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OGDEN — After a four-day Thanksgiving break, everyone had trouble getting back to work on Monday.
The Weber State Wildcats were no different. The Wildcats have been victim to some slow starts over the course of the season, and shot just 36 percent in the first half of a non-conference game against Oral Roberts.
However, Weber overcame the slow start, thanks to clutch shots from forward Richaud Gittens and guard Jeremy Senglin, as the Wildcats defeated the Golden Eagles 62-61 in Ogden.
On a tough night for Weber offensively, Wildcats coach Randy Rahe said the win was a testament to the team’s ability to rise above late adversity.
“I’m really proud of the kids because we could have packed it in there a couple times,” he said. “These kids found a way; they fought like crazy. They showed a lot of toughness, and showed a lot of togetherness. I think a lot of teams would splinter, and our guys came a little closer together.”
With Weber trailing 24-21 as the first half came to a close, Gittens pulled up for a 3-pointer at the buzzer that banked into the hoop off the glass, tying the score at halftime.
Gittens, who led Weber with 16 points and four 3-pointers, said the team found a way to win through togetherness.
Gittens led Weber State (3-3) with 16 points and Chris Golden had 15 while Senglin finished with nine.
“Our whole focus as a team is just staying together,” he said. “We knew coming into the game that Oral Roberts is a tough team. They’re a great rebounding team; they just play really well together. So, coming into the game we knew it was going to be a battle.”
However, the late heroics weren’t over for the Wildcats. Oral Roberts held a five-point lead with 30 seconds remaining; Gittens caught a deflected ball and drained it for a three to put the Wildcats within two, 61-59.
As the seconds rolled off the clock, it was Senglin who hit a 3-pointer to give Weber a 62-61 lead.
Senglin said the option for him to take the shot was always there.
“I thought we were down three, to tell the truth,” said Senglin, who finished with nine points. “I just came off the screen, and they kind of cheated so I crossed back. I shoot better off the right, so I just crossed back to the right and shot the three.”
The Wildcats were outscored in the paint 34-12, but Rahe attributed that to Oral Roberts’ toughness.
“(Oral Roberts is) tough, they are physical, they’re veteran, and they are a bunch of junkyard dogs,” said Rahe, who has a 3-0 record against the Golden Eagles. “I told our team this is going to be the toughest mental and physical team that we’ve played all year, including Illinois State, LSU and Nevada. This was the toughest team.
“That’s why it makes it so hard in the paint. They’re physical; they’re athletic. They love to bang you, and if you’re not ready to be hit, it’s going to get to you.”
Weber State is now on a two-game winning streak, and will travel to face UT-Arlington in Texas on Saturday. Rahe said the team can improve, and just needs to become more comfortable.
“If we can be a team that just fights and scratches and claws as a young team right now, good things will happen and we’ll find ways,” he said. “It’s nice to say that and actually have them do that. You can talk about it, but if they don’t ever experience it, they don’t believe you.”
