1978–79 Weber State Wildcats men's basketball team

The 1978–79 Weber State Wildcats men's basketball team represented Weber State College during the 1978–79 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Members of the Big Sky Conference, the Wildcats were led by fourth-year head coach Neil McCarthy and played their home games on campus at Dee Events Center in Ogden, Utah.

1978–79 Weber State Wildcats men's basketball
ConferenceBig Sky Conference
Record25–9 (10–4 Big Sky)
Head coach
Home arenaDee Events Center
Seasons
1978–79 Big Sky men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Weber State 10 4   .714 25 9   .735
Northern Arizona 8 6   .571 14 14   .500
Idaho State 8 6   .571 14 13   .519
Montana 7 7   .500 14 13   .519
Gonzaga 7 7   .500 16 10   .615
Montana State 6 8   .429 15 11   .577
Boise State 6 8   .429 11 15   .423
Idaho 4 10   .286 11 15   .423
Big Sky Conference tournament winner

They were 22–8 overall in the regular season and 10–4 in conference play,[1][2][3] won the regular season title,[4] and the conference tournament.[5][6][7] The Wildcats appeared in the first five finals of the conference tournament; this was the second of three consecutive titles.

Weber State earned the Big Sky's automatic bid to the expanded 40-team NCAA tournament, where they were seeded seventh in the Midwest region, the first time the Big Sky representative was not in the West region. The Wildcats met New Mexico State in the first round in Lawrence, Kansas; the Aggies won the previous meeting in December.[8] This time the Wildcats prevailed in overtime,[9][10][11] but were stopped two days later by second-seeded Arkansas.[12][13]

Three Wildcats, all juniors, were named to the all-conference team. Guard Bruce Collins was a repeat selection, joined by forward David Johnson and center Richard Smith; both were on the previous season's second team.[14][15][16]

Postseason results

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Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Big Sky tournament
Fri, March 2
7:00 pm
(1) (4) Montana
Semifinal
W 98–71  23–8
Dee Events Center 
Ogden, Utah
Sat, March 3
8:00 pm
(1) (2) Northern Arizona
Final
W 92–70  24–8
Dee Events Center 
Ogden, Utah
NCAA tournament
Fri, March 9*
6:06 pm
(7 MW) vs. (10 MW) New Mexico State
First round
W 81–78 OT 25–8
Allen Fieldhouse 
Lawrence, Kansas
Sun, March 11*
1:36 pm
(7 MW) vs. (2 MW) No. 7 Arkansas
Second round
L 63–74  25–9
Allen Fieldhouse 
Lawrence, Kansas
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Mountain time.

References

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  1. ^ "Final college basketball standings". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). March 5, 1979. p. 3B.
  2. ^ "College basketball standings". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). February 27, 1979. p. 21.
  3. ^ "College basketball standings". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). February 26, 1979. p. 4B.
  4. ^ "Weber awaits BSC tournament Friday at Dee Events Center". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). February 26, 1979. p. 2B.
  5. ^ Rock, Brad (March 3, 1979). "Weber vs. NAU for 'Sky crown". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. A3.
  6. ^ Rock, Brad (March 5, 1979). "Weber rules Big Sky, eyes NCAA". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. B3.
  7. ^ "Big Sky belongs to Weber". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. March 4, 1979. p. 4B.
  8. ^ Woodling, Chuck (March 8, 1979). "Road-toughened Weber gets second shot at Ags". Lawrence Journal-World. (Kansas). p. 11.
  9. ^ "Weber clips Aggies in overtime". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. March 10, 1979. p. 4B.
  10. ^ Robinson, Doug (March 10, 1979). "Weber stays alive, awaits Arkansas". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. A3.
  11. ^ Woodling, Chuck (March 10, 1979). "Weber wriggles by Ags, gains Razorback rematch". Lawrence Journal-World. (Kansas). p. 11.
  12. ^ Cottrell, Chris (March 12, 1979). "Hogs still prime porkers". Lawrence Journal-World. (Kansas). p. 13.
  13. ^ Robinson, Doug (March 12, 1979). "Arkansas knocks off Wildcats". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. 1D.
  14. ^ "3 Wildcats on all-Big Sky team". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). UPI. March 7, 1979. p. E4.
  15. ^ "Cathey named All-Big Sky". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. March 7, 1979. p. C1.
  16. ^ "All league: Newman on Big Sky second unit". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). March 7, 1979. p. 3B.
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