After getting burned repeatedly from long range in Long Beach State’s big comeback at the Walter Pyramid, Weber State’s men’s basketball team returned the favor Thursday night.
This time, there was no 23-point comeback to save the 49ers as the Wildcats won, 72-63, in Ogden, Utah.
Senior Donovan Morris struggled, shooting just 5-of-13 from the floor for 14 points after dropping 20 on the Wildcats in the previous meeting. The guard didn’t record his first points until the 11:25 mark in the second half.
The hot long-range shooting touch from Stephan Gilling didn’t surface, either. The junior, who knocked down five 3-pointers in the first contest against Weber State, hit just 1-of-7 shots including 1-of-6 from beyond the arc in 10 minutes of action.
The 49ers (4-4) shot 4-of-16 from the 3-point line in the contest.
A pair of freshmen did produce for LBSU head coach Dan Monson.
Forward T.J. Robinson collected a double-double with a game-high 18 points on 8-of-14 shooting to go with 10 rebounds. Guard Larry Anderson drained all five shots he took to finish with 15 points, six assists and four rebounds in 32 minutes.
The Wildcats (3-4) were led by five players who scored in double figures. Guards Kellen McCoy and Damian Lillard netted 15 points apiece in the victory.
Off the bench, Lillard and guard Nick Hansen combined for seven of the team’s 11 3-pointers. Hansen finished with 12 points.
The game was tied at 27 at halftime, but Weber State made five of its first nine attempts to open the second half. A Lillard 3-pointer gave the Wildcats a 46-33 lead with 12:46 to play.
Morris cut the deficit to five points on two separate occasions, including on a layup with 43.9 seconds remaining, but the ‘Niners wouldn’t get any closer.
Monson shook up the starting lineup for the rematch.
Only Morris remained from a lineup Monson has used in every other game so far this season. Senior Maurice Clady started at point guard while Robinson and Anderson were the forwards. Arturas Lazdauskas got the nod at center.
Anderson responded to the increased minutes by scoring a team-high 10, while Robinson added eight points and five rebounds in the first half.
The ‘Niners led by as many as eight points, holding a 16-8 advantage at the 12:48 mark of the half, but a 12-2 Wildcat run gave Weber State a 20-18 lead with 6:13 to play.
LBSU returns to action Saturday against No. 13 Syracuse at the Carrier Dome. The game will air on ESPNU, and tip-off is set for 9:05 a.m. pacific time.
The Orange will enter the contest amid the suspension of starting shooting guard Eric Devendorf, who was accused of hitting a female student in the face, according to the Syracuse Post-Standard.
A Syracuse University judicial hearing board ruled that Devendorf would be suspended until at least the end of next semester. The 6-foot-4 junior will appeal the ruling.