Weber State rallies in 2nd half to upset No. 23 Saint Mary's
MORAGA, Calif. (AP) Dillon Jones scored a career-high 29 points and had 10 rebounds, and Weber State rallied from 14 down in the second half to stun No. 23 Saint Mary’s 61-57 on Sunday night.
Jones, a unanimous preseason pick to be MVP in the Big Sky, had nine points as part of a 23-4 run midway through the second half that erased a 49-35 deficit and put the Wildcats (2-0) ahead to stay after they trailed the entire first half.
“Call my bluff if you want but I came in tonight expecting to win,” Jones said. “ After we did the starting lineups I told the team, ’The reason the higher-level teams beat lower-level teams is because they just give them a certain respect. I told (my teammates) we’re not going to give them respect.
“I was almost in tears telling the team that because I emotionally really thought we could win. It’s one thing to say it. It’s another thing to actually do it.”
Aidan Mahaney and Harry Wessels each scored 11 points to pace the Gaels (2-1).
Neither team shot well from the perimeter. Saint Mary’s was 5 of 27 (18.5%) on 3-pointers. Weber State went 6 of 21 (28.6%) beyond the arc.
The Gaels were sloppy over the final five minutes and committed three of their 15 turnovers, a problem that plagued Saint Mary’s in its win over New Mexico earlier in the week.
“Concerned. Not very good there,” Gaels coach Randy Bennett said. “We keep turning the ball over, not shooting it well. We didn’t play well enough at either end of the floor to pull that thing out.”
With several NBA scouts in attendance as well as his brother, Jones picked the perfect night to have his career game. He shot 11 of 20 and overcame five turnovers to lead the Wildcats to the win.
The Wildcats’ victory wasn’t a total surprise. With all five starters back from last season’s team that finished 18-15, Weber State is favored to win the Big Sky.
“The message is just that we are a good team, a good collective group of guys,” Jones said. “We’re not just going to five people respect because of their name. We will be able to show up and play.”
BIG PICTURE
Weber State: The Wildcats first win in five all-time games between the two schools, and it was a big one. While Jones did the chunk of scoring, his teammates kept their cool and chipped away at the leads until they took control.
Saint Mary’s: The Gaels had too many self-inflicted wounds and are likely to drop out of the Top 25 after this loss. Bennett has spoken to his team several times about the mistakes the Gaels were making but it didn’t see to make much difference.
UP NEXT
Weber State: Plays Gardener-Webb in the Atlantic Slam in Canada on Friday, the first of three games in three days for the Wildcats.
Saint Mary’s: Faces No. 17 San Diego State in the Continental Tires Main Event in Las Vegas on Friday.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Alex Tew vs. Mitchell Saxen (Dyson Koehler gains possession) | |||
19:37 | Dillon Jones turnover (bad pass) | |||
19:16 | Alex Ducas misses three point jump shot | |||
19:14 | Dyson Koehler defensive rebound | |||
18:45 | Dillon Jones misses three point jump shot | |||
18:43 | Alex Ducas defensive rebound | |||
18:34 | Joshua Jefferson misses three point jump shot | |||
18:32 | Steven Verplancken defensive rebound | |||
18:28 | Dillon Jones turnover (traveling) | |||
18:11 | +3 | Aidan Mahaney makes three point jump shot (Joshua Jefferson assists) | 0-3 | |
17:47 | Steven Verplancken turnover (bad pass) | |||
17:24 | Joshua Jefferson misses two point jump shot | |||
17:22 | Dyson Koehler defensive rebound | |||
17:13 | Mitchell Saxen blocks Dillon Jones's two point layup | |||
17:11 | Joshua Jefferson defensive rebound | |||
17:02 | +2 | Aidan Mahaney makes two point layup | 0-5 | |
16:52 | +3 | Dyson Koehler makes three point jump shot (Steven Verplancken assists) | 3-5 | |
16:30 | Mitchell Saxen offensive foul | |||
16:30 | Mitchell Saxen turnover (offensive foul) | |||
16:22 | Steven Verplancken misses three point jump shot | |||
16:20 | Joshua Jefferson defensive rebound | |||
16:03 | +3 | Alex Ducas makes three point jump shot (Aidan Mahaney assists) | 3-8 | |
15:51 | +2 | Dillon Jones makes two point layup | 5-8 | |
15:51 | Joshua Jefferson shooting foul (Dillon Jones draws the foul) | |||
15:51 | TV timeout | |||
15:51 | +1 | Dillon Jones makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 6-8 | |
15:29 | Aidan Mahaney misses three point jump shot | |||
15:27 | Dillon Jones defensive rebound | |||
14:59 | Dyson Koehler misses three point jump shot | |||
14:57 | Mitchell Saxen defensive rebound | |||
14:46 | +3 | Aidan Mahaney makes three point jump shot (Augustas Marciulionis assists) | 6-11 | |
14:21 | Dillon Jones misses three point jump shot | |||
14:15 | Gaels defensive rebound | |||
13:52 | +2 | Mitchell Saxen makes two point layup (Aidan Mahaney assists) | 6-13 | |
13:27 | Dillon Jones turnover (lost ball) (Joshua Jefferson steals) | |||
13:21 | Augustas Marciulionis offensive foul | |||
13:21 | Augustas Marciulionis turnover (offensive foul) | |||
13:11 | Blaise Threatt misses three point jump shot | |||
13:09 | Joshua Jefferson defensive rebound | |||
13:00 | Steven Verplancken personal foul | |||
12:40 | Aidan Mahaney misses three point jump shot | |||
12:38 | Mitchell Saxen offensive rebound | |||
12:27 | Aidan Mahaney misses three point jump shot | |||
12:25 | Joshua Jefferson offensive rebound | |||
12:24 | +2 | Joshua Jefferson makes two point layup | 6-15 | |
12:24 | Viljami Vartiainen shooting foul (Joshua Jefferson draws the foul) | |||
12:22 | +1 | Joshua Jefferson makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 6-16 | |
12:11 | +2 | Dillon Jones makes two point layup | 8-16 | |
11:53 | Joshua Jefferson turnover (traveling) | |||
11:52 | TV timeout | |||
11:40 | +2 | Dillon Jones makes two point layup | 10-16 | |
11:09 | Gaels turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
10:55 | KJ Cunningham misses three point jump shot | |||
10:53 | Gaels defensive rebound | |||
10:27 | +2 | Mason Forbes makes two point layup | 10-18 | |
10:27 | Viljami Vartiainen shooting foul (Mason Forbes draws the foul) | |||
10:27 | Mason Forbes misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
10:27 | Mitchell Saxen personal foul | |||
10:10 | +2 | Alex Tew makes two point jump shot | 12-18 | |
9:45 | Augustas Marciulionis misses two point jump shot | |||
9:43 | Dillon Jones defensive rebound | |||
9:35 | Dyson Koehler misses three point jump shot | |||
9:33 | Augustas Marciulionis defensive rebound | |||
9:15 | +2 | Harry Wessels makes two point layup | 12-20 | |
9:15 | Dillon Jones shooting foul (Harry Wessels draws the foul) | |||
9:15 | +1 | Harry Wessels makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 12-21 | |
9:15 | Gaels 30 second timeout | |||
9:08 | +3 | Dillon Jones makes three point jump shot (KJ Cunningham assists) | 15-21 | |
8:42 | Aidan Mahaney misses three point jump shot | |||
8:40 | Dillon Jones defensive rebound | |||
8:32 | Alex Tew offensive foul | |||
8:32 | Alex Tew turnover (offensive foul) | |||
8:21 | +2 | Alex Ducas makes two point jump shot (Mason Forbes assists) | 15-23 | |
7:58 | Harry Wessels blocks Blaise Threatt's two point layup | |||
7:58 | Wildcats offensive rebound | |||
7:58 | Harry Wessels technical foul | |||
7:58 | TV timeout | |||
7:58 | +1 | Steven Verplancken makes technical free throw 1 of 2 | 16-23 | |
7:58 | +1 | Steven Verplancken makes technical free throw 2 of 2 | 17-23 | |
7:49 | Blaise Threatt misses three point jump shot | |||
7:47 | Mason Forbes defensive rebound | |||
7:24 | +2 | Harry Wessels makes two point dunk (Alex Ducas assists) | 17-25 | |
7:00 | Steven Verplancken misses two point jump shot | |||
6:58 | Mason Forbes defensive rebound | |||
6:58 | Jump ball. (Gaels gains possession) | |||
6:43 | +2 | Harry Wessels makes two point layup | 17-27 | |
6:23 | Handje Tamba misses two point dunk | |||
6:21 | Joshua Jefferson defensive rebound | |||
6:12 | +3 | Chris Howell makes three point jump shot (Alex Ducas assists) | 17-30 | |
5:54 | +3 | Steven Verplancken makes three point jump shot (Dillon Jones assists) | 20-30 | |
5:33 | Harry Wessels misses two point layup | |||
5:31 | Dillon Jones defensive rebound | |||
5:21 | Augustas Marciulionis personal foul | |||
5:06 | Steven Verplancken misses two point layup | |||
5:04 | Chris Howell defensive rebound | |||
4:47 | Aidan Mahaney turnover (bad pass) | |||
4:32 | Dyson Koehler misses three point jump shot | |||
4:30 | Joshua Jefferson defensive rebound | |||
4:15 | +2 | Harry Wessels makes two point layup | 20-32 | |
3:53 | +2 | Dillon Jones makes two point layup | 22-32 | |
3:33 | Alex Ducas misses three point jump shot | |||
3:31 | Joshua Jefferson offensive rebound | |||
3:31 | KJ Cunningham shooting foul | |||
3:31 | TV timeout | |||
3:21 | Dyson Koehler personal foul (Aidan Mahaney draws the foul) | |||
3:21 | +1 | Aidan Mahaney makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 22-33 | |
3:21 | Aidan Mahaney misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
3:21 | Joshua Jefferson personal foul (Dillon Jones draws the foul) | |||
3:21 | +1 | Dillon Jones makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 23-33 | |
3:21 | +1 | Dillon Jones makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 24-33 | |
3:05 | Aidan Mahaney turnover (bad pass) (Dillon Jones steals) | |||
2:57 | Chris Howell shooting foul (Dillon Jones draws the foul) | |||
2:57 | +1 | Dillon Jones makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 25-33 | |
2:57 | +1 | Dillon Jones makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 26-33 | |
2:39 | +2 | Joshua Jefferson makes two point layup | 26-35 | |
2:14 | Dyson Koehler misses two point layup | |||
2:12 | Alex Ducas defensive rebound | |||
1:52 | Augustas Marciulionis misses three point jump shot | |||
1:50 | Alex Tew defensive rebound | |||
1:39 | Steven Verplancken misses two point layup | |||
1:37 | Harry Wessels defensive rebound | |||
1:26 | Alex Ducas misses three point jump shot | |||
1:24 | Dillon Jones defensive rebound | |||
1:21 | Wildcats 30 second timeout | |||
1:13 | Steven Verplancken misses three point jump shot | |||
1:11 | Harry Wessels defensive rebound | |||
0:40 | Gaels turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
0:33 | Mason Forbes blocks Dillon Jones's two point layup | |||
0:31 | Chris Howell defensive rebound | |||
0:28 | +2 | Augustas Marciulionis makes two point layup | 26-37 | |
0:01 | Dyson Koehler misses three point jump shot | |||
0:00 | Harry Wessels defensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |