The 1976–77 Weber State Wildcats men's basketball team represented

Weber State College Weber State University (pronounced ) is a public university in Ogden, Utah. It was founded in 1889 as Weber Stake Academy. It is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. History Weber State University was founde ...

during the 1976–77 NCAA Division I basketball season. Members of the

Big Sky Conference The Big Sky Conference (BSC) is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. Member institutions are located in the western United States in the eig ...

, the

Wildcats The wildcat is a species complex comprising two small wild cat species: the European wildcat (''Felis silvestris'') and the African wildcat (''F. lybica''). The European wildcat inhabits forests in Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus, while the ...

were led by second-year head coach Neil McCarthy and played their home games on campus at Wildcat Gym in Ogden, Utah. They were overall in the regular season and in conference play. Weber State was second in the regular season standings and qualified for the four-team conference tournament, hosted by Idaho State in Pocatello. The Wildcats won their semifinal by a point over underdog and advanced to the final again, this time to host Idaho State; the teams had split the season series with home wins. The trend continued as Idaho State won the tournament final at home by six points. They advanced to the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight, upsetting #2

UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...

in the Sweet Sixteen. It remains the best-ever showing in the NCAA tournament by a Big Sky team. Forward Stan Mayhew was named to the all-conference team, center Jim Erickson was on the second team, and freshman guard Mark Mattos was honorable mention. Weber State appeared in the first five finals of the conference tournament, and won the next three ( 1978,

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the '' International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the '' Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the so ...

, 1980). This was the last season in Wildcat Gym (now Swenson Gym); the new

Dee Events Center Dee Events Center is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the western United States, located on the campus of Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. The circular, 11,592-seat domed arena, similar in design to many of the era, opened in 1977 and was na ...

opened in November 1977.

Postseason results

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References

External links

Sports Reference
– Weber State Wildcats: 1976–77 basketball season {{DEFAULTSORT:1976-77 Weber State Wildcats men's basketball team Weber State Wildcats men's basketball seasons

Weber State Weber State University (pronounced ) is a public university in Ogden, Utah. It was founded in 1889 as Weber Stake Academy. It is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. History Weber State University was founded ...