), while the Vikings (12-12) look for a big victory to stay afloat in the competitive conference (7-7).
Previous Matchup
The last battle between the conference rivals was a thriller, ending in a 65-64 Portland State victory. The ‘Cats were down at half 35-22 but stormed back from the deficit in the second half, sent home on an Esmerelda Morales three-pointer with two seconds on the clock. It was a heartbreaking loss for Weber State in January, coming up just shy of their first road conference victory and – what would have been – their first conference win altogether.
Daryn Hickok and Jadyn Matthews were unstoppable in the contest, combining for 46 of Weber State’s 64 points. Hickok notched a double-double in the game with 25 points and ten rebounds, Matthews scoring 21 while dishing out three assists. The ‘Cats didn’t find much production outside of their duo.
Portland State was carried by Esmerelda Morales who scored 18 with three assists and three steals. Morales had the team-high in points and the game-sealing three-pointer to secure the win. Mia ‘Uhila was productive off the bench, scoring 14 points on seven of 12 shooting.
Who to Watch
If Hickok is back in the rotations, keep your eyes peeled for her performance. The Wildcats missed her productivity in their loss to Sacramento State, but her return could revitalize Weber State’s offense. She played well against Portland State before, so she hopes to replicate that performance in the late-season contest.
Also, watch for Laura Taylor. Though her shooting percentages have been shaky lately, she has led the ‘Cats in the previous two games. Another source of productivity would be useful for this limited Wildcat offense, so continued production from Taylor would help keep Weber State afloat at home.
For the Vikings, look out for Esmerelda Morales. The sophomore guard has taken over games time and time again for Portland State when they need it most. She had a clutch performance against Weber State back in January, and she looks to find that same result at the Dee Events Center.
Repeat Performance
Though their previous battle against Portland State didn’t go how they envisioned, the ‘Cats played well in the Viking Pavilion. They won both the turnover and rebounding wars and were even more efficient at the free-throw line on many more attempts. The Vikings’ three-point shooting was the main difference maker against the Wildcats. Portland State shot 36.4% from three and, while they shot 33.3%, Weber State only had two three-pointers all game. The Wildcats need to replicate this performance at home but contain Portland State’s sharpshooters in the process.
Game Time
The Wildcats host the Vikings on Saturday at 1 pm MST in one of the final contests of the regular season.
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