# Weber State Wildcats men's basketball

The Weber State Wildcats men's basketball team is the basketball team representing Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. The program is classified in the NCAA Division I and is a member of the Big Sky Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament in 2016. The Wildcats are currently coached by Eric Duft.
Street & Smith ranked Weber State 51st in its 2005 list of the 100 greatest college basketball programs of all time, while Jeff Sagarin placed the program 116th in his 2009 all-time rankings in the ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia.
With a winning percentage of .630, the Wildcats have the 27th highest winning percentage in Division I college basketball through the end of the 2018–19 season.

## Season by season records

Statistics overview :
| Season | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason |
| Dick Motta (Big Sky) (1962–1968) ||||||
| 1962–63 | Dick Motta | 22–4 | | | |
| 1963–64 | Dick Motta | 17–8 | 7–3 | 2nd | |
| 1964–65 | Dick Motta | 22–3 | 8–2 | 1st | |
| 1965–66 | Dick Motta | 20–5 | 8–2 | T–1st | |
| 1966–67 | Dick Motta | 18–7 | 5–5 | T–3rd | |
| 1967–68 | Dick Motta | 21–6 | 12–3 | 1st | NCAA First Round |
| Dick Motta: | Dick Motta: | 120–33 (.784) | 40–15 (.727) | | |
| Phil Johnson (Big Sky) (1968–1971) ||||||
| 1968–69 | Phil Johnson | 27–3 | 15–0 | 1st | NCAA West Regionals |
| 1969–70 | Phil Johnson | 20–7 | 12–3 | 1st | NCAA First Round |
| 1970–71 | Phil Johnson | 21–6 | 12–2 | 1st | NCAA First Round |
| Phil Johnson: | Phil Johnson: | 68–16 (.810) | 39–5 (.886) | | |
| Gene Visscher (Big Sky) (1971–1975) ||||||
| 1971–72 | Gene Visscher | 18–11 | 10–4 | 1st | NCAA West Regionals |
| 1972–73 | Gene Visscher | 20–7 | 13–1 | 1st | NCAA First Round |
| 1973–74 | Gene Visscher | 14–12 | 8–6 | 3rd | |
| 1974–75 | Gene Visscher | 5–8 | 1–2 | | |
| Gene Visscher: | Gene Visscher: | 57–38 (.600) | 32–12 (.727) | | |
| Neil McCarthy (Big Sky) (1975–1985) ||||||
| 1974–75 | Neil McCarthy | 6–7 (11–15) | 5–6 (6–8) | 5th | |
| 1975–76 | Neil McCarthy | 21–11 | 9–5 | T–1st | |
| 1976–77 | Neil McCarthy | 20–8 | 11–3 | 2nd | |
| 1977–78 | Neil McCarthy | 19–10 | 9–5 | 3rd | NCAA 1st Round |
| 1978–79 | Neil McCarthy | 25–9 | 10–4 | 1st | NCAA 2nd Round |
| 1979–80 | Neil McCarthy | 26–3 | 13–1 | 1st | NCAA 1st Round |
| 1980–81 | Neil McCarthy | 8–19 | 5–9 | T–5th | |
| 1981–82 | Neil McCarthy | 15–13 | 6–8 | T–4th | |
| 1982–83 | Neil McCarthy | 23–8 | 10–4 | T–1st | NCAA 1st Round |
| 1983–84 | Neil McCarthy | 23–8 | 12–2 | 1st | NIT 2nd Round |
| 1984–85 | Neil McCarthy | 20–9 | 9–5 | 3rd | |
| Neil McCarthy: | Neil McCarthy: | 206–105 (.662) | 99–52 (.656) | | |
| Larry Farmer (Big Sky) (1985–1988) ||||||
| 1985–86 | Larry Farmer | 18–11 | 7–7 | T–4th | |
| 1986–87 | Larry Farmer | 7–22 | 4–10 | 8th | |
| 1987–88 | Larry Farmer | 9–21 | 6–10 | 8th | |
| Larry Farmer: | Larry Farmer: | 34–54 (.386) | 17–27 (.386) | | |
| Denny Huston (Big Sky) (1988–1991) ||||||
| 1988–89 | Denny Huston | 17–11 | 9–7 | 5th | |
| 1989–90 | Denny Huston | 14–15 | 8–8 | T–5th | |
| 1990–91 | Denny Huston | 12–16 | 7–9 | T–5th | |
| Denny Huston: | Denny Huston: | 43–42 (.506) | 25–24 (.510) | | |
| Ron Abegglen (Big Sky) (1991–1999) ||||||
| 1991–92 | Ron Abegglen | 16–13 | 10–6 | T–3rd | |
| 1992–93 | Ron Abegglen | 20–8 | 10–4 | 2nd | |
| 1993–94 | Ron Abegglen | 21–9 | 11–3 | T–1st | |
| 1994–95 | Ron Abegglen | 21–9 | 11–3 | T–1st | NCAA Round of 32 |
| 1995–96 | Ron Abegglen | 20–10 | 10–4 | T–2nd | |
| 1996–97 | Ron Abegglen | 15–13 | 9–7 | T–4th | |
| 1997–98 | Ron Abegglen | 14–13 | 12–4 | 2nd | |
| 1998–99 | Ron Abegglen | 25–8 | 13–3 | 1st | NCAA Round of 32 |
| Ron Abegglen: | Ron Abegglen: | 152–83 (.647) | 86–34 (.717) | | |
| Joe Cravens (Big Sky) (1999–2006) ||||||
| 1999-00 | Joe Cravens | 18–10 | 10–6 | T–4th | |
| 2000–01 | Joe Cravens | 15–14 | 8–8 | T–4th | |
| 2001–02 | Joe Cravens | 18–11 | 8–6 | 3rd | |
| 2002–03 | Joe Cravens | 26–6 | 14–0 | 1st | NCAA First Round |
| 2003–04 | Joe Cravens | 15–14 | 7–7 | 2nd | |
| 2004–05 | Joe Cravens | 14–16 | 7–7 | 5th | |
| 2005–06 | Joe Cravens | 10–17 | 4–10 | T–7th | |
| Joe Cravens: | Joe Cravens: | 116–88 (.569) | 58–44 (.569) | | |
| Randy Rahe (Big Sky) (2006–2022) ||||||
| 2006–07 | Randy Rahe | 20–12 | 11–5 | 1st | NCAA first round |
| 2007–08 | Randy Rahe | 16–14 | 10–6 | 3rd | |
| 2008–09 | Randy Rahe | 21–10 | 15–1 | 1st | NIT first round |
| 2009–10 | Randy Rahe | 20–11 | 13–3 | 1st | NIT first round |
| 2010–11 | Randy Rahe | 18–14 | 11–5 | 3rd | CBI first round |
| 2011–12 | Randy Rahe | 25–7 | 14–2 | 2nd | CIT second round |
| 2012–13 | Randy Rahe | 30–7 | 18–2 | 2nd | CIT Finals |
| 2013–14 | Randy Rahe | 19–12 | 14–6 | 1st | NCAA second round |
| 2014–15 | Randy Rahe | 13–17 | 8–10 | T–7th | |
| 2015–16 | Randy Rahe | 26–9 | 15–3 | 1st | NCAA first round |
| 2016–17 | Randy Rahe | 20–14 | 12–6 | T–3rd | CIT second round |
| 2017–18 | Randy Rahe | 20–11 | 13–5 | T–3rd | |
| 2018–19 | Randy Rahe | 18–15 | 11–9 | T–4th | |
| 2019–20 | Randy Rahe | 12–20 | 8–12 | T–8th | |
| 2020–21 | Randy Rahe | 17–6 | 12–3 | T–2nd | |
| 2021–22 | Randy Rahe | 21-12 | 13-7 | T–3rd | |
| Randy Rahe: | Randy Rahe: | 316–191 (.623) | 198–85 (.700) | | |
| Eric Duft (Big Sky) (2022–Present) ||||||
| 2022–23 | Eric Duft | 18-15 | 12-6 | 3rd | |
| 2023–24 | Eric Duft | 20-12 | 11-7 | 4th | |
| Eric Duft: | Eric Duft: | 38–27 (.585) | 23–13 (.639) | | |
| Total: | Total: | 1,127-674 (.626) | | | |
| National champion   Postseason invitational champion   Conference regular season champion   Conference regular season and conference tournament champion  Division regular season champion  Division regular season and conference tournament champion  Conference tournament champion ||||||
Updated through end of 2023–24 season

## Postseason
### NCAA tournament results

The Wildcats have appeared in 16 NCAA Tournaments, with a combined record of 6–17. Two of those wins are among the biggest upsets in NCAA Tournament history. In 1995, No. 14-seeded Weber State upset third-seeded Michigan State.
In 1999, led by Harold Arceneaux, the Wildcats, again a No. 14 seed, faced perennial powerhouse North Carolina in the first round in Seattle. North Carolina was making its 25th consecutive NCAA appearance and had been to the Final Four two years in a row. The Wildcats were heavy underdogs against the Tar Heels, but controlled the game, leading for most of the second half. North Carolina had no answer for Arceneaux, who scored from everywhere on the floor and finished with 36 points (20 in the second half). Weber State led by 10 points with 3:59 left in the game, and went on to win 76–74. They were the first team to defeat the Tar Heels in the first round since first-round byes were eliminated in 1985. The Wildcats pushed Florida to overtime in the second round before losing 82–74. These were the deepest tournament runs by a Big Sky team since Idaho advanced to the Sweet 16 in 1982.
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1968 | | Round of 23 | New Mexico State | L 57–68 |
| 1969 | | Round of 25 Sweet Sixteen Regional third place | Seattle Santa Clara New Mexico State | W 75–73 L 59–63$^{OT}$ W 58–56 |
| 1970 | | Round of 25 | Long Beach State | L 73–92 |
| 1971 | | Round of 25 | Long Beach State | L 66–77 |
| 1972 | | Round of 25 Sweet Sixteen Regional third place | Hawaiʻi No. 1 UCLA San Francisco | W 91–64 L 58–90 L 64–74 |
| 1973 | | Round of 25 | Long Beach State | L 75–88 |
| 1978 | | Round of 32 | Arkansas | L 52–73 |
| 1979 | No. 7 MW | Round of 40 Round of 32 | No. 10 New Mexico State No. 2 Arkansas | W 81–78$^{OT}$ L 63–74 |
| 1980 | No. 7 W | Round of 48 | No. 10 Lamar | L 86–87 |
| 1983 | No. 9 W | Round of 48 | No. 8 Washington State | L 52–62 |
| 1995 | No. 14 S | Round of 64 Round of 32 | No. 3 Michigan State No. 6 Georgetown | W 79–72 L 51–53 |
| 1999 | No. 14 W | Round of 64 Round of 32 | No. 3 North Carolina No. 6 Florida | W 76–74 L 74–82$^{OT}$ |
| 2003 | No. 12 M | Round of 64 | No. 5 Wisconsin | L 74–81 |
| 2007 | No. 15 W | Round of 64 | No. 2 UCLA | L 42–70 |
| 2014 | No. 16 W | Round of 64 | No. 1 Arizona | L 59–68 |
| 2016 | No. 15 E | Round of 64 | No. 2 Xavier | L 53–71 |

### NIT results

The Wildcats have appeared in three National Invitation Tournaments (NIT), with a combined record of 1–3.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1984 | First Round Second Round | Fordham Southwestern Louisiana | W 75–63 L 72–74 |
| 2009 | First Round | San Diego State | L 49–65 |
| 2010 | First Round | Cincinnati | L 62–76 |

### CBI results

The Wildcats have appeared in one College Basketball Invitational (CBI) and lost their opening game.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 2011 | First Round | Oregon | L 59–68 |

### CIT results

The Wildcats have appeared in three CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournaments (CIT), with a combined record of 6–3. They advanced to the championship game in 2013.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 2012 | First Round Second Round | Utah Valley Loyola Marymount | W 72–69 L 78–84 $^{OT}$ |
| 2013 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship Game | Cal Poly Air Force Oral Roberts Northern Iowa East Carolina | W 85–43 W 78–57 W 83–74 W 59–56 L 74–77 |
| 2017 | First Round Second Round | Cal State Fullerton Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | W 80–76 L 73–82 |

## Honors and accolades
### Retired numbers

| Number | Player | Years | Year retired |
| 1 | Damian Lillard | 2008–2012 | 2017 |
| 22 | Bruce Collins | 1976–1980 | 2016 |
| 35 | Willie Sojourner | 1968–1971 | 2015 |

### Weber State players in the NBA/ABA

The following former Wildcats have appeared in at least one NBA or ABA game:
* Lance Allred (C), 2008
* Larry Bergh (F), 1970
* Joel Bolomboy (F), 2017–2018
* Bob Davis (F), 1973
* Eddie Gill (G), 2001–2009
* Dillon Jones (F) 2025-present
* Damian Lillard (G), 2013–present
* Wat Misaka (G), 1948
* Ruben Nembhard (G), 1997
* Willie Sojourner (F), 1971–1975 (ABA)
* Dan Sparks (F), 1969-1970
* Justus Thigpen (G), 1970–1974