Junior wing and Georgia Tech transfer Dyllan Thompson led WSU with 18 points and seven rebounds, shooting 4 of 7 from the 3-point line.

“It’s a game of ebbs and flows. There was back and forth in the first half, and that’s going to happen, that’s part of it,” WSU head coach Kaleb Canales said. “We showed some competitive endurance; we know it’s a long game. Going 10 for 23 from 3, scoring 96 points and holding a team to 74 is always a good formula.”

Former Utah prep player of the year Quentin Meza hit a 3 out of halftime for Westminster — the Salt Lake City-based Division II school now led by former Layton Christian Academy coach Casey Stanley — and the Griffins led 45-43 two minutes into the second half.

Thompson then scored 10 points in the next 90 seconds, hitting three 3-pointers over WSU’s next four possessions, finishing the stretch with an and-one free throw after the final 3. Sophomore and UNLV transfer Mason Abittan made a 3 on the next trip to cap a 15-4 run and put WSU ahead 58-49.

Greg Merrill, for WSU Athletics

WSU’s lead hovered around 8-14 from there until a Westminster 7-0 run out of the under-8 timeout had the score to 74-67 with 7:03 left. Thompson capped a quick nine-point WSU answer with his fourth 3 to make it 83-70

That started a 22-7 run over 6:03 of clock that put Weber up 96-72 with 1:00 on the clock.

Abittan totaled 17 points, six rebounds and four assists. Sophomore center and New Mexico State transfer Augustine Ekwe added 15 points and nine rebounds for WSU.

Another former Utah prep player of the year got his first unofficial college action when Weber State started freshman Gavin Lowe at point guard; sophomore ArDarius Grayson sat out Saturday due to “team rules,” Canales said.

Lowe finished with 12 points, seven assists, three steals and one turnover.

Greg Merrill, for WSU Athletics

“Absolutely loved his game. He was plus-37 in 27 minutes,” Canales said. “He was disciplined in the second half … quite a debut for the young fella.”

Do-it-all junior wing and St. Louis transfer Dylan Warlick added 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

Junior guard and Rice transfer Aaron Powell hit a pair of 3s and scored eight points off the bench.

“That’s going to be our thing. On any given night, anyone can lead us in scoring and tonight is a good example of that. … We want to have that balanced offensive attack,” Canales said.

Springville native and sophomore guard Jake Nadauld led Westminster with 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Meza finished with 16 points, and former WSU walk-on Brady Smith pitched in 10 points on a 4-for-4 shooting night.

The Griffins shot 14 of 14 from the free-throw line in the first half to keep pressure on WSU.

Weber State’s main concern coming out of the game is the knee of junior guard and Utah transfer Alvin Jackson III. Jackson scored four points in 16 minutes before tangling with a Westminster player going for a steal and leaving with an injured knee.

Canales said Jackson iced his knee for the remainder of the game and hopes were that nothing longterm was on the table, but he was waiting for more info from the training team.

The game was the second of three exhibitions Weber State is playing against Division II teams from the RMAC, with wins over Colorado Christian and Westminster. WSU next hosts Colorado Mesa at 6 p.m. Wednesday before hitting the road to open the season Monday, Nov. 2, at Oregon State.

“We shared the ball; 19 assists and 11 turnovers are good numbers. And we shot the ball better at the free-throw line; we’ve worked with coaches on that,” Canales said. “I think we’ve answered the bell in both games, so now we’ll close out exhibition season and get ready for the real thing Monday.”