@UNC_BearsMBB looks to even the score vs. Weber State and sweep Idaho State

Thursday, February 28

Greeley, Colo.

7pm

University of Northern Colorado

Weber State

2/27/2019 6:20:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Weber State MBB Notes

By: Ryan Ronan

A third of the way through the most important week of the regular season, UNC is fresh off its biggest win of the year after beating Montana on Monday in Missoula. The victory was huge for the Bears, it means they will be alone in second place no matter the result of Thursday night's game, but they can't relax now because a wounded Weber State team is coming to Greeley.

BEAR BITES

UNC snapped a four-game losing streak to the Girz and ended their 10-game winning streak that started with a victory over the Bears in Jan.
The win gave UNC 10 road wins this season, they are one of just eight teams in all of Division I that can claim double-digit road victories.
NC is now just one game back of Montana for the regular season conference title and the No. 1 seed the Big Sky Tournament.
While Jordan Davis stepped into the hero role again Monday night, it was really one of the most balanced Bears attacks of the season. Jonah Radebaugh scored 10 points and four other players finished nine points: Sam Masten, Boide Hume, Trent Harris and Kai Edwards.
Edwards has really stepped his game up lately. He has scored in double figures in three of his last eight games and nearly posted it again vs. Montana.

Weber State will come into play reeling having lost two of their last three games, but by a total of five points. UNC is looking to avenge an earlier season loss in Ogden and put the Wildcats in a fight for the third seed down the stretch.

WEBER WISDOM

WSU is just a game ahead of Montana State and Eastern Washington for a three-way third-place tie.
Jerrick Harding was held to just 16 points in the first meeting this season, but he is the conferences second-leading scorer, behind Davis.
One of the biggest reasons the Wildcats are leading the conference in scoring is because they have four players averaging double figures. Cody John at 14.8, Brekkott Chapman at 12.7 and Zach Braxton at 10.2.

The Wildcats have won four of the five meetings since Jeff Linder took over, but UNC's win was a dominant performance in last season's BSC tournament. The Bears held a three-point lead at the half in the first meeting, only to WSU open the second on a 12-3 and never look back.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP

Weber State leads the Big Sky in 3-point FG defense, while the Bears are fourth in 3-point percentage.
The Wildcats lead the conference in scoring at 80.8 per game and the Bears are third in the conference in PPG allowed at 69.7.
WSU is second in FG percentage and UNC is third.

Just like the first time UNC and WSU got together, the Bears will follow the meeting with a date with Idaho State.

ISU INSIGHT

Idaho State will be coming off a week off since they last played a game, a loss to Portland State.
A loss has been a common theme for the Bengals this season, since the first meeting with the Bears they have only picked up a pair of W's and are currently on a four-game slide.
But, the danger ISU possess is the three-ball. They are averaging 9.6 makes a game this season, the identical number as the Bears and they are second in the conference in percentage.
UNC held ISU to just two made three-pointers in the victory in Pocatello.
Brandon Boys lead the Bengals at 15 points per game.

A win over Idaho State would give the Bears their fourth season series sweep this year.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP

ISU is ninth in the conference in three-point FG defense and UNC knocked down 13 triples in the first meeting.
UNC comes into the weekend third in the conference in scoring defense, while only Montana State allows more points per game than Idaho State.
Rebounding can always play a factor and the Bears are second in the BSC at plus 2.8, while the Bengals are ninth at nearly minus two.
ISU leads the all-time series 30-18, but UNC has won the last four meetings and Linder has only lost one time in his career to the Bengals.

Tipoff for both games is set for 7 p.m. on both Thursday and Saturday and tickets are available for both games at tickets.UNCO.edu or by calling the UNC Box Office at 970-351-4849 Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.