A year ago the Boise State men’s basketball team huddled around a laptop in the Las Vegas airport to watch the NCAA Selection Show. Less than a minute into the unveiling, the Broncos were the third team announced.
It was much different this time around. The feeling was just as nice.
Boise State’s players, coaches and staff gathered with roughly 500 fans at ExtraMile Arena Sunday to watch the selection show together. And it wasn’t until the third of four regions were announced when the Broncos heard their name called as a No. 10 seed, playing No. 7 seed Northwestern in Sacramento on Thursday at 5:35 p.m. MT.
A year ago Boise State earned the automatic bid as the Mountain West Tournament champions. This year the Broncos needed to be an at-large selection, and while it was likely the Broncos would get in, nothing is ever official until your name is called. And almost 50 of the 68 teams had already been announced before Boise State finally heard its name called.
“It went on a little longer this year,” Boise State coach Leon Rice said. “When you saw the respect our league was getting, we felt really good. … But you just never know what you are going to get and what’s going to pop on (on the screen) or where you’re going to go, so your heart gets pounding. But it’s a great feeling.
“Really proud of these guys. It’s a great moment for this program and this community and the basketball fans in this community.”
It’s the first at-large bid into the main 64-team bracket in program history, and the third overall. Twice previously Boise State earned an at-large bid to the First Four in Dayton. Boise State was a No. 8 seed in Portland last year and lost to Memphis, making this just the second time in program history and the first in more than 30 years that the Broncos are heading to the Big Dance in consecutive seasons.
Players and fans alike jumped up in celebration when the Broncos were announced. Players hugged each other and celebrated as fans chanted “BOISE STATE’ behind them.
“At-large bids are hard to get – so hard to get,” Rice said. “There’s 365 teams or whatever and everybody is battling to try and be in this position and get an at-large bid and not many get them. So we’re grateful and happy to be playing in the best tournament in the world, and excited to be able to do it.”
Boise State actually opened as a 2-point favorite Sunday evening despite being the worse seed. KenPom.com projects Boise State to win by one point and gives the Broncos a 55 percent chance of winning.
Northwestern is led by guard Boo Buie, the seventh-leading scorer in the Big Ten at 17.1 points per game. Northwestern also has the No. 13 ranked defense in the country according to KenPom. The Wildcats (21-11) were the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten Tournament last weekend and hold wins over Purdue, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State, Iowa and Rutgers this season among others.
The Wildcats are coached by former Duke guard Chris Collins.
“Their defensive numbers were terrific,” Rice said. “They look like one of the best coached teams in the country and they have great players. What they did was really, really impressive in one of the best leagues in the country.”
After playing in nearby Portland a year ago, the Broncos again will get the chance to stay on the West coast. Multiple airlines have direct flights from Boise to Sacramento including Southwest, making it an easy trip for fans.
“It’s nice to be able to go for our fans to Sacramento,” Rice said. “We can get there. Hopefully our fans can get there in full force. There’s nothing like the NCAA Tournament.”
Bronco Nation News will be traveling to Sacramento and will have full coverage beginning with Boise State’s arrival to the team hotel on Tuesday evening.
Hear from Leon Rice, Tyson Degenhart and Max Rice on the matchup with Northwestern…
