Through five games, the Weber State Wildcats men's basketball team has amassed a disappointing 1-4 record. And while it's still early in conference play, it feels like this team has an enormous mountain to climb to get themselves back into contention. However, the first five games have given us plenty of insight and story lines. Here are few of my "lessons learned" from each game:
Lesson 1 (Loss vs Northern Colorado)
Northern Colorado is the team to beat in the Big Sky. They currently stand alone atop the Big Sky at a perfect 6-0. The Bears ran the Cats off the court, winning by 17, and shooting a blistering 59% from the field. I don't think the Wildcats played up to their capabilities, but even if they had, I still think UNC would have won. They are good. They are far and away the early favorite to win the Big Sky.
Lesson 2 (Loss vs Northern Arizona)
The Wildcats can not afford to sleepwalk through any games this season. The Cats played flat, without a lot of energy, and it showed. I believe the Wildcats are the better team, but again, when you let your opponent shoot lights out (51 FG%) and give up 80 points, you aren't likely to win the game. Even Coach Duft commented that was disappointed with the energy level.
Lesson 3 (Win vs Idaho State)
A few lessons learned here - The Wildcats have guts. After a disastrous start to conference play, the Cats entered a hostile environment with a confidence they had yet to show this season. You could see it in the guys faces. Never for one moment were they going to settle. They came to win, and never let the foot off the gas.
Dyson Koehler is a stone cold killer and Vasilije Vucinic is a force to be reckoned with. Koehler couldn't miss. He was a man on a mission. After struggling with some injuries early in the season, he came in like a man possessed and made the Bengals pay at every step. Vucinic showed off his offensive skills in the low post, for which ISU had no answer. It was great to see these two kick some Bengal butt. Not to mention, Blaise Threatt played great, as usual.
Idaho State may have surpassed Montana as our biggest in conference basketball rival. Call me crazy, but hasn't the ISU game the last few years seem like it's been growing in intrigue, intensity and excitement? The Bengals beat us twice last season, in front of their fans sporting "Beat Weber" t-shirts. This year, none other than Dillon Jones payed for a bus full of Weber fans to be taken up to Pokey for the game. On top of that, two more buses full of students made the trip and cheered the Cats to victory. It is obvious that this game carries something a little extra for the students, the fans, and the players, and I love it.
Lesson 4 (Loss vs Montana)
Without Blaise Threatt, the Wildcats are in trouble. If you needed any more proof that Threatt is the best player and leader of the Wildcats this year, the Montana and Montana State games showed you why. From scoring consistency, to rebounding, to generating points from steals, when Threatt is not on the floor, the Cats are missing a key piece of the team. If Blaise would have played in the Montana game, I have little doubt Weber would have won.
Lesson 5 (Loss vs Montana State)
The Wildcats have some talented underclassmen. Even though this game ended in loss, I still saw some positives in this game from three of the younger Wildcats. Saadiq Moore, Trevor Hennig, and Viljami Vartiainen all played extended minutes due to Threatt's absence, and made the most of their opportunities. All three players scored in double figures, and showed potential good things to come for the future leaders of this team (assuming they stay in Ogden).
The Bottom Line
The Wildcats aren't very good this season, but we aren't as bad as our record shows. There is no real way to spin 1-4 into a positive. The Cats have been a disappointment this season - no doubt. However, the only game we were truly out classed was the UNC game. If we would have had Threatt, and didn't totally lay down and die against NAU, it's not that much of a stretch to say we could be 4-1. While my belief in this team is starting to fade, I haven't completely lost hope that the Cats can right the ship and make a run over the remainder of the conference season.
Go Wildcats
Michael Garlick
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