LAS VEGAS – The Boise State men’s basketball team appears in a solid position to make the NCAA Tournament with Selection Sunday just a day away.
But that doesn’t mean it will be easy for Leon Rice and the Broncos to wait until 4 p.m. MT on Sunday when the 68-team bracket is revealed.
Boise State started fast but struggled in the second half in a 72-62 loss to Utah State on Friday night in the Mountain West semifinals at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.
The Broncos have built an impressive resume – 24 wins, a 12-7 record in the first two quadrants and three wins over teams ranked in the Top 25 of the NET. But that resume is complete, and all they can do is wait to make sure they are in the Tournament (they should be) and find out who and where they will play.
“What a body of work when you stack it all up and the wins we have and even in the losses we were right there in a lot of those, overtimes and one-possession games,” Boise State coach Leon Rice said. “This is a great group that went out and built a quality resume and our numbers reflect it.
“We’ve earned it and I’m proud of our guys. We’re excited for Sunday – really excited.”
Boise State led by eight points at the half but got out-scored 44-26 in the second half. Foul trouble was key for both teams, and a questionable offensive foul call on Tyson Degenhart with about six minutes remaining proved to be a huge swing in the game.
Marcus Shaver Jr. and Naje Smith each had 14 points for the Broncos, while Tyson Degenhart had 13. Max Rice, who suffered an apparent injury late in the first half but stayed in the game, scored just 1 point and was 0-6 from the field.
Boise State went just 4 of 14 from 3-point range, while Utah State was 9 of 29 from deep. The Aggies also had a 39-30 advantage on the glass.
Bronco Nation News will have full coverage of Selection Sunday, including a live show on our social media channels following the announcement.
For now, here’s our postgame coverage from the loss to Utah State including interviews, the postgame show and more…
