The Weber State University Women’s Basketball team routed the Portland University Pilots on Dec. 3, beating them 76–37.
The game left the Wildcats’ stat sheet full. Weber State boasted 22 assists, shot 50 percent from the field and 48 percent from outside the arc.
“Our goal for tonight was to dictate offensively and defensively,” Head Coach Bethann Ord said.
The Wildcats certainly did that, forcing the Pilots to shoot just 29.4 percent from the field. The Pilots found it difficult to navigate past the Weber defense, and they were held to single digits in the second and third quarter.
“We’re going to get wide open shots if we move the ball,” Ord said. “I think the girls did a really great job of that.”
Those wide-open shots contributed to a high shooting percentage, especially early in the game.
The Wildcats shot 62.5 percent in the first quarter, but their 3-point percentage stuck out. Four different Wildcats made five 3-pointers in the first quarter, contributing to a 14-point lead. Weber also capitalized on fast break points, scoring several times off of stolen passes.
In the second quarter, an offensive foul committed by Portland was reviewed but was ruled not to be a flagrant. Neither team saw much action at the free throw line, although Weber committed only six team fouls, compared to 14 from the Pilots.
The Wildcats roared past the Portland defense as the game progressed, outscoring the Pilots 20–6 in the second quarter.
The Wildcats kept the fast tempo that they know so well, and it paid off throughout the game by both opening up the outside shot and forcing the Pilot defense to take the Wildcats seriously in the paint.
Sophomore Emily Drake made a career high six 3-pointers, knocking down her sixth with just over four minutes to play in the fourth quarter. Drake bested her previous record of five 3-pointers that she set against Stetson University in her last game.
Drake said that she has her teammates to thank for getting her open and passing the ball.
“We’ve been emphasizing that extra pass all week in practice, and it paid off tonight,” Drake said.
The Wildcats also focused on not giving the Pilots a chance to get back into the game.
“We’ve played in a lot of close games this year, and one of our goals is when we get a lead to keep it,” Drake said.
The Wildcats did just that, leading by as many as 40 points at one point.
Drake led the scoring for the Wildcats with 24 points.
Junior Kailie Quinn and senior Deeshyra Thomas also registered double-digit points, scoring 14 and 13 points, respectively. Nine different Wildcats contributed assists, with sophomore Jaiamoni Welch-Coleman leading the way with five.
Weber State is preparing for one of their in-state rivals, BYU, whom they play in Provo on Dec. 7.
The Wildcats will play their next home game on Dec. 9 against California State University, Northridge.
