Twice last week the Broncos picked up wins, in the process running their winning streak to nine games. And Boise State did so with different factors to overcome, whether that be a rare weekday game tipping off before noon or foul trouble to star players in both contests.
The streak is Boise State's longest since joining the Mountain West (just in time, too, since it is their final season in the conference). In the process, the Broncos have risen to third place, just one game back of the UNLV Lady Rebels and two back of San Diego State, who lost to Grand Canyon last week.
As the season rolls towards March, and the good times keep on rolling, Boise State has a strong chance to earn a first-round bye in the conference tournament. Even more enticing? The opportunity to keep winning and with games against UNLV and San Diego yet to come gives the Broncos a chance at something that hasn't been said since 2020: Boise State Broncos women's basketball team wins regular season title.
Boise State shines in recent stretch
Last week, Boise State (19-5, 10-3) won a close game on the road, outlasting a spirited effort by the Nevada Wolf Pack (7-16, 3-10) to win 70-61. Tatum Thompson found herself in early foul trouble in both halves in that game.
Libby Hutton overcame first-half foul trouble to lead the Broncos with 16 points (adding six rebounds). Natalie Pasco had the hot hand, finishing with 14 points while Mya Hansen added 12 points and four rebounds to pace Boise State.
The Broncos followed that up with a dominant 63-35 victory at home over the New Mexico Lobos (16-8, 8-5). The 35 points scored by the Lobos were the third-lowest scoring by an opponent in Bronco history.
In a game where Dani Bayes found early foul trouble, Boise State held New Mexico to 25 percent on field goal attempts. Pasco led the way with 16 points and Hutton added 11. Thompson contributed across multiple categories, finishing with eight points, 13 rebounds, and six assists.
One of the many positives during this winning streak is the balance of the team, where multiple teammates step up when one or two struggle or have an off night. And while the starters continue to have standout evenings, like Thompson's going for 28 points and Bayes scoring 18 (with 10 rebounds) in a rout of San Jose State, the bench continues to play well too.
In the victory over New Mexico, the bench contributed 15 points, six from Emily Howard. With multiple players in foul trouble against Nevada, they were even better, scoring 18 points and contributing on both ends of the court.
Against San Jose State, the bench also saw plenty of action, with bench players scoring 22 points, led by eight from Izzie Harms.
Broncos: Upcoming games
Boise State will look to conquer the road this week, where two big games await the Broncos. On Wednesday (2/11), Boise State takes on Fresno State. The Broncos defeated the Bulldogs 60-52 in Boise last month. Led by Hutton's 25 points and nine rebounds, Boise State won the back-and-forth affair against Fresno State, who now sits in seventh place.
On Saturday (2/14), the Broncos travel to Laramie to take on Wyoming. Boise State won handily in the first meeting, 77-40, behind 15 points from Bayes and a double-double by Thompson (11 points, 10 rebounds).
Off the bench, Kenna Garza had 13 points in that game, with Harms chipping in 11.
Boise State is in the middle of a fantastic run, keeping things consistent and stellar. The offense has been flowing and the defense stingy, allowing no opponent to score over 65 points during the streak. Keep that up and March is going to be extra exciting for this team.
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