krobinett@journalnet.com

Idaho State players are hoping for a big crowd.

Idaho State administrators are hoping everyone in attendance wears a white T-shirt.

Joe O'Brien is hoping for those things too. But more than anything, the Idaho State men's basketball coach wants a win during tonight's 7:05 matchup against Weber State at Holt Arena.

Coming off a humbling 72-69 loss to last-place Sacramento State on Saturday, it's not hard to understand why.

"This week and next Saturday are critical," he said. "These next few days are going to define what we have a chance to be. Everything right now weighs on playing well tonight."

After Idaho State takes on first-place Weber State (12-8 overall, 6-1 Big Sky) today, it will play the Wildcats again Saturday in Ogden, Utah. Then, the Bengals will have a week off before hitting the road once again to take on Northern Colorado.

Had the Bengals found a way to beat the Hornets, they'd be one game behind the conference leaders and in position to surpass them with a continued winning streak.

Now, they need wins simply to keep pace with third-place Montana.

O'Brien feels his players have recovered from their most recent loss and are motivated to do that.

"I think we've moved on," he said. "I think we moved on during the second half on Saturday night. We just had one bad half on the road and got beat."

Weber State is a team that hasn't experienced that problem yet. Since the start of conference play, the Wildcats are a perfect 4-0 in road games.

And they are the only team in the league to have beaten defending Big Sky champion Portland State in more than a year.

O'Brien is impressed with them.

"They've had a great first half of the conference season," he said. "They've done something that nobody else in the league has been able to do. Their one glitch came at home. But they're undefeated on the road. They say you're supposed to win half your road games in conference play to contend. Well, they've already done that."

Weber State coach Randy Rahe said he's happy with how things have gone thus far. He's received outstanding production from freshmen Kyle Bullinger and Damian Lillard, who are combining for nearly 20 points per game, and Pocatello native Nick Hansen is averaging nearly nine points per game.

But by no means does he believe his team feels like it has arrived. There is still lots of work to do.

"We don't view ourselves as one of the best teams in the league," he said. "The difference between everyone in this league is very minute."

It's a difference Idaho State is hoping to close tonight.