From Deseret News archives:
Cats top Wolverines with toasty shooting
For the third consecutive game the Wildcats shot better than 50 percent from the floor and, unlike the six previous sub-50-percent efforts, got a win.
This time, WSU outlasted Utah Valley State 69-62 despite a career game from the Wolverines' David Heck.
The Wildcats, now 6-6, shot 52 percent from the floor and came up with an answer every time UVSC mounted a rally.
"Obviously we played a lot better," WSU coach Joe Cravens said, referring to a 68-49 loss in Orem three weeks ago. "But I thought we got really careless there in the second half. We stopped defending."
In particular, the Wildcats were unable to defend Heck.
The 6-foot-6 junior scored a career-high 30 points for the Wolverines and almost single-handedly willed his team to a win.
"My teammates were just giving me the ball in the right spots," Heck said. "I happened to get a lot of open shots and they were falling for me."
Heck was 12-of-19 from the floor and hit six 3-pointers. But with only Ben DeVoe joining Heck in double-figure scoring, the Wolverines were unable to maintain their rallies in the second half.
But Weber State answered quickly with a 3-pointer from Brett Cox and a pair of back-door alley oop dunks from Coric Riggs and David Patten. Three minutes after UVSC threatened to take the lead, the Wildcats held a 57-45 lead and held on down the stretch.
"I think the right team won," UVSC coach Dick Hunsaker said. "They outplayed us. They outhustled us and made the plays they needed to."
Riggs lead the Wildcats with 18 points while Patten added 14 and a career high nine rebounds.
The most-welcome contribution, though, may have come from Terrell Stovall.
The senior shooting guard chipped in 10 points but had seven assists and four rebounds that all seemed to come at crucial moments in the flow of the game.
"He's experienced," Cravens said. "When he's on the floor, it's like we have two point guards."
The Wildcats travel to Wyoming Friday for their final nonconference game while UVSC hosts High Point.
E-mail: jeborn@desnews.com
Comments
- Abbas: Settlement freeze not enough 9:12 p.m.
- Teachers using cell phones for class 9:07 p.m.
- BYU football starters 9:03 p.m.
- Utah Utes football starters 8:55 p.m.
- Aggies look to Idaho for an example 8:50 p.m.
- Wildcats face tough defense 8:46 p.m.
- BYU football: 5 keys to victory 8:36 p.m.
- RSL's Movsisyan departs 8:16 p.m.
- Vegas, Poinsettia bowls or bust 8:13 p.m.
- Woman falls near Angel's Landing 7:58 p.m.
- BYU would like friendlier rivalry
263 - Protests against Phoenix LDS temple
211 - RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks
202 - Thunder rolls by Jazz
136 - Letters: Rushing to judge Palin
133 - Boys basketball rankings
127 - Editorial: Poor welcome for Palin
112 - Man trapped in Nutty Putty cave dies
108 - Hall, Johnson matchup key
102 - Letters: Trump card for believers
92
It's finally time for the game that everyone has been waiting for all...
Carlos Boozer denied that playing so well against the Chicago Bulls held...
There are 14 BYU players from Salt Lake Valley. And there are four Utah...
Can't wait to see a beat down of the U today. And Rich actually has 5 picks...
Did Pitta just say that this game is a big deal to Utah but to BYU it's just...
I attended David's Tuesday night show and it was amazing! My sister and I...
Robert Johnson will finish with the most tackles because BYU will be forced...
The current budget began in Sept 2008 (when Bush was still President) and...
I bet you would have saved more at the local garage sell.
I wish to express my condolences to the Jones family. I have had children...
Man, what do you expect when they build all these residential tower units...
Utes Will Get Owned. Period.
See you tommorrow...



You can be the first to comment on this story.