DICKSON SCORES 20, BUT WEBER STATE DEALS MEN’S BASKETBALL A 75-60 LOSS

1/26/2012

Junior forward John Dickson recorded his fourth 20-point game of the season in the Hornets' 75-60 loss

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Weber State had four players score in double figures, led by Damian Lillard’s game-high 21 points on the way to a 75-60 victory over Sacramento State in a Big Sky Conference men’s basketball game Thursday evening at the Nest.

Lillard (21), Scott Bamforth (17), Darin Mahoney (14) and Kyle Tresnak (13) combined for 65 of Weber State’s 75 points as the Wildcats won their 10th in a row. In a game they would never trail, the Wildcats shot 53.1 percent (26-49) from the field, 40.0 percent (8-20) from the three-point line and 75.0 percent (15-20) from the free throw stripe.

Weber State jumped out to a 14-3 advantage in the game’s first four minutes and never led by anything less than six points the rest of the way. The Hornets cut the lead to eight points with 8:03 remaining in the second half, but the Wildcats answered with a 9-0 run. Three-pointers from Lillard and Gelaun Wheelwright on back-to-back possessions highlighted the run and ended any chance of an upset by Sacramento State.

The Hornets finished the game shooting just 35.2 percent (19-54) from the field, which was the team’s lowest percentage in a home contest this season. That included nine missed lay-ups, eight of which came in the second half. The team shot well from the free throw line (.773, 17-for-22), but went just 5-of-19 from the three-point line. Sacramento State was also outrebounded by Weber State, 35-26. The Hornets committed only 10 turnovers, but Weber State turned those miscues into 15 points.

Lillard, who entered the game leading the nation in scoring at 25.1 points per game, was limited to 7-of-17 shooting from the field. However, he also went 3-for-6 from distance and 4-of-4 from the free throw line while adding six rebounds and four assists. A gym-record 10 NBA scouts were on hand tonight to watch Lillard play. Sacramento State’s Jackson Carbajal drew the assignment of guarding Lillard the majority of the evening.

With the victory, Weber State (16-3, 8-0) remained in first place in the Big Sky standings while winning its 10th game in a row. The Wildcats haven’t loss since dropping a game at Cal on Dec. 16. Sacramento State dropped its ninth game in a row while falling to 5-14 overall and 0-8 in the conference. The Hornets lost by more than 11 points for just the fourth time this season.

Sacramento State was led by forward John Dickson’s 20 points as the junior finished the game 6-for-11 from the field and 8-of-10 from the free throw line. Dickson also scored 20 in the Hornets’ loss at Weber State on Dec. 31. Of the five 20-point games recorded by a Sacramento State player this year, Dickson now owns four of those performances.

Dickson was joined in double figures by Carbajal (14 points, 3-of-7 from the three-point line) and point guard Dylan Garrity (10 points, nine assists and two steals in a game-high 36 minutes). Garrity, who had just two turnovers, finished one assist shy of his second double-double of the season. Swingman Heath Hoffman had seven points, and center Konner Veteto added four points and a team-high eight rebounds.

Sacramento State, which has just nine games remaining on its schedule, returns to action for a home game Saturday evening against Northern Arizona at 7:05 p.m.