Jason Haskins's Blog, page 10

Boise State Broncos women's basketball: Search for 20 and first-round bye

 

The margin for error is tightening for the Boise State Broncos women's basketball team, with March practically here. Three games remain on the schedule. One team has already locked up a first round bye in the Mountain West conference tournament, with six others competing for the final four spots.

To close things down and secure one of those spots, Boise State (19-9, 105) will need to be at their best.

Good fortune and execution paved the way last week, with the Broncos winning two games by a combined eight points. It was nice seeing Boise State shake off that tough overtime loss to Nevada in winning close games. A Dani Bayes three-pointer with 12 seconds left gave the Broncos the deciding basket, with Natalie Pasco adding two free throws for a 58-55 victory last Wednesday. And on Saturday, Boise State held off a spirited Fresno State Bulldogs effort, winning 70-65.

Tatum Thompson impressed last week, scoring 30 points in the two wins. Pasco had 20 against Fresno State but struggled against New Mexico for a second time this season, shooting only 4-19 from the field (and Pasco is only 5-30 this season against the Lobos).

Boise State has won six of their last seven games, rising to second place in the process. A strong rise and yet, faltering down the stretch could drop the Broncos into the opening round of the Mountain West tourney.

A 1-1 week should have the Broncos locked into a top-5 spot. The Nevada Wolf Pack have a tough week, with road games at Colorado State and New Mexico. The Lobos also host San Diego State while Wyoming is at San Jose State and hosts Fresno State.

This is just a small sample of the games on the schedule. If things shake out the right way, Boise State will head into the final regular season game knowing a first round bye is secure. But first, two games this week to keep the good times rolling.

Boise State @ UNLV

A big game for the Broncos when they try to prove their mettle against the first place (and 24th-ranked) UNLV Lady Rebels (24-2, 14-1). UNLV has already clinched the regular season title and will look to extend their nine-game winning streak on Wednesday (2/28, 7:30 p.m. MT).

Boise State has lost six in a row to the Lady Rebels, falling in Boise earlier this season by a score of 84-63. Entering that game, the Broncos had won four in row. Boise State came out in defensive lockdown mode but struggled with their offense. By time they got rolling in a second half, the game was essentially out of reach.

The Broncos had only eight turnovers in that first meeting but shot 38.3 percent from the field. Their normally stellar defense took a hit in the second half, too, but a lot of that was due to energy expended on offense. Pasco had 21 points and 4 assists that game. Mya Hansen, who missed last week's game against New Mexico but returned to face Fresno State, scored 12 and Abby Muse had nine points, seven rebounds, and four blocked shots.

Likely Mountain West MVP Desi Rae Young had 25 points and 11 rebounds that game. Young averages 19 points and 9.6 rebounds.

Alyssa Durazo-Frescas had 16 points (4 threes) and Ashley Scoggin added 14. The Broncos did do a good job against Kiara Jackson, who scored only one point and had six assists. Jackson averages 11.4 and 4.7 in those categories.

Eight players scored at least five points per game for UNLV. During their winning streak, the Lady Rebels have held every opponent to under 70 points.

It's going to take a complete team effort in this game. If Boise State plays the type of defense they played in the first half, coupled with their second half offense, they can pull off the upset. If not, well, Saturday's game takes on extra importance.

Boise State vs Air Force

Saturday's game (3/2 at 2 p.m. MT) will be the final home game for Boise State, where they will be facing the Air Force Falcons (13-16, 6-10) for the first time this season.

The Broncos won both meetings in 2022-23, winning by five points each time.

Air Force has lost four of six and face the Utah State Aggies on Wednesday before closing out their regular season Saturday in Boise. Three of their six conference victories have come against the likes of Nevada, San Diego State, and Colorado State.

The Falcons average 63 points per game. They shoot 37.9 percent from the field and 30.5 percent from deep. Air Force averages 14.8 turnovers per game but they do have a harassing defense collecting 11.2 steals.

Milahnie Perry leads the team with 16.5 points and 2.7 assists per game. Perry shoots 35.5 percent from beyond the arc and has 15 straight games of scoring in double figures. She is a volume shooter, often tossing up between 14 and 20 attempts per game, and was 9-39 from the field in her last two games.

Perry also had a three-game stretch in early February where she averaged 26 points per game.

Madison Smith averages 11.4 points and is the top shooter from the field at 41.9 percent. Smith also averages 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals per contest.

Jayda McNabb averages 6.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

Air Force is no slouch and should not be taken lightly by the Broncos. With the game at home, where the Broncos are 13-2, and the added bonus of Senior Day, Boise State should take care of business. Win number 20, if not reached at UNLV, will be a perfect fit to send off the seniors in their last home game. 

Then, with only one game left at Colorado State, the madness of March can truly begin.

Boise State Broncos men's basketball: Eyes on the Mountain West prize

 

Two weeks loom large over the regular season in the Mountain West conference. The final two weeks of the 2023-24 season, in which the dust will settle. Four games for the Boise State Broncos men's basketball team to remain at the top of the Mountain West standings.

Then, the dust will get kicked up all over again come Mountain West tournament time.

The Broncos have set themselves up for success, coming off a master class on offense in their last three games. Ball movement. Efficiency. Fantastic shooting and a balanced attack. All have helped propel the Broncos since a rough stretch with two losses a few weeks back. Yes, opposition has been weaker but Boise State handled their business, averaging 88 points in their three-game winning streak, with an average margin of victory at 25.3.

It's easy for a team to lose focus in these types of games. Thankfully Boise State has not because they close the regular season with three teams possibly NCAA tournament bound. Boise State (19-8, 10-4) shares first place with the Utah State Aggies, with only three games separating first and seventh place teams. The Broncos are in midst of fighting for an important first-round bye in the MW tourney, in which the top five teams receive. 

Two wins this week would guarantee Boise State said bye. The big question sits with the Broncos and their NCAA tournament chances. They've climbed to number 32 in the NET rankings and most projections in recent weeks have them in the tournament for sure. To me, winning three of four plus a MW tourney victory should guarantee them of reaching the Big Dance for a third straight season. Even 2-2 plus a conference tournament win should mean Boise State is in good position (as long as one of those losses isn't to Air Force).

Crucial games are on the agenda this time of year, with even losses to a rising UNLV team and 19th-ranked Washington State (21-7) not looking as bad. The Broncos, with the type of activity they've had in recent games on offense plus stellar defense, will look to keep things rolling this week.

Boise State at Air Force

First up, the Broncos have a road meeting on 2/27 (7 p.m. MT) with the Air Force Falcons (9-17, 2-12). Boise State won the first matchup, running away with things in a 94-56 victory.

But, be wary of those Falcons. They may have only two conference wins but those have been huge. The first was a 32-point win in Las Vegas. The second was last Saturday, a 78-77 victory in The Pit that snapped a seven-game losing streak.

In the first meeting between Boise State and Air Force, all five Bronco starters scored in double figures. Boise State shot 60 percent from the field and was 15-27 from three-point range. The Broncos had 17 assists and only eight turnovers.

Standouts included Chibuzo Agbo and O'Mar Stanley, who each scored 14 points, and Cam Martin had four points, six rebounds, and seven assists. But, it was Tyson Degenhart who soared sky high.

Degenhart had 29 points on 11-12 shooting. This game kicked off a current six-game stretch where Degenhart is averaging 22 points per game and shooting 65.7 percent from the field. He is also pulling down almost seven rebounds per contest in this span.

Air Force shot 34.6 percent in the first matchup, with 13 turnovers. Jeffrey Mills had 17 points in that game, with Beau Becker adding 13. Boise State held Rytis Petraitis to three points, who went 0-8 from the field.

Petraitis averages 14.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists on the season. He scored 15 in the victory over New Mexico. Becker, who also averages 14.9 and shoots 50 percent from the field, scored 19 against the Lobos. Air Force shot 51.7 percent and committed only eight turnovers in the victory.

The Falcons are very capable of pulling off the upset at home, even though their two conference wins have both been on the road. Boise State needs to hold focus, especially with an even larger game on the horizon.

Broncos vs Lobos

The New Mexico Lobos (21-7, 9-6) get a full week to stew over their loss to Air Force before taking the court Saturday (3/2, 6 p.m. MT) in Boise.

This means Boise State will be facing a very motivated and fired up New Mexico squad who, with another loss, could be moving further away from the wrong side of the bubble.

In the first meeting between the teams, Boise State walked away with a 86-78 road victory. That game was where Max Rice re-emerged from a shooting slump, scoring a career-high 35 points. Agbo had 16 points and Stanley finished with a double-double (12 points, 14 rebounds). Degenhart struggled, going only 1-8 from the field and scoring four points.

Boise State shot 48.5 percent from the field and turned the ball over only 11 times. The Broncos were 9-27 from deep and had a plus 8 advantage on the boards.

Guard Donovan Dent had a career game of his own for the Lobos, scoring 31 points. Jamal Mashburn Jr. had 14 points and JT Topping pulled down 15 rebounds.

New Mexico had only seven turnovers in that meeting but shot only 7-25 from three-point range.

The Lobos are 3-4 in their last seven games. They average 82.5 points per game but only have reached that twice in this seven-game stretch.

Jaelen House averages 15.5 points and is a top defender, averaging 2.4 steals. Dent scores 15.4 a contest and shoots 52.4 percent from the field. Toppin averages 12.1 points and 8.8 per contest, teaming with Nelly Junior Joseph to form quite the inside pair. Junior Joseph had 17 points and nine rebounds in the Air Force loss.

Boise State holds a 12-2 record at home, so the Broncos should have the edge. But part of me worries New Mexico will come out ablaze. Boise State might have to withstand an early storm to prevail in this one.

Still, the Broncos are playing at such a high level, it's hard to imagine them faltering this week. They have switched gears, seen bench players rise up, and are dominating. Do that going forward, and there will be a lot to talk about regarding this Boise State team come mid-March. Until then, keep doing the work and notching the wins.

More on Boise State men's basketball:

Smooth sailing in win over Fresno State Broncos surging at halfway point

Boston Red Sox and the spring training eternal flame of hope

 

Ah, sunshine.

Beaming down glorious hope and optimism to 30 Major League Baseball teams in Arizona and Florida, where spring training is under way in preparation for the 2024 season.

The pop of a baseball slamming into a well-oiled mitt. A crack of the bat, echoing between foul poles. Chatter and dirty uniforms. Games of long toss between veterans and newcomers alike. All signs of new beginnings, and eyeballs staring towards the future.

For the Boston Red Sox, success in the future is farther off than many wish it to be. 

It is a type of rebuild perhaps a generation of Red Sox fans are not used to. Over five years have passed since Boston's last World Series title, with no playoff appearances since 2021. A franchise blessed with four World Series championships in the last 20 years, now faced with realistic expectations that a fifth won't be happening in 2024.

A strange trip in '24?

Sports can deliver funny results, with big spenders prior to the 2023 season failing to even reach the playoffs, while the Texas Rangers finally added their name to the list of champions. Pursuits of titles are a joyous and heartbreaking affair, playing dreamers and dasher of dreams along the way.

To give up in February and March, with a clean slate of 162 games on the agenda, is a tough pill to swallow. When teams spend money (recklessly or not) and the Red Sox choose a route of thriftiness, fans of the teams are not wrong to turn their looks sour.

Ah, wicked thinking.

This facet remains ingrained in the souls of a franchise that went 86 years between World Series titles. Souls toughened through heartbreak and misfortune and bad hops, with horrible seasons wiped from the brain. One wishes to that with three of the last four seasons, where last place finishes have devastated the faithful (in a very competitive AL East, one might add).

Yet, an excited and talented offense is in place, asked to again carry the team. Dreams of a dominant bullpen are carried in the heart, with perhaps a starting rotation takes form sooner rather than later. A little sunshine goes a long way, with a bit of chalk magic mixed in. Impossible? No, not at all. Things might fall into place ahead of schedule, bringing the Red Sox closer to the top of the division rather than occupying its cellar. A little success breeds confidence, and Boston could be the benefit of both in 2024.

Ah, hope.

Home cooking ahead for Boise State Broncos women's basketball

 

Five-game winning streaks have proven to be elusive for the Boise State Broncos women's basketball team so far in 2023-24. Each time the opportunity presented itself, victory has not been found.

The latest failed attempt was especially tough, losing to the Nevada Wolf Pack in overtime. It was a game the Broncos had every opportunity to win, missing free throws in regulation and overtime that might have sealed the deal for Boise State (17-9, 8-5).

This despite an outstanding game from Elodie Lalotte, who scored a season-high 19 points.

Guards Mary Kay Naro and Mya Hansen were injured late in the game. It appeared Naro rolled her ankle and Hansen left the game in overtime with what might have been a head injury. Naro did return to the game but it will be interesting to see if both are available for this week's games. 

The two have combined for 197 assists, just over 50 percent of the team's total. Naro has 32 assists over the last five games and continues to move up the Broncos all-time list. 

Natalie Pasco remains Boise State's leading scorer at 14.2 points per game. Pasco has upped that to 15.8 in the last four games, though she is only 8-28 from three-point range, including a 1-8 performance in Reno. And Abby Muse is the rebounding leader, averaging nine per contest. Muse has 21 rebounds in the last two games. More offense from her could be useful, where Muse is only 3-12 from the field in the same span.

Boise State dropped into a tie for fourth place with Nevada, who swept the season series. The Broncos, however, remain only one game behind the New Mexico Lobos and Wyoming Cowgirls. UNLV sits safely in first place with a conference record of 12-1.

Two home games this week, where the Broncos are 11-2 this season, give Boise State a chance to not only maintain their conference position but climb to second place if they take care of business. Wyoming has home games with UNLV and New Mexico and Nevada hosts UNLV on 2/24. The Broncos can get things started right when they play host to New Mexico (2/21 at 6:30 p.m. MT).

Boise State Broncos vs New Mexico Lobos

Naro missed the first game against New Mexico, a 64-56 Boise State victory. The Broncos found their stroke in that victory, knocking down 11 three-pointers. Dani Bayes had 21 points that game and Hansen had 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists. 

Hansen has been efficient in the last three games, averaging 11.3 points.

Pasco struggled in the first meeting with the Lobos, scoring only five points while shooting 1-11.

New Mexico (18-8, 9-4) is 2-2 in their last four games. The Lobos four conference losses are by an average of 6.7 points.

In the first meeting between the teams, the Lobos shot only 35.1 percent from the field and committed 13 turnovers. The Broncos, at full strength, hold an edge in bench play, where 10-11 players contribute efficiently for Boise State. New Mexico isn't as deep and bench players scored 0 points in the last meeting.

Nyah Wilson is the top scorer for New Mexico, scoring 14.8 points per game. Wilson has six conference games in which she scored 20+ points and was held to 11 by Boise State.

Aniyah Augmon had 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in that first matchup. On the season, Augmon averages 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists and recently had 22 points and 16 rebounds in a victory over Colorado State.

Paula Reus and Viane Cumber also scored in double digits in the first meeting but were a combined 7-25 from the field.

Charlotte Kohl had nine points and 10 rebounds vs the Broncos and averages 6.7 and 7, respectively.

This game will come down to Boise State's defensive effort and keeping New Mexico's guards at bay. Advantage inside and the bench goes to the Broncos and I expect a big game from Lalotte, Muse, and Trista Hull.

Boise State vs Fresno State

The Fresno State Bulldogs (13-14, 6-8) boast a deeper bench than New Mexico, with the unit scoring 23 points in their first meeting with Boise State. The Broncos overcame 21 turnovers in that game to defeat the Bulldogs 60-50.

Sophomore Tatum Thompson scored 21 points and had 7 rebounds in the victory. Pasco scored 14 and Muse had five blocked shots.

Fresno State had 14 turnovers of their own and shot 33.3 percent (5-25 on three-point attempts).

Mia Jacobs was the only Bulldog to score in double digits in the first meeting and the only one who does so on the season. Jacobs had 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists against Boise State. She averages 14.2 points and 7 rebounds per game.

The rest of the team is balanced, with six players who average at least five points per game. Kylee Fox and Taija Sta. Maria each average 8.1 points per game. Fox shoots 38.6 percent from deep and Sta. Maria averages four assists.

Fox scored eight points (3-10 from the field) in the first game against the Broncos, while Sta. Maria was 0-2 with four turnovers and three assists.

Senior Deajanae Harvey is the top player off the bench. Harvey scored a career-high 21 points off the bench last Saturday in a victory over San Jose State.

Fresno State is 2-2 in their last four games and are 3-6 in their last nine.

Discouraging as the loss to Nevada was, Boise State is in prime position to earn a first-round bye in the Mountain West tournament. Taking care of business at home is a must. Do that this week and the Broncos will be one step closer to guaranteeing exactly that.

More on Boise State Broncos women's basketball:

Ultimate defensive effort in win over Wyoming Boise State basketball: Halfway report

photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Boise State Broncos men's basketball: Setting the pace in week ahead

 

Fresh off a resounding victory, the Boise State Broncos men's basketball team is staring at a week ahead full of prime opportunity. Opportunities in two games they should win and, in the process, chances to separate from the Mountain West pack.

And even the possibility to rise to first place in the process.

Entering the week, Boise State (17-8, 8-4) sits in third place in the Mountain West Conference, 0.5 games behind the 9-4 Utah State Aggies and the 19th-ranked San Diego State Aztecs. Only 2.5 games separate the 1st and 8th place teams, with three weeks left to hope for separation.

Of course, it's the gauntlet of the Mountain West, and there's a good chance standings will be muddled even more before the regular season ends.

Big games for the top teams are on the lighter side of the schedule this week. Though, with the Mountain West, each game constitutes huge opportunities, no matter the matchup. On Tuesday (2/20), the Aggies and Aztecs square off, meaning with a Boise State victory, the Broncos will move into second place.

The Aggies face a weekend bye after, with San Diego State traveling to play Fresno State on Saturday (2/24).

The 22nd-ranked Colorado State Rams have two important road games at New Mexico and UNLV. All three teams currently have five losses. This means prime action in which the Broncos, if they take care of business, could find a sliver of separation.

Boise State vs San Jose State

Tuesday night (2/20, 8:30 p.m. MT on FS1), the Broncos welcome the Spartans. Boise State narrowly escaped San Jose with a win to start conference play, winning 78-69. The Spartans led by seven in that game but Boise State used an explosive second half to pick up the victory.

In that game, the Broncos had 0 bench points (an issue that has improved in recent games) and  committed 15 turnovers. A saving grace was the plus 20 advantage Boise State had on the boards.

O'Mar Stanley delivered a fantastic double-double in that meeting, finishing with 30 points and 11 rebounds. Tyson Degenhart had 21 points and six rebounds. This was one of seven conference games Degenhart has scored 20+ points.

Chibuzo Agbo had 15 points in that game. Despite recent struggles, Agbo is still second on the team in scoring at 14 ppg. He had a rough two-game stretch in two road losses, shooting 5-19 and only scoring 12 points. But Agbo had a better effort against Fresno State, scoring 14, and he has only five turnovers in his last seven games.

One key reason San Jose State (9-17, 2-11) held a halftime lead was the play of Myron Amey Jr. He scored 25 of his 30 points in the first half. For the season, Amey is averaging 15.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and three assists per game. The guard has scored in double figures in all but one conference game and has crossed the 20-point threshold four times.

Trey Anderson had 13 points in the first meeting, where the Spartans had only seven turnovers but were 7-27 from three-point range. Anderson averages 11.3 points and 4.3 rebounds.

Alvaro Cardenas averages 13.4 points and 5.6 assists. He had nine and seven, respectively, the first time the teams met but was only 3-10 from the field.

The Broncos will also need to key in on Tibet Gorener. Gorener averages 12.3 points and 4.2 rebounds but only had three of each in the earlier matchup.

San Jose State's two conference wins came against Air Force. The Spartans lost two games to the Wyoming Cowboys, Boise State's other opponent this week, by a combined seven points.

Cowboys host Broncos

The Wyoming Cowboys (13-12, 6-6) are doing enough to hang around the Mountain West race, thanks in large part to big home victories. It's usually a tough go of things when teams visit Laramie. This season has been no different, with the Cowboys already picking up wins over Colorado State and Nevada at home.

This is the first and only regular season meeting between Boise State and Wyoming in 2023-24. The Cowboys have lost three of their last four games and will face Nevada on Tuesday before Saturday's game (2/24 at 5:30 p.m. MT).

Wyoming averages 73.5 points and gives up 75.3. The Cowboys turn the ball over 13.6 times and are shooting 45.2 percent from the field (37.7 on threes) this season.

Four players drop more than ten points per game for Wyoming, led by Sam Griffin. Griffin scores 17.9 per contest (19.3 in his last three games) and has 61 three-pointers, shooting 39.6 percent.

Akuel Kot and Brendan Wenzel have combined to make 95 three-pointers this season. Kot averages 14.7 points per game, shooting 40.2 percent from deep, while Wenzel scores 10.8.

Mason Walters averages 12.9 points and 5.5 rebounds. In his last two games, Walters has scored 34 points and collected 15 rebounds.

Bench play will be the x-factor for the Broncos in Wyoming. And hopefully the flow of the game will dictate head coach Leon Rice able to use up to five players off the bench. Though the minutes weren't huge, that's how many saw action against Fresno State. In the high altitude of Laramie, this will be even more useful. 

Two wins and keeping minutes for the starters below average are two "musts" this week. Because after, the margin for error grows even slimmer, especially for a Boise State team possibly fighting for the NCAA tournament life.

Boston Celtics getting down to business

 

In the summer of 2023, change was in the air for the Boston Celtics.

Falling short yet again in their quest for banner 18, the Celtics were nearing a crossroads. In lieu of taking the well-traveled road with all core components in place, Boston veered. Four players who helped fuel success in 2022-23 were sent away, bringing fresh optimism (and a dose of caution) to the franchise.

Consider the results an A+ return so far in 2023-24.

At the All-Star break, the Boston Celtics have gone above expectations (well, mine at least). Major concerns of chemistry and certain players staying healthy have (mostly) been tempered, with Boston holding a league-best record of 43-12, including a highly efficient 26-3 record at home.

Boston Celtics: High rollers

The Celtics have won six straight games and eight of their last nine. The exclamation point prior to the All-Star break was a 50-point victory over the Brooklyn Nets; Boston's second such margin of victory this season. And the decisiveness is certainly no fluke, with the Celtics averaging 120.7 points per game (5th in the league) and holding opponents to 110.6 (also 5th).

This recent stretch of winning has given the Celtics breathing room for best record in the NBA, four games ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves. In the Eastern Conference, the lead is six over the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston is up 10 games over the New York Knicks in the Atlantic Division.

Top contenders in the East are struggling, whether it's injuries, inconsistency, or both. Joel Embiid, the NBA's leading scorer, is on the shelf with a knee injury for the Philadelphia 76ers. The Milwaukee Bucks fired one head coach, hired Doc Rivers, and are 3-7 in their last 10 games (though they do own a win over the Denver Nuggets in that stretch). And the Miami Heat have been playing without Jimmy Butler, with the Celtics recently sweeping the season series (taking only the smallest sting from last season's Eastern Conference affair).

Through it all, Boston has deployed one of the best starting lineups in the league, with a bench coming into their own.

Individual efforts

Head coach Joe Mazzulla has done a terrific job in balancing night's off for the regular starting lineup. Surprisingly, these starters have only appeared together in roughly 50 percent of the team's games this season. Rest has done them good, with leading scorer Jayson Tatum playing the most games of the bunch, at 52.

All five average double figures in scoring and each is capable of notching a triple-double any given night. Tatum is topping the list, averaging 27.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. In seven February games, he is averaging 28.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 6.9 assists (including a 41-point, 14-rebound effort against Brooklyn in 118-110 victory).

Surprisingly, Tatum is not mentioned nearly enough as a top-3 MVP candidate. His scoring is down but what Tatum does across the board is why he should be a favorite. He has elevated his game this season and overall is making smarter decisions. Tatum is also placing more trust in his teammates.

Fellow All-Star Jaylen Brown is averaging 22 points per game, which is also down from a season ago. But Brown's three-point shooting is slightly better and he's improved in the ball handling department, with turnovers down, too.

Derrick White and Jrue Holiday are combining for 28.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 9.5 assists. Holiday is shooting 44 percent from three and both employ defense tenacity. Especially White, who averages 1.2 blocked shots and one steal per game.

The real x-factor in this group of five is Kristaps Porzingis. Minor ailments have shelved Porzingis at times, as has rest, leading to only 40 games played. Still, I like the plan with Porzingis and he should be on rate to play about 60 regular season games, keeping him in prime condition for the playoffs. 

Porzingis is a shooting threat that has helped space the floor for the Celtics. And with these five, it gives Boston multiple options in finding the opponents weak spot. Porzingis is averaging 20.2 points and 6.9 rebounds per game and shooting 36.8 percent from three-point range. In his six February games, Porzingis has been even better, averaging 24.7 points and shooting 57.6 percent from the field.

It's been the play of the bench that's also upped Boston's effectiveness. Sam Hauser, Al Horford, Luke Kornet, and Payton Pritchard form the core. Pritchard, especially, has been special. He's the only Celtic to play in every game and is scoring a career-high 8.1 points per game.

Fill-ins, like Neemias Queta, Oshae Brissett, and Svi Mykhailiuk, have also found ways to contribute when called upon.

Upcoming games

Boston takes to the road right out of the gate, starting with the (26-29) on February 22. One previous meeting this season found the Celtics with a 124-97 victory. Brown had 30 points, 8 rebounds, and six assists that game, with the Celtics dishing out 36 assists.

The Bulls currently hold the ninth seed in the East.

On Saturday (2/24), Boston takes on the Knicks (33-22). The Celtics are 3-0 against New York this season, with the average margin of victory ten points. Boston opened the season with a 108-104 road victory over New York and Tatum is averaging 31 points against the Knicks this season.

It's been a well-rounded effort in '23-24 for Boston. They take too many threes for my liking but at least this season they've had better shot selection within the flow of the game. In previous years, success and failure was predicated on their use of the three-pointer. This season's team has found ways to overcome bad shooting nights and that's made a huge difference. The Boston Celtics remain Tatum's and Brown's team, but the group has improved around them. And if this trend continues the final quarter of the season, this team will be poised for business of making the postseason a successful one.

photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Boise State Broncos: Smooth sailing in return to win column

 

A week off between games for the Boise State Broncos men's basketball team did wonders for the mind, body, and soul.

Bouncing back after suffering two tough road losses, the Broncos (17-8, 8-4) took care of business at home on Saturday night. Boise State led wire-to-wire in a convincing 90-66 win against the shorthanded Fresno State Bulldogs.

In never trailing, Boise State took the season series from Fresno State. And the Broncos got off on the right foot in the first of four games in a row in which Boise State should win.

Nine players found the scoring column for Boise State, with four starters reaching double figures. Junior Tyson Degenhart continued a recent stretch of solid play, finishing with 24 points and 9 rebounds while shooting 6-9 from the field and connecting on 12-14 from the charity stripe.

Degenhart has reached double figures in four straight games, averaging nearly 24 points per contest. He also has 30 rebounds in these four games and is playing his best basketball of the season.

O'Mar Stanley finished with 17, Max Rice had 13, and Chibuzo Agbo 12 as the Broncos shot 58.8 percent from the field.

For Fresno State (11-15, 4-9), playing without one starter and three key bench players, Isaiah Pope had four 3-pointers and finished with 17 points. The Bulldogs had won two of their three previous games, with the loss a 2-point affair against UNLV.

Boise State delivered a bit of everything Saturday, starting the game off right and never taking their foot off the gas pedal.

First half

The Broncos jumped out to a 6-0 lead and extended that to 11-2 with a Rice three-pointer. Fresno State knocked down a couple of buckets, including a Xavier DuSell three of his own to make it 11-7.

Four points were as close as the Bulldogs would be the rest of the game.

Stanley and Degenhart scored 13 of Boise State's first 16 points. Free throws, three-pointers (7-14 in the first half), and a wide array of looks slowly built out the lead. It extended as far as 17 points when Agbo hit one of three free throws.

Better ball movement and better shot selection were part of Boise State's first half success. So, too, was getting to the free throw, where the Broncos attempted 17 (though making only 11 was a little concerning).

Rice was nearly perfect from the field in the first 20 minutes, missing only one shot and scoring ten points. Agbo had 10, with Stanley and Degenhart combining for 23.

Fresno State, trailing 48-33, was able to hang around thanks to their three-point shooting. The Bulldogs were 7-16 and committed only three turnovers.

Second half

A DuSell three got things rolling for Fresno State to open the second half. Unlike the game in Fresno, however, Boise State maintained consistency and didn't let the Bulldogs get back into the game.

Every time Fresno State cut the Boise State lead down to 12, the Broncos had an answer. Roddie Anderson III finally found the scoring column, knocking down two huge 3's.

Despite foul trouble from Anderson and Stanley, the Broncos kept building their lead. Boise State was even more efficient in most regards in the second half, shooting 62.5 percent from the field and making 9-11 from the line.

The lead reached as large as 27 when a Stanley bucket made the score 90-63 with 1:02 left.

Anderson finished with six points and three assists while the bench contributed 18 points. Cam Martin scored six, again filling out the box score with six rebounds and four assists. 

Andrew Meadow and Jace Whiting each scored five, with RJ Keene rounding out the scoring with a nice layup off a precision pass from Martin.

Isaiah Hill had 15 points and six assists for the Bulldogs, with DuSell adding 14 and Jalen Weaver chipping in 13.

Each team had only seven turnovers, with Boise State holding a plus 12 advantage on the boards.

The victory moved Boise State into third place. Thanks to a loss by Utah State earlier in the day to Colorado State, the Broncos are only 0.5 games back of the Aggies and San Diego State for the top spot in the Mountain West.

More on Boise State men's basketball:

Broncos surging at conference halfway point Defense clamping down for Boise State

photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Focus on week ahead: 2 road games for Boise State women's basketball

 

On two separate occasions this season, the Boise State Broncos women's basketball team has strung together four-game winning streaks.

By the end of this week, the Broncos hope to have a five-game streak under their belts.

Fresh off an ultimate defensive effort last Saturday, Boise State (16-8, 7-4) extended their current streak to three. Three straight games where opponents have only averaged 44.7 points per game. Only one, Fresno State, reached the 50-point mark.

During this same stretch, opponents are only shooting 32.1 percent (25.5 percent from 3-point range) and committed 59 turnovers. All marks are lower than the already solid season averages the Boise State defense is laying down.

Offense is still a struggle at times but the Broncos are coming off a game in which they committed only 10 turnovers. Natalie Pasco remains the top scorer at 14.1 points per game (the only Bronco averaging double figures). Abby Muse averages eight points and 8.9 rebounds per game and has 78 blocked shots. Mary Kay Naro is tops in the assists department, with 103.

Tatum Thompson off the bench has come on as of late. During the winning streak, Thompson is averaging 14 points and six rebounds per game.

Boise State, with two road games on the docket this week, currently sits in fourth place. The Broncos are 1.5 games back of second place Wyoming as only three losses separate the Cowgirls and the seventh-place Colorado State Rams. 

The Broncos have a perfect opportunity to keep the pressure on and remain in a perfect spot to secure a first round bye in the Mountain West Conference tournament this March.

Boise State at Utah State

First up, one of those proverbial trap games, where Boise State takes on the Utah State Aggies on February 14 (6 p.m. MT).

The Aggies (4-19, 1-11) might not seem like a threat but they should not be taken lightly. Yes, tough to say that with Utah State's record but they did recently snap a 13-game losing streak with a 65-62 victory over the Nevada Wolf Pack.

Utah State proceeded to lose their next three games, but that victory shows they are capable. And they started strong against Boise State last time out before a 28-6 second quarter by the Broncos sealed the deal.

Boise State won 76-41, forcing 21 Utah State turnovers. The Aggies shot only 26.4 percent and a frigid 10 percent from deep.

The Broncos weren't terribly too much better from the field, shooting only 33.8 percent. But Boise State knocked down 11 three-pointers, committed only 11 turnovers, and held a rebound advantage of 10.

Eleven players scored for the Broncos in that meeting. Dani Bayes had 16 (four 3's) to lead Boise State, with Muse scoring 15 and Thompson finishing with 12 points and seven rebounds

Tricia Hull had three points, seven rebounds, and four blocked shots, while Pasco had four steals.

For Utah State, junior guard Cheyenne Stubbs had 17 points and six rebounds. Stubbs averages 15.8 points and 4 rebounds per game and scored 32 in the victory over Nevada.

Junior forward Bridget Mullings only averages 4.1 points and 3.5 rebounds but had eight and ten, respectively, against Boise State.

The Broncos need to maintain focus this game, especially on the road. And even more so with a chance to avenge one of their conference losses waiting in the wings on Saturday.

Broncos at Wolf Pack

Nevada (12-12, 6-5) is one of the seven teams right there in the mix for a first-round bye. And the Wolf Pack already own a win over Boise State, a 58-57 victory in early January.

In that game, Pasco hit a three-pointer with 1:43 left to bring the Broncos within one. Boise State had opportunities down the stretch and even had a chance to win the game. Neither team scored in the last 1:43 and the Broncos didn't even get a final shot, with a turnover by Mya Hansen just before the final buzzer.

The second and third quarters did Boise State in as Nevada outscored the Broncos 37-29. Nevada was only 4-17 from deep and committed 17 turnovers.

Boise State was better from the field (39.5 to 38.5) but had 20 turnovers and shot 3-15 from beyond the arc. Even without Naro, Boise State had a chance, thanks in part to a defense that had nine blocked shots and nine steals. 

Muse had one of her best all-around games this season in that meeting, netting 15 points, 13 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 3 steals. Pasco had 20 points and Hansen had seven assists, though she committed eight turnovers and was 0-6 from the field.

In the last meeting, junior guard Audrey Roden scored 19 for Nevada. Roden was 9-18 from the field and added five rebounds. She is Nevada's leading scorer this season at 11.9 ppg but, like the entire team, doesn't shoot well from three. Roden is at 23.9 percent, with the team sitting at 31 percent for the season.

Nevada has lost three of four, including a 45-point loss to first place UNLV. Before Saturday's matchup with Boise State (2/17, 2 p.m. MT), the Wolf Pack host San Diego State.

Ultimate defensive effort in Boise State win over Wyoming

 

A defensive beast truly awakened in the Boise State Broncos women's basketball team this week.The fire within exploded halfway through the third quarter in Wednesday's victory over the San Jose State Spartans. Tied at 33, Boise State went on a 40-9 run to close the game (and allowed only 13 points in the second half).
Effort was just as active and energetic on Saturday in Boise, where the Broncos (16-8, 7-4) took down the second-place Wyoming Cowgirls, 56-42.
This was the third-straight victory for Boise State, who remains in fourth-place in the Mountain West and still within striking distance of the three teams in front of them.
Defense has been a driving factor in the team's success this season. And it was on full display against Wyoming (14-9, 9-3), holding the Cowgirls to 33 percent shooting from the field while forcing 18 turnovers.
Boise State made it a point to keep Wyoming's strong post play at bay and did so with much success. Elodie Lalotte and Abby Muse both made their presence felt, with Lalotte finishing with four steals and Muse three. The two also combined for three blocked shots and 13 rebounds.
Trista Hull also had her say in things on that end of the court, helping execute a game plan that saw Wyoming's leading scorer Allyson Fertig held to two points on 0-5 shooting.
Fertig's points came on two free throws with just over a minute to play. She entered the game averaging 13.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game and shooting 60.6 percent from the field.
The Broncos were led by Natalie Pasco, who scored 13 points, with Mya Hansen adding 11. Boise State had plenty of contributors, overcoming a cold-shooting second half to pick up the victory at home.First half: Broncos fast first quarterLooking to avenge an earlier loss to Wyoming, a cold-shooting affair to close 2023, the Broncos started slow in the game's first few minutes.
Boise State didn't score their first points until the 6:37 mark with a bucket by Pasco. The good thing? The Broncos held Wyoming to only two points prior to that point, so no real harm was done.
Pasco scored the team's first seven points and the two squads exchanged buckets and were tied at 12 with 1:31 left in the first quarter.
That was the closest Wyoming would get for the remainder of the game.
The Broncos knocked down four 3-pointers in the first quarter (on six attempts), building their lead out to eight by the end of the frame. It swelled to as big as 13, thanks to timely shooting, impressive defense, and the most important thing: taking care of the ball.
Boise State committed only five turnovers in the first half and shot a shade under 50 percent in taking a 34-25 halftime lead.
Pasco had 11 points in the first half and eight of the nine Broncos who played found the scoring column.Second half: Boise State digs inOffense efficiency continued for Boise State to start the second half, with the Broncos hitting their first three shots. A Hansen jumper from the elbow gave Boise State a 40-25 lead.
From there, though, defense for both teams ramped up. The teams combined for only 14 points the last eight minutes of the third quarter, with Boise State heading into the final frame with a comfortable 13-point lead.
Boise State's defense continued to get the job done, keeping the Cowgirls without any points until 3:16 was left in the game. Prior to Wyoming finally scoring, the Broncos found their biggest lead at 52-33 thanks to a layup by Hull.
Wyoming was only 6-21 from the field in the second half, finding no easy looks on most occasions. The Broncos were pesky all game, finding the right moments to double team in the post and make things difficult for the Cowgirls.
Malene Pedersen had a game-high 16 points for Wyoming, with Marta Savic adding 10. The two were a combined 10-18 from the field, with the rest of the team only shooting 6-30.
Hull added eight points for Boise State, scoring six in the second half. Thompson had seven and collected a career-high eight rebounds.
Mary Kay Naro dished out five assists, giving her four straight seasons with at least 100. Naro is now 18 assists away from passing Tricia Bader for third-place on the Bronco all-time assists list.
Boise State continues to play well in building towards the season's end. There is still not a lot of separation between the conference's top seven teams, so there is no guarantee of a first-round bye for the Broncos in the conference tournament. But continuing to play defense at this elite level will get Boise State a lot closer to where they want to be come March.
photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Super Bowl LVIII preview: Two familiar faces left at the table

 

By most means heading into Super Bowl LVIII, Kansas City can be considered the underdog. The current point spread of 1.5 says as much. One less win in the regular season than the San Francisco 49ers agrees. So does a regular season in which Kansas City was written off multiple times in multiple weeks.

On the other hand, playing in their fourth Super Bowl in the last five seasons means Kansas City is anything but an underdog. They are defending Super Bowl champions and fit into the role of favorite like extra whipped cream on top of a milkshake.

The 49ers, too, are familiar in the role of favorite. This franchise, for all its glory in the 1980s and 90s, has lacked recent success in the Big Game, losing in their last two appearances. But it's not like they've been toiling away in the dredges  of the NFL, appearing in four NFC Championship games the last five seasons.

Is it possible neither team fits the role of true underdog? To be determined but it's a certainty neither team is David taking on Goliath.

A rematch of Super Bowl LIV, where Kansas City defeated San Francisco 31-20, is set for February 11 live in the city that never sleeps. Familiar faces on both sides of the ball will take the field at Allegiant Field, where two teams will showcase that what happens in Las Vegas doesn't have to stay there.

Kansas City

The Patrick Mahomes Show remained solid in 2023-24, though co-stars did have some trouble enjoying the limelight. There was brilliance at times by Mahomes, steady production in most weeks, and all told, a ho-hum season by our high standards set for him.

Despite struggles that saw Kansas City (11-6) earn "only" the third-seed in the AFC, they overcame and left behind teams like the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, and more who were supposed to dethrone the reigning champs.

Mahomes has used another stellar postseason to propel Kansas City to the Super Bowl, with a good chance to repeat as champs after last year's victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

In three postseason games this year, Mahomes has yet to throw an interception (and hasn't thrown a postseason pick since the 2021-22 season). He's thrown for 718 yards, completing 68 percent of his passes with four touchdowns. Mahomes has also been sacked twice and rushed for 75 yards.

This follows a somewhat pedestrian regular season by his standards. Mahomes had the second lowest totals in yards (4183) and touchdown passes (27) since becoming a full-time starter. Pretty impressive numbers nonetheless, adding 389 rushing yards.

Part of the problem was the supposed decline of tight end Travis Kelce and a receiving corps that really had no consistent threat outside of Rashee Rice (and tons of dropped passes, too).

Kelce did have his struggles, finishing the regular season with 984 yards (lowest since 2015) and five touchdown receptions (lowest since 2019). The playoffs have been a different beast, however, with Kelce hauling in 23 catches for 262 yards and three touchdowns. In the AFC Championship game, Kelce had 11 catches for 116 yards and a score.

The rookie Rice got off to a slow start but finished with 79 catches for 938 yards and seven touchdowns. He has 20 receptions in the playoffs and combined, Rice and Kelce have seen 52 of the 91 targets by Mahomes.

Justin Watson and Marquez Valdes-Scantling were both vilified in the regular season but have come up with clutch grabs at various times in the postseason. One of these players, or Mecole Hardman or Kadarius Toney (if he plays), could be x-factors in this Super Bowl.

So, too, could a game plan centered on running back Isiah Pacheco, who rushed for 935 yards in the regular season. Pacheco has added 254 and three touchdowns in the postseason.

The true core of Kansas City is a hard-nosed defense that doesn't receive tons of accolades. The unit finished 2nd in yards allowed and second in points against this season. This postseason, Kansas City has held opponents to just under 14 points per game.

There is really no weakness on this unit that had 57 sacks, eight interceptions, and nine fumble recoveries. Up front, they'll be without Charles Omenihu but have George Karlaftis and Chris Jones, who each finished with 10.5 sacks

The secondary doesn't have tons of picks but Justin Reid (95 tackles), Trent McDuffie (80 tackles, 7 PD, 3 sacks), and L'Jarius Snead are some of the best in the game.

Linebacker Nick Bolton's 27 tackles are tops in the playoffs. 

Kansas City's defense really has been an unsung hero in Kansas City's success in '23-24. On the other side of the field is another defense helping lead the way.

San Francisco 49ers

Boasting one of the league's best (and deepest) defenses in the regular season, San Francisco seemed to be in the perfect situation to succeed. Then the playoffs saw some leaks in the damn.

A team that was third in opponent scoring this season, San Francisco has given up 52 points in two playoff games. While there have been some breakdowns in the passing game, a main culprit has been opponents rushing the ball to the tune of 159 yards per game. (Though, to be fair, they were much better in the second half of the NFC Championship game against the Detroit Lions.)

The defense was eighth-best in yards allowed and had 48 sacks in the regular season, led by Nick Bosa's 10.5. The real number that stands out is 22 interceptions, set up by a scheme where both linebackers and secondary are ballhawks.

Leading tackler Fred Warner (132 tackles) had four interceptions. Charvarius Ward picked off five balls and Deommadore Lenoir added three. The latter two combined for 156 tackles in the regular season.

Dre Greenlaw is also a tackling machine (120) and has two postseason interceptions.

While the defense stands out, the offense is certainly no slouch. The unit has been streaky. In starting the season 5-0, San Francisco scored 30+ points in all five games. They then followed that up with three straight losses, scoring 17 in each and that alternating success happened throughout the regular season as they finished 12-5.

Running back Christian McCaffrey had an MVP-type regular season, finishing with 1459 rushing yards, 564 receiving yards and 21 total touchdowns. His usage rate has continued in two playoff games, with 188 rushing yards, 72 in the air, and four total touchdowns.

San Francisco's receiving corps is deeper than Kansas City's. The 49ers have three solid receivers who can get the job done, plus tight end George Kittle. Kittle has somewhat of a quiet postseason compared to Kelce, with six catches for 108 yards and a score. But he finished the regular season with 1020 yards on 65 receptions.

The true breakout was Brandon Aiyuk, who built on his success of 22-23. Aiyuk finished with 75 receptions for 1342 yards and seven touchdowns. Deebo Samuel added 60 catches for 892 yards.

Samuel is the leading receiver in the playoffs, hauling in ten receptions. Aiyuk and Jawan Jennings each have six. 

The real unknown is that of quarterback Brock Purdy. Purdy has enjoyed quite the success in his first two seasons but been a little jumpy this postseason. His completion percentage is 61.4 (down from 69.4) and he's thrown for 519 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. This after a regular season in which Purdy was All-Pro worthy, throwing for 4280 yards and 31 touchdowns against only 11 interceptions.

All the stars seemed to have aligned for San Francisco but ultimately their success will hinge on the measured play of Purdy.

Prediction

Super Bowls can be a little tricky to predict, especially when it comes to a final score. Two years ago, I was way off. Last year, I was closer in at least predicting the winner and final margin (two was my guess, with three the final margin). But my final score was way off in terms of points scored.

This year, looking at two defenses that will keep the game close but not so bad as the New England vs Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl. Nor do I think we see a shootout with both teams dropping points in the mid-to-high 30s. The edge in position breakdown is slightly in Kansas City's favor, especially at what is a shaky kicker position for San Francisco. But I think the 49ers do enough to shut down the Mahomes-Kelce connection and finally reach the top of the mountain for the first time since 1995. 

San Francisco 27 Kansas City 24

photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

More on Super Bowls:

Super Bowl history: The good, the bad, & the yawners A little side of fun on Super Bowl Sunday Super Bowl LVII preview Super Bowl LVI preview