KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Interstat) — In a game defined more by grit than grace, the Weber State Wildcats escaped Municipal Auditorium with a narrow 64-60 victory over the Missouri-Kansas City Kangaroos in a non-conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night.

The contest, played before an intimate crowd of 572, was a stark contrast to the teams’ meeting just 11 days prior, when Weber State cruised to an 82-61 win. This rematch was a defensive slog, with both teams struggling to find any offensive rhythm. The Wildcats shot just 41 percent from the field and a dismal 25 percent from three-point range, while the Kangaroos were even colder, hitting 35.6 percent overall and a frigid 16 percent from beyond the arc.

The most important part of the game unfolded in the final minute, with Weber State clinging to a precarious lead. After UMKC’s Jerome Palm tipped in a miss to tie the game at 60 with 1:24 remaining, the Wildcats’ offense stalled. Following a missed three-pointer by Tijan Saine and a defensive stop, Weber State called a timeout with 25 seconds left.

Out of the break, the Wildcats worked the clock down before Trevor Hennig’s pull-up jumper missed the mark. UMKC’s Jayson Petty secured the rebound, giving the Kangaroos a chance to hold for a final shot or win in regulation. But the Weber State defense, which forced 15 turnovers and recorded 12 steals on the night, rose to the occasion. U’Riyah Evans’ stepback three-point attempt was off target, and Palm’s follow-up tip attempt rolled off the rim.

Hennig corralled the crucial defensive rebound with three seconds left and was immediately fouled by Karmello Branch. The junior guard from North Bend, Washington, calmly sank both free throws to push the lead to 62-60. After a UMKC timeout, the Kangaroos’ desperation heave from well beyond half-court was not close, sealing the Wildcats’ hard-fought win.

Weber State was led by Malek Gomma, a 6-foot-8 forward from Seattle, who scored a game-high 19 points and added a block in 31 minutes. His interior presence was vital, especially with UMKC’s rim protector, Jerome Palm, altering numerous shots. Palm, a 6-foot-10 junior from Almere, Netherlands, finished with 15 points, five blocks, and nine rebounds in a dominant defensive performance for the Kangaroos.

Nigel Burris provided a key spark off the bench for Weber State, scoring 14 points, including a critical three-pointer with 3:02 remaining that gave the Wildcats a 57-54 lead they would not relinquish. For UMKC, Evans led the backcourt with 15 points and five assists, while Kasheem Grady added 13 points.

The game was a tale of two halves statistically but with the same scoring outcome for Weber State. The Wildcats led 32-31 at halftime and matched that output exactly in the second half, while holding the Kangaroos to 29 points after the break. Weber State’s defense was the consistent thread, converting 18 UMKC turnovers into 24 points and outscoring the Kangaroos 38-30 in the paint despite Palm’s shot-blocking presence.

The victory improved Weber State’s record to an even 5-5, while UMKC’s difficult start to the season continued, dropping to 1-9. The Kangaroos have lost nine straight since a season-opening win over an NAIA opponent.

According to pregame analytics from Interstat, Weber State was projected with a 51.4 percent probability to win and entered as a 4.5-point favorite. The combined score of 124 points fell well under the over/under line of 148.5, underscoring the defensive struggle that characterized the evening.

Weber State now looks ahead to a road game at Utah Valley on Dec. 17, while UMKC will seek to end its skid at home against Spurgeon College on Saturday.