Weber State Wildcats men's basketball

Last updated
Weber State Wildcats men's basketball
Basketball current event.svg 2024–25 Weber State Wildcats men's basketball team
Weber State Wildcats wordmark.svg
UniversityWeber State University
First season1962
All-time record1,139–696 (.621)
Head coach Eric Duft (3rd season)
Conference Big Sky
Location Ogden, Utah
Arena Dee Events Center
(capacity: 11,592)
Nickname Wildcats
ColorsPurple and white [1]
   
Uniforms
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Home
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Away
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Alternate
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
1969, 1972
NCAA tournament appearances
1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2014, 2016
Conference tournament champions
1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2014, 2016
Conference regular-season champions
1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2016

The Weber State Wildcats men's basketball team is the basketball team representing Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. The program is classified in the NCAA Division I and is a member of the Big Sky Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament in 2016. The Wildcats are currently coached by Eric Duft.

Contents

Street & Smith ranked Weber State 51st in its 2005 list of the 100 greatest college basketball programs of all time, [2] [3] while Jeff Sagarin placed the program 116th in his 2009 all-time rankings in the ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia. [4]

With a winning percentage of .630, the Wildcats have the 29th highest winning percentage in Division I college basketball through the end of the 2022–23 season.

Season by season records

Weber v OSU game in 1976-77 season Steve Johnson OSU.jpg
Weber v OSU game in 1976–77 season
Statistics overview
SeasonCoachOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Dick Motta (Big Sky)(1962–1968)
1962–63Dick Motta 22–4
1963–64Dick Motta 17–87–32nd
1964–65Dick Motta 22–38–21st
1965–66Dick Motta 20–58–2T–1st
1966–67Dick Motta 18–75–5T–3rd
1967–68Dick Motta 21–612–31stNCAA First Round
Dick Motta:120–33 (.784)40–15 (.727)
Phil Johnson (Big Sky)(1968–1971)
1968–69Phil Johnson 27–315–01stNCAA West Regionals
1969–70Phil Johnson 20–712–31stNCAA First Round
1970–71Phil Johnson 21–612–21stNCAA First Round
Phil Johnson:68–16 (.810)39–5 (.886)
Gene Visscher (Big Sky)(1971–1975)
1971–72Gene Visscher 18–1110–41stNCAA West Regionals
1972–73Gene Visscher 20–713–11stNCAA First Round
1973–74Gene Visscher 14–128–63rd
1974–75Gene Visscher 5–81–2
Gene Visscher:57–38 (.600)32–12 (.727)
Neil McCarthy (Big Sky)(1975–1985)
1974–75Neil McCarthy 6–7 (11–15)5–6 (6–8)5th
1975–76Neil McCarthy 21–119–5T–1st
1976–77Neil McCarthy 20–811–32nd
1977–78Neil McCarthy 19–109–53rdNCAA 1st Round
1978–79Neil McCarthy 25–910–41stNCAA 2nd Round
1979–80Neil McCarthy 26–313–11stNCAA 1st Round
1980–81Neil McCarthy 8–195–9T–5th
1981–82Neil McCarthy 15–136–8T–4th
1982–83Neil McCarthy 23–810–4T–1stNCAA 1st Round
1983–84Neil McCarthy 23–812–21stNIT 2nd Round
1984–85Neil McCarthy 20–99–53rd
Neil McCarthy:206–105 (.662)99–52 (.656)
Larry Farmer (Big Sky)(1985–1988)
1985–86Larry Farmer 18–117–7T–4th
1986–87Larry Farmer 7–224–108th
1987–88Larry Farmer 9–216–108th
Larry Farmer:34–54 (.386)17–27 (.386)
Denny Huston (Big Sky)(1988–1991)
1988–89Denny Huston 17–119–75th
1989–90Denny Huston 14–158–8T–5th
1990–91Denny Huston 12–167–9T–5th
Denny Huston:43–42 (.506)25–24 (.510)
Ron Abegglen (Big Sky)(1991–1999)
1991–92Ron Abegglen 16–1310–6T–3rd
1992–93Ron Abegglen 20–810–42nd
1993–94Ron Abegglen 21–911–3T–1st
1994–95Ron Abegglen 21–911–3T–1stNCAA Round of 32
1995–96Ron Abegglen 20–1010–4T–2nd
1996–97Ron Abegglen 15–139–7T–4th
1997–98Ron Abegglen 14–1312–42nd
1998–99Ron Abegglen 25–813–31stNCAA Round of 32
Ron Abegglen:152–83 (.647)86–34 (.717)
Joe Cravens (Big Sky)(1999–2006)
1999-00Joe Cravens 18–1010–6T–4th
2000–01Joe Cravens 15–148–8T–4th
2001–02Joe Cravens 18–118–63rd
2002–03Joe Cravens 26–614–01stNCAA First Round
2003–04Joe Cravens 15–147–72nd
2004–05Joe Cravens 14–167–75th
2005–06Joe Cravens 10–174–10T–7th
Joe Cravens:116–88 (.569)58–44 (.569)
Randy Rahe (Big Sky)(2006–2022)
2006–07Randy Rahe 20–1211–51st NCAA first round
2007–08Randy Rahe 16–1410–63rd
2008–09Randy Rahe 21–1015–11st NIT first round
2009–10Randy Rahe 20–1113–31st NIT first round
2010–11Randy Rahe 18–1411–53rd CBI first round
2011–12 Randy Rahe 25–714–22nd CIT second round
2012–13 Randy Rahe 30–718–22nd CIT Finals
2013–14 Randy Rahe 19–1214–61st NCAA second round
2014–15 Randy Rahe 13–178–10T–7th
2015–16 Randy Rahe 26–915–31st NCAA first round
2016–17 Randy Rahe 20–1412–6T–3rd CIT second round
2017–18 Randy Rahe 20–1113–5T–3rd
2018–19 Randy Rahe 18–1511–9T–4th
2019–20 Randy Rahe 12–208–12T–8th
2020–21 Randy Rahe 17–612–3T–2nd
2021–22 Randy Rahe 21–1213–7T–3rd
Randy Rahe:316–191 (.623)198–85 (.700)
Eric Duft (Big Sky)(2022–present)
2022–23 Eric Duft 18–1512–63rd
2023–24 Eric Duft 20–1211–74th
2024–25 Eric Duft 12–225–139th
Eric Duft:50–49 (.505)28–26 (.519)
Total:1,139–696 (.621)

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Updated through end of 2024–25 season [5]

Postseason

NCAA tournament results

The Wildcats have appeared in 16 NCAA Tournaments, with a combined record of 6–17. Two of those wins are among the biggest upsets in NCAA Tournament history. In 1995, No. 14-seeded Weber State upset third-seeded Michigan State.

In 1999, led by Harold Arceneaux, the Wildcats, again a No. 14 seed, faced perennial powerhouse North Carolina in the first round in Seattle. North Carolina was making its 25th consecutive NCAA appearance and had been to the Final Four two years in a row. The Wildcats were heavy underdogs against the Tar Heels, but controlled the game, leading for most of the second half. North Carolina had no answer for Arceneaux, who scored from everywhere on the floor and finished with 36 points (20 in the second half). Weber State led by 10 points with 3:59 left in the game, and went on to win 76–74. They were the first team to defeat the Tar Heels in the first round since first-round byes were eliminated in 1985. The Wildcats pushed Florida to overtime in the second round before losing 82–74. These were the deepest tournament runs by a Big Sky team since Idaho advanced to the Sweet 16 in 1982.

YearSeedRoundOpponentResult
1968 Round of 23 New Mexico State L 57–68
1969 Round of 25
Sweet Sixteen
Regional third place		 Seattle
Santa Clara
New Mexico State		W 75–73
L 59–63OT
W 58–56
1970 Round of 25 Long Beach State L 73–92
1971 Round of 25Long Beach StateL 66–77
1972 Round of 25
Sweet Sixteen
Regional third place		 Hawaiʻi
No. 1 UCLA
San Francisco 		W 91–64
L 58–90
L 64–74
1973 Round of 25Long Beach StateL 75–88
1978 Round of 32 Arkansas L 52–73
1979 No. 7 MWRound of 40
Round of 32		No. 10 New Mexico State
No. 2 Arkansas		W 81–78OT
L 63–74
1980 No. 7 WRound of 48No. 10 Lamar L 86–87
1983 No. 9 WRound of 48No. 8 Washington State L 52–62
1995 No. 14 SRound of 64
Round of 32		No. 3 Michigan State
No. 6 Georgetown 		W 79–72
L 51–53
1999 No. 14 WRound of 64
Round of 32		No. 3 North Carolina
No. 6 Florida 		W 76–74
L 74–82OT
2003 No. 12 MRound of 64No. 5 Wisconsin L 74–81
2007 No. 15 WRound of 64No. 2 UCLA L 42–70
2014 No. 16 WRound of 64No. 1 Arizona L 59–68
2016 No. 15 ERound of 64No. 2 Xavier L 53–71

NIT results

The Wildcats have appeared in three National Invitation Tournaments (NIT), with a combined record of 1–3.

YearRoundOpponentResult
1984 First Round
Second Round		 Fordham
Southwestern Louisiana 		W 75–63
L 72–74
2009 First Round San Diego State L 49–65
2010 First Round Cincinnati L 62–76

CBI results

The Wildcats have appeared in one College Basketball Invitational (CBI) and lost their opening game.

YearRoundOpponentResult
2011 First Round Oregon L 59–68

CIT results

The Wildcats have appeared in three CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournaments (CIT), with a combined record of 6–3. They advanced to the championship game in 2013.

YearRoundOpponentResult
2012 First Round
Second Round		 Utah Valley
Loyola Marymount 		W 72–69
L 78–84 OT
2013 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Championship Game		 Cal Poly
Air Force
Oral Roberts
Northern Iowa
East Carolina 		W 85–43
W 78–57
W 83–74
W 59–56
L 74–77
2017 First Round
Second Round		 Cal State Fullerton
Texas A&M–Corpus Christi 		W 80–76
L 73–82

Honors and accolades

Retired numbers

NumberPlayerYearsYear retired
1 Damian Lillard 2008–20122017
22 Bruce Collins 1976–19802016
35 Willie Sojourner 1968–19712015

Weber State players in the NBA/ABA

The following former Wildcats have appeared in at least one NBA or ABA game:

References

  1. ↑ "Weber Color Palette" . Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  2. ↑ Weber State Named in Street & Smith's Top-100 Greatest College Basketball Programs of All-Time
  3. ↑ 100 Greatest College Basketball Programs of All Time
  4. ↑ The ESPN/Sagarin All-Time Rankings
  5. ↑ "Weber State Wildcats Index". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
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