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Weber State's Antoniette Emma-Nnopu follows through at the free-throw line during a regular-season contest on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.

WSU Athletics

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Weber State's Lanae Billy puts up a shot against Utah Tech during a regular-season contest on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.

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Weber State's Paris Lauro breaks away from Utah Tech's Maddie Warren, right, during a regular-season contest on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.

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Weber State's Sydney White dribbles around Utah Tech's Chardonnay Hartley during a regular-season contest on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.

WSU Atheltics

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OGDEN — Two assists away from a triple-double, Weber State’s Antoniette Emma-Nnopu lent a bit more than a helpful hand.

The senior forward dropped 22 points and collected 12 rebounds during an 82-76, come-from-behind win over in-state foe Utah Tech on Saturday at the Dee Events Center. It’s the second double-double by Emma-Nnopu this season, the other coming at Colorado State.

The services of fellow senior Lanae Billy, finishing with 23 game-high points and a new career-high, led the Wildcats (2-2) scoring-wise for the second consecutive contest — joined forces with Nnopu to lead a runaway finish after stealing the lead away from a game-long deficit, going ahead 64-61 with under 5 minutes to go.

Emma-Nnopu stepped up in more ways than one on Saturday, WSU coach Jenteal Jackson said.

“She’s tough as nails, and she just comes up with big plays when you need it,” Jackson said. “She’s a relentless competitor and really drives the group to not be OK to lose, and really fight and find a way to win any given night.”

The fourth quarter grew especially tumultuous with a second technical foul removing WSU’s Makenna Shaffer-Lauer (13 points, five rebounds) from the game and demanding Sandy native and Alta High alum Fui Niumeitolu (four points) take her place, down four with 8 minutes left.

The Wildcats improved drastically to 48% shooting on the day with a near-perfect fourth quarter (10 of 11, including 2 of 3 from behind the arc). In its previous three matchups, WSU has averaged just 37%. Sydney White (eight points), Hannah Robbins (eight points), and Maya Davis (four points) all padded the final book.

“We needed that,” Jackson said. “This group’s on the brink of a lot of greatness, and some things take a little time. I’m really glad we found it. It probably took us about 32 minutes, so a little longer than (I) would’ve liked, but we got there and we found a way.

“We tried a lot of different lineups and that last group was really getting it done, so we stuck with them for a long stretch there at the end and they were able to pull out the win. That’s big-time for them.”

The Trailblazers (2-1) were led by Kaylee Borden (21 points, 11 rebounds) and Lehi High alum Maddie Warren (17 points, four rebounds). The visitors also picked up technical fouls via Chardonnay Hartley (10 points) and Brie Crittendon (seven points) before the day ended.

WSU shuttered a seven-point window soon after the tip and tied the knot 13-all heading into the second quarter despite opening the afternoon just 4 of 16 from the field.

Emma-Nnopu gave WSU its first lead of the contest with a short-range jumper for a short-lived one-possession lead a minute into the second quarter. It’d be the only Wildcat basket for nearly 3 minutes.

Shaffer-Lauer lended a timely 3-pointer amid a late run bringing WSU within a bucket shortly before halftime, but her first technical foul soon followed; Tech ultimately led 36-31 at the half.

For a second consecutive game, Billy’s 12 points led the Wildcats (35% from the field) at halftime. Warren and Colic led the Trailblazers with seven points apiece, but neither side shot above 37% through the first 20 minutes.

Billy finish the day leading the defense with a game-high two steals.

“You can see them a little more comfortable in the system,” Jackson said. “They know when their shots are gonna come. They know where to go, what to do (and) the others are getting there. It takes a little time, but Lanae’s progress has been incredible from Day 1 that she stepped here. Defensively, people don’t realize how far she’s come on that side of the ball.”

WSU endured an 11-4 Tech run to begin the second half, and Shaffer-Lauer ultimately joined Billy in double-figuring scoring despite trailing by as much as 12 in the third quarter.

Down five atop the fourth quarter, Shaffer-Lauer registered her second tech and Niumeitolu replaced her amidst a four-point ballgame with 8 minutes left. The Wildcats seemingly fed off the foul, and Billy kicked off a 10-0 WSU run for just their second lead of the game, with Tech now trailing 64-61 with little under five minutes to go.

Losing one of her key producers at that juncture is far from ideal, Jackson said, but she left confident in her roster’s ability to feed on it, and Shaffer-Lauer’s ability to grow from it.

“On the flip side, I love her passion,” Jackson said of Shaffer-Lauer. “I really think she kind of lit the flame to fuel the fire to come back. At the end of the day, though, giving the other team four free throws for anything is never going to be good and the ball. But I love her fire, her competitive nature and what she brings to the table. If we can channel it, she’s going to be just fine.”

Quick twos by Billy and Emma-Nnopu pushed the envelope on their late run, followed by Billy’s fourth 3-pointer for WSU’s largest lead of 71-63, and a quickly-whistled Tech timeout.

The Wildcats committed three turnovers alongside 3-of-4 shooting at the free-throw line, allowing Tech to pull within four inside the final minute. A second technical foul by Tech, charged this time to Brie Crittendon with four seconds left, sealed WSU’s comeback for good.

In three home contests, WSU has allowed opponents an average of 65.6 points. They’ll hit the road for three in-state trips beginning at Utah Valley on Thursday. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. on ESPN+.

Connect with reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.