Weber State and March Madness
Every NCAA Tournament game the Wildcats have ever played in
Welcome back to the Wildcat Chronicle!
This week, in honor of March Madness starting (this was supposed to be posted when the tournament started, however, this took a lot longer than I wanted it to, so here we are, with the final four coming up). I wanted to dive into Weber’s history in NCAA Tournament games. Although I discussed some of the games, primarily in the History of Weber State Basketball pt. 4, I wanted to go into depth into all of the games that Weber has appeared in.
*Note: for simplicity (and time), I will only be discussing the NCAA tournament games, no NIT or CIT games.
1967-68
West Regional First Round: Weber State (21-5) vs New Mexico State (21-5)
Location: Nielsen Fieldhouse (Salt Lake City, UT)
Starting Lineups:
Weber State:
G: Monte Vrenon
G: Justus Thigpen
F: Nolan Archibald
F: Larry Bergh
C: Dan Sparks
New Mexico State:
G: Rob Evans
G: Jimmy Collins
F: John Burgess
F: Richard Collins
C: Sam Lacey
Final: New Mexico State 68, Weber State 57
Leaders:
Points:
Jimmy Collins (NMSU): 21
Nolan Archibald (WSU): 14
Rebounds:
Sam Lacey (NMSU): 18
Dan Sparks (WSU): 12
The Wildcats, led by Dick Motta played their first ever NCAA Tournament game against the New Mexico State Aggies, led by Coach Lou Henson. The game wasn’t particularly close, with the Aggies leading throughout the game. The Aggies would take on #1 UCLA led by All-American Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), they played well, but would ultimately fall to the eventual national champions 58-49.
1968-69
West Regional First Round: Weber State (25-2) vs Seattle (20-7)
Location: Pan American Center (Las Cruces, NM)
Starting Lineups:
Weber State:
G: Sessions Harlan
G: Justus Thigpen
F: Gus Chatmon
F: Larry Bergh
C: Willie Sojourner
Seattle:
G: Tom Little
G: Don Edwards
F: Lou West
F: Sam Pierce
C: Bill Jones
Final: Weber State 75, Seattle 73
Leaders:
Points:
Willie Sojourner (WSU): 22
Tom Little (SEA): 19
Rebounds:
Willie Sojourner (WSU): 12
Jim Gardner (SEA): 12
The Wildcats, led by new head coach Phil Johnson, took on the Seattle Redhawks in the first round of the 1969 NCAA Tournament. The game was a hard fought battle, with the ‘Cats holding a 39-35 lead at half. The Redhawks would storm back, outscoring the Wildcats 38-36 in the second half, but it wasn’t enough and the Wildcats would get their first ever tournament win.
West Regional Semifinals: Weber State (26-2) vs Santa Clara (26-1)
Location: Pauley Pavilion (Los Angeles, CA)
Starting Lineups:
Weber State:
G: Sessions Harlan
G: Justus Thigpen
F: Gus Chatmon
F: Larry Bergh
C: Willie Sojourner
Santa Clara:
G: Kevin Eagleson
G: Terry O’Brien
F: Ralph Ogden
F: Bud Ogden
C: Dennis Awtrey
Final (OT): Santa Clara 63, Weber State 59
Leaders:
Points:
Justice Thigpen (WSU): 16
Dennis Awtrey (SCU): 19
Rebounds:
Willie Sojourner (WSU): 18
Bud Ogden (SCU): 13
Santa Clara controlled the first half, taking a 29-19 lead into the break. However, the Wildcats came alive in the second half, outscoring the Broncos 36-26. However, with an opportunity to take the lead at the end of the game, Dave Sackolwitz missed a free throw, sending the game to overtime. Despite a valiant effort, Weber State struggled in OT, scoring only 4 points while Santa Clara added 8 to secure a 63-59 victory. Justice Thigpen has a phenomenal game with 16 points, followed by 12 and 11 from Willie Sojourner and Sessions Harlan respectively. Sojourner would finish with a whopping 18 rebounds. However, Santa Clara would then have to face the gatekeepers of the west in John Wooden, Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and the UCLA Bruins; who would cruise to another national title.
West Regional Third Place Game: Weber State (26-3) vs New Mexico State (24-4)
Location: Pauley Pavilion (Los Angeles, CA)
Starting Lineup:
Weber State:
G: Sessions Harlan
G: Justus Thigpen
F: Gus Chatmon
F: Larry Bergh
C: Willie Sojourner
New Mexico State:
G: Jimmy Collins
G: Lee Leonard
F: Chito Reyes
F: Jeff Smith
C: Sam Lacey
Final: Weber State 58, New Mexico State 56
Leaders:
Points:
Justice Thigpen (WSU): 14
Jimmy Collins (NMSU): 19
Rebounds:
Sam Lacey (NMSU): 14
Willie Sojourner (WSU): 12
Down 29–23 at halftime, Weber State rallied in the second half, outscoring the Aggies 35–27. Behind a balanced attack — Justus Thigpen pouring in 14 points and Willie Sojourner hauling in 11 rebounds — Weber eked out a 58–56 victory. New Mexico State’s Jimmy Collins led all scorers with 19 points, but the Wildcats’ second‑half surge secured their first NCAA Tournament consolation‑game win.
1969-70
West Regional First Round: Weber State (20-6) vs Long Beach State (23-3)
Location: George Albert Smith Fieldhouse (Provo, UT)
Starting Lineups:
Weber State:
G: Sessions Harlan
G: Rich Nielsen
F: Kent Ross
F: Jonnie Knoble
C: Willie Sojourner
Long Beach State
G: Ray Gritton
G: Shawn Johnson
F: Billy Jankans
F: Sam Robinson
C: George Trapp
Final: Long Beach State 92, Weber State 73
Leaders:
Points:
George Trapp (LBSU): 17
Sessions Harlan (WSU): 15
Rebounds:
Sam Robinson (LBSU): 14
Willie Sojourner /Jonnie Knoble (WSU): 9
This year the Wildcats would take on Long Beach State, led by legendary Head Coach Jerry Tarkanian. Long Beach jumped out to a 37–28 lead by halftime behind efficient shooting and strong rebounding. Despite a spirited second‑half effort—led by Sessions Harlan’s team‑high 15 points and Willie Sojourner’s 13 points and nine boards—Weber State couldn’t close the gap. The 49ers maintained control throughout, ultimately winning 92–73. George Trapp paced Long Beach State with 17 points and six rebounds, propelling his team into the next round. Like every other team in the west during this time, LBSU ran into the boogieman in the Wooden led UCLA, who won yet another title.
1970-71
West Regional First Round: Weber State (21-5) vs Long Beach State (22-4)
Location: Dee Glen Smith Spectrum (Logan, UT)
Starting Lineups:
Weber State:
G: Brady Small
G: Jonnie Knoble
F: Bob Davis
F: Richard Cooper
C: Willie Sojourner
Long Beach State
G: Ed Ratleff
G: Chuck Terry
F: Eric McWilliams
F: George Trapp
C: Bob Lynn
Final: Long Beach State 77, Weber State 66
Leaders:
Points:
Ed Ratleff (LBSU): 31
Kent Ross (WSU): 17
Rebounds:
Ed Ratleff (LBSU): 13
Willie Sojourner (WSU): 10
Assists:
George Trapp/Chuck Terry (LBSU): 3
Brady Small (WSU): 6
For the second straight year, the Wildcats had to face off against the Tarkanian-led 49ers. The ‘Cats were dominated by the 49ers’ star point guard Ed Ratleff who would finish the game with 31 and 13. This would be the final game for Wildcat legend Willie Sojourner, who finished with 9 points and 10 rebounds. The 49ers would run into the Wooden led Bruins in the elite 9, and would play them well, before losing to a last second shot. The Bruins would go onto win another National Title.
1971-72
West Regional First Round: Weber State (17-9) vs Hawai’i (23-3)
Location: Reed Gym (Pocatello, ID)
Starting Lineups:
Weber State:
G: Brady Small
G: Wes Van Dyke
F: Jonnie Knoble
F: Bob Davis
C: Richard Cooper
Hawai’i:
G: Jerome Freeman
G: Dwight Holiday
F: John Penebacker
F: Al Davis
C: Bob Nash
Final: Weber State 91, Hawai’i 64
Leaders:
Points:
Bob Davis (WSU): 32
Al Davis/Dwight Holiday (Hawai’i): 14
Rebounds:
Johnnie Knoble (WSU): 14
Bob Nash (Hawai’i): 10
Assists:
Brady Small (WSU): 8
Dwight Holiday/Jerome Freeman (Hawai’i): 1
The Wildcats would travel up north to the home of hated rivals Idaho State to take on the University of Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors. Most likely due to the fact that they wanted to get out of Pocatello as fast as humanly possible, the Wildcats would demolish Hawai’i, led by a dominant performance by Bob Davis, who finished with 32 points and 13 assists.
West Regional Semifinals: Weber State (18-9) vs #1 UCLA (26-0)
Location: Marriott Center (Provo, UT)
Starting Lineups:
Weber State:
G: Brady Small
G: Wes Van Dyke
F: Jonnie Knoble
F: Bob Davis
C: Richard Cooper
UCLA:
G: Henry Bibby
G: Greg Lee
F: Larry Farmer
F: Keith Wilkes
C: Bill Walton
Final: UCLA 90, Weber State 58
Leaders:
Points:
Henry Bibby (UCLA): 16
Bob Davis (WSU): 16
Rebounds:
Jamaal Wilkes (UCLA): 13
Richard Cooper (WSU): 12
Assists:
Greg Lee/Tommy Curtis (UCLA): 6
Brady Small (WSU): 3
The problem with getting put into the West region during this era of college basketball is the inevitability of playing the Wooden UCLA Bruins. This time, led by the national player of the year, Bill Walton. Fortunately, the Wildcats managed to limit Walton to only 4 points, but unfortunately, other players made up for it. Henry Bibby, the father of former NBA player and current Sacramento State head coach Mike Bibby, led the scoring with 16 points, followed by Larry Farmer, the future head coach of Weber State, with 15. Bob Davis would have a good game, finishing with 16 and 6, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Bruins from winning their sixth straight national title.
West Regional Third Place Game: Weber State (18-10) vs San Francisco (19-8)
Location: Marriott Center (Provo, UT)
Weber State
G: Brady Small
G: Wes Van Dyke
F: Jonnie Knoble
F: Bob Davis
C: Richard Cooper
San Francisco:
G: Mike Quick
G: Phil Smith
F: Johnny Burks
F: Byron Jones
C: Kevin Restani
Final: San Francisco 74, Weber State 64
Leaders:
Points:
Mike Quick (USF): 24
Bob Davis (WSU): 21
Rebounds:
Byron Jones/John Boro: (USF): 7
Bob Davis (WSU): 11
Assists:
Mike Quick (USF): 5
Brady Small (WSU): 5
In the third-place regional game, the Wildcats would take on the San Francisco Dons. The Dons would put on a shooting clinic in the first half, and with the ‘Cats going into foul trouble in the second half, the Dons would take the win and the third-place finish in the region.
1972-73
West Regional First Round: Weber State (20-6) vs Long Beach State (24-2)
Location: Dee Glen Smith Spectrum (Logan, Utah)
Starting Lineups:
Weber State:
G: Brady Small
G: Wes Van Dyke
F: Ken Gubler
F: Steve Fleming
C: Richard Cooper
Long Beach State:
G: Rick Aberegg
G: Ed Ratleff
F: Leonard Gray
F: Roscoe Pondexter
C: Nate Stephens
Final: Long Beach State 88, Weber State 75
Leaders:
Points:
Leonard Gray/Ed Ratleff (LBSU): 25
Brady Small (WSU): 18
Rebounds:
Roscoe Pondexter (LBSU): 8
Steve Fleming (WSU): 9
Assists:
Ed Ratleff/Rick Aberegg/Glenn McDonald (LBSU): 3
Brady Small (WSU): 4
The first year under Gene Visscher, the Wildcats would take on Long Beach State once again. The game would be a battle, with the team trading the lead throughout, with Weber taking a 43-41 lead at the half. With 9:12 left in the second half, the 49ers would tie it up after a three-point play from an And-1. The 49ers never looked back, helped by some questionable calls from the refs, leading to Weber center Rich Cooper fouling out with six minutes left, and would win 88-75, giving the 49ers their third win against the ‘Cats in the tournament. The 49ers would fall to San Francisco in the next round, and following the season, Jerry Tarkanian would take a job at UNLV, leading the Rebels to a national title in 1990. He would be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.
1977-78
West Regional First Round: Weber State (19-9) vs Arkansas (28-3)
Location: McArthur Court (Eugene, OR)
Starting Lineups:
Weber State:
G: Mark Mattos
G: Bruce Collins
F: Kurt Moore
F: David Johnson
C: Richard Smith
Arkansas:
G: Sidney Moncrief
G: Ron Brewer
F: Marvin Delph
F: Jim Counce
C: Steve Schall
Final: Arkansas 73, Weber State 52
Leaders:
Points:
Marvin Delph (ARK): 20
Kurt Moore (WSU): 14
Rebounds:
Jim Counce/Marvin Delph (ARK): 8
Richard Smith (WSU): 8
Assists:
Jim Counce (ARK): 5
Bruce Collins (WSU): 4
After a few rough years under head coach Gene Visscher, the Wildcats would be revived under the leadership of Visscher’s top assistant Neil McCarthy. The Wildcats would face Arkansas, ranked #5 in the final AP Poll, led by future NBA player Ron Brewer (whose son, Ronnie, played for the Jazz for a bit) and future NBA Hall of Famer Sidney Moncrief. The Razorbacks would dominate the Wildcats with Marvin Delph finishing with 30 points, along with 19 from Brewer and 16 from Moncrief. The Razorbacks would end up making it to the Final Four before falling to the eventual champions, the Kentucky Wildcats.
1978-79
Midwest Regional First Round: #7 Weber State (24-8) vs #10 New Mexico State (22-9)
Location: Allen Fieldhouse (Lawrence, KS)
Starting Lineups:
Weber State:
G: Mark Mattos
G: Bruce Collins
F: Kurt Moore
F: David Johnson
C: Richard Smith
New Mexico State:
G: Bill Myers
G: Cyrus Cormier
F: Greg Webb
F: Robert Gunn
C: Albert Slab Jones
Final (OT): Weber State 81, New Mexico State 78
Leaders:
Points:
David Johnson (WSU): 19
Chuck Goslin (NMSU): 23
Rebounds:
Richard Smith (WSU): 9
Robert Gunn (NMSU): 11
Assists:
David Johnson (WSU): 5
Bill Myers (NMSU): 6
This year would mark the first tournament that involved seeding, with the tournament expanding to include 40 teams. In the first round, the seventh seeded Wildcats would take on old tournament foe New Mexico State in the first round. The game would be hard fought throughout, but with the game tied near the end, the Aggies put up a shot at the buzzer that just rimmed out, which sent the game to overtime. The Wildcats would take control in overtime, led by a strong performance by freshman Todd Harper.
Midwest Regional Second Round: #7 Weber State (25-8) vs #2 Arkansas (23-4)
Location: Allen Fieldhouse (Lawrence, Kansas)
Starting Lineups:
Weber State:
G: Mark Mattos
G: Bruce Collins
F: Kurt Moore
F: David Johnson
C: Richard Smith
Arkansas:
G: U.S. Reed
G: Sidney Moncrief
F: Alan Zahn
F: Scott Hastings
C: Steve Schall
Final: Arkansas 74, Weber State 63
Leaders:
Points:
Sidney Moncrief (ARK): 19
David Johnson (WSU): 23
Rebounds:
Steve Schall (ARK): 8
Richard Smith (WSU): 8
Assists:
Sidney Moncrief (ARK): 5
Kurt Moore (WSU): 4
The Wildcats and the Razorbacks would meet in the tournament for the second straight year. The Razorbacks would be without Ron Brewer, but Moncrief along with center Steve Schall would be more than enough for the Wildcats to handle. Moncrief would finish with 19, and Schall would finish with 18. The Razorbacks would then go on to defeat the Darrell Griffith led Louisville Cardinals before falling to the Larry Bird-led Indiana State Sycamores in the Elite Eight.
1979-80
West Regional First Round: #7 Weber State (26-2) vs #10 Lamar (20-10)
Location: Dee Events Center (Ogden, UT)
Starting Lineups:
Weber State:
G: Mark Mattos
G: Bruce Collins
F: Gerald Mattison
F: David Johnson
C: Richard Smith
Lamar:
G: Alvin Brooks
G: Mike Olliver
F: Cestrakiah Lewis
F: Clarence Kea
C: B.B. Davis
Final: Lamar 87, Weber State 86
Leaders:
Points:
Mike Olliver (LAM): 37
Bruce Collins (WSU): 32
Rebounds:
B.B. Davis (LAM): 8
Bruce Collins (WSU): 11
Assists:
Alvin Brooks (LAM): 10
Bruce Collins/Mark Mattos (WSU): 4
Most likely the greatest season in Weber State basketball history, one in which the Wildcats would be ranked in the AP poll for the first and only time in school history, the Wildcats would take on the Lamar Cardinals. Lamar started the game with a strong performance, shooting 62% throughout the game, which led them to a 35-31 lead at halftime. The Wildcats would storm back, however, led by Bruce Collins, who would finish the night with 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists. The Cardinals would turn it on even more in the second half, leading to a 74-52 lead with 5 minutes left. With 3:29 left and down by 20, the ‘Cats would then score 12 straight points and would only be down by 6 with 38 seconds left. They would bring it within 1 point with 2 seconds left, but time would run out, and the Wildcats’ legendary season would come to an end.
1982-83
West Regional First Round: #9 Weber State (23-7) vs #8 Washington State (22-6)
Location: BSU Pavillon (Boise, ID)
Starting Lineups:
Weber State:
G: Richard Escandon
G: John Price
F: Royal Edwards
F: Randy Worster
C: Tom Heywood
Washington State:
G: Chris Winkler
G: Craig Ehlo
F: Bryan Pollard
F: Steve Harriel
C: Ricky Brown
Final: Washington State 62, Weber State 52
Leaders:
Points:
Craig Ehlo (WAZZU): 18
Royal Edwards (WSU): 19
Rebounds:
Steve Harriel (WAZZU): 12
Royal Edwards (WSU): 6
Assists:
Steve Harriel/Craig Ehlo (WAZZU): 4
John Price (WSU): 5
After a couple of years of missing the tournament, the Wildcats would return to face the Washington State Cougars, led by future 14-year NBA veteran Craig Ehlo (who would unfortunately be known as the man who Michael Jordan hit a buzzer beater over). Despite double-digit performances by Royal Edwards and Tom Heywood, the rest of the team struggled, while Ehlo led the Cougars with 18 to give Wazzu the 62-52 win. The next round, the Cougars would be beaten by Ralph Sampson and the Virginia Cavaliers, who would go on to be beaten by the Jim Valvano-led North Carolina State Wolfpack at the Dee Events Center in the Elite Eight.
1994-95
Southeast Regional First Round: #14 Weber State (20-8) vs #3 Michigan State (22-5)
Location: Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center (Tallahassee, FL)
Starting Lineups:
Weber State:
G: Ruben Nembhard
G: Lewis Lofton
F: Jimmy DeGraffenried
F: Jeff Lentfer
C: Andy Smith
Michigan State:
G: Shawn Respert
G: Eric Snow
F: Jon Garavaglia
F: Quinton Brooks
C: Jamie Feick
Final: Weber State 79, Michigan State 72
Leaders:
Points:
Ruben Nembhard (WSU): 27
Shawn Respert (MSU): 28
Rebounds:
Andy Smith (WSU): 9
Eric Snow/Jon Garavaglia (MSU): 6
Assists:
Ruben Nembard/Lewis Lofton (WSU): 2
Eric Snow (MSU): 8
After the longest streak without a tournament appearance in program history, the Wildcats would finally return to the tournament in 1996 (I’m just going to use what I wrote for History of Weber State Basketball pt. 4 for the games in 1996 and 1999 since I don’t feel like rewriting the entire games again). The Wildcats were given the 14 seed in the tournament and would play against #3 seed Michigan State in the first round. Michigan State was coached by Jud Heathcote, who was actually the coach of Montana from 1971-76, and thus was very familiar with Weber State. Heathcote was a legend at Michigan State, leading them to their first national title in school history in 1979 with Magic Johnson. He announced before the 1994-95 season that he would be retiring after the season, so this tournament run would be his last. Michigan State had a great year this year, finishing with a 14-4 record in the Big Ten, just one win behind champion Purdue. The Spartans were led by Big Ten MVP Shawn Respect, who averaged 25.6 ppg. Along with senior point guard Eric Snow, who would go on to have a respectable NBA career. The Spartans came into the game as 11-point favorites, as no one expected the Wildcats to stop this great Spartans team. During the game, the Spartans led early, leading 46-37 at halftime, but the Wildcats stormed back, going on a big run, finishing off with Nembhard hitting a 3 to make it a 51-49 game in favor of the Wildcats. The game then became a shooting gallery with Jimmy DeGraffenried hitting four 3-pointers to keep the ‘Cats on top. With 20 seconds left, it was a five-point game; Eric Snow drove to the basket to try and make it a two-point game but was rejected by Kirk Smith; Nembhard got the rebound and drove down the court before getting fouled; he would hit his two free throws to seal it, giving the Wildcats the 79-72 upset win, ending Jud Heathcote’s career.
Southeast Regional Second Round: #14 Weber State (21-8) vs #6 Georgetown (20-9)
Location: Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center (Tallahassee, FL)
Starting Lineups:
Weber State:
G: Ruben Nembhard
G: Lewis Lofton
F: Jimmy DeGraffenried
F: Kirk Smith
C: Jeff Lentfer
Georgetown:
G: Allen Iverson
G: John Jacques
F: Don Reid
F: Jerome Williams
C: Othella Harrington
Final: Georgetown 53, Weber State 51
Leaders:
Points:
Allen Iverson (GT): 16
Ruben Nembhard (WSU): 19
Rebounds:
Jerome Williams (GT): 9
Kirk Smith (WSU): 9
Assists:
Boubacar Aw (GT): 2
Lewis Lofton/Jimmy DeGraffenried (WSU): 2
The Wildcats would play #6 seed Georgetown in the next round, led by freshman guard Allen Iverson. The game was a slugfest throughout, with the game being tied 51-51 with the shot clock turned off. Nembhard drove to the basket and was fouled with 7 seconds left; however, Nembhard, who historically struggled with free throws (shooting .655 in his career), missed both. The Hoyas got the rebound and passed it up to Iverson, who shot a 3 with less than 2 seconds remaining; it was a complete airball, but senior forward Don Reid, who hadn’t done much all game due to foul trouble, caught the ball and threw it in as time expired to give the Hoyas the win, ending the Wildcats’ Cinderella story. The Hoyas would fall in the next round to a North Carolina team led by Jerry Stackhouse and Rasheed Wallace.
1998-99
West Regional First Round: #14 Weber State (24-7) vs #3 North Carolina (25-9)
Location: KeyArena (Seattle, WA)
Starting Lineups:
Weber State:
G: Eddie Gill
G: Noel Jackson
F: Marc Lawson
F: Harold Arceneaux
C: Andy Jensen
Michigan State:
G: Ed Cota
G: Max Owens
F: Ademola Okulaja
F: Kris Lang
C: Brendan Haywood
Final: Weber State 76, North Carolina 74
Leaders:
Points:
Harold Arceneaux (WSU): 36
Ed Cota (UNC): 20
Rebounds:
Noel Jackson (WSU): 6
Vasco Evtimov (UNC): 10
Assists:
Noel Jackson (WSU): 5
Ed Cota (UNC): 10
The Wildcats would be given the #14 seed, just like in 1995, and also like in 1995, they would play against a legendary program, this time in the #3 seed North Carolina Tar Heels. The Tar Heels were coached by Bill Guthridge, in his second year succeeding the legendary Dean Smith. They were led by senior forward Ademola Okulaja, who averaged 13.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg, and 2.4 apg, being named to First Team All-ACC. UNC was a 13.5-point favorite in the game. The first half saw back-and-forth play, but Weber maintained a 35-33 lead at the half. The Wildcats would increase their lead, but with seven minutes remaining, the Tar Heels began to make a comeback; however, they couldn’t stop Harold “The Show” Arceneaux. Arceneaux was “unconscious” during the game, hitting plenty of clutch shots. Including a three with a hand in his face to make it a ten-point game with four minutes left, and then he did the same thing with three minutes left. With two minutes left, a five-point game, Arceneaux drove right at Okulaja, hitting a tough floater to increase the Weber lead to seven. With 32 seconds left, Okulaja hit a tough three to make it a two-point game, but then Gill hit two clutch free throws to make it a four-point game. The Tar Heels ran down the court, and another three was hit by Max Owens to bring it within one. Arceneaux was then fouled, and he hit both of his free throws, making it a 3-point game with 13 seconds left. UNC drove down the floor, but Max Owens would pass the ball out of bounds, thinking the ref was a teammate, giving the Wildcats the ball back with seven seconds left, with Kevin Harlan giving an iconic call: “He threw it away! He threw it away!” Noel Jackson would miss his first free throw, but would hit his second, making it a two-point game with 1.2 seconds remaining. UNC center Brian Bersticker would throw the ball deep for a chance to win it, but it would be intercepted by Arceneaux, giving the Wildcats the 76-74 victory over the Tar Heels. Arceneaux played the game of his life, finishing with 36 points, going 14-26 from the field and 5-7 from three. Gill would also have a great game, having 16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals.
West Regional Second Round: #14 Weber State (25-7) vs #6 Florida (21-8)
Location: KeyArena (Seattle, WA)
Starting Lineups:
Weber State:
G: Eddie Gill
G: Noel Jackson
F: Marc Lawson
F: Harold Arceneaux
C: Andy Jensen
Florida:
G: Eddie Shannon
G: Kenyan Weaks
F: Major Parker
F: Brent Wright
C: Greg Stolt
Final (OT): Florida 82, Weber State 74
Leaders:
Points:
Greg Stolt (UF): 26
Harold Arceneaux (WSU): 32
Rebounds:
Kenyan Weaks (UF): 9
Harold Arceneaux (WSU): 9
Assists:
Brent Wright/Major Parker (UF): 7
Eddie Gill/Noel Jackson (WSU): 5
The next game, the Wildcats would face the #6 seed Florida Gators, which included future NBA players (and future NBA teammates) Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem. The ‘Cats would have a good first half, leading 40-35 at the break, but would struggle in the second, shooting 27.3% in the half. The Wildcats would have a whopping 22 turnovers during the game, but luckily for the ‘Cats, Florida struggled as well. With 8.2 seconds remaining, it was a 68-66 game in favor of Florida, senior guard Noel Jackson would be fouled on the three-point shot; he would hit the first two to tie it but would miss the third to give the Wildcats the lead. The Gators got the rebound, but Teddy Dupay missed the game-winning shot as time expired; thus, the game went into overtime. However, the magic for the ‘Cats ran out, as they were dominated in overtime, losing 82-74. Another example of Weber’s Free Throw curse. Arceneaux had another incredible game, with 32 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 block. So did Gill, with 19 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals.
2002-03
Midwest Region First Round: #12 Weber State (26-5) vs #5 Wisconsin (22-7)
Location: Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena (Spokane, WA)
Starting Lineups:
Weber State:
G: Jermaine Boyette
G: John Hamilton
F: Nic Sparrow
F: Slobodan Ocokoljic
C: Stephan Bachmann
Wisconsin:
G: Freddie Owens
G: Devin Harris
F: Kirk Penney
F: Alando Tucker
C: Michael Wilkinson
Leaders:
Points:
Kirk Penney (WIS): 21
Slobodan Ocokoljic (WSU): 26
Rebounds:
Kirk Penney/Michael Wilkinson (WIS): 9
Slobodan Ocokoljic (WSU): 14
Assists:
Kirk Penney (WIS): 5
Jermaine Boyette/Slobodan Ocokoljic/ John Hamilton (WSU): 3
Under head coach Joe Cravens, the Wildcats would return to the tournament after running the Big Sky Conference table for only the second time in program history. The Wildcats would be given the 12th seed and picked to play against the Wisconsin Badgers, coached by their legendary coach Bo Ryan in his second year at the helm. The Badgers were led by All-Big Ten First Team selection Kirk Penney and sophomore guard Devin Harris, who would become the Big Ten Player of the Year the following season. After which he would have a long NBA career, including making an all-star game in 2009 and playing two seasons for the Utah Jazz. In the game, the Wildcats would be dominated in the first half, being down 41-26 at the half, but they came storming back, outscoring the Badgers 48-40 in the second. However, the hole was too deep and the ‘Cats fell 81-74. Boyette would finish with 25 points, and Ocokolijic would finish with 26 points and 14 rebounds.
2006-07
West Region First Round: #15 Weber State (20-11) vs #2 UCLA (26-5)
Location: ARCO Arena (Sacramento, CA)
Starting Lineups:
Weber State:
G: Dezmon Harris
G: Juan Pablo Silveira
F: Dan Henry
F: David Patten
C: Arturas Vleika
UCLA:
G: Darren Collison
G: Aaron Afflalo
F: Josh Shipp
F: Luc Mbah a Moute
C: Lorenzo Mata-Real
Leaders:
Points:
Arron Afflalo (UCLA): 22
Dezmon Harris (WSU): 10
Rebounds:
Arron Afflalo (UCLA): 8
Brody Van Brocklin (WSU): 4
Assists:
Daren Collison (UCLA): 8
Dezmon Harris/Daviin Davis (WSU): 2
In the first year of head coach Randy Rahe’s tenure, the Wildcats would take on the UCLA Bruins in the first round of the tournament. The Bruins were loaded with talent, with four future NBA players on the team. Led by All-American guard Arron Affalo, with Darren Collison and Luc Mbah A Moute (Russell Westbrook, the fourth NBA Player, was on the bench), the Bruins were a tough team, winning the regular season Pac-10 title. In the game (if you could call it that), the Bruins absolutely tore apart the Wildcats, winning 70-42. Dezmon Harris would be the only Wildcat to score double digits, scoring 10. The Bruins would end up making it to the Final Four before losing to the eventual champion, the Florida Gators.
2013-14
West Region First Round: #16 Weber State (19-11) vs #1 Arizona (30-4)
Location: Viejas Arena (San Diego, CA)
Starting Lineups:
Weber State:
G: Davion Berry
G: Jordan Richardson
F: Jeremy Senglin
F: Joel Bolomboy
C: Kyle Tresnak
Arizona:
G: T.J. McConnell
G: Nick Johnson
F: Gabe York
F: Aaron Gordon
C: Kaleb Tarczewski
Leaders:
Points:
Nick Johnson (AZ): 18
Davion Berry (WSU): 24
Rebounds:
Aaron Gordon (AZ): 8
Joel Bolomboy (WSU): 16
Assists:
T.J. McConnell (AZ): 4
Jordan Richardson (WSU): 4
Despite having the only All-American and NBA All-Star in program history, the Wildcats never made it to the NCAA tournament with Damian Lillard at the point guard position. The Wildcats finally returned to the tournament two years after Dame’s departure. However, the ‘Cats would have to take on the one seeded Arizona Wildcats who included future NBA players Aaron Gordon, T.J. McConnell and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. Weber would actually play pretty well against the other Wildcats, only losing by nine, led by a great game by Davion Berry who finished with 24 points along an astounding 16 rebounds from Joel Bolomboy. Arizona would make lose in the Elite Eight against our old friend Bo Ryan and the Wisconsin Badgers.
2015-2016
East Region First Round: #15 Weber State (26-8) vs #2 Xavier (27-5)
Location: Scottrade Center (St. Louis, MO)
Starting Lineups:
Weber State:
G: Jeremy Senglin
G: McKay Cannon
G: Ryan Richardson
F: Zach Braxton
C: Joel Bolomboy
Xavier:
G: Myles Davis
G: Remy Abell
F: Edmond Sumner
F: Trevon Bluiett
C: Jalen Reynolds
Leaders:
Points:
James Farr (XAV): 18
Joel Bolomboy (WSU): 14
Rebounds:
James Farr (XAV): 15
Joel Bolomboy (WSU): 10
Assists:
Myles Davis (XAV): 6
McKay Cannon (WSU): 5
After a great regular season, the ‘Cats would be awarded with the 15 seed and face the 2 seed Xavier Musketeers. This game wasn’t particularly close, with the Musketeers dominating to a 71-53 win over the Wildcats. While not much is to be said about this game, this is the last time the Wildcats had made it to the NCAA tournament.
Conclusion
Yes, it has been nine years since the Wildcats have made it to the NCAA Tournament, the second-longest drought in program history (the record is 11 seasons from 1983-84 to 1993-94). I hope and I pray that there will be another entry on this list before I graduate (one more season). I envy the alumni who were able to be around during the 60s, 70s, and early 80s. But despite the Wildcats being in a bit of a dark age these past few years, I try to remain an optimist during this time, because one thing that this has taught me, is that it’s hard to keep this program down.
Sources:
Weber State and Opponents season stats: College Basketball Reference
Game details and photos: Weber State Signpost (from Utah Digital Newspapers), Ogden Standard Examiner (from Utah Digital Newspapers)