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OGDEN -- The Weber State Wildcats (3-4, 1-0 Big Sky) are back home hosting the Orediggers of Montana Tech (4-7) Wednesday night.
The Wildcats posted their first road victory on Saturday against Big Sky foe Sacramento State 80-65. The Wildcats were led by sophomore guard Damian Lillard who finished with the game-high of 27 points. The Big Sky recognized Lillard's performance and honored him as Co-Big Sky Player of the Week; his first such honor.
The Wildcats have struggled in the first half of play all season and in all seven of their games have entered halftime behind.
They are well-coached and really gave us all we wanted last season at our place and this is a much better team.
–Randy Rahe on Montana Tech
Sacramento State was no different as the reigning Big Sky champs entered the half down two, 32 to 30.
"I wasn't very pleased with our first half effort at Sacramento State," said Head Coach Randy Rahe. "It looked like we were playing in a mud bog so I kind of challenged them at half time and they responded."
The Wildcats did respond, going on a 17-5 run and leading by as many as 17 points in the game.
The Wildcats were helped by Franklin Session, who scored 14 points and registered six assists off the bench, but according to Rahe it wasn't his offense that necessarily sparked the Wildcats, it was his intensity on defense (six steals) and his desire to get rebounds (18).
"Franklin Session played with a great deal of intensity and desire. He's been practicing that way and it translated into a pretty good performance," said Rahe.
This will be the fifth time that the Wildcats and Orediggers have met. The Wildcats have never lost in this series, having won all four matchups. Last year Weber State won 77-62 in Ogden.
Despite the success, the Wildcats aren't overlooking Montana Tech.
"They are well-coached and really gave us all we wanted last season at our place and this is a much better team. They have a couple of transfers who have come in and done a nice job of fitting in and contributing," said Rahe.
One of the new recruits that Rahe is talking about is Dean Colbray, a 6-foot senior out of Pasco, Washington and transfer from Point Loma Nazarene in California. Colbray leads the team in scoring, averaging 16.8 points a game, having dropped in 34 points in a game earlier this season.
The Wildcats will be looking to keep their winning streak against the Orediggers alive by playing tough defense and dominating the rebounds like they have all season. If their offense can keep up and they can play a solid first half, they should have no problem closing this game out.
Tipoff is set for 7:35 p.m. at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.
