OGDEN, Utah, Jan. 19, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Weber State is ready to party like it’s 1999.
Harold “The Show” Arceneaux, Eddie “The Thrill” Gill and other members of the 1998-99 Weber State men’s basketball team will be honored at halftime of Saturday’s game vs. Idaho to celebrate the 25th anniversary of one of the greatest seasons and postseason runs in school history.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Dee Events Center.
The Wildcats went 14-0 at home that season to claim the Big Sky Conference title and its automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, then stepped into the national spotlight with a first-round upset of No. 3 seed North Carolina in Seattle.
Led by coach Ron Abegglen, WSU finished 25-8 overall and 13-3 in the Big Sky, winning both the Big Sky regular-season and tournament titles. Abegglen was named Big Sky Coach of the Year in his eighth and final season at WSU.
The 14th-seeded Wildcats became the early stars of the NCAA Tournament, knocking off the Tar Heels 76-74 in a primetime matchup at then-Key Arena in Seattle.
Arceneaux led Weber State with 36 points — including five 3-pointers. He followed that up with a 32-point performance in an overtime loss to Florida in the second round.
“The Show” was selected as Big Sky MVP, and both he and Gill earned All-Big Sky First Team honors.
Abegglen, Arceneaux and Gill all are members of the Weber State Athletics Hall of Fame. Abegglen died Dec. 18, 2018, at age 81.
