Weber State men’s basketball: Verplancken, defense help ‘Cats past Saint Martin’s 82-58 | News, Sports, Jobs

Weber State guard Steven Verplancken Jr. (11) drives against Saint Martin’s Shakeem Alcindor (32) Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.

Weber State guard Zahir Porter (0) shoots over Saint Martin’s Christian Haffner (3) Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.

Weber State forward Dillon Jones (2) shoots over a Saint Martin’s defender Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.

Robert Casey, Weber State Athletics

Weber State guard Steven Verplancken Jr. (11) drives against Saint Martin’s Shakeem Alcindor (32) Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.

OGDEN — It may be slight hyperbole to say it was a must for Weber State men’s basketball to start strong start Saturday night against a Division II opponent. But for a Wildcats team taking its lumps in nonconference play, hosting one of the lower division’s top teams in Saint Martin’s was not necessarily a scheduled win.

But junior guard Steven Verplancken Jr. roped in four 3-pointers in the game’s first 6 1/2 minutes, WSU jumped to an early 20-5 lead and the Wildcats suppressed the offensively talented Saints for an 82-58 win at the Dee Events Center.

“Good win for our team. It’s been a grind here this preseason and these trips are starting to take a little bit of a toll on us, physically,” WSU head coach Eric Duft said. “Tonight, we had good energy … moved the ball, Steven was the recipient of some good passing and knocked down some shots, and kind of got us on the right foot.”

Verplancken, who transferred from Southern Illinois, finished with a career-high 21 points on 5-of-7 shooting from deep.

“Being more energetic … that’s something that’s got way better since the start of the season. And guys are happy for one another, I think it shows,” WSU senior guard Junior Ballard said. “Our job is to carry that over — in practice every single day, we’re locked in, we’re ready to go, and take the next step forward.”

Robert Casey, Weber State Athletics

Weber State guard Zahir Porter (0) shoots over Saint Martin’s Christian Haffner (3) Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.

Weber State (3-7) went just more than 8 minutes without a field goal late in the first half and led by seven before senior wing Zahir Porter knocked down a 3-pointer to end the drought, one of 12 makes from deep for the Wildcats on the night.

Porter was on the wrong end of a flagrant foul when undercut on a drive, made both of his free throws (he’s 28 of 30 for the season), and with the extra possession Ballard knocked down a corner 3 at the halftime buzzer for a 40 -26 advantages.

After struggling to find a place where his contributions fit in, Ballard, a graduate transfer from Fresno State, has played well coming off the bench the last two games. He finished with 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting, knocking down three 3-pointers.

Fragrance took a moment to stop Ballard for a word when he checked out for the final time Saturday.

“A lot of the talk is ‘that’s how you should be hooping.’ He’s holding me to a higher standard and that’s all I can ask for as a player, really. A coach that believes in me and holds me to a standard that I see myself playing,” Ballard said.

Robert Casey, Weber State Athletics

Weber State forward Dillon Jones (2) shoots over a Saint Martin’s defender Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.

He said coming off the bench is a “bigger picture” situation. “I’m going to do what I can do to help the team win.”

Koehler, a third-year sophomore, has started those two games to give WSU a bit more size and rebounding from the wing position, and Ballard has come off the bench with better energy and impact.

“I told him today … it’s time for you to start playing like we know you can play,” Duft said. “I just told him (after the game) I was proud of him … defensively, I thought he was really good tonight.”

The Saints (8-2) got 3-pointers from stretch big Tyke Thompson and Portland State transfer guard Jaden Nielsen-Skinner to open the second half, briefly making it an eight-point game.

Weber State locked down the arc after that. Saint Martin’s did hit 11 3s on the night but needed 30 attempts to do it, and finished shooting 20 of 55 (36.4%) overall. Verplancken said it was key to apply ball pressure and the team is gaining confidence defensively.

The Wildcats embarked on an extended 30-11 run sparked by Dyson Koehler grabbing an offensive rebound and dishing to Dillon Jones for a layup and by Verplancken’s fifth 3 of the night.

In the middle of the run, Jones picked the pocket of a Saints player and raced to a dunk while being fouled, and converted his free throw. At the end of the run, guard KJ Cunningham drained a 3 and added a transition layup after another Jones steal. That made it 70-43 with 6:15 left.

Jones totaled 13 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and two steals. Cunningham scored nine points, Koehler six and Daniel Rouzan six.

Guard Brandon Bunn led Saint Martin’s with 12 points. Nielsen-Skinner and Kyle Greeley, a fellow PSU transfer, each scored just five points.

WSU shot 12 of 24 (50%) from deep and 28 of 55 (51%) overall in its best offensive night of the season.

“That’s a big part of it … you’ve got to see the ball go in,” Duft said. “As we go, I think we’re going to shoot the ball well … as we get more comfortable, that will kind of play itself out.”

Weber State returns to the road, traveling to face a Cal Poly (5-3) squad Friday, Dec. 16, who on Saturday defeated Portland State 72-49.

NORTH DAKOTA 76, WEBER STATE 54

Weber State women’s basketball lost the first quarter 17-6 on Saturday afternoon at North Dakota (6-3) and couldn’t recover.

WSU (4-6) shot 17 of 55 (31%) overall, 5 of 20 (25%) from 3 and committed 26 turnovers.

Jadyn Matthews totaled 15 points and 11 rebounds. Daryn Hickok led with 16 points.

Weber State returns home to host Utah Tech on Saturday, Dec. 17

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