The T-Birds Fall in Ogden as the Wildcats shoot 57% From the Field.

A poor first half proved fatal as the Southern Utah University men’s basketball team fell to in-state rival Weber State University Thursday at the Dee Events Center, 91-67.

The T-Birds shot just 29.7% from the field and 16.7% from 3-point range in the first half while the Wildcats shot 59.4% and 46.2% respectively. 

Forward Maizen Fausett led SUU with 15 points while snagging a season-low three rebounds. Guard Dre Marin followed with 12 points. 

Big Sky leading scorer Tevian Jones was held to just nine points on 3-of-10 shooting. 

WSU was led by center Cody Carlson, who scored 25 points and 11 rebounds while shooting 77% from the field. Guard Isiah Brown scored 22 points while racking up 7 assists. 

The Wildcats opened the game on a 10-0 run and didn’t look back. SUU finally scored four minutes in on a Fausett 3-pointer.

A Jones triple got the T-Birds back within five with 14:23 remaining in the first half, which marked the closest SUU would get to catching the Wildcats.

With 3:21 to go in the first half, the Wildcats pushed their first half lead to 23 thanks to two straight 3-point shots from Brown.

SUU needed a strong second half to cut into the lead, but struggled to make consistent buckets until a miniature Dre Marin burst between the nine and 11 minute mark brought the T-Birds back to within 12.

The Wildcats answered quickly and pushed the lead back up to 20 by the 6:51 mark. 

Head coach Todd Simon’s squad struggled to establish a rhythm offensively throughout the game and allowed the Wildcats to shoot a blistering 57% from the field. The Wildcats played sound defense, limiting the T-Birds to just 34.8% from the field for the game and winning the rebounding battle 37-31. 

Notable statistics:

  • Knight was held scoreless for the first time this season. The guard is the No. 3 in PPG for the T-Birds.
  • Aanen Moody has not made a 3-point field goal in four games.
  • Nick Fleming recorded five assists, a season high, in just 14 minutes. Fleming played just eight minutes total in his previous two appearances. 

The T-Birds and Wildcats face off in Cedar City on Saturday for game two of the series at the America First Event Center. Tip-off is set for 12:00 p.m. and can be viewed on PlutoTV channel 1055. 

Story by: Kelton Jacobsen
sports@suunews.net
Photo courtesy of SUU Athletic Department Strategic Communication