The success the Boise State Broncos women's basketball team saw in the waning weeks of the 2022-23 season has carried over to begin '23-24.
A schedule that hasn't been the most difficult has helped. Still, a deep and talented Broncos squad is playing (mostly) excellent basketball in running to a 4-0 start.
In achieving their best start since beginning 5-0 in the '20-21 season, Boise State is outscoring opponents by nearly 24 points (69.8 - 46) per game. All have been home games, a decided plus, with the closest a 63-55 victory over UC Riverside (2-3). And the Broncos are finding success on both sides of the ball.
Boise State averages 44.2 percent from the field while holding opponents to 30.3. The numbers from three-point range are steady on offense, 41.2 percent, and suffocating on defense at 23.9 percent. Rebounding is impressive, with an average of plus 13.5 per game, and the Broncos have 32 blocks so far this season.
One area of concern is turnovers, where the Broncos average 17 per game. The lack of care allowed both UC Riverside and Pepperdine to hang round, though Boise State pulled away late in a 63-47 victory over Pepperdine.
Results have seen Boise State arrive as promised, with a deep roster where through four games no player is averaging more than 30 minutes per game.
Individual efforts for Boise State
The sophomore class for the Broncos was expected to carry a lot of weight with this season's team. And so far, they have, with two of them leading the team in scoring out of the gate.
Splitting time between coming off the bench and starting last season, Natalie Pasco has started all four games this season, scorching the bottom of the net in playing 21.5 a contest. Pasco is 10-18 from three-point range and leads the Broncos in scoring with 12 points per game.
Fellow sophomore Mya Hansen is second in scoring at 10 points per game and not too far off in the long ball department, too, shooting 7-15 from deep. Hansen also has 12 assists, dishing out seven in a victory over Weber State.
Sophomore Dani Bayes has struggled a bit from the field but has knocked down six threes. Bayes is one of eight Broncos to connect on a three-point attempt this season.
Not to be outdone, the three seniors for Boise State are off to strong starts. Point guard Mary Kay Naro has found the knack for a key bucket to stop opponents runs and is third on the team in scoring with 8.3 points per game. Naro is shooting 55 percent from the field and averages 29 minutes per game. She has 21 assists and has taken care of the ball with only nine turnovers.
The frontcourt of Elodie Lalotte and Abby Muse are contributing a variety of ways. Lalotte, who missed the Pepperdine game with an illness, averages 7 points and 5 rebounds per game. Muse, a first-team preseason all-conference selection, is up to the usual shenanigans on the defensive end, where she already has 15 blocked shots.
Muse averages nine rebounds per game to go along with 6.8 points. While she is shooting 52.4 percent from the field, improvement can be had. Easy inside misses will start to turn into makes as the season flow progresses, and free throws can be improved upon, where Muse is off to a 5-13 start.
College of Southern Idaho transfer Alyssa Christensen has picked up some of that frontcourt slack. Christensen started in the place of Lalotte against Pepperdine and averages 6.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
All told, nine players average at least six points for the Broncos. This depth will be tested over Thanksgiving weekend at the South Point Classic in Las Vegas.
Broncos upcoming games
For the first time this season, Boise State takes to the road. Though not true road games, the two match-ups in Las Vegas should provide the Broncos with good competition.
The first is on 11/24 at 5 pm (MT) against their fellow mascot namesake, the Santa Clara Broncos (5-1). Santa Clara is off to a good start themselves, riding a four-game winning straight with their only loss a 71-56 game against the Cal Bears.
Santa Clara also owns a 39-point victory over Oregon and defeated San Jose State by eight to open the season.
These Broncos are a solid perimeter team on offense and like to shoot the three. They average 68 points per game but do have some turnover trouble as well, with nearly 15 per contest.
Guard Tess Heal leads the team with 18 points per game and is shooting 50 percent from the field, including 63.6 percent from deep. Heal also averages four assists but that is balanced out with 3.7 turnovers per game.
Olivia Pollerd has knocked down 12 three-pointers and averages 11 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Another Santa Clara player to keep an eye on is Marya Hudgins, who contributes 8.3 points and 7.5 rebounds.
Santa Clara's last three wins have all been by more than 20 points and the team averages nearly 10 steals, with Ashley Hiraki snagging 2.7 a game.
Boise State turns around and plays again on Saturday (11/25 @ 7:30 pm MT). This time their foe is Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights currently sit 3-3 and play Texas Tech in Vegas prior to Saturday's match-up.
Rutgers has trouble taking care of the ball and maximizing possessions, with 21.5 turnovers per game. However, they make up for that with over 43 rebounds per game, with many across their roster contributing.
Destiny Adams is one of two players averaging 9.2 rebounds per game for the Scarlet Knights. Adams is also tops in the scoring department at 13.5, with Kaylene Smikle not far behind at 12.2.
The other Rutgers player with 9.2 rebounds per game is Chyna Cornwell, who also scores 9.8 a game while shooting 59.4 percent on field goal attempts.
Rutgers loves the three-point attempt but has struggled in the first six games. Though only shooting 31 percent from deep, volume helps make up some of the difference. Rutgers attempts nearly 20 three-pointers per game. Jillian Huerta is 13-31 from deep, while Adams has connected on only six of 24 attempts.
Rutgers enters this two-day tournament coming off a 78-54 loss to Fairfield.
Two prime opportunities await Boise State this weekend in Las Vegas. Both are winnable games, and each present a different test. Hopefully Boise State can show their versatility and walk away with their perfect record intact, building towards a successful season run through the Mountain West.
photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
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