1977–78 Weber State Wildcats men's basketball team

The 1977–78 Weber State Wildcats men's basketball team represented Weber State College during the 1977–78 NCAA Division I basketball season. Members of the Big Sky Conference, the Wildcats were led by third-year head coach Neil McCarthy and played their home games on campus at the new Dee Events Center in Ogden, Utah. They were 17–9 overall in the regular season and 9–5 in conference play.

1977–78 Weber State Wildcats men's basketball
Big Sky Tournament champions
ConferenceBig Sky Conference
1977–78 record19–10 (9–5 Big Sky)
Head coach
Home arenaDee Events Center
1977–78 Big Sky men's basketball standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L PCT  W L PCT
Montana12–2 .857  20–8  .714
Idaho State11–3 .786  16–10  .615
Weber State †9–5 .643  19–10  .655
Boise State8–6 .571  13–14  .481
Gonzaga7–7 .500  14–15  .483
Northern Arizona5–9 .357  11–14  .440
Montana State3–11 .214  9–17  .346
Idaho1–13 .071  4–22  .154
† Conference tournament winner

Weber State was third in the regular season standings and qualified for the four-team conference tournament, hosted by regular season champion Montana in Missoula.[1][2] The Wildcats defeated defending champion Idaho State in the semifinal,[3][4] then upset the host in the final in overtime.[5][6]

Weber State appeared in the first five finals of the conference tournament; this was the first of three consecutive titles.

The Wildcats received an automatic bid to the 32-team NCAA Tournament, but lost in the first round to seventh-ranked Arkansas in Eugene, Oregon;[7][8] Arkansas ultimately advanced to the Final Four. It was Weber State's first NCAA appearance in five years, since they went to six consecutive (1968–1973).

Postseason results
Date
time, TV		 Opponent Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Big Sky Tournament
Fri, March 3
7:00 pm		 vs. Idaho State
Semifinal		 W 84–79  18–9
 Adams Field House (9,350)
Missoula, Montana
Sat, March 4
8:00 pm		 at Montana
Final		 W 62–55 OT 19–9
 Adams Field House (9,203)
Missoula, Montana
NCAA Tournament
Sat, March 11*
12:10 pm		 vs. No. 7 Arkansas
First round		 L 52–73  19–10
 McArthur Court (9,141)
Eugene, Oregon
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Mountain time.

References
  1. "Big Sky playoff starts at Montana". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. March 3, 1978. p. 5B.
  2. Ewer, Bill (March 3, 1978). "Weber, Idaho State set for tourney test tonight". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. B5.
  3. "Montana, Weber in Big Sky finals". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. March 4, 1978. p. 1B.
  4. Ewer, Bill (March 4, 1978). "Weber going for Big Sky marbles". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. 6A.
  5. "Weber State stops Montana for Big Sky title". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. March 5, 1978. p. 2B.
  6. Ewer, Bill (March 6, 1978). "Weber not awed by NCAA foe Arkansas". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. B5.
  7. Withers, Bud (March 12, 1978). "Arkansas' quick paralyzes Weber". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 4B.
  8. Benson, Lee (March 13, 1978). "The Hogs bury Weber". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. 2D.
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