OGDEN, Utah – The Bengals men's basketball team is in the midst of their four-game road trip this weekend. Saturday night they found themselves in Ogden, Utah for a game with the Weber State Wildcats. The last time these two teams played, last season, ended in a 2OT thriller that had the Wildcats coming out on top 72-71. Bengals' Head Coach, Ryan Looney, came into the game with a 3-game winning streak in Ogden on the line, as he did not travel with the team during their trip to Weber State in the 2021-22 season.
The Bengals and Wildcats would both come out battling and exchanging buckets early, with Weber State gaining their largest lead in the game, 10-6 at the 13:39 mark of the first half. Shortly after, the Bengals would regain the lead and then some, as they would go on a 10-2 run to take their own four-point lead, 16-12, with 10:10 remaining in the first half. However, the Bengals weren't done in the half just yet. After finding themselves up 20-19, Idaho State would explode on a 14-1 run that would be capped off by a gorgeous
Miguel Tomley three-pointer, to give the Bengals a 34-21 edge with the first half winding down. Weber State would find some magic late in the first, as they closed the half on their own 9-1 run, giving the Wildcats some life as both teams headed in the halftime break with Idaho State in front, 35-29.
In the second half we would open with both teams trading easy layups, but the Wildcats would fight their way back into it, knotting the game up at 44 apiece with 14:42 remaining in the game. As both teams looked to gain an edge late, the Bengals did just that, once again they would find a way to go on a run, this time a 10-0 run to give themselves a double-digit cushion over the Wildcats, 58-48, with 9:40 to play. Weber State, however, would refuse to go away, as they would come crawling all the way back to tie the game at 64 all with just 3:22 left in regulation. It was once again the Bengals' turn to respond, and they did just that. After a tough finish in the paint and free-throw to convert an and-1,
Maleek Arington would give Idaho State a three-point lead and help fuel the Bengals down the stretch.
Isaiah Griffin would convert on a layup attempt, followed by another
Maleek Arington jaw-dropping and-1 finish at the rack as he would not be denied this win. Idaho State would shut Weber State down on the defensive end and
Miguel Tomley would close the game out at the charity stripe, knocking down both of his last-second free-throws to give the Bengals a 74-64 win in Ogden. After picking up the big win, Idaho State improves their record to 8-13 overall and 3-5 in Big Sky play. Following the loss, Weber State drops to 12-9 overall and 3-5 in Big Sky play.
Maleek Arington came to play for the Bengals in this one as he, and three other Bengals, would finish with 14 points. Arington also tied a career-high with seven assists (5
th time this season), while also pulling down five rebounds, and coming away with one steal as he would play all 40 minutes for the seventh consecutive game.
Kiree Huie put up 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field, three rebounds, two assists, and one steal, and fellow big man,
Brayden Parker, would total 13 points, a season-high 11 rebounds, a career-high five assists, and one block. This is Parker's fourth career double-double and first since the Bengals game vs Sacramento State on January 19
th, 2023.
Isaiah Griffin finished with 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field, four rebounds, and one steal, and
Miguel Tomley would end the game with 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the floor, four rebounds, one steal, one block, and one assist. This marks the first game this season for ISU where all five starters have scored in double-figures. Off the bench for the Bengals,
AJ Burgin and
Briggs Ranstrom would provide Idaho State with some valuable minutes. Burgin would finish with five points, two rebounds, and two big steals in 14 minutes, and Ranstrom would tally three rebounds and an assist in 21 minutes of action.
Following the win Head Coach,
Ryan Looney, extends his winning streak in Dee Events Center in Ogden to four straight and in the process, earns career win number 47. Now needing just three more W's this season to earn his 50
th career win as Head Coach of the Bengals.
Idaho State finished the game shooting 50 percent from the field, and 20 percent from three-point territory, going 3-of-15 from behind the arc. The Bengals tallied 16 assists (T-4
th most in a game this season), 38 rebounds (4
th most in a game this season), and 6 steals.
Weber State finished the game shooting 43.1 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from three-point land (6-for-21). The Wildcats finished with 26 rebounds, 8 steals, and 8 assists.
The Bengals men's basketball team will wrap their road trip up after next week as they travel to Northern Colorado on Thursday, February 1
st and Northern Arizona for a Saturday matinee on February 3
rd.
