OGDEN, Utah (Interstat) — Ethan Potter’s layup with two seconds remaining lifted Utah Tech to an 82-80 victory over Weber State in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Saturday at Dee Events Center. The Trailblazers, who led 43-41 at halftime, survived a 28-point performance from Weber State’s Tijan Saine. Potter scored 23 points for Utah Tech, while Madiba Owona added 18. Trevor Hennig scored 17 for the Wildcats. Weber State had a chance to tie after Potter’s go-ahead basket, but a final attempt missed. The win improves Utah Tech to 7-6, while Weber State falls to 5-7. Attendance was 2,793.

OGDEN, Utah (Interstat) — In a game defined by its frantic final seconds and a dramatic reversal of fortune, the Utah Tech Trailblazers escaped the Dee Events Center with an 82-80 victory over the Weber State Wildcats in a nonconference men’s basketball thriller on Saturday night. The contest, played before a crowd of 2,793, was a back-and-forth affair that saw 11 ties and 15 lead changes, with neither team able to build a substantial advantage. The Trailblazers improved to 7-6 on the season, while the Wildcats fell to 5-7, a result that defied both the betting markets and statistical projections, which heavily favored Weber State. The most crucial sequence of the game unfolded in the closing ten seconds. With the score knotted at 80 and Weber State in possession following a timeout with 11 seconds remaining, the Wildcats attempted to inbound the ball to their leading scorer, Tijan Saine. The pass was deflected, leading to a chaotic scramble. Utah Tech’s Chance Trujillo eventually secured the loose ball and immediately fired a pass ahead to a streaking Ethan Potter. The 6-foot-8 forward from Layton, Utah, gathered the ball and laid it in with just two seconds left on the clock, sending the Trailblazer bench into a frenzy and silencing the home crowd. Weber State’s last-ditch attempt, a long inbounds pass that was tipped away as time expired, sealed the victory for the visitors. The final play capped a game where Utah Tech consistently answered every Weber State push. The Wildcats were carried by a heroic performance from guard Tijan Saine. The Everett, Washington, native played 36 minutes and poured in a game-high 28 points, including a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line, while adding four assists. His backcourt mate, Trevor Hennig of North Bend, Washington, provided crucial support with 17 points. Jace Whiting contributed 14 points and three assists for Weber State. Utah Tech’s victory, however, was a product of balanced scoring and key contributions throughout the lineup. Ethan Potter was a force inside, matching Saine’s intensity with 23 points on efficient shooting, along with two assists and a block. French guard Madiba Owona added 18 points, including a critical late three-pointer, and recorded a block. Fellow Frenchman Noah Bolanga chipped in 16 points, and Jusaun Holt provided a spark off the bench with 12 points. The first half set the tone for the nail-biter, with Utah Tech taking a narrow 43-41 lead into the break. The second half followed a nearly identical pattern, as both teams scored 39 points in the final period. Weber State’s offense often flowed through Saine, who attacked the rim and drew fouls consistently, while Utah Tech utilized Potter’s interior presence and timely outside shooting from Owona and Bolanga to maintain pace. Defensive stops and turnovers proved pivotal. Utah Tech forced 14 Weber State turnovers, converting them into 18 points, while the Wildcats managed only 10 points off 12 Trailblazer miscues. In a game decided by the slimmest of margins, Utah Tech’s ability to capitalize on those extra opportunities, culminating in the game-winning steal and score, made the ultimate difference. The win gives Utah Tech momentum heading into a quick turnaround game at Creighton on Monday. Weber State will look to regroup at home against Lincoln on the same night.

Preview: Utah Tech at Weber State OGDEN, Utah (Interstat) — Two in-state men’s basketball programs seeking consistency will meet Saturday when the Utah Tech Trailblazers visit the Weber State Wildcats at the Dee Events Center. Both teams enter the non-conference matchup with nearly identical records. Utah Tech (6-6) is coming off a dominant 89-48 win over Justice College on Dec. 13. Weber State (5-6) looks to rebound from a 90-74 road loss to Utah Valley on Wednesday. The Trailblazers have shown a pattern of following a loss with a win in recent weeks. Guard Tanner Davis, a player to watch for Utah Tech, facilitates the offense. He dished out six assists in the win over Justice College and will be key in managing the game against Weber State’s defense. The Wildcats will counter with their own standout, guard Edwin Suarez. He is coming off a season-high 26-point performance in the loss to Utah Valley, demonstrating his capability as a primary scorer. Suarez has scored in double figures in four of his last six games. Weber State holds a distinct home-court advantage, having gone 4-1 in Ogden this season, including decisive wins over Oral Roberts and Missouri-Kansas City. Their lone home loss was a one-point defeat to Texas-Arlington. Utah Tech’s road record stands at 1-4, with its only win away from home coming in double-overtime at Mississippi Valley State in November. The Trailblazers’ offense, which averages 77.8 points per game, will be tested by a Wildcats squad allowing just 64.2 points per game at home. This contest serves as a final tune-up before both teams dive into their respective conference schedules after the holiday break. Utah Tech opens Western Athletic Conference play on Jan. 1, while Weber State begins Big Sky Conference action the same day. Saturday’s game tips off at 7 p.m. MST.