Jason Haskins's Blog, page 2

Boise State Broncos muck around and pick up 1st round victory

 

Rare is the instance in a college basketball game where the winning team connects on only four field goal attempts in a half.

Consider the Boise State Broncos women's basketball team a rarity.

Despite hitting only 4 of 22 from the field in the second half, the Broncos picked up a victory in the opening round of the Mountain West tournament, defeating the Nevada Wolf Pack 54-48.

Free throws carried Boise State to victory, where the Broncos hit 16 of 22 from the charity stripe in the second half and 21 of 29 for the game.

Cold shooting was not contained to the Boise State side. The Broncos actually ended up better at 32.7 percent to Nevada's 31.6. The Wolf Pack dipped this low thanks to a 3 of 15 performance in the fourth quarter.

Boise State (18-14), playing again without an injured Mya Hansen, was led by 14 points from Tatum Thompson. The junior was 4 of 14 from the field but made six of nine at the free throw line. Thompson finished with seven rebounds and senior Abby Muse led the Broncos with nine.

Muse and junior Natalie Pasco (3 of 11 from the field) each scored eight points.

Lexie Givens led the Wolf Pack (11-21) with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

The Broncos lost the rebound battle, 40 to 36, but committed only 12 turnovers to Nevada's 17.

The victory advances Boise State to the quarterfinals to face the top seed UNLV Lady Rebels. Boise State lost both meetings with UNLV this season, falling by four points in Boise and 30 in Las Vegas. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. (MT) on Monday (3/10). 

First half: Close from the start

Both teams struggled out of the gate. Turnovers and early foul trouble highlighted those first five minutes. The Wolf Pack took nearly two minutes to score, and Boise State took longer, with the Broncos not scoring until 5:08 left in the first quarter on a bucket by Pasco. 

The score was tied at two with 4:46 left but Nevada picked up the pace in the last part of the quarter. A three-pointer by Dymonique Maxie gave the Wolf pack a 14-7 lead.

Boise State was only 2 of 12 from the floor and committed five turnovers in the quarter.

Nevada kept the ball rolling and built their largest lead early in the second quarter, leading 19-11 with 8:43 left. The Broncos, though, found their defensive intensity, keyed by reserves Libby Hutton, Jayda Clark, and Milly Sharp.

Reinserting Muse into the game with two fouls helped, too. Muse scored six points, part of a 17-5 run by Boise State. During this stretch, Hutton had three assists and Clark scored five points.

The Broncos were much better in the second quarter, shooting 10 of 15 from the field and committing only one turnover to take a 30-28 lead at halftime.

Thompson had seven first-half points, with Muse scoring six and Clark five.

Second half: Free throws be thy name

The third quarter was a repeat of the first, only much worse. This time around, it took nearly three minutes for either team to score. Boise State laid a goose egg in the field goal department, tossing up an impressive 0 for 14. Their only four points in the quarter came at the charity stripe.

Nevada was slightly better, scoring ten points overall to take a 38-34 lead entering the final frame.

The Broncos finally made their first field goal of the second half on a basket by Pasco with 7:49 remaining to cut the deficit to one. The two teams continued to struggle and Clark brought the score even at 42 with two free throws and 6:29 on the clock.

Nevada built out the lead to four with two straight baskets by Givens. Foul trouble by the Wolf Pack kept the Broncos in the game. Boise State managed to snag only their second lead of the second half with two free throws by Thompson with just under two minutes to play.

Givens responded with two free throws of her own to give the Wolf Pack the lead. Thompson answered with a jumper, giving Boise State a lead they would not relinquish the final 1:20 of the game.

Clark and Dani Bayes each added seven points for the Broncos. Bayes, who missed all eight of her field goal attempts, scored all her points from the free throw line.

Audrey Roden finished with nine points and six rebounds for the Wolf Pack.

Boise State's effort on the defensive end resulted in 10 blocked shots (three by Thompson) and six steals, plus multiple shot clock violations and forced errant passes by the Wolf Pack.

Other first round results

In the second game of the first round, seventh seed Air Force (18-13) held off a late push from Utah State to pick up a 66-59 victory. The Falcons will face second seed Wyoming on Monday.

The nightcap between San Jose State and Fresno State was just underway as of this writing, with the winner set to take on Colorado State.

More on Boise State women's basketball 2024-25

Broncos: MW tourney preview Boise State snaps five-game losing streak Broncos season preview 2024-25 image credit: Flickr

Boise State Broncos women's basketball: Tall task ahead in Mountain West tournament

 

Promising prospects of a regular season Mountain West Conference title in 2024-25 for the Boise State Broncos women's basketball crashed down in recent weeks.

Hope remains in winning the Mountain West tournament, but the Broncos face a difficult road to achieve such dreams.

After a 10-3 non-conference slate, a deep and experienced Boise State (17-14, 7-11) team expected to contend for a conference title faltered. Losses and frustration mounted, with the result for the Broncos an eighth-place finish in an ultra-competitive conference.

A five-game losing streak took place in the back half of conference play and the Broncos lost seven of nine to close the regular season. Woes took place in the occasional blowout loss but seven of Boise State's conference losses were by eight points or less. Often, these losses were results of one bad quarter or the inability to close out games.

Turnovers were a major issue the last three weeks. Missed shots at or near the rim hampered the Broncos, too. In close losses, both issues made all the difference.

Despite the disappointing record, hopes for Boise State are not completely shot. Boise State holds regular season wins over Wyoming, New Mexico, and Air Force. Teams that all finished ahead of the Broncos. Boise State also lost to by four points in their first meeting.

Tournament play in Las Vegas begins on Sunday (3/9) for the Broncos, where they meet up with ninth seed Nevada at 3 p.m. (MT).

Boise State vs Nevada: Season recap

Boise State and the Nevada Wolf Pack (11-20, 6-12) split their two regular season meetings. The Broncos won by eight in Boise and the Wolf Pack returned the favor, winning by eight in Reno.

In the first meeting, Nevada led by two at halftime, only to score seven points in the third quarter, with Boise State picking up a 61-53 victory.

The second time around, the Broncos led most of the game. Boise State led by eight at the half and three entering the fourth quarter, ultimately falling 69-61.

Hampering the Broncos in the loss was a 4 of 20 performance from three-point range. Opponent shooting percentage and rebounds also told a story for Boise State in both games. In the victory, the Broncos held Nevada to 32.2 percent from the field and a rebound advantage of four.

In the Nevada victory, despite committing 19 turnovers, the Wolf Pack shot 47.2 percent and had 18 more rebounds than the Broncos.

Lexie Givens had 37 points in the two games for Nevada. Audrey Roden, who did not score and had five rebounds in the Wolf Pack loss, delivered in the victory with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists.

For Boise State, Natalie Pasco had 25 points in the two games. Tatum Thompson had 24 points and 14 rebounds and Dani Bayes scored 22.

Bronco stat leaders

Throughout the season, head coach Gordy Presnell deployed 10 to 12 players each game for the Boise State Broncos. A deep roster certainly helped, with multiple players capable of putting up stellar numbers in any given game.

Thompson was the most consistent, leading the team with 13.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Thompson's play has only improved as the season progressed, averaging 18 points and 8.8 rebounds in their last five games.

Thompson only had three conference games in which she scored under 10 points, twice scoring 25 and finishing the regular season with six double-doubles.

Pasco was not far behind in the scoring department, dropping 12.9 points per game. The junior led Boise State with 64 made three-pointers.

Bayes and Mya Hansen combined for 85 made threes. Between these two and Pasco, one of the trio comes off the bench. (Though, as of this writing, Hansen's availability is unknown for the Mountain West tournament. The junior hurt her knee in a late-season loss to UNLV and missed the last two contests).

Senior Abby Muse collected 5.9 rebounds per game and point guard Mary Kay Naro has 125 assists against only 49 turnovers.

Success in the tournament will boil down to taking care of the ball and simply taking their time around the rim. Defense will factor heavily and this team can slog it out with the best of them. In the opening round matchup with Nevada, three-point shooting and rebounding will be the two key areas to keep an eye on.

Mountain West tourney: Other first round games

Boise State against Nevada is the opening game for this year's Mountain West tournament, followed by two other opening round matchups.

Following the meeting between the Broncos and Wolf Pack will be a game between the seventh-seed Air Force Falcons (17-13, 7-11) and tenth seed Utah State Aggies (4-26, 3-15)

Air Force swept the season series, winning by 12 at home and five on the road. The Falcons enter the tournament having won three of five, closing out the regular season with a three-point loss at New Mexico. Utah State's three conference wins came against San Jose State (twice) and Nevada.

In the final game on Sunday, the sixth seed Fresno State Bulldogs (17-14, 8-10) take on the eleventh seed San Jose State Spartans (10-21, 3-15). The Bulldogs won the season series with an average margin of victory of 13.5 points.

Both teams are slumping entering the tournament. Fresno State lost four straight and six of eight to close the regular season. The Spartans lost six straight, with their only conference wins coming over Nevada, Air Force, and San Diego State.

UNLV (24-6, 16-2) is again the cream of the Mountain West crop. Their two losses arrived at the hands of San Diego State (by 1) and second place Wyoming. The Cowgirls (20-10, 14-4) defeated UNLV 71-66 to close the regular season and won nine of their last ten games.

Colorado State (22-9, 13-5), prior to splitting their final four games, had won five straight.

The quarterfinal matchup already set is between San Diego State (22-9, 11-7) and the New Mexico Lobos (18-13, 11-7). The teams split the season series and both enter the tournament on high notes. The Aztecs have won five in a row and the Lobos five of six.

March basketball is made for special runs and upstart underdogs. In being the latter, the Broncos will need the former to advance. A first-round victory for Boise State means a quarterfinal meeting with top seed UNLV. Needing to be near perfect in their pursuit, it is the time of year where "never say never" thrives, and the unexpected is the norm. For the Broncos, this will be a mantra to live by, hoping to ascend to the top of the throne for the first time since 2020. 

More on Boise State Broncos women's b-ball 2024-25

Broncos snap five-game losing streak Boise State falls to New Mexico in overtime Season preview: 2024-25

Boise State Broncos: Win streak reaches five with win at Air Force

 

The Boise State Broncos men's basketball team is finding the right time to keep winning basketball games, no matter against the top or bottom of the Mountain West Conference.

After eking out a victory over a five-win Fresno State squad last Saturday, Boise State was much better on Tuesday night against the four-win Air Force Falcons. The Broncos led much of the game in defeating the Falcons 80-57.

Boise State (22-8, 14-5) won their fifth straight game and are winners in nine of their last ten. The hot streak is perfect timing, with only one regular season game left on the docket. Plus, with big wins over New Mexico and Utah State, the Broncos have firmly moved into the NCAA tournament discussion yet again.

In the victory over Air Force (4-26, 1-18), five players scored in double figures for the Broncos. Freshman Pearson Carmichael and sophomore Andrew Meadow shared team honors with 14 points each. Alvaro Cardenas scored 13 points to go along with five rebounds and six assists.

Senior Tyson Degenhart, in pursuit of the school all-time scoring record, scored 11 while O'Mar Stanley continued his recent strong play with 10.

In picking up the 23-point victory, Boise State was respectable in all facets (except for three-pointers in a 6 of 25 effort). The Broncos committed only five turnovers, went 24 of 31 at the charity stripe, and finished with 41 rebounds (to Air Force's 32).

RJ Keene collected a game-high 10 boards, with Carmichael adding seven and Javan Buchanan finishing with six.

Slow start, fast finish

Shades of the game against Fresno State did creep in during the early minutes against Air Force. Beau Becker provided an early 6-0 lead for the Falcons. Boise State missed its first three shots and did not score until a basket by Meadow with 16:57 left in the half.

Boise State started 1 of 6 from the field and was down 8-2. Then, the game came undone for Air Force.

Back-to-back three-pointers by Meadow, three straight Air Force turnovers, and baskets from Carmicheal and Degenhart were part of an 18-3 run by Boise State. Capping this run was an old-fashioned three-point play from Carmichael, giving the Broncos a 21-11 lead.

Despite foul trouble, with Degenhart picking up his second with six minutes left and Stanley his third seconds later, Boise State continued to build out there lead. The Broncos used an 11-2 run to close out the first half and take a 38-21 lead into the locker room.

Meadow had 11 first-half points, with Carmichael and Cardenas each scoring eight.

Becker led Air Force with six, while Chase Beasley added four points and eight rebounds.

High level cruise control in second half

Air Force never got going in the second half. Boise State never let the Falcons get closer than 15 points, and that was at the 17:08 mark.

Getting to the free throw line often helped, as did the usual passing of Cardenas. Degenhart also got going, scoring eight of his points after halftime.

Boise State finished strong around the rim, with Keene, Carmichael, and Stanley all finishing three-point plays. Two Cardenas free throws, capping a 17-2 run, put the Broncos up 60-30 with just under 14 minutes left to play.

The lead swelled to 78-43 after two free throws by Stanley with 4:57 left on the clock. The Air Force bench did show life, outscoring Boise State 14-2 the rest of the way, but it was far too little, too late.

Chris Lockett Jr. had a nice second half, scoring seven points for Boise State. Buchanan finished with six, and Keene added five to complete the Boise State scoring.

Ethan Taylor finished with 16 points, four rebounds, and five assists to lead Air Force.

Boise State finishes up the regular season on Friday night, hosting the Colorado State Rams (21-9, 15-4). The Rams defeated the Broncos 75-72 in the team's first meeting. Seeding implications for the Mountain West tournament will be on the line. While Boise State cannot win the conference, the Broncos could still finish anywhere from second to fifth place. 

Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. (MT) at ExtraMile Arena and the game will broadcast on FS1. 

More on Boise State men's basketball 2024-25

Broncos pick up huge road win over Wolf Pack Boise State focused in Friday victory over San Jose State Arduous road ahead to NCAA tournament

Boise State Broncos men's basketball secures huge conference road win

 

Entering Saturday's game in Reno, the Boise State Broncos men's basketball team was in desperate need of a huge conference road victory.

Mission successful, by the skin of their teeth.

In a hard-fought meeting between two talented teams, Boise State prevailed, picking up a 70-69 win over the Nevada Wolf Pack.

The game featured 15 lead changes and five ties, with neither team ever taking a lead larger than 10 points.

Three players for Boise State (19-8, 11-5) scored in double figures, led by 24 from sophomore Andrew Meadow. Meadow was efficient in both halves, finishing 8 of 13 from the field. Javan Buchanan, who scored 19 in the first meeting between the teams, scored 17 while Tyson Degenhart added 14.

The Broncos overcame the play of Kobe Sanders, who had his best game as a member of Nevada (15-12, 7-9). Sanders finished with a game-high 30 points, four rebounds, and four assists.

Both Boise State and Nevada were close in overall stats. Nevada held the edge in field goal percentage (51.9 - 46.3) and turnovers (eight, to the Broncos 12). But Boise State had one more three-pointer and was better at the free throw line to the tune of six points.

The Broncos also held a glaring advantage on the boards, collecting 11 more than the Wolf Pack. RJ Keene II, who had 10 rebounds in the first meeting, collected a game-high nine off the bench.

First half action

Through the game's first 12 minutes, Nevada did everything right. A zone defense frustrated the Broncos into multiple misses and turnovers and the Wolf Pack found open shots on offense.

After Boise State took a 2-0 lead after a basket by Degenhart, Nevada scored seven straight points. It was a lead the Wolf Pack held until 4:09 in the first half, when a Degenhart three-pointer tied the score at 26.

During the span between, Nevada had a lead as large as ten points at 23-13. While Boise State struggled from deep early (0-6), Nevada received early three-pointers from Xavier DuSell and Justin McBride.

The three-point shot helped the Broncos get back into the game, hitting four of six the rest of the half. Meadow started off a 13-3 run with a three-pointer, the first of seven straight points scored by the forward.

A Buchanan three-pointer gave Boise State a 29-26 lead and the Broncos went into the locker room up 34-32.

Meadow had 13 first-half points while Sanders paced Nevada with 10.

Second half: Down to the wire

Early in the second half, Boise State's lead grew to six and it looked like the Broncos were keying up to run away with this game.

Then Sanders took over.

The fifth-year guard showed an impressive arsenal, whether knocking down jump shots or driving the lane and finishing with monstrous dunks. The effort of Sanders helped keep Nevada in this game.

Buchanan was not about to let the Wolf Pack stretch the lead, however, scoring eight straight points for the Broncos. This effort got the Boise State offense going and the lead stretched to eight with just under six minutes left after two free throws by Degenhart.

A quick 6-0 run by the Wolf Pack narrowed the gap to two points. After defensive stops by both teams, Meadow hit a three to give the Broncos a 65-61 lead with 1:56 remaining. Nick Davidson hit a three-pointer seconds later and a Sanders basket gave Nevada a 66-65 lead with 59 seconds left.

On the next possession, Boise State guard Alvaro Cardenas hit a little floater in the lane to reclaim the lead for Boise State. After a missed shot by Nevada followed by a Degenhart turnover, Buchanan made perhaps the play of the game when he came up with a steal against Sanders.

Cardenas retrieved the loose ball, which he tossed downcourt to a streaking Meadow, who delivered an emphatic slam.

Sanders had a chance to close the gap but missed a free throw with 4.3 seconds. Degenhart hit one of two free throws and a late three-pointer by Nevada guard Tyler Rolison provided the final margin.

Cardenas finished with eight points and nine assists for the Broncos. 

For the Wolf Pack, Davidson finished with 18 points and five rebounds. Rolison and McBride each scored seven.

Boise State currently sits tied for fourth place with San Diego State in the Mountain West. The Aztecs hold a tiebreaker, thanks to sweeping the season series against the Broncos. With Saturday's victory, Boise State guaranteed themselves they can finish no lower than sixth place.

As it stands, even with this road win, the Broncos are still considered a bubble team for the NCAA tournament. But another huge game looms large, with Boise State hosting second place Utah State, who currently holds a 2.5 game lead over the Broncos, on Wednesday (2/26). Tip-off at ExtraMile Arena is set for 8:30 p.m. (MT) of FS1. 

image credit: Flickr

More on Boise State men's basketball 2024-25

Broncos focused in Friday night victory Boise State stumbles at home to San Diego State Men's basketball '24-25 preview

Snapped! Boise State Broncos women's basketball ends 5-game skid

 

The Boise State Broncos women's basketball team will sleep better on Tuesday night.

Buoyed by a stingy fourth quarter defense that forced 10 turnovers, Boise State snapped a five-game losing streak with a 78-73 victory over the Wyoming Cowgirls.

This Wyoming squad started the Bronco skid with a 34-point victory in Laramie on February 1. Since, Boise State (16-12, 6-9) found the win column evasive, losing by an average of just under six points per contest.

Relief is an understatement to define the feeling of Boise State getting back into the win column. With now only three games left on the regular season schedule, it was a much-needed victory.

After three quarters of offense from the two teams in tonight's game, Boise State's defense took over in the fourth. Not only did they force turnovers, but the Broncos held Wyoming to a 1-11 performance from the field in the fourth.

The Broncos also capitalized at the charity stripe, knocking down all eight of their free throw attempts in the quarter. Boise was 12 of 13 from the line in the second half and 16 of 18 overall.

Tatum Thompson tied a season-high with 25 points, adding a team-high nine rebounds. Dani Bayes scored 21, combining with Thompson to shoot 17 of 26 from the field.

Natalie Pasco also reached double figures, scoring 14.

Wyoming (16-10, 10-4), who had five-game winning streak snapped, placed four players in double figures. Emily Mellema led the way with 18 and Allyson Fertig posted a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

One of the keys was the Bronco defense attacking Fertig with a double team, limiting the all-conference player to only four points after the first quarter.

Broncos competitive first half

Bayes started the game nicely, scoring Boise State's first four points. Fertig matched that effort, however, keying an early 6-0 mini-run by the Cowgirls.

A reverse layup by Pasco brought the Broncos within one at 11-10 but Wyoming rattled off a 10-0 and shades of the game in Laramie crept in. Worse, Mya Hansen picked up an early second foul towards the end of the first quarter.

Still, Boise State battled and cut the lead to seven heading into the second quarter. Fertig was nearly flawless in the first frame with 11 points, three rebounds, and two assists.

The bench saw a lot of action in the second quarter for Boise State. Players like Jayda Clark, Libby Hutton, and Milly Sharp helped spark the Broncos on defense, which turned to offense for each. Clark hit a pair of free throws, Hutton scored a bucket, and Sharp had a nice steal leading to a layup.

These three helped Boise State chip away at the lead and Bayes scored seven straight points. Two free throws by Thompson brought the Broncos within two points at 40-38, followed by a reverse layup to tie the score at 40, part of an 11-3 run.

Wyoming added a last basket and went into the locker room with a 42-40 halftime lead.

Bayes scored 13 in the first half while Thompson added 10. The Broncos committed only four turnovers in the first half.

Second half: Boise State finds the way

Offense continued to shine for both teams in the first five minutes of the third quarter. Each squad worked the playbook, using extensive backdoor cuts to find easy baskets.

In those opening minutes, there were eight lead changes and one tie. The Cowgirls began the quarter by hitting seven of eight from the field. Tess Barnes found the range from deep twice and Wyoming put together a 10-0 run to go up 59-50.

Barnes was on fire in the third quarter, scoring 11 points.

Thompson and Bayes kept the Broncos within striking distance but Boise State trailed 67-58 entering the final frame.

Each team struggled on defense in the fourth quarter, with Boise State taking nearly 2.5 minutes to score on a basket from Hutton. Lockdown defense, which included three forced shot clock violations, kept the Broncos climbing back towards the lead. They finally did so when Pasco scored to put the Broncos up 68-67 with 2:42 left.

Wyoming, for the first time in the fourth quarter, scored 14 seconds later, on two free throws but a three-pointer by Pasco with 1:31 left gave the Broncos the lead for good.

Boise State attempted only eight three-pointers but connected on four of them. The Broncos dished out 14 assists, led by six by Mary Kay Naro.

Malene Pedersen finished with 16 points for the Cowgirls, while Barnes scored 14 before fouling out.

Wyoming currently sits in third place with four games remaining on their schedule. Boise State, meanwhile, faces an uphill climb to earning a first-round bye in the Mountain West tournament. The Broncos are in eighth place and will need to win out (and likely get some help) to achieve such a feat. The important thing is that they found the win column again, hopefully starting a good run to close out the season.

More on Boise State women's basketball 2024-25

Broncos lagging in Laramie Tough overtime loss to Lobos Boise State season preview

Boise State Broncos women's basketball: Tough loss in overtime

 

The losing streak reached four games for the Boise State Broncos women's basketball team.

Despite playing one of their best games in recent weeks and with star Tatum Thompson missing the game due to illness, the Broncos fell to the New Mexico Lobos in overtime, 88-83.

After trailing the majority of the second half, keeping the deficit between one and six points, Boise State (15-11, 5-8) finally tied the score at 73 with 1:17 left on a Natalie Pasco three-pointer. The Broncos had their chances at the end of regulation, coming up with two huge stops, but a drive attempt by Mya Hansen did not convert.

With the Broncos trailing by two with about 37 seconds remaining in overtime, the Broncos chose to let things play out. Like she had done all game, New Mexico (14-12, 7-6) star Viane Cumber came up huge, hitting a three-pointer with 6.7 seconds left to seal the Lobo victory.

Boise State did not get a shot off on their final possession.

Though Thompson was out, others stepped up, including a career game from redshirt junior Josee Steadman. Steadman finished with 17 points, three rebounds, and three assists in 20 minutes of action.

Abby Muse finished with a team-high 18 points to pace the Broncos, adding five rebounds. 

Cumber finished with a career-high 27 points for the Lobos, collecting five rebounds, leading New Mexico to end a five-game losing streak.

Rebounds, normally a huge advantage for the Broncos, went the opposite way this game, contributing to the loss. Boise State had only 35 and allowed New Mexico to finish with 51.

Back and forth first half

Two evenly matched teams dropped into a back-and-forth game from the opening tip, with 11 lead changes and one tie in the first half.

Boise State held an early 10-7 lead after an Alyssa Christensen jumper. Each team had long scoring droughts in the first quarter, with New Mexico going almost four minutes between scores at one point. The Broncos suffered through almost five minutes without points, finally snapped on a Mya Hansen lead to give Boise State a 13-11 lead.

Boise State held the advantage 15-14 after the first frame, thanks partially to New Mexico beginning the game 4 of 18 from the field.

Against New Mexico's zone defense, Boise State passed and moved the ball well, keeping the offense flowing. Steadman started the quarter with a baseline jumper and later, buckets by Muse on consecutive trips provided the Broncos with a 23-19 lead.

However, the Lobos warmed up and rattled off a 10-0 run. Their lead swelled to eight but the Broncos cut the gap to five at the break, trailing 38-33.

Muse had eight first-half points and Mary Kay Naro returned to the lineup after missing the last game, finishing the half with four assists and four rebounds.

Scrapping in the second half

After falling behind by seven early in the third quarter, Boise State's offense got rolling. Dani Bayes hit back-to-back threes and Elodie Lalotte scored four straight. New Mexico, though, found buckets of their own, not letting the Broncos get closer than two in the first five minutes of the second half.

Steadman was again a factor, hitting a three, but was Cumber was just as efficient, nailing a three to give New Mexico a six-point lead with 2:58 left in the third.

Boise State took care of the ball (only one turnover in the quarter) and scratched away, trailing 56-55 entering the final frame.

Again down by only two after a Lalotte free throw, the Broncos went cold for over three minutes and allowed the Lobos to stretch the lead to seven. An old fashioned three-point play by Muse revved things up again, with the Broncos staying within one to three points until Pasco's deep shot tied the game.

Lalotte and Bayes each finished with 11 points for the Broncos. Pasco scored eight and Hansen seven, but the two were a combined 5 of 21 from the field.

Naro finished with eight assists and six rebounds, both team highs.

Joana Magalhaes finished with 15 points, seven rebounds, and four assists for the Lobos. Destinee Hooks and (13 points) and Hulda Joaquim (11) also scored in double figures, with Alyssa Hargrove finishing with 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

The Broncos struggled from behind the arc (7-30) but committed only seven turnovers. 

With five games left in conference play, the Broncos are currently in eighth place. The good news? They are only two games out of fourth and have a good shot at going at least 4-1 down the stretch. Boise State's next change to close the gap is this Saturday when they host the Fresno State Bulldogs at ExtraMile Arena.

image credit: Wikimedia Commons

More on Boise State women's basketball 2024-25:

Boise State falls on the road in Laramie Road woes continue for Broncos Boise State Broncos preview 2024-25

Boise State Broncos focused in Friday night victory

 

All indications point to the Boise State Broncos men's basketball team climbing out of that rock bottom they hit two weeks ago.

Four players scored in double figures to help lead the Broncos to a 79-52 win over the San Jose State Spartans Friday night at ExtraMile Arena.

Using a balanced attack on offense and a strong effort on defense, Boise State (17-7, 9-4) picked up their fourth-straight victory. The Broncos maintained a steady hold on fifth place in the Mountain West, sitting one game back in the loss column behind San Diego State and Colorado State.

Seniors Tyson Degenhart and Alvaro Cardenas paved the way for Boise State. Degenhart was nearly perfect from the field, connecting on 9 of 11 attempts to finish with 22 points. He also found nothing but net on all three of his three-point attempts.

Cardenas was all over the box score, finishing with 16 points, six rebounds, and nine assists.  He did all this while committing only one turnover.

It was the performance of Emmanuel Ugbo, however, that should be especially noted. The sophomore forward had one of his best games as a Bronco, finishing with 12 points and five rebounds. 

San Jose State (12-13, 5-8) entered the game having won three of four but struggled on offense throughout the game. The Broncos held the Spartans to 38 percent from the field, including 2 of 18 on three-point shots. 

Boise State, meanwhile, shot 54.5 percent from the field and outrebounded San Jose State 37-23.

First half: Start slow, finish fast

San Jose State opened the game hitting their first two shots and were off to an early 4-0 lead. That was close to the high point for a Spartans team playing their best basketball as of late.

The Broncos rattled off an 8-0 and San Jose State did not score for over four minutes. There were heavy doses of Cardenas and Degenhart early, but the Spartans managed to hang around, tying the game at 10 with 12:25 left in the half.

Cardenas picked up his second foul with over 11 minutes remaining and the Broncos leading 12-10, but he ended up only sitting out for a brief spell. Even with Cardenas on the bench, Boise State was playing stifling defense, often forcing the Spartans to heave up shots late in the shot clock. 

Up only one point with 8:43 left in the first half, the Broncos went on a tear. Powered by Ugbo during this stretch, including a three-pointer and an old-fashioned three-point play, the Broncos went on an 18-6 run. The lead grew to as large as 13 and Boise State led at halftime, 37-25.

Ugbo and Degenhart each had 10 points in the half, with Julian Bowie adding six.

Broncos steady in second half

Each team started cold to open the second half. Boise State missed their first three shots but warmed up first, hitting their next five shots. The Spartans, however, were scoreless for nearly the first four minutes of the half. 

Degenhart immediately snuffed out the momentum with a three-pointer, growing the Broncos lead to 19 points.

The Spartans tried to chip away after finding some rhythm on offense. Boise State continued to match them, again finding a stretch where they connected on five straight field goal attempts. A Cardenas three-pointer with 4:29 left was the final dagger, giving Boise State a 72-28 lead. 

Javan Buchanan was the fourth Bronco in double figures, finishing with 11 points. Freshman Pearson Carmichael added seven and tied for the team-high with seven rebounds.

Latrell Davis led San Jose State with 14 points. Josh Uduje, who scored 22 points against the Broncos in the first meeting, had only eight on 3 of 9 shooting. Robert Vaihola had six points, seven rebounds, and two assists.

If there is one downside to the four-game winning streak it is that Boise State does not play again for another week. Despite wanting to ride the momentum immediately, the rest will be nice. Especially because on the agenda is back-to-back games against the San Diego State and the New Mexico Lobos, where a chance to climb the standings will be on the line.

Boise State travels to San Diego State to face the Aztecs on 2/15. The Broncos then return home to face the Lobos on 2/19. 

More on Boise State men's basketball 2024-25

Arduous road ahead to NCAA tourney Broncos fall short in Cayman Islands title game Boise State men's basketball preview

Super Bowl LIX preview: Same old (KC) song and (Philly) dance

 

Let us journey back to Super Bowl XXXVI in February 2002. Tom Brady and the underdog New England Patriots defeated the St. Louis Rams at the Superdome in New Orleans.

Flash forward to the year 2025 in New Orleans, where Super Bowl LIX will be held at the Superdome. Brady will be attending, providing color commentary for Fox. Attending, too, is the current face of the AFC, quarterback Patrick Mahomes. On Super Bowl Sunday, Mahomes attempts to lead Kansas City to a third straight title (and fourth in the last six seasons).

Either Mahomes or Brady, and on one occasion both of them at the same time, appeared in 14 Super Bowl games dating back to Brady's first appearance. What does it all mean?

Nothing at all, except for AFC fatigue, specifically Brady and Mahomes, is very real for this NFL fan. And countless others, too, but I have no scientific data to back that up except for infographics and memes popping up on social media.

This year's meeting between Kansas City and the Philadelphia Eagles is a rematch of Super Bowl LVII, where Kansas City won 38-35. In that game, Mahomes was a cool 21 of 27 for 182 yards and three touchdowns and Travis Kelce had six catches for 81 yards and a score.

Philly's quarterback Jalen Hurts put on a show, completing 27 of 38 for 304 yards and one touchdown, with the big three receivers for the Eagles (A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert) combining for 19 catches, 256 yards, and one touchdown.

Hurts also ran for 70 yards and three touchdowns.

I imagine anyone outside of Kansas City or Philadelphia fans hoped for any other matchup besides this one. I know I did. But here we are, raring to go and ready to see who takes home the trophy when the teams meet up on February 9 at 6:30 p.m. (ET) on Fox.

AFC Champion: Kansas City

Despite their obituary written multiple times throughout the regular season, Kansas City posted a 15-2 record and earned the top seed in the AFC. Attributed partially to a regular season loss to Buffalo and winning five regular season games by three points or less (with five other wins between four and seven points), many thought this season was where the reign ended.

Mahomes and teammates had other ideas.

In reaching the Super Bowl, Kansas City defeated the Houston Texans, 23-14, and the Bills, 32-29. Even in these victories, the offense has not been off the charts in productions. Instead, the unit has found timely success when needed, whether it be on a long or short field.

Kansas City also protected the ball, with a fumble by Mahomes their only turnover in two games.

The offense dealt with injuries at wide receiver and running back all season and is probably at its healthiest entering the Super Bowl. In this year's playoffs, Mahomes is completing 66.7 percent of his pass attempts, with 422 yards and two touchdowns.

Mahomes was sacked five times in these two games.

The Kansas City running game has only 185 yards in the playoffs, averaging 3.2 yards per carry. Kareem Hunt leads the way with 108 yards and two scores.

The receiving corps could be coming into their own, despite pedestrian numbers. DeAndre Hopkins, who handled a lot of the regular season load (56 rec, 610 yds, 5 tds) has had a quiet playoffs with only one reception (three targets) for 11 yards.

Xavier Worthy stepped up, with 11 catches for 130 yards and one touchdown. The go-to threat of tight end Travis Kelse has nine catches for 136 yards and one score.

On the defensive side of things, Kansas City has not forced a turnover in the playoffs. They do have 10 sacks, with George Karlaftis collecting three.

Safety Chamarri Conner and linebacker Drue Tranquill each have 14 tackles. 

NFC Champion: Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles are riding quite the wave of momentum heading into the Super Bowl. After a 2-2 start to the season, the Eagles have only lost once in their last 16 games (regular season + playoffs). Two of their three losses this season were by a combined four points.

Things did not look rosy with that start, but the vibe is much better here in February. In these playoffs, Philadelphia defeated Green Bay, the Los Angeles Rams, and atoned for one of their losses in defeating Washington, 55-23.

A gigantic reason the Eagles are in the Super Bowl is MVP candidate Saquon Barkley. All Barkley did in his first year in Philly was nearly set the single season rushing record. A mark he fell short in since he did not play in the regular season finale.

Barkley was supreme, rushing for 2,005 yards (5.8 yards per carry) and 13 touchdowns, adding another two scores on receptions. In the playoffs, he was just as good, rushing for 442 yards (6.7 ypc) and five touchdowns.

Hobbled to start the playoffs, Hurts has been consistent in three playoff games, throwing for 505 yards and three touchdowns while completing 69.6 percent of pass attempts. Though sacked 11 times, Hurts also has 122 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

As a team, Philadelphia rushed for 683 yards in the playoffs, averaging 6.6 yards per carry.

Those three big receivers who impacted the last Super Bowl for the Eagles continue to do so. Goedert (15 receptions, 188 yards, 1 td), Smith (12 receptions, 121 yards), and Brown (9 receptions, 120 yards, 1 td) accounted for 36 of Hurts' 48 completions. The three also accounted for 77.4 percent of the targets in this year's playoffs.

On the other side of the ball, Philly's defense has 10 sacks, 4 interceptions, and 6 fumble recoveries. 

Linebackers Zack Baun and Nolan Smith Jr. are wreaking havoc. Baun has 26 tackles and two fumble recoveries while Smith has 16 tackles and four sacks.

The back end of the defense is doing their part, with safety Reed Blankenship making 24 tackles and cornerback Quinyon Mitchell snagging two interceptions.

Super Bowl LIX prediction

Straight out of the gate, I will say I missed on two of the last three Super Bowl predictions. The sole game in which I predicted the winner? That was the last time these two teams met, where I predicted a two-point Kansas City victory.

This time I around, I am going the opposite direction. The game will be close, where Barkley and Philadelphia's defense provide the difference in sending the City of Brotherly Love into a frenzy.

Philadelphia 27 Kansas City 24

image credit: Flickr

Previous Super Bowl predictions & more:

Super Bowl LVIII - Kansas City vs San Francisco Super Bowl LVII - Philadelphia vs Kansas City Super Bowl LVI - Los Angeles Rams vs Cincinnati Bengals Super Bowl history: The good, the bad, the yawners

Lagging in Laramie: Boise State Broncos women's basketball falls on road

 

If a college basketball team had one opportunity every season to use a Neuralyzer from the movie Men in Black, the Boise State Broncos women's basketball team would choose Saturday's game in Laramie to do exactly that.

The Wyoming Cowgirls (13-9, 7-3) led from start to finish, routing the Broncos 79-45.

For a Boise State team who had the offense flowing earlier this week in a 89-80 win over New Mexico, the exact opposite occurred Saturday against Wyoming. The Broncos shot 30.5 percent from the field, including no less than 21 missed shots in the paint. 

Credit as well to the Cowgirls defense, holding Boise State (15-8, 5-5) to only five attempts from three-point range. But many of those missed shots in the key were right at the rim, leading to a frustrating afternoon for the Broncos.

Boise State has now lost four straight games in Laramie, including a cold-shooting night in last season's loss. The good news? The Broncos get an opportunity to even the score on February 18 at ExtraMile Arena. And Boise State did defeat Wyoming in Boise last season, plus another victory over the Cowgirls in the Mountain West tournament.

Tatum Thompson was the only Bronco who scored in double digits, finishing with 11. Thompson also finished with five rebounds, tied with Alyssa Christensen for the team lead.

Wyoming's big three of Allyson Fertig, Emily Mellema, and Malene Pedersen had their way with Boise State on Saturday. Fertig finished with 22 points and 17 rebounds. Mellema scored 22 on 10 of 13 shooting (plus four steals), and Pedersen finished with 15 points and five assists.

The disappointing showing by Boise State is best served as fuel for the fire going forward. The best way to do that? Acknowledge the shortcomings and erase the effort, knowing big games loom in the coming weeks. 

First half: Tough from the start

Along with cold shooting, foul trouble doomed Boise State in the first half. Easy missed layups contributed to the start, where it took over three minutes for the Broncos to score their first points on a Mya Hansen floater.

Wyoming jumped out to a 10-2 lead, hitting five of their first seven shots. Thompson sliced into the lead with an old fashioned three-point play, cutting the score to 10-7 at the 5:01 mark.

Boise State proceeded to not score another point the rest of the quarter, with the Cowgirls using a 10-0 run to close out the frame. During those final five minutes, Thompson and Abby Muse each picked up their second fouls.

The second quarter was not much better. Christensen also picked up her second foul and Wyoming continued to attack the interior. This eventually opened up shots from deep for the Cowgirls, with two late threes, extending Wyoming's lead to 38-21 at the break.

Muse also picked up her third foul with just over a minute left.

Nine of Thompson's points were in the first half. Only three other Broncos found the scoring column and Boise State was 8 of 29 from the field and 0 for 3 on three-point attempts.

Second half: Broncos never threaten

To open the third quarter, hopes were Boise State found changes in the locker room and could make a run. Saturday proved to be one of those games where nothing went as planned.

Muse picked up her fourth foul within 30 seconds of the half and Wyoming started by hitting four of their first five shots. No matter what combination of players the Broncos put together, no flow emerged. More shots in the paint certainly did not help, with everyone from guards to forwards missing shots at the rim.

Boise State, trailing by 26 entering the fourth, emptied its bench. Wyoming, however, kept their starters in for roughly the first six minutes of the quarter, their lead swelling in the process.

Allie Hueckman hit Boise State's only three-pointer of the night late in the game.

Elodie Lalotte finished with nine points off the bench. Natalie Pasco finished with six (all in the first half), with Hansen and Mary Kay Naro adding four each.

Rebounding was also a problem for Boise State, with the Cowgirls collecting 43 to the Broncos 28.

The loss dropped Boise State to seventh place in the Mountain West, though they are only two games back of third. The Broncos stay on the road, taking on the eighth place Nevada Wolf Pack on 2/5 before returning home to host Colorado State on 2/8.

Image credit: Flickr

More on Boise State women's basketball 2024-25

Broncos: Conference report 2025 Road woes continue for Boise State Boise State: 2024-25 preview

Boise State Broncos men's basketball: Arduous road ahead to NCAA tourney

 

The macro goal for a Division I basketball team is winning the NCAA tournament. Broken down into the micro level is simply punching a ticket to the Big Dance, whether via an automatic or at-large berth.

Heading into the midpoint of Mountain West play, the Boise State Broncos (13-7, 5-4) men's basketball team will likely need the former to achieve NCAA tournament dreams.

The season started out in fine form for Boise State, posting a record of 8-3 in non-conference play. Mountain West play of "win one, lose one" has put the Broncos in fifth place. A tough spot for the preseason favorite to win the conference.

Boise State has lost three of four. All three losses were on the road, two of which were by a combined five points. Closing out games, or digging themselves big holes only to fall just short in a comeback, have been culprits in losses, going as far back as non-conference play. Two were against solid WCC teams, where USF (17-6) is in second place and Washington State (15-7) is in sixth.

The third non-conference loss does not look too great. Boston College, after winning the Cayman Islands Classic on a last-second shot against Boise State, was 6-1. Since? Well, the Eagles are only 3-10 and currently sit in 17th place out of 18 teams in the ACC.

Good news for Boise State is that 11 conference games remain. The top six teams are bound to move within the ranks of each other, meaning a top spot is possible. Head coach Leon Rice recently promised changes to the 11-player rotation he currently employs. Meaning this team has a chance, with the right buttons pushed, to get going and make the deep run hoped for.

Degenhart, Cardenas top notch

With only three players returning who saw heavy rotation minutes for the Broncos in 2023-24, hiccups and uneven flow were to be expected. Except in non-conference play, those worries were seemingly set aside.

Lately, some of that cohesiveness is gone and the Broncos struggled. The problem, in many ways, is team play on defense. Boise State goes through long stretches, or halves, where intensity is lacking. Surprising, considering a Rice-coached squad usually excels at the defensive end. 

In the last three losses, Boise State allowed all three opponents to score over 70 points, with two of them crossing the 80-point mark. Inexperience does factor in but at this point in the season, it is hardly an excuse.

On offense, however, Boise State is consistent (well, aside from three-point shooting that is hot and cold far too often). Aside from the first half against Colorado State and a meltdown against New Mexico, this offense has been in sync. That starts with stars Tyson Degenhart and Alvaro Cardenas.

Degenhart is averaging 18 points and 6 rebounds per game. The senior is shooting 53.2 percent from the field and 29.7 percent on three-point attempts. Only once in nine conference games has Degenhart failed to reach double digits in scoring and dropped 19.6 points in the last five games.

Cardenas has given the Broncos the true point guard missing in recent seasons. The transfer from San Jose State is averaging 11.5 points and 6.9 assists per game. Three times this season Cardenas had a game with 10+ assists and over the last five games, is putting up 13 points and 7.6 assists per game.

In recent games, for the most part, Cardenas is taking care of the ball. He had only 10 turnovers in the last five games, seven of which came in the loss to New Mexico. 

Boise State is also getting solid play from Andrew Meadow (11.9 ppg), Javan Buchanan (10.6 ppg), and freshman Julian Bowie.

One surprise has been the play by O'Mar Stanley. Penciled in for big things this season, Stanley has struggled with consistency. Though Stanley averages 8.4 points and 5.8 rebounds, both numbers are down from a season ago (12.7/6.6, respectively). Numbers dipped even more over the last four games, where Stanley only has 15 points and 15 rebounds, though he did have four blocked shots against the Lobos.

Getting Stanley going and back to a level a play from last season is a must for Boise State. More post touches would be nice, and consistent strong finishes, too. This will get Boise State into a better flow on offense, opening cleaner looks for the shooters. 

Conference outlook, upcoming games for Boise State

New Mexico (17-4, 9-1) sits atop the Mountain West standings, with their lone loss coming to San Jose State. The Utah State Aggies (18-2, 8-1) are fighting alongside the Lobos, with their lone loss to San Diego State. Prior to their last two wins (by an average of 25 points), the Aggies had not won a conference game by more than seven points.

Boise State's four losses were to team's ahead of them in the standings, where Colorado State and San Diego State sit third and fourth. Teams play every other team twice in conference play, so there are opportunities for the Broncos to even up the season series with these teams (three of the games will be at ExtraMile Arena). The goal of winning the Mountain West is in reach, and a first-round bye in the conference tournament is doable.

The Mountain West is down compared to a season ago in regard to quality wins and overall rankings. Barring an 11-game winning streak, chances are the Broncos need to win the Mountain West tournament to secure entry into the NCAA tournament. One factor in Boise State's favor is the victory over Clemson, where the Tigers (17-4, 9-1) are currently in second place in the ACC.

Three of the next four games for Boise State are at home. First up is a game with the Nevada Wolf Pack (1/29), followed by a meeting with Fresno State (2/1). The two teams are a combined 4-14 in conference play. These are two prime opponents for Boise State to reclaim their dominance and start on the road climbing back to the top of the Mountain West.

More on Boise State men's basketball 2024-25

Broncos reclaim swagger in win over Wyoming Boise State routs UNLV Broncos stumble in home loss to San Diego State

image credit: rawpixel