Jason Haskins's Blog, page 3

Boise State Broncos women's basketball: Conference report

 

Nearing the halfway mark of Mountain West Conference play, the Boise State Broncos women's basketball team has work to do.

The Broncos (14-7, 4-4) are not necessarily in a dire spot sitting in fifth place. However, it is a spot that could be better if the usual trappings of previous seasons hadn't reappeared.

Turnovers. Missed easy shots. Long stretches of scoring droughts.

Honestly, these were issues I thought would be fixed this season with the veteran roster. Buoyed by juniors and seniors, there was reason to believe a bit more success was possible.

Woes on the road have been part of the struggle in Mountain West play. Three of Boise State's conference losses have been away from ExtraMile Arena. And two of those road losses were to teams currently lower than Boise State in the standings.

Still, a lot of good things have gone well for the Broncos. A regular season conference title maybe out of reach but Boise State is on track to earn a first-round bye in the Mountain West tournament. With the conference more open than in recent years, it is too early to count the Broncos out just yet.

Pasco, Thompson leading way

A trio of juniors pace the Broncos in a number of categories, led by Natalie Pasco and Tatum Thompson.

Pasco is the team's leading scorer (13 ppg) and is knocking down 40 percent of their three-point attempts, leading the team with 42 made threes. Pasco is also shooting 47.8 percent from the field and the Broncos recent game against the Colorado State Rams passed 1,000 career points.

Pasco has five straight games of scoring in double digits, averaging 19 points in this stretch.

Thompson has been exceptional on both ends of the court and is second on the team in points (11.8) and rebounds (6.4) per game. Boise State has relied a lot on Thompson in recent weeks and the junior has responded with four straight double-doubles, averaging nearly 18 points and 11 rebounds per game.

The third of this trio is Mya Hansen, who is enjoying quite a stretch, too. Hansen averages 8.7 points per game and is shooting 42.3 percent from deep. Hansen is a valuable ball handler as well as shooter, though 43 turnovers lead the team.

Scoring in double figures in six conference games, Hansen is averaging 14.1 points in Mountain West play while knocking down 18 three-pointers (including at least two in six straight games).

Boise State has one of the deepest benches in the nation, with often five to seven players receiving regular minutes. On a regular basis, one of Hansen, Pasco, or Dani Bayes (8.4 ppg) comes off the bench.

The super seniors of Abby Muse, Elodie Lalotte, and Mary Kay Naro are contributing, though I wish at times the experience shined through a tad better. Muse leads the team in rebounding and blocked shots, with Naro leading the team in assists.

The Broncos need to look at converting more looks in the key and committing less turnovers (15.3). Upping these aspects and coupled with their normally tenacious defense will help a lot in building success to close the regular season. 

Boise State forces more turnovers than they commit and holds opponents to under 30 percent on three-point attempts. The Broncos also hold an advantage of 3.5 on the glass and average 5.5 blocked shots per game. If those things hold true and a more consistent offense emerges (like it did at the end of last season), then this team will be strong rolling down the back half of conference play.

Conference standings and upcoming games

At 8-0 in Mountain West play, UNLV currently sits atop the standings. The Lady Rebels have not been quite as dominant as season's past but remain stellar nonetheless. UNLV holds a 1-point win versus Wyoming (11-8, 5-2), a four-point win at Boise State, and nine points versus Colorado State (14-6, 5-2). Though tested in other games these three were the closest.

The New Mexico Lobos (13-7, 6-1) currently sit in second place, with their only loss to UNLV. Discounting a 22-point win at Utah State, the Lobos conference wins are by an average of 6.6 points.

New Mexico hosts Fresno State up next and then travel to Boise to face the Broncos.

Boise State is on their bye this weekend after losing to Colorado State last Tuesday by a score of 79-70. The Broncos have a big week next with a chance to make a move with two victories. On 1/28, Boise State hosts New Mexico, followed by a game on 2/1 in Laramie against Wyoming.

Six of Boise State's final 10 conference games are against the top four teams in the standings. The road ahead is difficult but if the Broncos come together and play to their capabilities, an exciting March is on the horizon.

More on Boise State women's basketball 2024-25

Road woes continue for Broncos Boise State drops close one to UNLV Broncos off to glorious start image credit: Wikimedia Commons

Boise State Broncos reclaim swagger in victory Wyoming Cowboys

 

The Boise State Broncos men's basketball team does not take close losses lightly.

For the second straight week, this time after a heartbreaking loss at Utah State, Boise State took out their frustration on its opponent. The Wyoming Cowboys were the unfortunate recipients, with Boise State (13-5, 5-2) in complete control in a 96-55 victory.

Five Broncos finished in double figures in the scoring department, and 11 of the 12 players who played found the scoring column. Andrew Meadow finished with a game-high 18 points, followed by Julian Bowie with 16. Meadow and Bowie combined to shoot 8 of 11 on three-point attempts.

Tyson Degenhart and Alvaro Cardenas each chipped in 14, with Chris Lockett Jr. scoring 11.

Cardenas was especially efficient across the board, adding eight assists, four rebounds, four steals (all in the first half), and only one turnover.

Boise State dominated at both ends, finishing with eight turnovers compared to 14 for Wyoming (9-8, 2-4). The Broncos shot nearly 60 percent from the field, were 13 of 26 on three-point attempts, and held a plus 11 advantage on the glass.

The game was about as perfect as one could ask for, especially coming off the tough loss against the Aggies. Taking care of business in these winnable games is a must, especially with the team approaching the halfway point of Mountain West play.

Boise State: Defense leads to offense

In his first game back since the loss to Boise State on New Year's Eve, Wyoming's Obi Agbim looked in good form, hitting the game's first bucket to give the Cowboys a 3-0 lead.

That was the last time Boise State let Wyoming even sniff the lead.

Early threes, aggressive defense, and converting open looks spurred the Broncos to a 22-4 run, with a basket by Degenhart giving Boise State a 22-7 lead.

Wyoming managed to settle in, forcing a couple of stops while finding a semblance of offense to make the score 25-13 with 7:11 left in the half.

That was as close as they would get, buoyed by a whole lot of Cardenas in the last six minutes. Dishing out assists, launching three-pointers, and turning steals into fastbreak points, Cardenas was a one-person highlight reel. A Bowie three-pointer at the buzzer provided the largest lead of the half at 50-21.

Degenhart did most of his damage in the first half, finishing with 12 points on four of six from the field. The Broncos held Wyoming to 29 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes, with Agbim scoring 11.

Second half: Rout is on

There would be no letdown in the second half. Boise State picked up right where they left off, connecting on eight of their first nine shots. Lockett and Meadow did a lot of the damage in this early stretch and Boise State's lead swelled to 44 points after a Cardenas three-pointer with 12:52 left.

The large lead allowed players like Degenhart (17 minutes) and other starters to rest a little. No Boise State player played a total of 30 minutes, with Cardenas logging the most at 28.

Wyoming managed to play Boise State even over the last ten minutes or so but by then the game was long over.

Agbim led the Cowboys with 16 points. Dontaie Allen was the only other Wyoming player to crack double digits, with 11 points.

Fouls were a little disconcerting for the Broncos and there were missed free throws in the second half you usually don't see (including two by Degenhart). 

Emmanuel Ugbo, who earned a start in this game, finished with seven points and seven rebounds. O'Mar Stanley had five rebounds, with all but one Bronco collecting a rebound, including Brennan Ramirez (who is still on the lookout for his first career points).

Overall, this complete team effort showed how dangerous Boise State is when all cylinders are firing. This type of focus and high-level execution was important ahead of a huge game Friday night (1/17) at The Pit in New Mexico. The Lobos may have been caught looking ahead to the Boise State meeting, losing Tuesday night at San Jose State, 71-70. 

Tip-off against the Lobos is scheduled for 9 p.m. (MT) on FS1. 

More on Boise State men's basketball 2024-25

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Road woes continue for Boise State Broncos women's basketball

Familiar struggles of turnovers and cold shooting doomed the Boise State Broncos women's basketball team Saturday afternoon in Fresno. Toss in the failure to stop Bulldog star Mia Jacobs and the recipe for a loss was complete.

Despite a career game from Boise State junior Tatum Thompson, the Broncos (12-6, 2-3) fell on the road to the Bulldogs, losing 68-62.

Jacobs, who entered the game averaging 18 points and 9.8 rebounds, delivered for Fresno State. The junior dropped a game-high 30 points, adding 10 rebounds for good measure. Jacobs did nearly half her damage at the charity stripe, connecting on 13 of 15 attempts.

The loss was only six points and if Boise State had taken better care of the ball, this outcome would have been different. The Broncos finished with a slightly better field goal percentage than the Bulldogs but a huge made free throw advantage (+11) and long stretches of not scoring hampered Boise State.

So, too, did a normally balanced scoring attack that saw only five players score. Three of the players combined for 57 points, led by Thompson. Thompson, who had a previous career-high of 21 last season in Fresno, bettered that today, finishing with 24 points and 16 rebounds.

Natalie Pasco scored 20 points off the bench, with Mya Hansen earning a start and scoring 13.

The Broncos also outrebounded Fresno State (11-6, 2-2) by six but the Bulldogs committed only nine turnovers.

Boise State first half woes

Thompson appeared on track for a fantastic game right from the get-go, scoring the game's first five points in staking the Broncos to a 5-0 lead.

Both teams struggled after an early Bulldog bucket made the score 5-2. Fresno State went nearly four minutes without scoring before two free throws made the score 5-4.

Boise State's drought was much longer, lasting over six minutes, where the team missed nine straight field goals. Thankfully, Fresno State hadn't done much themselves and the Dani Bayes three-pointer gave the Broncos an 8-7 lead.

Foul trouble also hurt the Broncos in the first half, with Elodie Lalotte picking up her second later in the first quarter and Thompson her second foul early in the second. Abby Muse also picked up her second foul with 2:38 left in the half.

With the teams knotted at 12 after the first quarter, a baseline jumper by Thompson gave the Broncos a 14-12 lead.

Three ties and five lead changes highlighted the first half, but Fresno State stretched their lead to as many as seven late in the half. Boise State was able to grab late points and trailed heading into the locker room, 31-27.

Boise State had 12 first half turnovers and stayed close thanks to decent three-point shooting (4-10) compared to Fresno State (2-18).

Pasco had 11 first-half points, with Thompson scoring nine.

Second half

The Broncos settled down in the second half, forcing less crosscourt passes and less of trying to do too much in individual matchups. This led to only five second-half turnovers while forcing Fresno State into six.

Still, early in the half Boise State missed six straight field goal attempts after Thompson hit a shot to open the half. Boise State hung around, eventually retaking the lead at 36-34.

Four of Boise State's five second-half turnovers occurred in the quarter, many during a 14-2 run put together by Fresno State. This roughly five-minute stretch to close the third quarter essentially sealed the game for the Bulldogs, with their lead growing to as large as ten points.

Entering the fourth quarter, Boise State was down 48-40. Hansen connected on a couple of three-pointers, each time shrinking the Fresno State lead to five. But the Bulldogs responded with stops and scores of their own, even getting the lead back to ten.

A Thompson bucket made the score 57-54 but that was as close as the Broncos got the rest of the way.

The lack of balanced scoring for the Broncos also showed up in the assist column, where Boise State finished with only five. The team entered the game averaging 14.6 assists per game.

Hansen was 3 of 10 from the field and Muse, Lalotte, Bayes and Mary Kay Naro were a combined 2 of 13.

Boise State dropped to 1-2 on the road in conference play this season. The Broncos return home next week for games with San Jose State (1/15) and Nevada (1/18).

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

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1st round QBs from 2018 NFL Draft: Success in season 7

 

Like a season ago, the 2024-25 season for four quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft and their teams ended with a playoff berth for each.

Unlike last season, however, all four will be the starting quarterback for their respective team. Lingering over them: Is this the season of these quarterbacks finally snags an elusive Super Bowl title?

Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield, and Sam Darnold all are worth of being in the discussion for MVP this season. Moreso Jackson and Allen, but Mayfield and Darnold should be mentioned nonetheless. Each individual nailed a career-best in at least one stat category, and three of the four will enjoy a home playoff game to get things started.

For Jackson and Allen, this postseason pressure if familiar, with the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills once again among Super Bowl favorite (with pesky Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City potentially standing in their way). Mayfield is making his second-straight playoff appearance with Tampa Bay (third overall). Darnold is the newcomer as a starting quarterback with Minnesota, a season after reaching the Super Bowl as a backup with the San Francisco 49ers.

The January gauntlet is about to begin. With any luck, in February, one of these four quarterbacks will have a Super Bowl ring to cap off an excellent season.

Lamar Jackson

Jackson and the Ravens (12-5) took until week 18 to wrap up the AFC North this season. A bit of a surprise, yes, but very little of taking so long to do this was the fault of Jackson.

Already a two-time MVP, Jackson is on track to pick up a third after posting the best numbers of his seven-year career. Jackson completed 66.7 percent of his pass attempts, throwing for a career-high 4,172 yards. Jackson also passed for 41 touchdowns and threw only four interceptions, also career-bests.

Jackson was much better at being consistent throughout an entire season, with the proof in the stats and limiting interceptions (though he did lose four fumbles). 

Help in the running game was a major boost to Baltimore's success on offense. Jackson still ran for 915 yards and became the NFL's all-time leading rusher for a quarterback, averaging 6.6 yards per carry.

Baltimore has had talented running backs during Jackson's career. Keeping them healthy was an issue in previous season, where Jackson was forced to carry the load. Not this season, with the arrival of Derrick Henry. Henry added to what is sure to be a Hall of Fame career, playing in all 17 games and rushing for 1,921 yards. 

Now the goal for Jackson is to put behind him the playoff struggles, where he is 2-4 with nine turnovers in his career.

Baltimore rides a four-game winning streak into the playoffs, where a health defense allowed only just under 11 points per game in this stretch. The quest for a Super Bowl title begins at home, where the Ravens (with the third seed in the AFC) play host to the Pittsburgh Steelers on January 11.

Josh Allen

With the second seed in the AFC locked up, Allen played only one snap in the regular season finale for the Bills (13-4). The Bills lost to the New England Patriots, but Allen has the team in prime position to finally reach the Big Game.

Allen led the Bills to a fifth-consecutive AFC East title and is a frontrunner alongside Jackson to pick up the MPV award. A more balanced attack this season for Buffalo led the way and Allen had a down year compared to previous seasons as far as stats are concerned.

In throwing for 3,731 yards, Allen ended a four-year stretch in which he tossed for at least 4,000 yards. Allen completed 63.6 percent of pass attempts, throwing 28 touchdowns and only six interceptions (a career-low). Allen also stayed steady in the ground game, finishing with 531 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Allen only took 14 sacks all season, including just once in his last six full games.

James Cook, Ray Davis, and a Buffalo running attack helped this offense thrive. With somewhat of a more "conservative" attack, Allen had six games in which he passed for less than 200 yards.

Still, Allen provided Buffalo with exactly what they needed. The Bills will be at home at least two rounds in the playoffs, if all goes according to plan, starting 1/12 against the Denver Broncos.

Baker Mayfield

Winning the NFC South seemed in a dire place for Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when they reached their bye in week 11. The Atlanta Falcons were rolling and the Bucs were dealing with an array of injuries and struggles.

No problem.

Tampa Bay won six of their last seven games locking up the division title with a week 18 victory over the New Orleans Saints. Mayfield was a huge reason for Tampa Bay's success this season. Yes, interceptions (16) remained a problem, with seven over the last seven games, but his play was gutsy and near phenomenal. In this same seven-game period, Mayfield passed for nearly 2,000 yards with 17 touchdowns.

Statistically, this season was Mayfield's best, finishing with career-highs in completion percentage (71.4), yards (4,500), and touchdown passes (41). Mayfield also added "dual threat" to his resume, rushing for 378 yards and three touchdowns. This included a 68-yard effort in the regular season finale.

Mayfield and the resilient Bucs open the playoffs as the third seed, hosting the Washington Commanders on Sunday night (1/12). The teams met to open the season, with Tampa Bay earning a 37-20 victory, with Mayfield throwing for 289 yards and four touchdowns.

Sam Darnold

It is rare to see a 14-3 team enter the playoffs as a conference's fifth seed. That is exactly where the Minnesota Vikings and Darnold sit, thanks to a red-hot Detroit Lions team.

Despite a big hiccup in Minnesota's week 18 loss to the Lions (18-41, 166 yards), Darnold was a huge surprise for the Vikings. Healthy and playing a full season, Darnold finally lived up to that first round potential.

In playing in all 17 games, Darnold delivered with career-highs in completion percentage (66.2), yards (4,319), and touchdown passes (35). The passing yards were nearly 1,300 better than his previous career high and, in Darnold's four previous seasons he'd only totaled 27 touchdown passes.

Darnold and the Vikings will hit the road to open the playoffs, facing the Los Angeles Rams. The game is currently scheduled for Monday night (1/13) in Los Angeles, but the game may be moved to Arizona because of the Los Angeles fires.

Josh Rosen

Until otherwise noted, let's go with: Josh Rosen. Former NFL QB and future businessman.

Thanks for following along with this continuing series on the quarterbacks drafted in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Check back next August with this series, where hopefully we will be talking about one of these quarterbacks with a Super Bowl victory on their resume entering season eight.

image credit: Flickr

More on season 7 for these quarterbacks:

Season seven preview Sizzling Sam Darnold Midpoint MVPs for season seven Progress thru week 13

Sensational Boise State Broncos rout UNLV to re-enter win column

 

In January 2024, the UNLV Rebels came into ExtraMile Arena in Boise and ended a 22-game home winning streak for the Boise State Broncos men's basketball team.

There would be no such road victory repeat for UNLV on Tuesday night.

Boise State (12-4, 4-1) led wire-to-wire and bounced back from Saturday's home loss to San Diego State, defeating the Rebels 81-59.

In winning the ninth time in their last 10 meetings with UNLV (9-6, 3-1), four Boise State players scored in double figures. Tyson Degenhart, who struggled against the Aztecs, had a game-high 21 points. Boise State got back to feeding Degenhart inside, resulting in an 8 of 11 night from the field for the senior, who also finished with 11 rebounds.

Alvaro Cardenas finished with 13 points and nine assists (with zero turnovers). O'Mar Stanley and Javan Buchanan each added 12 points off the bench.

Tuesday was a much better shooting night for the Broncos, connecting on a clip of 49.2 percent. Boise State also got back to rebounding basics, resulting in a 38-21 advantage (and holding UNLV to three offensive rebounds while collecting 13 of their own).

Jailen Bedford led UNLV with 11 points and the Broncos held star point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. to 10 points and four assists.

First half action

From UNLV's first possession, where the Broncos forced a shot clock violation, Boise State appeared ready to bring the energy to this game. 

Andrew Meadow's three-pointer just over two minutes into the game gave Boise State a 3-0 lead they never relinquished. Thanks to a six of nine start from the field, the Broncos built an early seven-point lead at 17-10.

UNLV managed to peel off a quick 6-0 run over the next few minutes, closing the gap to one. This was as close as the Rebels would be the remainder of the game.

Boise State responded with a 10-0 run of their own, fueled by the first appearance of the season by freshman Pearson Carmichael. Carmichael brought energy to both ends of the floor and connected on a three-pointer during this run.

Degenhart and Stanley took over after that stretch, with a Degenhart putback growing the Bronco lead to 12. The margin swelled to 19 when Cardenas delivered a bucket at the buzzer to give Boise State a 43-24 halftime lead.

The Broncos shot 50 percent from the field in the first half and had nine assists against only three turnovers.

Second half: Rout is on

Boise State came out of the locker room with the same fire, poise, and focus, with Degenhart hitting a three-pointer almost immediately out of the gate. 

The lead continued to grow thanks to an efficient, fluid Boise State offense that tried to get everyone involved. An early shot by Dylan Anderson stretched the lead to 24. The lead reached its apex when, after a Rebel turnover, Carmichael took the ball the length of the floor to put Boise State up 63-34 with 11:35 left in the game.

UNLV managed to put together a couple of runs, putting a dent in the lead and getting as close as 15 points. But Boise State managed to put stops together, hit their free throws, and found offense again to close out this victory in style.

Boise State finished with 11 turnovers to 14 for UNLV. One downside for the Broncos continues to be three-point shooting. After starting 3 of 6 from beyond the arc, Boise State only finished 8 of 30.

Carmichael was impressive in his debut, playing for 18 minutes and finishing with eight points and three rebounds. Anderson added seven points to go along with three assists.

Next up for the Broncos is a road trip to Utah State on Saturday. The Aggies are 15-1 and 5-0 in conference play after defeating the San Jose State Spartans in San Jose on Tuesday night.

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

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Competitive Boise State Broncos women's basketball drops close one

 

Game 1,500 in program history almost delivered a season-defining win for the Boise State Broncos women's basketball team on Saturday night in Boise.

Close, but no cigar.

Battling for 40 minutes, the Broncos (11-5, 1-2) came up just short in announcing contender status. Hosting the defending Mountain West champions UNLV Lady Rebels, Boise State fell 61-57.

The first and third quarters were indicative of what this Boise State team could be. Attacking the paint and holding the Lady Rebels at bay, Boise State outscored UNLV 37-21.

In the second and fourth quarters, however, UNLV (11-4, 3-0) stepped up on both sides of the floor, while the Broncos went away from what was working. In these quarters, the Lady Rebels won 40-20, including 25-14 in the decisive frame.

A battle of two top offenses turned into one of two stellar defenses. Each team was under 40 percent from the field but both teams mostly kept care of the ball. UNLV had only 11 turnovers to Boise State's 12.

Mya Hansen had a team-high 17 points for Boise State, with Elodie Lalotte adding 12.

This game featured multiple ties and lead changes, with neither team leading by more than seven points throughout the contest.

First half

Boise State started quickly, hitting three of their first four shots. A steady, balanced effort, with the Broncos attacking the interior, provided an early lead.

It was a lead that stretched to seven at 15-8 after an Alyssa Christensen three pointer. The Broncos, shooting 8 of 13 in the quarter, led 17-11 after the first.

A quick basket from Natalie Pasco to start the second quarter put the Broncos up 19-12. Offense from there, however, went cold.

Settling for too many jump shots, Boise State was only 2 of 17 from the field in the second quarter. UNLV slowly chipped away and used a run of 11-0 to build a four-point lead. The Broncos did enough on defense to stay within striking distance, trailing by three points at the break.

Lalotte and Pasco each scored six points in the half. Abby Muse had four first-half rebounds, all in the second quarter, as she became the Boise State career leader in that category.

Second half

The switch on offense again flipped for the Broncos, thanks in large part to Hansen.

The UNLV lead stretched to five thanks to Amarachi Kimpson's first field goal of the game. After starting the quarter 0-3 from the field, the Boise State offense got jump started thanks to a Dani Bayes three-pointer.

Foul trouble to Bayes and Pasco hindered the Broncos but Hansen stepped in to score ten points in the quarter, including a three-pointer at the buzzer to give Boise State a seven-point lead entering the final frame.

A key was Boise State getting back to the inside game, with key buckets from Lalotte. Christensen also hit another shot from deep, part of the 15-6 run to close the third.

UNLV blazed out to a 10-2 run to open the fourth. Ten lead changes took place in the second half, with many of those coming in the fourth quarter. A Bayes jumper off an inbounds pass tied the score at 49 with 5:06 left. And a made three by Pasco with 3:54 left provided the Broncos with a one-point lead.

Boise State again went cold and, after only one turnover in the third quarter, committed five in the fourth. UNLV was able to consistently attack the paint and hit their free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.

The Lady Rebels also had more rebounds (44-31) than the Broncos, including 14 on the offensive glass.

Kiara Jackson had 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists for UNLV, with Kimpson adding 15 points. Alyssa Brown finished with eight points and nine rebounds.

For Boise State, Pasco added nine points and Bayes added seven. Muse and Tatum Thompson led the Broncos with six rebounds apiece.

Boise State will look to bounce back next week, with road games at Utah State (1/8) and Fresno State (1/11).

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Boise State Broncos stumble at home in loss to San Diego State Aztecs

 

Foul trouble, second-chance points, and struggles on offense did in the Boise State Broncos men's basketball team Saturday at sold-out ExtraMile Arena.

Expected was the third aspect against the top-tier defense of the San Diego Aztecs. The first two areas, however, have been key strengths for the Broncos (11-4, 3-1) this season. Both failed and contributed to the 76-68 loss to the Aztecs.

A late, final minute flurry made things interesting for Boise State. A Julian Bowie three-pointer, followed by an Andrew Meadow steal and bucket brought the Broncos within five. Coupled with San Diego State missing free throws, there was hope but Boise State could not find another bucket the rest of the game.

It was a cold stretch from the field earlier in the second half that Boise State could not overcome. After an Alvaro Cardenas three-pointer brought the Broncos within one at 58-57, Boise State went over six minutes without a field goal. 

Cardenas was in foul trouble much of the game and finished with nine points on 3 of 12 shooting. Cardenas had six assists but also four turnovers. 

Tyson Degenhart had struggles of his own, connecting on only 1 of 7 from the field in finishing with nine points. Forced outside due to San Diego State's defense, Degenhart missed all five of his three-point attempts and Boise State was only 7 of 30 as a team from deep.

O'Mar Stanley, coming off the bench again, picked up three first-half fouls and finished with four points and five rebounds.

With those three players struggling, Chris Locket Jr. stepped up. The redshirt freshman finished with a career-high 16 points, knocking down three 3-pointers, and carrying the team through much of first half.

First half

Boise State started off rather nicely, with Meadow scoring the team's first four points. The lead for the Broncos stayed between two and four points the game's first seven minutes or so, reaching as large as seven on a Bowie three-pointer with 12:45 left.

After going up 18-12, the Aztecs defense kept Boise State stagnant. San Diego State (9-3, 2-1) rattled off a 13-4 run, taking their first lead at the 7:19 mark of the half.

Back and forth the teams went in the half's closing minutes, ending with four ties and three lead changes. Miles Byrd carried the Aztecs, totaling 14 points in the half, as San Diego State took a 33-32 halftime lead.

Lockett and Meadow each scored eight points in the half, with Degenhart and Bowie scoring five apiece.

Second half

Byrd picked right up where he left, connecting on an early three-pointer. The Aztecs managed to keep the lead between four and six points before Boise State clawed back into the game.

Degenhart's only field goal of the game came at the 12:53 mark of the half, off a beautiful pass from Lockett on the fast break. The bucket tied the score at 47.

Second chance points by San Diego State continued to hamper the Broncos, with the lead by the Aztecs again extending to six points. Five straight points by Cardenas brought the score to 58-57 and the Broncos looked in good shape before going cold down the stretch.

Meadow finished with 14 points and Bowie added 10.

For the Aztecs, Byrd finished with a game-high 22 points and Taj DeGournville added 13 points and six rebounds.

San Diego State had 21 second-chance points and 15 offensive rebounds, overall outrebounding the Broncos by 10. 

The loss ended a five-game winning streak for Boise State. The Broncos had also won three in a row against the Aztecs and six of the last seven meetings between the two teams.

Boise State looks to begin their home win streak anew with a meeting against UNLV on January 7.

More on Boise State 2024-25

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Image credit: Flickr

Boise State Broncos football: Desert magic dries up in Fiesta Bowl loss

 

Weeks of preparation, months of hard work, and years of program building had the Boise State Broncos football team ready for New Year's Eve magic. To wit, this College Football Playoff quarterfinal game in Glendale, Arizona was the site of Boise State's defining victories from the last two decades.

Sadly, the magic evaporated against a Penn State Nittany Lions squad who kept their own perfect Fiesta Bowl record intact.

A final score of 31-14 in favor of Penn State was a much wider margin than it truly looks like. By all means, a simple glance at the score indicates a Nittany Lion rout. While ultimately the result is what matters, the Broncos were a play or two from this game coming down to the wire. 

Uncharacteristic Boise State Broncos

Football, in close wins and losses, often boils down to a game of inches. Sure, the Broncos failed to bring the game close in the final minutes, but the inches piled up throughout. This started with the first drive of the game and expanded from there. Frustrating is knowing that this game might have had a different outcome if for better execution and discipline. 

Two aspects Boise State usually accomplishes to near-perfection.

All told, a mishmash of uncharacteristic mistakes and play calls happened by Boise State. Items a team can usually get away with in Mountain West play and still will a game. On a big stage like the playoffs? No chance, in most cases, especially when the margin of error is razon-thin.

Did it start on that very first drive, with head coach Spencer Danielson choosing not to go for it on 4th-and-short in Penn State territory? The offense moved the ball and the Broncos are fantastic with short passes. But I also get settling for the field goal attempt, which was a bit long but with Jonah Dalmas, why not get the early points?

Of course, we saw what happened, in what was the first of two missed field by the usually stellar Dalmas. It happens. The second field goal did indeed miss by inches to the right. It was a kick, that if successful, would have cut the deficit to seven early in the fourth quarter.

Before that, the Broncos had a touchdown (on a great effort by Prince Strachan) called back because of a penalty, one of 13 penalties by Boise State. This touchdown and subsequent penalty was late in the third quarter and finally might have given the Broncos all the momentum in pulling within three.

An interception on 3rd-and-long later ended that drive, one of three interceptions thrown by Maddux Madsen (and one of four Boise State turnovers). The fourth was a fumble lost by Ashton Jeanty, one of two uncharacteristic mistakes by Jeanty.

Jeanty, however, gave every ounce of effort he had, possibly contributing to the fumbles. Boxed in all night, where a super-talented Penn State defense lived in the backfield all game, Jeanty had 30 carries for 104 yards.

Still, the Broncos battled, and a matter of inches could have turned the tide at various points in this Fiesta Bowl.

Positives for Broncos

Bad vibes swirled early and often for Boise State. A missed field goal. A sudden 14-0 hole. An ominous feeling crept in for Boise State fans. 

But then the Broncos settled in. The defense hit back, the offense found life in the passing game, and the score was only 17-14 after that initial spurt. 

Despite the three interceptions, a huge reason the Broncos were even in this game was the play of Madsen. With Jeanty bottled up, the passing game found a nice rhythm. Madsen found eight different receivers, including a wide-open Matt Lauter for a 53-yard touchdown pass that made the score 17-14.

Madsen finished 23 of 35 for 304 yards.

The defense found its swagger after early struggles, especially in the second half. They did get carved up by Penn State running back Kaytron Allen (17 carries, 134 yards) but held Nicholas Singleton in check until a late 58-yard touchdown run. Prior to that score, Singleton had 11 carries for 29 yards.

The Broncos amped up the pressure in the passing game, collecting four sacks. Ahmed Hassanein wrapped up his Boise State career with six tackles, including one sack and three tackles-for-loss. Ty Benefield with nine tackles, Alexander Teubner (eight tackles), and Seyi Oladipo (five tackles and a fumble recovery) were among the other standouts.

Reflecting, the easy thing to say is that the Broncos did not belong in that spot. But Boise State did belong. Despite the miscues, the team left everything out on the field. The team earned their chance with a near-perfect regular season, taking care of business to reach the point they did, deserving to be where they were.

Sometimes, the magic dries up, leaving one to ponder what the future holds. For Boise State, the future holds plenty to be optimistic about, with a good eight months to dwell on what might have been, before setting foot again on the turf and begin their pursuit of magic yet again.

More on Boise State 2024 season:

Fiesta Bowl prediction Sweet tunes of the sack attack Dream a little dream in '24

Boise State Broncos aim to keep Fiesta Bowl tradition alive

 

"Look, if you had one shot or one opportunity

To seize everything you wanted in one moment

Would you capture it or just let it slip?" - Eminem

Mountain West champions. A single loss on the season and a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff. When the Boise State Broncos take the field in the Fiesta Bowl on December 31, 2024, they certainly do not want to waste their shot.

This New Year's Eve, third seed Boise State (12-1) has a chance to prove the naysayers and detractors wrong. A chance to keep the program's storied Fiesta Bowl tradition alive. Most importantly, an opportunity to win and advance to the CFP semifinals.

On the opposite sidelines is a Penn State Nittany Lions (12-2) team looking to make waves of their own. With the sixth seed, Penn State has one CFP game under their belt, a 38-10 win over the SMU Mustangs in the first round.

This will be the first ever meeting between the two storied programs.

Boise State Broncos

By time kickoff happens on Tuesday, the Broncos will have had nearly four weeks off to recharge and refresh. Consider that a win right off the bat, especially for Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty.

Jeanty, winning awards left and right as the nation's top running back, had a record-setting junior season. And with a fully healthy offensive line in front of him, Jeanty will carry Boise State as far as they can go.

With 2,497 rushing yards, Jeanty is still chasing the single season rushing record set by Barry Sanders. Jeanty added 29 rushing touchdowns, failing to find the end zone in only one game this season. This season, Jeanty has six games with 200+ yards and eight games with at least one carry of 60+ yards. 

The junior also added 20 receptions for 116 yards and a score. While not utilized in the passing game as often this season, it is still an aspect I see coming into play against Penn State. Plus, Boise State should have their full crew of running backs available to spell Jeanty as needed.

Quarterback Maddux Madsen is enjoying a fine season (2,714 yards and 22 touchdowns), though at times struggles with completion percentage (62 percent) and locking in on one receiver. However, Madsen has the intangibles needed to lead this Boise State team. Emphasis by Penn State will be on stopping Jeanty and Madsen will need to be at his best.

Madsen takes care of the ball (only three interceptions), and Boise State allowed only 12 sacks all season. The Broncos will be facing one of the better defenses they've seen this season.

There is no real one star among the Boise State wideouts but Cameron Camper is close. Camper leads the team in receptions (55) and yards (837), plus has four touchdowns. Tight end Matt Lauter had a productive season for the Broncos, hauling in 43 catches, 523 yards, and six touchdowns. Add Latrell Caples (34 receptions, 443 yards, five touchdowns) and Boise State has a nice trio at the top.

A second trio is also productive, where Austin Bolt, Prince Strachan, and Chase Penry combined for 49 catches, 610 yards, and five touchdowns.

On defense, Boise State has been short of spectacular in many areas, but overall, is doing the things needed to win. Plus, it is unit that has improved each week and is healthy heading into the Fiesta Bowl.

The secondary, while at times over the season prone to a deep ball or two, has been fantastic in run support and pressure. Ty Benefield leads the team with 73 tackles (plus two interceptions). Seyi Oladipo has 63 tackles, tied with Zion Washington, and added 6.5 sacks. Alexander Teubner, a leader of the unit, is set to return from injury after posting 49 tackles in nine games.

Jayden Virgin-Morgan leads the team with 10 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. Ahmed Hassanein was right there with 8.5 sacks (12.5 tackles for loss), and linebacker Andrew Simpson also contributed 10.5 tackles for loss

Boise State has 51 sacks this season and seven interceptions. The team allows 21.9 points, 115 rushing yards, and 246.9 passing yards per game. On offense, the Broncos put up 39 points, 250.5 rushing yards, and 219.6 passing yards per contest.

Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State used a game of ball control and an excellent effort on defense in their victory over SMU. Two defensive touchdowns on interception returns by linebackers Dominic DeLuca and Tony Rojas helped carry the Nittany Lions.

Against SMU, Penn State had three interceptions and held the Mustangs to 58 rushing yards on 36 carries.

In only losing twice, to CFP teams Oregon (45-37) and Ohio State (20-13), Penn State averaged 35.4 points per game while allowing only 15.9. In nine of their 14 games, the Nittany Lions held opponents under 20 points.

Penn State, like Boise State, is powered by a strong ground game. The team ran for 2,817 yards this season, powered by a 1-2 punch of Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Singleton averages 6.4 yards per carry, on his way to 928 yards and eight touchdowns. Allen has 892 yards and eight touchdowns. Against SMU, the two totaled 160 rushing yards and three scores.

The two are active in the passing game, combining for 56 receptions this season.

Quarterback Drew Allar is in ways similar to Madsen, with slightly better numbers in multiple categories. Allar completed 68.5 percent of pass attempts, throwing for 3,021 yards, 21 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Allar also ran for six scores and nearly 300 yards.

Allar was 13 of 22 for 126 yards in the first round against the Mustangs.

The key cog in the passing game is elite tight end Tyler Warren. Warren has 92 receptions for 1,095 yards and six touchdowns. Wide receiver Harrison Wallace III is an important piece, too, with 43 receptions for 686 yards and four touchdowns.

Warren and Wallace combined for eight catches and 81 yards against SMU.

The Penn State defense has 36 sacks, 15 interceptions, and five fumble recoveries this season. Safety Jaylen Reed has three interceptions and 84 tackles, with linebacker Kobe King close behind with 80 tackles. Defensive end Abdul Carter leads the team with 11 sacks.

DeLuca and Rojas form a nice duo, combining for six interceptions and 82 tackles.

Prediction

A playmaker on each team's offense. Two stout defenses. This game promises to be one of ball control, with possession taking on extra importance.

Penn State has the "big time" pedigree, with a game already under their belt in the playoffs. Boise State might have some rust after time off, but head coach Spencer Danielson always has the Broncos ready to play, no matter what the situation. Gaffes on special teams played a huge part in Boise State's only loss. In this quarterfinal game, they will redeem themselves and propel the Broncos to victory. Boise State 27 Penn State 24

More on Boise State from 2024 season

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Boston Celtics: Payton Pritchard popping off in 2024-25

 

Running things back and facing the gauntlet of repeating as NBA champs were on the minds of the Boston Celtics entering the 2024-25 season. Needed was a little luck, good health, and players ready to up their game to another level.

Consider Payton Pritchard up to the task.

With nearly one-third of the regular season complete, Pritchard is on track to win the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award. Always an electric three-point shooter, Pritchard has rounded out his game and become one of Boston's most important players.

And to think only two seasons ago, Pritchard was an underused guard who could have easily moved on from the Celtics to possibly greener pastures.

Pritchard enjoying career year

Back in the 2022-23 season, Pritchard suffered through a season riding the pine, to put it with blunt respect. The Celtics were a guard-heavy team and Pritchard was the odd player out.  Pritchard played in 137 during his first two seasons, poised to become an integral part of the rotation in season three.

Instead, Pritchard posted career lows in minutes (13.4/game), points (5.6), and games (48).

After the completion of that season, it was understandable if Pritchard moved on or found a better opportunity. Thankfully, the young guard stuck things out and is now an NBA champion. Even better? Pritchard was a key contributor who played in all 82 regular season games and helped the Boston Celtics win banner no. 18.

Now in season number five, Pritchard is having a career year, averaging career-bests in points (16.5), minutes (28.7), three-point percentage (43.5), and field goal percentage (48.5).

Pritchard is also averaging 3.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and one steal per game.

Even with the occasional day off for the usual starting five, Pritchard has come off the bench in every game this season. The Boston Celtics and head coach Joe Mazzulla do not appear to want to mess with a winning formula so far this season.

Pritchard has scored 20 or more points in six of Boston's last nine games. In a recent victory over Washington, Pritchard had 15 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists. Consistent play has also seen Pritchard finish with games of 27 points and 10 rebounds (victory over Detroit Pistons), 29 points and seven rebounds (victory over Chicago Bulls), and an early-season victory over the Milwaukee Bucks where he knocked down eight three-pointers.

Over the last three games, Pritchard is 18 of 36 on three-point attempts. A number Pritchard and the Celtics look to keep up as December marches on.

Boston Celtics upcoming games

At 21-5, the Celtics own the second-best record in the league and Eastern Conference, trailing the Cleveland Cavaliers by one game. The two teams have split their two meetings this season and all five of Boston's losses are by six points or less.

Boston has a nice rest period early this week before playing four games in the span of a week, starting with a home (12/19) and away (12/21) with the Chicago Bulls.

In their only meeting so far in '24-25, the Celtics defeated the Bulls 138-129. The game was tied through three quarters before Boston pulled away behind Jayson Tatum, who finished with 35 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists.

Another road game follows up the Chicago games, with Boston traveling to Florida to face the Orlando Magic on 12/23. This will be Boston's first game this season against Orlando, who is currently 17-11. In 2023-24, the Celtics won two of three from the Magic.

Christmas Day is the big one the upcoming stretch of games, though the matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers does not appear to be as sexy as it once was. The Sixers struggled to a 7-16 start thanks to injuries and internal strife. 

Joel Embiid has played in only six games this season and a recent sinus fracture will cause him to be out at least one week. Embiid playing obviously makes this game a featured one. Even if he is out, the rivalry with these franchises runs deep and the game should be an entertaining one.

Either way, the Celtics are winning a variety of ways this season. Jayson Tatum has up leveled his game yet again. Jaylen Brown and Derrick White are among the others who have done the same. The biggest jump belongs to Pritchard. And if he continues to develop, produce, and entertain, the Celtics will remain the odds-on favorite to hang yet another banner in the rafters.

image credit: Wikimedia Commons