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Team: Weber State Wildcats
Conference: Big Sky Conference
Coach: Randy Rahe
Record: 26-8 overall, 15-3 in conference
KenPom Rank: 132
Good wins: over South Dakota State.
Impact Players: Joel Bolomboy is a devastating rebounder who does a great job drawing fouls(averages: 17 points, 13 rebounds per game); guard Jeremy Senglin is a scorer (18 ppg) who shoots 44% from beyond the arc. The Wildcats play very well defensively, though, and can be difficult to score against with an impatient team. they also have a player named Dusty Baker (pretty sure it's not the son of the former MLB coach) and another named McKay Cannon.
How did they get in?: Weber State defeated Montana, North Dakota and Portland State to win the Big Sky championship; Senglin scored 20 points. They had more turnovers than their opponent in each game... keeping it interesting, no doubt, for both teams.
How far can this team go in the NCAA Tournament?: Round of 32. Joel Bolomboy may be a load to handle for some teams, but Weber State may not have enough firepower or athleticism to pull off multiple wins. Especially if they continue to lose the turnover battle... and they face a Xavier Musketeer team on a mission. Really, this is a first-round knockout squad.
Last time in the NCAA Tournament: 2014