Can they do it again Friday? Well, Boise State will take this one for now. The Broncos rallied for a 79-70 win over Utah State Wednesday night in ExtraMile Arena to retake first place in the Mountain West.
Making enough noise to matter
There’s been a breakthrough at the Boise State turnstiles. The cardboard cutouts will have companions.
Ode to Bobby Dye’s heyday
Boise State coach Leon Rice may just now be drying out from the torrents of water poured on him in the locker room Saturday night after Boise State edged UNLV 61-59. The victory was Rice’s 214th at Boise State, lifing him past Bobby Dye as the winningest coach in school history.
There would be no déjà vu
Lethargy turned into unbridled energy midway through the first half Thursday night, and Boise State went on to pick up a sorely-needed 78-66 win over UNLV in ExtraMile Arena.
Getting bench balance back
The expectation (and it still may be reality) was that this is the best men’s basketball team in Boise State history. And one theory behind that was the uncommon depth that the Broncos enjoy.
Home away from home?
An unexpected little piece of news was broken Tuesday afternoon by B.J. Rains of the Idaho Press. Sources tell Rains that Boise State is looking into moving its home men’s basketball games Thursday and Saturday to the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa.
How deep are the defensive concerns?
Boise State men’s basketball has suddenly fallen on hard times. Did the Broncos’ relatively easy schedule in late December and January disguise an issue with this team?
A new goal-setting exercise?
That’s why they play the games. All the assumptions about this Boise State team making the NCAA Tournament as an at-large pick are on the ropes now after Nevada completed a sweep with a 73-62 win in Reno on Sunday.
A 100 percent Akot is a big help
Boise State waited a long time to get Emmanuel Akot on the floor after he transferred from Arizona. The early results bore fruit, as Akot averaged 10 points and 5.3 rebounds per game before New Year’s Day.
One more recruiting box checked
Boise State didn’t need a completely new feature running back. After all, the Broncos still have George Holani. But they did need an injury-proof one-two punch in the backfield.