The raucous crowd at Dahlberg Arena and relentless defense his opponents will play tonight likely won't faze Weber State guard Nick Hansen.
He's overcome much more than what the Montana Grizzlies will present in a Big Sky showdown tonight.
Hansen managed to contribute for the Wildcats in two games last week following the death of his brother-in-law in an automobile accident in Idaho. Hansen had to twice go back and forth between Ogden and Pocatello during a hectic week to be there for his family, as well as attend the funeral.
Fans wouldn't have had any idea how mentally spent Hansen was by the end of Saturday's 78-68 win over Portland State because the junior transfer from the College of Southern Idaho had one of his best games of the season against the Vikings. He drained four 3-pointers in the first half, and finished with 12 points, three steals and two assists.
Hansen admits it was a difficult week, but one he was able to get through because of the support he received.
"I guess just the love and support of the community of Pocatello (helped me get through it)," Hansen said. "It was amazing. We have a lot of good family friends, even people we didn't know all that well, expressed their feelings. Coach (Randy) Rahe and the staff were great, my teammates were great. Everyone just made it easier on my family."
After spending some time with his family early in the week, Hansen played against Eastern Washington and returned home following Weber State's win on Thursday. He attended his brother-in-law's funeral Friday, missed practice, and was back in Ogden on Saturday for the Portland State game.
"He was excited to come back and play," Rahe said. "He showed a lot of character and maturity. He wanted to come back and help his team. I'm really proud of him for that."
Hansen is one of Weber State's best shooters, and his 3-point range adds a valuable dimension to the Wildcats' offense. Weber State will need Hansen and the rest of the Wildcats to be at their best to defeat the red-hot Grizzlies tonight. Montana, with seven straight wins, is 1½ games behind the first-place Wildcats. The Grizzlies haven't lost since they were routed by Weber State 71-55 in the Dee Events Center last month
The Wildcats know they'll see a much tougher Montana team this time around, and especially because the game is being played in Missoula. The Grizzlies are unbeaten at home in conference play and 11-1 overall on their home floor. Montana is also in a must-win situation to keep its hopes alive for the regular season title and right to host the conference postseason tournament.
"It's going to be a huge challenge," Rahe said. "They're playing as good as any team in our league."
The only team the Grizzlies can compare themselves to right now is Weber State, which has just as much riding on tonight's game. The Wildcats, winners of eight straight, can clinch a share of the regular season title and ensure that the Big Sky tournament is played in Ogden.
Wildcats on the air
Weber State (11-1, 17-8) at Montana (10-3,16-9)
Tonight, 7:05 p.m.
TV: None
Radio: 1430 AM
E-mail: aaragon@desnews.com