tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67209069319753656392024-03-18T15:19:50.615-07:00The Journey of NowI am a man. A man exploring the infinite possibilities of today's burning questions and topics... Or I'm a playwright and novelist who likes to write about random subjects or popular topics. Plus, it helps me at least write once in awhile, especially when writer's block sets in.Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.comBlogger551125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-34798001651166903822024-03-18T15:19:00.000-07:002024-03-18T15:19:17.425-07:00Boise State Broncos men's basketball: First Four bound in 2024<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjISm3i2raSFovcGBz-iA1sPAZ0hYgvycJmsUV9qhKQljxPP8FdTXPDxY_oHjgOywqqCpLBxRQeZ9sP66JT2-ThQud1HMNoQHU_jjoH81p8iKi0C9lEj2ROqL2s6YAflSRZQV7txFr9EDrKWaZeFoDQisCyrqt0OaOejxIhD7Hi-fGau7QlXMU7ZwZH7o8/s1836/BSU%20flag2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1836" data-original-width="1836" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjISm3i2raSFovcGBz-iA1sPAZ0hYgvycJmsUV9qhKQljxPP8FdTXPDxY_oHjgOywqqCpLBxRQeZ9sP66JT2-ThQud1HMNoQHU_jjoH81p8iKi0C9lEj2ROqL2s6YAflSRZQV7txFr9EDrKWaZeFoDQisCyrqt0OaOejxIhD7Hi-fGau7QlXMU7ZwZH7o8/s320/BSU%20flag2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A celebration for the Boise State Broncos men's basketball team in making their third-straight NCAA tournament appearance drew a muted response Sunday afternoon in Boise.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The selection was indeed made but it was the corresponding slot as a no. 10 seed to head to Dayton, Ohio for a First Four game that was the shocker.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Perhaps this was due to overconfidence in a high NET ranking and strength of schedule leading into the Selection Sunday. Or maybe it was many bracketologists and prognosticators who had the Broncos slotted as a seven or eight seed. No matter the disappointment, the Broncos are headed back to the <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/03/ncaa-mens-march-madness-2024-setting.html" target="_blank">NCAA tournament</a>, with a chance to finally pick up their first tourney victory in 10 tries.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State (22-10) will be appearing in the First Four for the third time. In 2013, the <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap/_/gameId/330790068" target="_blank">Broncos lost to the LaSalle Explorers</a>, 80-71. This was a LaSalle team who went on to the Sweet 16, losing to Wichita State.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Then, two years later, Boise State had the misfortune of playing Dayton in Dayton. The Broncos lost a close one to the Flyers, falling 56-55. Dayton ended up losing in the round of 32 to Oklahoma.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The last two seasons Boise State bowed in the round of 64, losing as a no. 8 seed to Memphis and as the tenth seed last season to Northwestern. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2023/10/boise-state-broncos-mens-basketball.html" target="_blank">Boise State</a> will finally look to get off the schneid in 2024, where they take the court against a Colorado Buffaloes team riding a hot hand entering tournament play.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><h2>Boise State Broncos</h2><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State enters this meeting having won six of their last eight games, falling to eventual champion New Mexico in the quarterfinals of the <a href="https://themw.com/mbballchamp/" target="_blank">Mountain West tournament</a>. It was a forgettable game, with the Broncos having one of their worst efforts on offense in recent weeks.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Broncos average 75.8 points per game, allowing 67.5. Boise State shoots 45.2 percent from the field (34.5 percent from deep) and holds opponents to 43.8 and 31.1, respectively.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Turnovers are pretty even between the Broncos and their opponents (11.2 to 11.4), while Boise State pulls down 37.2 rebounds per game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Four of Boise State's five starters average double figures in the scoring column. Topping that list is first-team all-conference forward <a href="https://broncosports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/degenharttyson/9457" target="_blank">Tyson Degenhart</a>. Degenhart tops the team in scoring (17 ppg), is second in rebounding (6.2), and shoots 50.9 percent from the field. The junior scored 20+ points in 8 of the team's last 11 games, averaging 20.7 in this span. He is coming off three straight double-doubles, where he averaged 11.7 rebounds.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Chibuzo Agbo is second on the team, scoring 13.6 points. Agbo shoots 41.7 from three-point range but in his last four games is only 8-25. He also pulls down 5.1 rebounds per game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">O'Mar Stanley and Max Rice round out the top scorers. Stanley averages 13 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. There has been some struggle with Stanley as of late, with teams pulling more focus towards him. Still, he had 12 rebounds in the quarterfinal loss and only a few games earlier against New Mexico scored 24 points and snagged 13 rebounds.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Rice averages 12.5 points and shoots 35.7 percent from deep. Rice had a nice stretch of shooting during the middle of conference play but his only 9-30 in his last four games. However, his scoring has bumped up in this stretch at 13.5</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The bench for Boise State, and how well they perform and given minutes, will ultimately be the deciding factor for this team. Anywhere from three to five players see action. This combination, plus starting point guard Roddie Anderson III, needs to be at their (very capable) best.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Anderson leads the team in assists with 78, while big man Cam Martin is second with 77.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boist State and Colorado share some common opponents. The Broncos went 1-1 against the Colorado State Rams this season, while the Buffs lost by five. Colorado, however, took two of three from Washington State while Boise State lost to the Cougars. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><h3>Colorado Buffaloes</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Colorado Buffaloes (24-10) were in dire straits weeks ago, having lost four of five. However, the Buffs rattled off eight straight wins before falling 65-58 to the Oregon Ducks in the Pac-12 title game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Colorado averages 79.3 points and allows 71.2. They are a good shooting squad, hitting 49.3 percent from the field and 39.4 on three-point attempts. Rebounding is solid, too, at 37.6 per game. Though they commit 12.7 turnovers, the Buffaloes share the wealth, averaging nearly 16 assists per contest.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Five players average in double figures for Colorado, with their top seven scorers averaging 6.5 or more. Topping the list is guard <a href="https://cubuffs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/kj-simpson/16570" target="_blank">KJ Simpson</a>, who fills up the box score. Simpson averages 19.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. He is efficient, shooting 45.3 percent from long range, and has nine straight games of scoring 10+.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Simpsons had a four-game stretch at the start of the winning streak where he averaged 26.8 points per game, also dishing out 23 assists.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Tristan da Silva (15.8 points/5.2 rebounds) and Cody Williams are up next. Freshman Williams is especially one to keep an eye on. He's been in and out of the lineup, playing in only 21 games. Williams is a <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/draft/newsfeed/cody-williams-top-overall-pick-2024-nba-draft" target="_blank">potential lottery pick</a> who started off the season in style and averages 12.6 points per game, though in his last four games has scored only23 points.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">J'Vonne Hadley averages 11.9 points and 6.1 rebounds. Hadley is another marksman, shooting 54.9 percent from the field and 42.9 on three-point attempts.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Eddie Lampkin Jr. hangs out on the post, scoring 10.2 points and pulling down 7.1 boards.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Colorado will be making their 16th tournament appearance and first since 2021, where they defeated Georgetown and lost to Florida State. This will be the first time appearing in a First Four game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State and Colorado have met only once in their history, just last season. In November of 2022, the <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap/_/gameId/401486341" target="_blank">Broncos defeated the Buffaloes</a> 68-55 at the Myrtle Beach Invitational. Of the players returning, Degenhart had 14 points and seven rebounds in that victory. Agbo and Rice combined for 12, shooting 5-18 from the field.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Simpson had 14 for Colorado and da Silva scored nine. In that game, Boise State had one more rebound and three less turnovers than the Buffs. The Broncos also held Colorado to 4-20 from three-point range.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This First Four meeting between Boise State and Colorado takes places on March 20 at 9:10 p.m. (ET) on TruTv. The winner advances in the South Region to face the Florida Gators on March 22 at 4:30 p.m. (ET). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>photo credit: <a href="https://www.jason-haskins.com/" target="_blank">Jason Haskins</a></i></p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-44121106043041445042024-03-17T19:45:00.000-07:002024-03-17T19:45:13.182-07:00NCAA men's March Madness 2024: Setting the table for UConn repeat?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_-vXiaCDNvVzQ2K-W0CdAknoDqhCcuaTwHOlUAD2tg3Al_cVlvVlkEoLVr__DVfR6wR1neGXoE0usFkU9k3tAnqLXonL2ReeE_KkQC5qJqrzq7jjoJ0ickHz57LVzF-yubQ7rbxaxTbY3j0CPvFALYuX5crxoOWNzszPUCzd_umpGKA5gWCdJurbPbsM/s800/basketball%20hoop%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_-vXiaCDNvVzQ2K-W0CdAknoDqhCcuaTwHOlUAD2tg3Al_cVlvVlkEoLVr__DVfR6wR1neGXoE0usFkU9k3tAnqLXonL2ReeE_KkQC5qJqrzq7jjoJ0ickHz57LVzF-yubQ7rbxaxTbY3j0CPvFALYuX5crxoOWNzszPUCzd_umpGKA5gWCdJurbPbsM/s320/basketball%20hoop%204.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Chaos in March on the men's college basketball side of things started during conference tournament play. Over the course of roughly two weeks, 21 of the 32 teams with the top seed fell at some point during their conference tourney, allowing bid thieves to gain the moniker of automatic qualifier.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">While seeing top seeds fall happens in the bigger conferences, mid-majors for the most part follow the script and top teams advance.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Teams blew up that notion in 2024, causing movement among bubble teams and sending teams thought to be safe barely making the tournament. (Or staying at home altogether.)</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It's March. It's madness. And time for another season of the <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/page/FirstLookField-39723129/march-madness-2024-every-team-mens-ncaa-tournament-bracket-explained" target="_blank">NCAA men's tournament</a>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the end, play-in games were handed to teams with NET rankings better than 30. Blueblood schools from power conferences were given shots of the undeserved variety. And a Big East conference considered by many metrics to be the second-best conference in the nation is sending only three schools to the Big Dance</p><p style="text-align: justify;">These schools are the cream crop, with a one, two, and three seed spread across the regions. The Big 12 and SEC top the list of conferences with multiple bids, walking away with 8 bids each. They were followed by the Big Ten and Mountain West with six each and the ACC with five. The Pac-12 secured four, while the American, the Atlantic 10, and WCC all have two.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Per usual, arguments about which teams should be in, which shouldn't, and bad seedings by the committee will dominate the news cycle for the next 24 hours. About the only consensus among most is that the Connecticut Huskies are most deserving the tournament's overall no. 1 seed.</p><p></p><h2>Top seeds</h2><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The defending champion <b>Connecticut Huskies</b> (31-3) might be the only ones not surprised to be back in this position. Many figured they'd be good this season but had a lot to replace from last season's championship team.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">UConn proved the prognosticators wrong and earned the top overall seed heading into this year's tournament.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Huskies were the only team of the four top seeds to <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/39748353/uconn-wins-8th-big-east-tournament-title-first-2011" target="_blank">win their conference tournament</a>, extending their winning streak to seven. Two of their losses came in conference play, to Seton Hall by 15 and Creighton by 19 (concerning in both losses were by double digits but both were on the road). The third loss was in non-conference play, where the Huskies lost to Kansas by four.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Intriguing in the East Region for UConn is a possible second round matchup with one of last season's tournament darlings, the Florida Atlantic Owls (who enter as a no. 8 seed).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Over in the South Region, the <b>Houston Cougars</b> (30-4) hold the top seed. Houston has made deep runs in recent years, so the seeding is not unfamiliar. In their first year in the Big 12, I wondered how they'd fare and the Cougars responded with an outstanding regular season, holding the top spot in the nation off-and-on throughout.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Cougars began the season 14-0 and all four losses were to conference teams. Houston lost to Iowa State twice (by four points, then in the conference tourney by 28). Other losses were to NCAA tourney teams TCU (by 1) and Kansas (by 13).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A possible road to the title for Houston could include playing Big Ten teams in back-to-back rounds (Nebraska in second round, Wisconsin in Sweet 16).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Out of the Big Ten, the <b>Purdue Boilermakers</b> (29-4) could have the most to prove. Star Zach Edey came back exactly for this reason. In the last two tournaments, Purdue has seen their season end early by upstart Cinderella teams. In 2022, it was a loss in the Sweet 16 to no. 15 seed Saint Peters. And last season, it was an even bigger shocker, <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2023/03/ncaa-mens-basketball-tourney-knight-to.html" target="_blank">losing to no. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson</a>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Three of Purdue's losses were to tournament teams and all were to conference opponents. Purdue lost by four to Ohio State and Northwestern. There was also a 16-point loss to Nebraska and one-point loss to Wisconsin in the conference tournament.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Not that Purdue wants to look ahead but a Sweet 16 matchup with former foe for Edey in Hunter Dickinson (who could be <a href="https://throughthephog.com/posts/hunter-dickinson-play-march-madness-ncaa-tournament-injury-status-kansas-jayhawks-01hs2ncym12e" target="_blank">out with an injury</a>) and Kansas.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The fourth no. 1 seed belongs to the <b>North Carolina Tar Heels</b> (27-7). UNC has played some up-and-down ball over the course of the season despite their record. The ACC had a bit of a down year but the Tar Heels only lost three times in the conference regular season. They fell to Georgia Tech, Clemson, and Syracuse, plus NC State in the ACC tourney title game. UNC also lost to UConn and Kentucky in non-conference play.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">UNC does have an experienced group, with players still on the team who helped UNC get to the championship game in 2022. </p><p></p><h3>Hallowed 5 vs 12 matchups</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Number five seeds probably want to avoid this slot while no. 12 seeds embrace it. That's the psychological effect this tournament has delivered but also backed up by the fact teams in the underdog slot emerge victorious from this position. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">It's one of those years in which I can see all four no. 12 seeds advancing but my guess is two actually will. Which two? Tough to say.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the East Region, the San Diego State Aztecs begin their run to return to the title game as the fifth seed. It's the exact seed they had a season ago, and begin with no. 12 seed UAB Blazers. UAB won the AAC tournament as the fourth seed </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Wisconsin Badgers are fresh off a run to the Big Ten championship game and hold the fifth seed in the South Region. Wisconsin is 4-4 in their last eight games and faces the no. 12 seed James Madison Dukes. The Dukes have won 13 straight, including a <a href="https://sunbeltsports.org/news/2024/3/17/james-madison-mens-basketball-earns-no-12-seed-in-2024-ncaa-tournament.aspx" target="_blank">Sun Belt tourney title</a>, and own a win over Maryland in non-conference play.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Both of the final two no. 5 seeds come from the WCC. Saint Mary's won the regular season and the conference tournament and enjoyed quite the season with 26 wins. In the West Region, they face the Grand Canyon Lopes, who went 29-4 and won the WAC. Three losses occurred in conference play for the Lopes, falling to tournament team South Carolina in non-conference play.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Grand Canyon owns a win over San Diego State while the Gaels only lost once in conference play, falling to Gonzaga.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Bulldogs had somewhat of a down year, by their standards, but managed to secure a no. 5 seed in the Midwest Region. They take on McNeese Cowboys, who are 30-3 and enter the Big Dance with an 11-game winning streak.</p><p></p><h3>Potential upsets and deep runs</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Momentum is a good asset to have for making noise in the NCAA tournament. So, too, is a fire being lit by a worse seeding than expected.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">For at least two Mountain West teams, forced into a play-in game could very well be that spark. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Many projections had the <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/03/tough-going-for-boise-state-broncos-in.html" target="_blank">Boise State Broncos</a> in the seventh or eighth slot, while some projections did have the Colorado State Rams as one of the final four teams in. The Broncos own a win over Saint Mary's and the Rams began the season 13-1. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Both will be the tenth seed, playing in the First Four, and could use the idea of disrespect to propel themselves to a couple of tournament wins. The Mountain West tournament champ New Mexico Lobos find themselves a no. 11 seed. Their experienced guard play could be a factor in them making a run to at least the Sweet 16. (And if the Mountain West really wants to make a statement, placing 2-3 teams in the Sweet 16 would be outstanding.)</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Drake Bulldogs (no. 10 in the East) can play spoiler as well another Bulldogs team, Samford (no. 13 in the Midwest). Among the higher seeded teams not on the top line, I can see Creighton, Illinois, and Marquette making deep tourney runs. </p><p></p><h3>Play-in games</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Over the years, these First Four matchups have started the tournament off in thrilling fashion, with some teams even making noise on the opening weekend.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Eight teams will be looking to do the same in 2024, beginning Tuesday in Dayton, Ohio. (Times at 6:40 p.m. and 9:10 p.m. Eastern both nights.</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i>Midwest Region March 19: (16) Howard Bison vs (16) Wagner Seahawks</i></li><li><i>West Region - March 19: (10) Virginia Cavaliers vs (10) Colorado State Rams</i></li><li><i>South Region - March 20: (16) Montana State Bobcats vs (16) Grambling Tigers</i></li><li><i>Midwest Region - March 20: (10) Boise State Broncos vs (10) Colorado Buffaloes</i></li></ul><p></p><p><i><a href="https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2024-03-17/2024-march-madness-mens-ncaa-tournament-schedule-dates" target="_blank">full bracket</a></i></p><p><i>photo credit: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Basketball_hoop_%287189993560%29.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a></i></p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-17046128742238444072024-03-15T11:02:00.000-07:002024-03-15T11:02:33.788-07:00Tough going for Boise State Broncos in MW quarterfinal loss<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifl91F8UupvGfMEdgHH6-qGKhNwcpYIhROAFyGpr9kMI6f5dXj4bnJdmJOTew7lDf4TByGrpRSlNuDeCYVJTj4aHf1uCwfjjogCcb7XP5IaogEeBWo7ufEuXy7rTtd7iD34-CYU7aIza1m3NZHRQLvZFrDUIVPvFINrT7wCIkJOslOyOPpVy6SmQWI1O4/s4000/BSU%20banners.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifl91F8UupvGfMEdgHH6-qGKhNwcpYIhROAFyGpr9kMI6f5dXj4bnJdmJOTew7lDf4TByGrpRSlNuDeCYVJTj4aHf1uCwfjjogCcb7XP5IaogEeBWo7ufEuXy7rTtd7iD34-CYU7aIza1m3NZHRQLvZFrDUIVPvFINrT7wCIkJOslOyOPpVy6SmQWI1O4/s320/BSU%20banners.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>It is often stated, in basketball and between conference play and a conference tournament, difficulty lies in defeating a team three times in a season.<p></p><p>The Boise State Broncos (22-10) found that out Thursday night in the quarterfinals of the <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/03/teams-go-all-in-for-mens-mountain-west.html" target="_blank">Mountain West Conference tournament</a>.</p><p>Playing against a New Mexico Lobos (24-9) squad fighting for their postseason lives, the Broncos picked the wrong night to slack on offense. Untimely turnovers, a 29.4 percent effort from the field, and a spirited and physical Lobo attack led to a 76-66 victory by New Mexico.</p><p>Boise State was not at their finest but credit to New Mexico. They forced the Broncos away from the interior and Boise State obliged by tossing up 34 three-point field attempts. To believe the world of bracketology, the Lobos needed this win much more than the Broncos did. While a tournament championship for Boise State would have been nice, it looks almost like a done deal the Mountain West will get six teams in the NCAA tournament. (I say "almost" because, well, you never know this time of year.)</p><p><a href="https://broncosports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/tyson-degenhart/9457" target="_blank">Tyson Degenhart</a> led the Broncos with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Degenhart was 7-20 on field goal attempts, including a frigid 2-10 from deep.</p><p>Boise State had trouble with New Mexico's backcourt. Donovan Dent again saved a spectacular game for Boise State, scoring 22 points on 8-9 shooting. Dent also had four assists and five steals.</p><p>Jaelen House, partially due to a simple volume approach, shook off two previous bad games against the Broncos by scoring 29 points on 21 field goal attempts.</p><p>Boise State wasn't exactly bad in this game. They just weren't up to par and let's hope the inside/outside game on offense returns next week for the Big Dance, or it will be another quick exit.</p><p></p><h2>First half woes</h2><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Three quick turnovers by Boise State (two by O'Mar Stanley) led to seven New Mexico points, building a 7-2 lead. The Broncos started 0-6 from the field but settled in for a 7-0 run, gaining the lead on a three-pointer by Degenhart.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This was the last time Boise State had the lead for the remainder of the game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Lobos rattled off an 8-1 run, slowly building out the lead. While the Broncos were again able to close within two, cold shooting kept them at bay. Nearly 50 percent of their shot attempts were from beyond in the arc in the game's first 13 minutes.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Jemarl Baker Jr. hit his third three-pointer of the first half for <a href="https://golobos.com/sports/mbball/" target="_blank">New Mexico</a> and a dunk by Dent grew the Lobo lead to nine. Seven turnovers by the Broncos in the first half did not help, with New Mexico converting most of those into easy buckets.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State went into the locker room trailing 35-26. Degenhart and Max Rice had 19 of the Broncos 26 points. While they were 6-15 from the field, the rest of the team was 1-13.</p><p></p><h3>Second half comeback stalls</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Jamal Mashburn Jr. put New Mexico up by 11 right off the bat but Boise State finally began to heat up. A stretch where Rice hit two three-pointers and Chibuzo Agbo nailed one saw the Broncos claw to within four points at the 15:30 mark. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State seemed poised to overtake New Mexico but the Lobos found the will to straighten up and extend the lead back to 12 with an 8-0 run. The Broncos seesawed from there, getting the margin down to six, back to ten, and everywhere in-between.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Some missed free throws by New Mexico allowed Boise State to hang around, with a three by Roddie Anderson III closing the gap to four with 54.4 seconds left. But the Lobos mostly hit their free throws to secure the victory.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Rice finished with 13 points and Agbo added 11. Anderson had 10 points with some bright spots but equally was frustrating at times. He had four turnovers and some tough mental lapses but part of that game will change with experience.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Stanley finished with 12 rebounds but had four turnovers and was 1-7 from the field.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Broncos did a good job of containing Mashburn, who scored only four points in 21 minutes. JT Toppin only scored two points but had 13 rebounds and 3 blocked shots.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State's bench scored only three points. They contributed in other ways but will definitely need to do more in the NCAA tournament, where the Broncos should land anywhere between a no. 7 and no. 9 seed.</p><p></p><h3>Semifinal action</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State was one of three seeds in the top-4 to lose in quarterfinal action. Earlier in the day, no. 4 UNLV fell in overtime to San Diego State, losing by three. And no. 2 <a href="https://nevadasportsnet.com/news/reporters/we-came-out-slow-alford-blackshear-and-lucas-reflect-on-mw-tournament-loss-to-csu#" target="_blank">Nevada lost to Colorado State</a>, 85-76. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Top seed Utah State needed overtime to knock off Fresno State, 87-75.</p><p><i>Schedule for 3/15 (all times Pacific):</i></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i>#1 Utah State vs #5 San Diego State (6:30 p.m.)</i></li><li><i>#6 New Mexico vs #7 Colorado State (9 p.m.)</i></li></ul><p></p><p><i><a href="https://themw.com/mbballchamp/" target="_blank">Full bracket</a></i></p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-41851639349318639372024-03-13T12:59:00.000-07:002024-03-13T12:59:41.580-07:00Boise State Broncos women's team comes up short in MW semis<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAbH6unkFNwzRxkLnXXUPiPA1oklPe5gww9J2I8otdopHvJ2VkTwiDB0s9bHQ82TTAozjxYzPAFHgXQuZmSfMLFwV9byF2Lvmwj688xgXw9_tXT1OpgXlj6A9M1D822wxfn8EHxHlkHQzkzMliERDrFGToDgFtZydfOCAkL_R3N-wSMu040MGEUI3ee8/s4000/BSU%20women%20b-ball%20SDSU.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAbH6unkFNwzRxkLnXXUPiPA1oklPe5gww9J2I8otdopHvJ2VkTwiDB0s9bHQ82TTAozjxYzPAFHgXQuZmSfMLFwV9byF2Lvmwj688xgXw9_tXT1OpgXlj6A9M1D822wxfn8EHxHlkHQzkzMliERDrFGToDgFtZydfOCAkL_R3N-wSMu040MGEUI3ee8/s320/BSU%20women%20b-ball%20SDSU.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>A similar blueprint for the Boise State Broncos women's basketball team was followed in Tuesday night's Mountain West tournament semifinal.<p></p><p>Early lead. Hand it over and spend the game playing catchup. Finally find a fourth quarter lead. The steps were all there for the Broncos. The only difference than the <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/03/late-surge-propels-boise-state-broncos.html" target="_blank">Boise State quarterfinal victory</a> was the San Diego Aztecs had different ideas in mind.</p><p>Boise State (21-13) was held without a field goal for the final 3:58 and the Aztecs (22-12) used late free throws to pick up a 72-69 victory. </p><p>The Broncos battled all the way back from being down by as many as 13, taking a 67-65 lead with 2:35 left on two Mya Hansen free throws. Turnovers, iffy foul calls, and bad shots doomed Boise State down the stretch. Despite this, they stayed in it by holding the Aztecs to no field goals the last 2:09.</p><p>San Diego State hit their free throws down the stretch and did just enough to reach the <a href="https://themw.com/wbballchamp/" target="_blank">Mountain West Conference tournament final</a>. There, they will face the top seed UNLV Lady Rebels, who defeated Colorado State earlier in the day.</p><p>Turnovers again were a main story for the Broncos, committing 20. The Aztecs had a good game plan of jumping Boise State ball handlers, forcing too many mistakes. This in a game where the Broncos shot the ball decently at 46.3 percent, collecting assists on 22 of their 25 made field goal attempts.</p><p>Hansen continued her strong tournament play, finishing with a team-high 19 points, adding two assists and only one turnover.</p><p>The Broncos didn't have much of an answer for <a href="https://goaztecs.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/adryana-quezada/8525" target="_blank">Adryana Quezada</a>, who finished with a game-high 26 points on 8-11 shooting (and 10-12 from the charity stripe).</p><p>While Boise State was turning the ball over, San Diego State finished with only nine, including just one in building a first half lead.</p><p></p><h2>First half</h2><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State started out strong, racing out to a 4-0 lead. The Broncos hit five of their first seven shots and led by four with just over four minutes left in the first quarter.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">San Diego State picked things up, going on a 10-3 run that wrapped into the second quarter. A Hansen three-pointer tied the game at 18 but the Aztecs went on an 8-0 run to provide breathing room.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Both Abby Muse and Hansen picked up their second fouls within 30 seconds of one another, helping San Diego State with the run. <a href="https://broncosports.com/sports/womens-basketball" target="_blank">Boise State</a> was able to close within two at the 1:55 mark but went scoreless the rest of the half and trailed by seven heading into the break.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Elodie Lalotte had a nice first half, finishing with eight points. Quezada had nine for the Aztecs, with Kim Villalobos chipping in eight.</p><p></p><h3>Second half</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Broncos arrived in quick fashion to start the third, with a Hansen jumper and a three-pointer from Mary Kay Naro. A quick timeout by San Diego State calmed things for the Aztecs, and they responded with an 8-0 run.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">San Diego State stretched their lead to 55-42 on a Jada Lewis three-pointer with 2:26 left in the third quarter.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State was not done yet, amping up the intensity on both ends of the court. The result was a 9-1 run to close the quarter, buoyed by the play of Trista Hull.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The run continued into the fourth quarter, with the Broncos using a 7-1 run to jumpstart the quarter. Tatum Thompson hit a bucket, followed by a Natalie Pasco three and Hull free throw line jumper to tie the score at 58.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Lalotte picked up her fourth and fifth fouls in a span of 21 seconds (the latter on one of many iffy foul calls all night), fouling out with 6:28 left.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The teams locked in defensively, with the two free throws by Hansen giving the Broncos their first lead since the first quarter.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">From there, <a href="https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/team/_/id/21/san-diego-state-aztecs" target="_blank">San Diego State</a> managed to get to the line more, outlasting a gritty Boise State effort.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Dani Bayes finished with nine points and Hull was among four Broncos who scored eight (plus eight rebounds and two blocked shots). Lalotte, Muse, and Pasco all finished with eight, while Naro had six points, seven assists, and five turnovers.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Lewis finished with 12 points and Villalobos 11 for the Aztecs. Abby Prohaska finished with nine points, eight rebounds, three steals, and three assists. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State, while the loss is a disappointing one, has a lot to be proud of this season. The ultimate goal wasn't achieved but this team has a lot of players who should be coming back in 2024-25. And, with any luck, they can once again find themselves on top of the Mountain West.</p><p><i>photo credit: <a href="https://www.jason-haskins.com/" target="_blank">Jason Haskins</a></i></p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-8622468800054104682024-03-12T15:38:00.000-07:002024-03-12T15:38:47.825-07:00Teams go all in for men's Mountain West conference tournament<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNmTO7BOwn_igHaptxu9gKxxEUZ0-qnXidOY0vvlu4O804wcGiYE9OUIAEANg4nZDG54Jlf2GIjcTvaBoytNmDzzAleqfkamX2t4TmjhqPzKfQArcp6KnXmfmqpGX3JcqfpIF9fRhrYOSKxBX4hVC7ywNYS3FlhKBvm1SAsp7N-VdXDYMaiuskY_0C2to/s1023/poker%20chips.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="1023" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNmTO7BOwn_igHaptxu9gKxxEUZ0-qnXidOY0vvlu4O804wcGiYE9OUIAEANg4nZDG54Jlf2GIjcTvaBoytNmDzzAleqfkamX2t4TmjhqPzKfQArcp6KnXmfmqpGX3JcqfpIF9fRhrYOSKxBX4hVC7ywNYS3FlhKBvm1SAsp7N-VdXDYMaiuskY_0C2to/s320/poker%20chips.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The men's Mountain West Conference tournament is set for an 11-team basketball scramble March 13-16 in Las Vegas.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">A free-for-all with big implications, after a <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/01/mwc-gauntlet-ahead-for-boise-state.html" target="_blank">gauntlet of a regular season</a> and in which all 11 teams have a chance to be crowned tournament champs.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Okay. Perhaps the chances for some require great Vegas odds. In all honesty, it wouldn't surprise me if a lower seed makes a deep run. In the regular season, no. 11 seed Air Force picked up their only conference wins against New Mexico and UNLV. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">As the no. 10 seed, San Jose State defeated Air Force twice and played close games with top teams. And in the nine spot, Fresno State, too, had close meetings with top teams, but picked up their four conference wins by sweeping Air Force and San Jose State.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Wyoming is lingering right there as the no. 8 seed, with victories over Colorado State and New Mexico among their regular season wins.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In a conference vying for possibly six teams in the NCAA tournament (with a longshot opportunity to place seven, if UNLV wins the title), the heat is on. Ranked teams, excellent non-conference wins, and beating each other for <a href="https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2022-12-05/college-basketballs-net-rankings-explained" target="_blank">Quad 1 wins</a> defined the Mountain West season. Slugfests and close games, plus improved play in recent years, should make this an exciting four days of basketball.</p><p></p><h2>Favorites with first-round byes</h2><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Most bracketologists agree on at least five teams from the Mountain West making the NCAA tournament. Four of those earned first-round byes in the conference tourney. While it's never a good idea to count your chickens before they hatch, especially come March in college basketball, these four should be safely in. Ultimately, another win or two could improve seeding, while one team needs a title to earn a chance at the Dance.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Ranked 18th in the nation, the <b>Utah State Aggies</b> (26-5, 14-4) went and won a regular season title behind a revamped lineup. The Aggies have continued to astound, even as I pictured them faltering once conference play began.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Utah State enters this tournament having one seven of eight. Their only loss in this span was by 20 to the Colorado State Rams. The Aggies average 79.9 points per game and are powered by conference <a href="https://kslsports.com/512547/great-osobor-named-mountain-west-player-of-the-year-for-no-18-utah-state/" target="_blank">Player of the Year</a> Great Osobor. Osobor averages 17.6 points and 9 rebounds per game and is coming off a 21 and 12 performance against New Mexico, also with three each in assists, blocks, and steals.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Four players average double figures, with Darius Brown II averaging 12.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Powered by a dynamic backcourt, the 23rd-ranked <b>Nevada Wolf Pack</b> (26-6, 13-5) snatched the second seed the last day of the regular season. Nevada has won seven straight, winning by an average of 10.5 points, and own a win over Utah State this season.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Jarod Lucas and Kenan Blackshear combine for 32.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, with Blackshear dishing out 4.8 assists. A not-so-deep bench will be without sixth man Hunter McIntosh. McIntosh, prior to the UNLV game last Saturday, scored 70 points in his last four games but will<a href="https://nevadasportsnet.com/news/reporters/nevadas-hunter-mcintosh-out-for-the-mountain-west-tournament-due-to-a-sore-knee#" target="_blank"> miss the Mountain West tournament</a> with a sore knee. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The <b>Boise State Broncos</b> (22-9, 13-5) enter as the third seed, having won six of seven. While the Broncos swept San Diego State and New Mexico this season, they lost to UNLV and lost both games to Utah State.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Four starters for Boise State score in double figures, led by junior <a href="https://broncosports.com/news/2024/3/11/mens-basketball-four-broncos-honored-by-mountain-west-media" target="_blank">Tyson Degenhart</a>, who averages 16.8 points and six rebounds per game. Point guard Roddie Anderson III is the only starter below 10 points per game. Anderson came on during the back half of conference play and scored 16 points and had six rebounds and three assists last Friday night against San Diego State.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State's bench has also come on as of late, providing valuable minutes as Boise State looks to enter their third straight NCAA tournament.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A team that needs to be at its best is the <b>UNLV Rebels</b> (19-11, 12-6). The Rebels enter the tournament with a 10-2 record in their last 12 games. Both losses in this stretch were to Nevada but UNLV does have a bad loss to its name, falling by 32 to Air Force.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Rebels broke 70 points only twice in their last six games so scoring can dry up for UNLV. Freshman point guard <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4873093/dedan-thomas-jr" target="_blank">Dedan Thomas Jr.</a> scores 13.6 points and 5.2 assists per game. Thomas has picked up the efficiency in the last two games, averaging 19.2 points. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">UNLV's opponent in the quarterfinals on Thursday will be the <b>San Diego State Aztecs</b> (22-9, 11-7). National runners-up a season ago, the Aztecs have experienced a bevy of highs and lows this season and have lost three of their last five games. They closed the season with a rare home loss, falling to Boise State in overtime. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://goaztecs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/jaedon-ledee/8372" target="_blank">Jaedon LeDee</a> averages 20.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. LeDee had a double-double (20 points, 11 boards) in San Diego State's win over UNLV earlier this. But struggled last week when the Rebels won 62-58, in which LeDee was only 2-12 from the field.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">One of these five teams will reach the finals but my gut tells me one of the teams playing in the opening round will get there as well.</p><p></p><h3>Opening round matchups</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Relegated to the opening round and needing to win four games in four days for a title is a monumental task for any team. Colorado State and New Mexico can be considered a contender, especially since both are in the NCAA tournament or on the bubble, depending on who is asked. The Rams are likely safe, thanks to solid non-conference success. New Mexico could need to reach at least the semifinals if they want to feel safer in reaching the Big Dance.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The <b>Colorado State Rams</b> (22-9, 1-8) enter as the no. 7 seed, where they will take on the no. 10 seed <b>San Jose State Spartans</b> (9-22, 2-16). The two teams met only once in the regular season, with the <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap/_/gameId/401602990" target="_blank">Rams winning 66-47</a>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In that game, Isaiah Stevens had nine points and 11 assists for Colorado State. Stevens averages 16.8 points and seven assists per game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Rashaan Mbemba led the Rams with 13 points that game, with Joel Scott adding 12 and Nique Clifford added 11 (with 11 rebounds). Scott and Clifford combine for 25 points and 13.2 rebounds per game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Rams started off the season 13-1 and have lost three of their last five, all losses by a combined 11 points. Six of their conference losses were by single digits.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">San Jose State enters on a six-game losing streak. Myron Amey Jr. averages 15.7 points per game, with Alvaro Cardenas chipping in 13.1 Cardenas had 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists in the first meeting and Amey scored 13.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The no. 6 <b>New Mexico Lobos</b> (22-9, 10-8) will look to avenge a regular season loss to the no. 11 <b>Air Force Falcons</b> (9-21, 2-16). New Mexico won the first meeting by 19 but <a href="https://golobos.com/news/2024/02/24/lobos-fall-to-air-force-78-77/" target="_blank">lost to Air Force</a> by one.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Lobos have lost four of six but do own wins over Utah State, Nevada, San Diego State, and a sweep of Colorado State. They boast a fantastic inside/outside game but the bench is thin. New Mexico averages 82.3 points per game, with Jamal Mashburn Jr. leading the way at 15.1 points per game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Inside, JT Topping and Nelly Junior Joseph combine for 21.8 points and 16.9 rebounds per game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On the other side, the Falcons have lost four straight. Rytis Petraitis is a triple threat, averaging 15.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. Beau Becker shoots 40.2 percent on three-point attempts and scored 42 points against the Lobos this season. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the eight vs nine game, both teams enter the tournament struggling. The <b>Wyoming Cowboys</b> (15-16, 8-10) have lost four of six, while the <b>Fresno State Bulldogs</b> (11-20, 4-14) have lost seven in a row.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Wyoming defeated Fresno State 86-47 in the regular season finale and defeated the Bulldogs by one earlier this year.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Cowboys own wins over Nevada and Colorado State this season. Fresno State had some close games, losing by two to UNLV and four to Utah State.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Sam Griffin powers Wyoming, scoring 16.8 points per game. Isaiah Hill powers a depleted Fresno State team, with 12.1 points and 6.1 assists per game.</p><p><i>Opening round schedule for March 13 (All times Pacific)</i></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i># 8 Wyoming vs #9 Fresno State 11:00 a.m.</i></li><li><i>#7 Colorado State vs #10 San Jose State 1:30 p.m.</i></li><li><i>#6 New Mexico vs #11 Air Force 4:00 p.m.</i></li></ul><p></p><p><i><a href="https://themw.com/mbballchamp/" target="_blank">Full bracket</a></i></p><p><i>photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/slgc/5978807322" target="_blank">Flickr</a></i></p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-89698710524906691752024-03-11T22:11:00.000-07:002024-03-11T22:11:10.373-07:00Late surge propels Boise State Broncos to quarterfinal victory<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OIKcI-62kFei2YwiAKjn4mALUiElJZgKx729JtJUBzE7n_sOdblHBr_mHPk34-OySmco3Z2YSb4gNfVR-T_sEWm4RC7GkCW3IWYThzwrkyaIj50p9ehb_5FtouMRyTMBtcnLl9wLI1iQeWmbnger-OhDtwICBcBqELxH0kYO-IVt4XcRQykz7slhUY4/s4000/BSU%20women%20warmup.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OIKcI-62kFei2YwiAKjn4mALUiElJZgKx729JtJUBzE7n_sOdblHBr_mHPk34-OySmco3Z2YSb4gNfVR-T_sEWm4RC7GkCW3IWYThzwrkyaIj50p9ehb_5FtouMRyTMBtcnLl9wLI1iQeWmbnger-OhDtwICBcBqELxH0kYO-IVt4XcRQykz7slhUY4/s320/BSU%20women%20warmup.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The Boise State Broncos women's basketball team found the right time to find a little luck behind the three-point line.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">A night after an easy go of things in a 85-49 opening round victory over Utah State in the <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/03/mountain-west-conference-womens-tourney.html" target="_blank">Mountain West tournament</a>, the no. 6 Broncos found themselves in a fight with the no. 3 seed Wyoming Cowgirls.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Spearheaded by a gritty effort from Mya Hansen, the Broncos knocked down 8-17 from deep and used a late 14-0 run to defeat Wyoming 62-54 in quarterfinal action.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Hansen went to work on both ends of the floor. She knocked down huge shots. Found herself in the middle of loose balls. And was able to draw two offensive fouls on Wyoming players, all while managing to score a game-high 20 points. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Hansen was 3-5 on three-point attempts, tossing in four assists and one rebound, block, and steal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Defense was a big reason the Broncos advanced to the semifinals, though Boise State did start out slow in that department. But the second unit clamped down at the end of the second quarter and, in the fourth, Boise State held the Cowgirls (16-14) to 10 points on 3-17 shooting. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Wyoming scored only one field goal in the game's last six minutes.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Natalie Pasco added 10 points for the Broncos and Tatum Thompson scored nine.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Allyson Fertig, who the Broncos held to two points in the <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/02/ultimate-defensive-effort-in-boise.html" target="_blank">last meeting between the teams</a>, was much better this time around. Fertig finished with 16 points, nine rebounds, and made things difficult for Boise State by blocking seven shots.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State will face the seventh seed <a href="https://goaztecs.com/sports/womens-basketball" target="_blank">San Diego State Aztecs</a>, who picked up a 67-56 victory over New Mexico earlier Tuesday. The Broncos and Aztecs split their two meetings in the regular season, with each winning on their home floors.</p><p></p><h2>First half</h2><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Abby Muse, fresh off her <a href="https://broncosports.com/news/2024/3/10/womens-basketball-muse-records-triple-double-as-broncos-cruise-past-aggies" target="_blank">triple-double</a> Monday night against the Aggies, got the scoring going for the Broncos. This began a stretch of the teams trading spurts in the game's first five minutes and a Hansen three gave Boise State a 10-8 lead. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Wyoming rattled off an 11-1 run and built a lead to eight. Boise State did have some trouble on defense in that first quarter, giving up too many easy layups.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Hansen scored 10 of Boise State's 12 points in the quarter, thankfully keeping the Broncos within seven.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The second quarter initially gave off the same results but efforts by members of the bench amped up the intensity for Boise State. Trista Hull provided a spark (finishing with nine rebounds) and combined with the likes of Linsey Lovrovich, Dani Bayes, and Thompson to keep <a href="https://gowyo.com/sports/womens-basketball" target="_blank">Wyoming</a> off balance.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Pasco warmed up, too, with her three tying the game at 25. A Hansen basket at 1:43 gave the Broncos the lead as Wyoming went over four minutes without a point.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Wyoming found some offense in the closing minute and took a 29-27 lead to the locker room.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Hull had five first-half rebounds. Despite cold shooting (11-31), Boise State was able to keep things close because of Wyoming turnovers (nine) while committing only three of their own.</p><p></p><h3>Second half</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">A slow start again threatened to doom Boise State, falling behind 39-31 in the first five minutes of the third quarter. A three-pointer by Bayes jumpstarted a 7-0 run. But Wyoming kept the Broncos at arm's length, holding a four-point lead entering the fourth quarter.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A quick 7-2 run, capped by Hansen three with 6:34 left, gave Boise State their first lead since the second quarter. Wyoming responded, going up 50-47. When Elodie Lalotte found Pasco on a perfect backdoor cut at the 4:39 mark, Pasco's layup gave the Broncos a 51-50 lead they would never relinquish.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State was 5-8 on three-point attempts in the second half. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Muse finished with eight points and Mary Kay Naro added seven.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Lalotte, despite only scoring three points, had five rebounds and dished out four assists. Naro and Hull notched three apiece.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Along with the offensive output, the Broncos finished with only nine turnovers.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Wyoming finished with 15 turnovers and connected on only 4-17 from three-point range. Malene Pedersen scored 13, connecting on 6-10 from the field.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Pedersen and Fertig were a combined 12-19, with rest of the team shooting 10-33.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State has ratcheted up their defense and seen better ball movement the last two games. With a chance to play in the tournament final on the line tomorrow, the Broncos will need both to get back for the first time since 2020.</p><p><i>Schedule for semifinals (3/12). All times Pacific</i></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i>#1 UNLV Lady Rebels vs #5 Colorado State Rams - 5 p.m.</i></li><li><i>#6 Boise State Broncos vs #7 San Diego State Aztecs - 7:30 p.m.</i></li></ul><p></p><p><i><a href="https://themw.com/wbballchamp/" target="_blank">Full bracket</a></i></p><p><i>photo credit: Jason Haskins</i></p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-19473649635312913792024-03-09T14:07:00.000-08:002024-03-09T14:07:52.655-08:00Mountain West Conference women's tourney: Can UNLV be dethroned?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2c2v6iRNmJFh6JDuqRn0Q8B4hyphenhyphenPWn_pqtm5kG0J_0SyYHnVq9cfBR0jNKKRN-BIpD9xjW7DJlv-2ZEuoGMWzT262sA7mDpJAGx4EJUNx8xmGP0UnC9wX8N4_eKZkienqrLz7uYJpqd7Cpac-drnB8N34c_kXRRGCIvcYpJ5HW44QmFuZn78pV7MJOJs/s1024/basketball%20hoop%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2c2v6iRNmJFh6JDuqRn0Q8B4hyphenhyphenPWn_pqtm5kG0J_0SyYHnVq9cfBR0jNKKRN-BIpD9xjW7DJlv-2ZEuoGMWzT262sA7mDpJAGx4EJUNx8xmGP0UnC9wX8N4_eKZkienqrLz7uYJpqd7Cpac-drnB8N34c_kXRRGCIvcYpJ5HW44QmFuZn78pV7MJOJs/s320/basketball%20hoop%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The battle for the throne in the Mountain West Conference women's tournament, and automatic bid to the NCAA tourney, will once again run through the <a href="https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/team/_/id/2439/unlv-lady-rebels" target="_blank">UNLV Lady Rebels</a>. Ranked 23rd in the nation, UNLV won their third straight regular season title and will look to do the same as an entrant in the Big Dance.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Is any other program going to step up and dethrone the champs?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">UNLV (27-2, 17-1) after running the conference table in 2022-23, did lose a conference game this season, falling to the New Mexico Lobos. And while the Lady Rebels can score in bunches, there are teams who can use their defense to pull off the upset. Wyoming lost two games to UNLV by a combined 10 points and Colorado State did the same by eight. Boise State nearly had an upset, losing by six, and the Lobos lost by six in their second meeting.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In March basketball, anything is possible. But plenty of signs point to UNLV claiming the title yet again.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">UNLV enters the tournament on a 12-game winning streak, scoring 90+ points in four of their last six games. To close out the regular season and wrapping up the title, the Lady Rebels won their last two games by an average of 59.5 points.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On the season, UNLV averages 80.1 points per game and pulls down 41.5 rebounds. Their defense is just as efficient, with 16 straight games of holding opponents under 70 points.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Eight players average five points or more per game, led by likely conference MVP Desi-Rae Young. Young averages 18.6 points and nine rebounds per game, shooting 56.7 percent from the field.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Point guard Kiara Jackson is effective across the board, averaging 11.1., 4.4 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. And freshman <a href="https://unlvrebels.com/news/2024/3/7/womens-basketball-kimpson-picks-up-mw-freshman-of-the-week.aspx" target="_blank">Amarachi Kimpson</a> (8.4 ppg) closed strong, with 26 points, 12 assists, and five steals in the last two games.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Lady Rebels have the makings of winning the title and perhaps even snaking a victory in the NCAA tournament. But if there is a hiccup, a handful of teams are ready to pounce.</p><p></p><h2>MW tourney contenders</h2><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Teams that finished second through seventh spent the season beating up on each other, with the final order in this group not decided until the final night of regular season play. While seeds eight through 11 did manage victories against this group, the six seeds here are best positioned to knock off UNLV.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The <b>Boise State Broncos</b> (19-12, 10-8) closed the season on a <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/03/boise-state-broncos-womens-basketball.html" target="_blank">three-game losing streak</a>, dropping them to the sixth-seed. Facing now an extra day of play in achieving title hopes, the Broncos hope they can keep their solid defense and find consistent play on offense to win their first title since 2019-20.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State averages 63.2 points per game and shoots 39.6 percent from the field. The Broncos often find good looks, so in many cases it's just a matter of converting those chances at a higher clip. Their defense is impressive on most nights, paced by strong interior play and the shot blocking skills of Abby Muse (2.8 per game).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Scoring leader Natalie Pasco (13.4 ppg) has struggled during the losing streak. Pasco has scored only 13 points on 5-28 shooting in this span, with opponents have placed more focus on her.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Broncos are deep, with eight players scoring at least four points per game. Mya Hansen averages 9.3 and has 46 points, 8 assists, and four steals the last three games.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State swept the season series over the <b>New Mexico Lobos</b> (21-10, 12-6), who hold the second seed. New Mexico enters the tournament having won five of seven, with those two losses coming by a combined four points. All of New Mexico's conference losses have come by less than 10 points. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Lobos are paced by <a href="https://golobos.com/roster/nyah-wilson/" target="_blank">Nyah Wilson</a>, who averages 15.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Wilson is coming off a 33-point, six-rebound, and six-assist game against Fresno State and scored in double figures in all but one conference game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Sliding into the third spot, the <b>Wyoming Cowgirls</b> (16-13, 11-7) enter the conference tournament having lost five of seven, with all losses against teams seeded two through seven. On the season, Wyoming scores 63.2 points and shoots 45.3 percent from the field (though only 30 percent from deep). </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Six players average at least five points per game for the Cowgirls, led by <a href="https://gowyo.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/allyson-fertig/9512" target="_blank">Allyson Fertig</a>. Fertig averages 13.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocked shots per game. She is coming off three straight double-doubles, averaging 18.7 points and 10 rebounds.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The next three teams all finished with a conference record of 10-8. The team with the hottest play as of late is the no. 5 seed <b>Colorado State Rams</b>. Colorado State has won four of five, including an emphatic win over Boise State on Senior Night. Their lone loss in this span, however, was to San Jose State (7-23, 2-16).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Rams score 69.3 points per game and shoot 36.3 percent from three-point range. Seven players average five or more points per game, led by senior guard <a href="https://csurams.com/news/2024/3/6/womens-basketball-hofschild-named-mid-major-player-of-the-year-finalist" target="_blank">McKenna Hofschild</a>. Hofschild averages 22.6 points, 4 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game and is one player who I can see winning MW Player of the Year over Young.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Ahead of the Rams in the fourth spot is the <b>Nevada Wolf Pack</b>. Nevada enters the tournament losers of three of five. Five of their conference wins have come by three points or loss, and one of their losses was to Utah State (5-24, 2-16).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Wolf Pack averages 64.6 points and shoots 38.2 percent from the field. Nevada's leading scorer is <a href="https://nevadasportsnet.com/sports/womens-basketball/audrey-roden-turning-into-an-all-around-impact-player-for-nevada-womens-basketball" target="_blank">Audrey Roden</a>, who scores 11.3 per game (but only shoots 25.3 percent on three-point attempts). Roden has struggled in her last three games, scoring only seven points on 1-14 shooting.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Rounding out this group of contenders, the <b>San Diego Aztecs</b> hold the seventh seed and have lost two of their last three games. One was a three-point loss to New Mexico, while the Aztecs also fell to UNLV by 59.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">San Diego State can score with the best of them, averaging 66.5 points per game (shooting 41.1 percent from the field. Four players average 10+ points for the Aztecs, with the efforts of Adryana Quezada and Kim Villalobos combining to average 24.9 points and 12.7 rebounds per game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">These six teams stand the best chance at dethroning UNLV but there is one team who, if all the chips fall right, could make a run at the title.</p><p></p><h3>Dark horse</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">With the eighth seed, not a lot of stock is being placed in the <a href="https://goairforcefalcons.com/sports/womens-basketball" target="_blank">Air Force Falcons</a> (15-16, 8-10). The Falcons may not look like a formidable opponent, but they enter the conference tourney on a three-game winning streak. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Air Force swept four games from the Aggies and Spartans, with their other four conference wins coming against the list of contenders above. Their latest achievement was a road win over the Broncos.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Falcons score 63.9 points per game. They do have trouble with depth and rebounding (32.2 per game). Shooting can be a struggle at times, where Air Force shoots 38.5 percent from the field.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">But they can warm up quickly, and use that to their advantage. Guard Milahnie Perry averages 16.8 points and 2.7 assists per game. Perry, in her last two games, scored 43 points on 16-29 of shooting.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Perry, too, can find herself in a cold streak. The two games prior, Perry scored 24 points on 9-39 shooting. But the good outweighs the bad, where Perry has 17 straight games scoring in double figures, scoring 20+ in eight conference games.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Guard Madison Smith is also a big contributor, scoring 11.5 points and pulling down 5.3 rebounds.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It might be a stretch for Air Force to win four games in four days. But if they are underestimated and can get locked in, it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility.</p><p></p><h3>Upcoming schedule</h3><p></p><p>Opening round games get started on Sunday March 10, with the championship game set for Wednesday March 13 (7:30 PT)</p><p><i>*All times below Pacific Time</i></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i>#8 Air Force Falcons vs #9 Fresno State Bulldogs - 2 p.m.</i></li><li><i>#7 San Diego State Aztecs vs #10 San Jose State Spartans - 4:30 p.m.</i></li><li><i>#6 Boise State Broncos vs #11 Utah State Aggies - 7 p.m.</i></li></ul><p></p><p><i>Byes: UNLV, New Mexico, Wyoming, Nevada, Colorado State</i></p><p><i><a href="https://themw.com/wbballchamp/" target="_blank">Full bracket</a></i></p><p><i>photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/arturodonate/3668398063" target="_blank">Flickr</a></i></p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-55803717381348581872024-03-05T20:53:00.000-08:002024-03-05T20:53:18.731-08:00Boise State Broncos women's basketball tumble into postseason<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_z_mBmQ6a522qxKRuTo3zZwsRryqSHfxkfMGr69Nnb-VZrFEjbdcwx_iK3r_x81R8wRJW65ix7cOkfF3waSi8wHNfJyEreEUZ2enxrWDPQBJhfLpwHUxal-84Z4w54Bu6pvonfr4z_eVJFOsDzXUHPfcgolA_KQFyJJ-QVEHzh9kwsYnDg69-kzlP9k/s800/basketball.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="800" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_z_mBmQ6a522qxKRuTo3zZwsRryqSHfxkfMGr69Nnb-VZrFEjbdcwx_iK3r_x81R8wRJW65ix7cOkfF3waSi8wHNfJyEreEUZ2enxrWDPQBJhfLpwHUxal-84Z4w54Bu6pvonfr4z_eVJFOsDzXUHPfcgolA_KQFyJJ-QVEHzh9kwsYnDg69-kzlP9k/s320/basketball.webp" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Safe to say this is not the way the <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/02/boise-state-broncos-womens-basketball_27.html" target="_blank">Boise State Broncos women's basketball</a> team wanted to close out the regular season.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Likely only needing to win once in their final three games to secure a first-round bye in the Mountain West Conference tournament, the Broncos placed a goose egg in the win column. Three games with three different situations, all with the same outcome.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State (19-12, 10-8) put up a deflating effort on offense in closing out the regular season, falling to the Colorado State Rams on the road in a 64-50 loss.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This after a week in which they nearly upset the UNLV Lady Rebels, leading heading into the fourth before falling by six. Then, a <a href="https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/boxscore/_/gameId/401599346" target="_blank">game against Air Force</a> in which the Broncos trailed by 16, found a way to take the lead in the closing moments, only to lose 67-66.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The ramifications provided the worst possible scenario. Their loss, coupled with a win by Nevada, gave the 4th seed to the Wolf Pack. The Rams take the fifth seed, and the Broncos dropped all the way to the sixth seed for the upcoming Mountain West tournament.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Meaning the road to a title just got that much harder.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On four separate occasions, one stretch in each quarter, Boise State went nearly five minutes (or more) without scoring a point. The Rams did ramp up the defensive intensity, but Boise State failed to get into a rhythm most of the game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State was 20-59 on field goal attempts, connecting on 4-16 from three-point range. The Broncos also committed 15 turnovers, often forcing the ball inside when the option simply wasn't there.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Of the 11 players who played for Boise State, 10 found the scoring column. However, none reached double figures. <a href="https://broncosports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/trista-hull/9527" target="_blank">Trista Hull</a> led the way with nine points and Mya Hansen, after scoring 26 in the loss to Air Force, scored eight.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Leading scorer Natalie Pasco was held to five points on 2-8 shooting.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It was a game where <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2023/12/ice-cold-boise-state-broncos-women-drop.html" target="_blank">Boise State was cold</a> from the get-go, missing shots and often doing so in wild fashion.</p><p></p><h2>First half</h2><p></p><p>Colorado State (19-10, 10-8) started out fast, building an early nine-point lead. Boise State battled back, taking a 10-9 lead off a Hansen old fashioned three-point play. Dani Bayes capped an 8-0 run with a bucket, giving the Broncos a 12-9 lead.</p><p>This would be the last Boise State lead of the game.</p><p>A scoreless stretch of 5:29 hampered the Broncos but their defense kept the Rams contained. A three-point play by Hull, off a nice pass from Linsey Lovrovich, brought Boise State to within one at 16-15.</p><p>And from there, it was all <a href="https://csurams.com/sports/womens-basketball" target="_blank">Colorado State</a>. The Broncos went nearly five more minutes without points and headed into the locker room trailing 32-24.</p><p>Hull had five points in the first half, with Tatum Thompson adding four.</p><p></p><h3>Second half</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State did a better job of rebounding in the second half. And, after a jumpy start, had only six turnovers. But the lid never really opened up and an early 9-0 run by the Rams put Colorado State up 45-28.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A quick 7-0 run by the Broncos provided a little light, with a Lovrovich basket, Hansen three-pointer, and Hull free throws. But Colorado State responded, taking their lead back to 13 after three quarters.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Colorado State eventually stretched their lead to 20 with Boise State unable to string together much of anything. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Three players did most of the damage for the Rams. Marta Leimane had 21 points on 10-14 shooting with six rebounds. Senior star McKenna Hofschild added 19 points and six assists, with Cailyn Crocker scoring 10 on a perfect 4-4 from the field. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Rams committed only 10 turnovers and shot 43.1 percent.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thompson scored six for the Broncos but was only 2-11 from the field. Lovrovich had a nice game on both ends of the court, finishing with four points, four rebounds, and two assists.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Hull and Thompson each had six rebounds, with Abby Muse adding five. Hansen led the Broncos with four assists.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A disappointing way to end the regular season, where the Broncos ran a gamut of emotions in all three losses. Boise State will open <a href="https://themw.com/wbballchamp/" target="_blank">Mountain West tournament</a> play on Sunday, facing Utah State at 8 p.m. MT. </p><p><i>photo credit: <a href="https://www.rawpixel.com/image/6042223/photo-image-public-domain-free-black-and-white" target="_blank">rawpixel</a></i></p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-77690948087747142582024-03-04T16:59:00.000-08:002024-03-05T20:02:41.829-08:00Regular season finish line in sight for Boise State Broncos<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGPMEEtvzsMpcajJb3VeTDl4L8NHhyFU2K1-Bs5eUscS_5PZNMj3BF-31T8Ipuhx0tLIUoy6jKOmAdQn2XfLZWwOT8UyqQMQL0YOV5uArJ6FjPe8aoaUAQ4zedpW3_sAjz1dgtpRbZb9cMGlDYb9TyZRpdSPselGpYj8E11d3cMFiZ5xzzRimxWjFM7ys/s5472/Extra%20Mile%20Arena.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGPMEEtvzsMpcajJb3VeTDl4L8NHhyFU2K1-Bs5eUscS_5PZNMj3BF-31T8Ipuhx0tLIUoy6jKOmAdQn2XfLZWwOT8UyqQMQL0YOV5uArJ6FjPe8aoaUAQ4zedpW3_sAjz1dgtpRbZb9cMGlDYb9TyZRpdSPselGpYj8E11d3cMFiZ5xzzRimxWjFM7ys/s320/Extra%20Mile%20Arena.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">March is the perfect month to be peaking (or on the verge of) in college basketball. Winners of five straight, the <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/02/boise-state-broncos-mens-basketball_26.html" target="_blank">Boise State Broncos</a> men's basketball team is doing exactly that.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">All five victories have been by double figures, scoring 86.4 points per game and winning by an average margin of 23.4. With an offense flowing with precision, 10 players seeing playing time, and a defense going strong, recent weeks have seen a peak performance from the Broncos.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Broncos are coming off a 89-79 win over New Mexico last Saturday. O'Mar Stanley and Chibuzo Agbo each had double-doubles, combining for 41 points and 25 rebounds. Max Rice added 16.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Tyson Degenhart again chose his moments to shine, finishing with 23 points. The junior is averaging 22 points in his last eight games.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The bench did score only four points and none of those five played for more than 10 minutes. But they found ways to contribute (and buy the starters rest) as Boise State had only seven rebounds and a plus eight advantage on the boards.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State (21-8, 12-4) is playing some of their best basketball. The Broncos are climbing up the rankings (all the ones with fancy abbreviations) and are receiving votes in both the <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll" target="_blank">Associated Press</a> (26, good for no. 28) and Coaches (16, good for no. 29) polls. And with their latest victory, Boise State guaranteed themselves a first-round bye in the Mountain West Conference tournament.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Heading into the final week of the regular season, there is plenty left to play for, with the Mountain West regular season title still in play. The Broncos are currently tied with the <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/328/utah-state-aggies" target="_blank">Utah State Aggies</a> (24-5, 12-4) for first. And since the Mountain West doesn't do tiebreakers (except for tourney seeding), Boise State and Utah State could ultimately share the title despite two wins by the Aggies over the Broncos.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Utah State travels to San Jose State on 3/6 and hosts New Mexico on 3/9.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">San Diego State, Nevada, and UNLV all sit at 11-5, with the Aztecs playing at UNLV on Tuesday. Meaning with a victory Tuesday, Boise State will guarantee themselves a top-3 seed for the conference tournament.</p><p></p><h2>Boise State vs Nevada</h2><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Tuesday night (3/5, 9 p.m. MT) at ExtraMile Arena in Boise, the Broncos close out the home portion of the season, hosting the <a href="https://nevadasportsnet.com/sports/mens-basketball" target="_blank">Nevada Wolf Pack</a> (24-6, 11-5).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The first meeting of the season between the teams, Boise State picked up a 64-56 victory in Reno. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Degenhart controlled that game with 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists. Point guard Roddie Anderson III had 12 points, four assists, and two steals for the Broncos.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Anderson has nine steals in his last four games.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State struggled shooting that game, hitting 41.2 percent from the field but only 5-22 from deep. The Broncos also committed 18 turnovers, overcoming these obstacles by collecting 19 more rebounds than the Wolf Pack.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Nevada committed only 11 turnovers and shot 36 percent from the field. Nevada standouts <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4431765/jarod-lucas" target="_blank">Jarod Lucas</a> and Kenan Blackshear combined for 29 points but were only 10-30 on field goal attempts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Lucas leads the team at 17.5 points per game, shooting 40.8 percent on three-point attempts. Lucas has been dialed in as of late. In his last three games, he's averaging 21.3 points per game and shooting a shade under 50 percent.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Blackshear averages 15.2 points, five rebounds, and 4.9 assists but has been out the last few games with an ankle injury. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Nick Davidson adds 12.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per contest.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Nevada has won five straight and eight of their last nine. During this nine-game stretch, the Wolf Pack failed to score over 70 points just once.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Nevada closes out their regular season on Saturday, hosting UNLV, while Boise State hits the road for conference game no. 18.</p><p></p><h3>Aztecs vs Broncos</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Entering the week, the San Diego State Aztecs (22-7, 11-5) have won four of five and are ranked no. 21 in the latest AP poll.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">And the Aztecs will be looking to avenge a 67-66 <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/01/wild-mountain-west-boise-state-broncos.html" target="_blank">loss to Boise State</a> earlier this season when they host the Broncos on 3/8 (8 p.m. MT).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In that game, the Broncos had their struggles in shooting 39.3 percent. However, defense was in rare form and Boise State did enough to win.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Stanley had 17 points and 7 rebounds, while Anderson had one of his best games on offense, finishing with 14 points. Degenhart and Agbo each scored 11.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Rice was only 1-8 from the field and scored four points.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">San Diego State shot 43.1 percent but connected on only 6-24 from deep. The Aztecs did get 24 points from the bench that game, something to keep an eye on in this meeting.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State managed to hold Aztec standout <a href="https://goaztecs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/jaedon-ledee/8372" target="_blank">Jaedon LeDee </a>to 13 points and 8 rebounds, forcing Lee into four turnovers. LeDee averages 20.8 points and 8.4 rebounds, shooting 56.9 percent on field goal attempts. LeDee's last six games have been on par with Degenhart's, averaging 23.7 points and shooting 63.9 percent.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Reese Waters is the only other Aztec to average in double figures, scoring 11 points per clip. He had 10 in the first meeting with the Broncos, when he was a starter. Recent weeks have seen Waters moved to the bench, with Darrion Trammell earning starts in Waters' place.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Friday night promises to be another knockdown, physical game between the two teams. There could be some jockeying for seeding, only adding fuel to what has become quite the rivalry in recent years.</p><p><i>photo credit: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ExtraMileArenaShots-6.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a></i></p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-89512137154651655232024-03-02T17:25:00.000-08:002024-03-02T17:25:26.121-08:00Jayson Tatum: Under the radar MVP candidate<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYFhDbjTnCM66yIO2NMZk4ZkYiLSEP0PnqlZqZ0uS95X1Xmwl9rWNDSo1eT4sjeAn0IAYP9AjLXOFhIwb4n-dR_5Ss0FSBLbJSNhF1gHKFPJqMM_D1AmEDW3Wy9oHXaQpzFD_9kPss1Civ9Nz2ljHwegbgam_mXtdoEW8IDb6F-SDaTeD3ThI7x1ryv9o/s1280/Tatum%20&%20Mazzulla.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYFhDbjTnCM66yIO2NMZk4ZkYiLSEP0PnqlZqZ0uS95X1Xmwl9rWNDSo1eT4sjeAn0IAYP9AjLXOFhIwb4n-dR_5Ss0FSBLbJSNhF1gHKFPJqMM_D1AmEDW3Wy9oHXaQpzFD_9kPss1Civ9Nz2ljHwegbgam_mXtdoEW8IDb6F-SDaTeD3ThI7x1ryv9o/s320/Tatum%20&%20Mazzulla.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Out east in the NBA, with the <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/02/boston-celtics-getting-down-to-business.html" target="_blank">Boston Celtics</a> operating on the court with ultimate precision, Jayson Tatum is quietly putting together the best season of his career.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is saying a lot for the seventh-year pro who has seen tons of NBA success and turns only 26 on March 3.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Exemplar play has been evident up-and-down the Celtics lineup. Boston (47-12) has been so successful as a unit that Tatum isn't being discussed nearly enough as an MVP candidate. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Tatum was once again a driving force in <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/401585487" target="_blank">Boston's 10th-straight victory</a>, a 138-110 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Tatum, even with Luka Doncic on the opposite side dropping a triple-double, was the star of the game. The Boston star finished with 32 points, eight rebounds, and three assists, providing solid defense to boot.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">All five Celtic starters scored in double figures. Jaylen Brown had 25 and Kristaps Porzingis 24. Boston finished 21-43 from deep and dished out 33 assists.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Having four fellow starters all capable of scoring 20+ points has relieved some of the burden Tatum has been given in recent seasons. Brown is averaging 22.3 points per game. He is <a href="https://www.nba.com/celtics/news/sidebar-post-20240227-jb-continues-trend-of-hot-starts-leads-cs-to-9th-straight-win-over-philly" target="_blank">on a recent hot streak</a> the last three games, averaging averaged 28.6 points while shooting 35-58 (60.3 percent) from the field.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The help is nice and it can't be said enough the importance Tatum holds to this franchise.</p><p></p><h2>Boston Celtics MVP</h2><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Usually, it goes without mentioning that the best player on the league's best team should be under consideration for regular season MVP. Not only is Tatum rarely mentioned for this honor, but he is not often spoken of as a top-five player in the league.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">With so much individual talent in the NBA, it's understandable some players get lost in the shuffle. Arguments for many players can be made regarding who is among the elite, especially when it comes to MVP.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Joel Embiid seemed like a runaway favorite prior to being sidelined with a knee injury. His importance is clearly evident because the Philadelphia 76ers are completely different beast without Embiid.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Nikola Jokic averages nearly a triple-double for the <a href="https://www.nba.com/nuggets/" target="_blank">Denver Nuggets</a> and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is powering a surprise <a href="https://www.nba.com/team/1610612760/thunder" target="_blank">Oklahoma City Thunder</a> to the second-best record in the West. Throw in names like Steph Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the aforementioned Doncic and the field is quite crowded.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">And perhaps alone the reasoning Tatum isn't higher because if all the players mentioned above are out, their teams suffer mightily. Whereas with Tatum gone, the Celtics still have a championship worthy lineup.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Tatum, though, elevates the Celtics to greatness, helping the franchise to a fantastic <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/01/boston-celtics-first-half-to-remember.html" target="_blank">first half of the season</a>. He's done so with better play while often deferring (and engaging) teammates to do their thing.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Tatum is averaging 27.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. Scoring is down by an average of three points from a season ago but the trade-off is that the Celtics are winning more. Tatum is shooting 47.6 percent from the field, best since his rookie season. And his three-point shooting is slightly better at 36.4 percent than a season ago, attempting nearly one less three-pointer per game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The numbers for <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/4065648/jayson-tatum" target="_blank">Tatum in February</a> were slightly above his season average, all while finding key moments to take over games as needed. In the month, Tatum averaged 27.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 6.7 assists, with four double-doubles to his credit. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">A great sign, too, is seeing that Tatum's turnovers are down and assists up.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It's hard to think where the Celtics would be without Tatum taking this step in his game. Scoring was never going to be a problem with this star. Tatum doing the little things across the board makes the Celtics better. With a tough schedule ahead, facing some of the league's best, Tatum has a prime chance to show off his growth. And, with a solid week, prove to be a prime candidate for MVP consideration.</p><p></p><h3>Upcoming week</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boston looks to extend their winning streak and widen their lead(s) in the standings this upcoming week. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Celtics hold a 5.5 game lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves for the NBA's best record. In the Eastern Conference, Boston has an eight-game lead over the <a href="https://kingjamesgospel.com/" target="_blank">Cleveland Cavaliers</a> and Milwaukee Bucks. The lead is even bigger in the Atlantic Division, where the Celtics stand firm with a 12.5 lead over the New York Knicks.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boston starts the week at home on Tatum's birthday, hosting the Golden State Warriors. Without Porzingis in December, the Celtics fell in overtime to the Warriors. Boston blew an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter, with Tatum scoring only 15 points on 5-17 shooting in that meeting. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Derrick White scored 30 points and pulled down 7 rebounds to go with three blocked shots. Brown was close to a triple-double with 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Then, it's the first games of a five-game road trip and a slate of teams with winning records, starting with the Cavs on March 5. Boston is 2-0 against Cleveland this season. However, the Cavs are about the hottest ticket around, going 21-5 since a loss on New Year's Day.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Tatum is averaging 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists in those two games.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On March 7, Boston heads to Denver for a rematch with the Nuggets, who <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/401585214" target="_blank">defeated the Celtics</a> 102-100 in January. Boston had their opportunities to win that game but struggled in the second half, scoring only 39 points.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Closing out the week, the Celtics head to Phoenix for the first meeting between the teams in 2023-24.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This upcoming stretch is a good measuring stick of how far this Boston team has come. Even better, the hope is (barring injury/other health issues) there won't be any load management issues because there is (at least) a day off between games. A full complement of starters is a plus, with the MVP antics of Tatum icing on the cake.</p><p><i>photo credit: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joe_Mazzulla_Jayson_Tatum.png" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a></i></p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-73152874932802003522024-02-27T16:12:00.000-08:002024-02-27T16:12:27.280-08:00Boise State Broncos women's basketball: Search for 20 and first-round bye<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNTzme8NrnQGVlLe7t8fEKESBM6eNx3CXWuqfq8hGCZvNpRUpqmsS57ZwWd6zDWevF5a02x7yF67KXb6KTOzdd2OsGY6_gghmTGoyZCc3QJX9e66-kc7P3z-_gb_f4FxFFEKUGe5okwKRRFpGthoNRkLgr3Av7r5ERn9Et-RLTeO8HJ_HGHQho_0D6-c/s4000/BSU%20women%20warmup.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Boise State women's basketball home game where players are giving high fives to coaches while heading to the bench" border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNTzme8NrnQGVlLe7t8fEKESBM6eNx3CXWuqfq8hGCZvNpRUpqmsS57ZwWd6zDWevF5a02x7yF67KXb6KTOzdd2OsGY6_gghmTGoyZCc3QJX9e66-kc7P3z-_gb_f4FxFFEKUGe5okwKRRFpGthoNRkLgr3Av7r5ERn9Et-RLTeO8HJ_HGHQho_0D6-c/w320-h240/BSU%20women%20warmup.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The margin for error is tightening for the Boise State Broncos women's basketball team, with March practically here. Three games remain on the schedule. One team has already locked up a first round bye in the <a href="https://themw.com/wbballchamp/" target="_blank">Mountain West conference tournament</a>, with six others competing for the final four spots.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">To close things down and secure one of those spots, Boise State (19-9, 105) will need to be at their best.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Good fortune and execution paved the way last week, with the Broncos winning two games by a combined eight points. It was nice seeing <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/02/home-cooking-ahead-for-boise-state.html" target="_blank">Boise State</a> shake off that tough overtime loss to Nevada in winning close games. A Dani Bayes three-pointer with 12 seconds left gave the Broncos the deciding basket, with Natalie Pasco adding two free throws for a 58-55 victory last Wednesday. And on Saturday, Boise State held off a spirited Fresno State Bulldogs effort, winning 70-65.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Tatum Thompson impressed last week, scoring 30 points in the two wins. Pasco had 20 against Fresno State but struggled against New Mexico for a second time this season, shooting only 4-19 from the field (and Pasco is only 5-30 this season against the Lobos).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State has won six of their last seven games, rising to second place in the process. A strong rise and yet, faltering down the stretch could drop the Broncos into the opening round of the Mountain West tourney.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A 1-1 week should have the Broncos locked into a top-5 spot. The Nevada Wolf Pack have a tough week, with road games at Colorado State and New Mexico. The Lobos also host San Diego State while Wyoming is at San Jose State and hosts Fresno State.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is just a small sample of the games on the schedule. If things shake out the right way, Boise State will head into the final regular season game knowing a first round bye is secure. But first, two games this week to keep the good times rolling.</p><p></p><h2>Boise State @ UNLV</h2><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">A big game for the Broncos when they try to prove their mettle against the first place (and 24th-ranked) <a href="https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/team/_/id/2439/unlv-lady-rebels" target="_blank">UNLV Lady Rebels</a> (24-2, 14-1). UNLV has already clinched the regular season title and will look to extend their nine-game winning streak on Wednesday (2/28, 7:30 p.m. MT).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State has lost six in a row to the Lady Rebels, falling in Boise earlier this season by a score of 84-63. Entering that game, the Broncos had <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/01/brink-of-first-place-boise-state.html" target="_blank">won four in row</a>. Boise State came out in defensive lockdown mode but struggled with their offense. By time they got rolling in a second half, the game was essentially out of reach.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Broncos had only eight turnovers in that first meeting but shot 38.3 percent from the field. Their normally stellar defense took a hit in the second half, too, but a lot of that was due to energy expended on offense. Pasco had 21 points and 4 assists that game. Mya Hansen, who missed last week's game against New Mexico but returned to face Fresno State, scored 12 and Abby Muse had nine points, seven rebounds, and four blocked shots.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Likely Mountain West MVP Desi Rae Young had 25 points and 11 rebounds that game. Young averages 19 points and 9.6 rebounds.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Alyssa Durazo-Frescas had 16 points (4 threes) and Ashley Scoggin added 14. The Broncos did do a good job against Kiara Jackson, who scored only one point and had six assists. Jackson averages 11.4 and 4.7 in those categories.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Eight players scored at least five points per game for UNLV. During their winning streak, the Lady Rebels have held every opponent to under 70 points.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It's going to take a complete team effort in this game. If Boise State plays the type of defense they played in the first half, coupled with their second half offense, they can pull off the upset. If not, well, Saturday's game takes on extra importance.</p><p></p><h3>Boise State vs Air Force</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Saturday's game (3/2 at 2 p.m. MT) will be the final home game for Boise State, where they will be facing the <a href="https://goairforcefalcons.com/sports/womens-basketball" target="_blank">Air Force Falcons</a> (13-16, 6-10) for the first time this season.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Broncos won both meetings in 2022-23, winning by five points each time.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Air Force has lost four of six and face the Utah State Aggies on Wednesday before closing out their regular season Saturday in Boise. Three of their six conference victories have come against the likes of Nevada, San Diego State, and Colorado State.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Falcons average 63 points per game. They shoot 37.9 percent from the field and 30.5 percent from deep. Air Force averages 14.8 turnovers per game but they do have a harassing defense collecting 11.2 steals.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Milahnie Perry leads the team with 16.5 points and 2.7 assists per game. Perry shoots 35.5 percent from beyond the arc and has 15 straight games of scoring in double figures. She is a volume shooter, often tossing up between 14 and 20 attempts per game, and was 9-39 from the field in her last two games.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Perry also had a three-game stretch in early February where she averaged 26 points per game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Madison Smith averages 11.4 points and is the top shooter from the field at 41.9 percent. Smith also averages 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals per contest.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Jayda McNabb averages 6.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Air Force is no slouch and should not be taken lightly by the Broncos. With the game at home, where the Broncos are 13-2, and the added bonus of Senior Day, Boise State should take care of business. Win number 20, if not reached at UNLV, will be a perfect fit to send off the seniors in their last home game. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Then, with only one game left at Colorado State, the madness of March can truly begin.</p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-51510153773989812492024-02-26T15:48:00.000-08:002024-02-26T15:48:01.270-08:00Boise State Broncos men's basketball: Eyes on the Mountain West prize<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjajPrPkYYM-7x0P0HPvR7SSeoJxi3CHT0gzT_n2nFiUSJ9X4L9Klf1NYUsKlgVm4GjShLc_HmzBh2wQyNCrbxDGeynRLNzLyRitUHvmUylHTK8kmQmcU3oHnXoEJUpx9PlKGVVmt-I57f2bAutwktjunjZlc8-4M3K7-F-oGNRweAT99wtNHeYfDDfBYA/s1836/BSU%20flag2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1836" data-original-width="1836" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjajPrPkYYM-7x0P0HPvR7SSeoJxi3CHT0gzT_n2nFiUSJ9X4L9Klf1NYUsKlgVm4GjShLc_HmzBh2wQyNCrbxDGeynRLNzLyRitUHvmUylHTK8kmQmcU3oHnXoEJUpx9PlKGVVmt-I57f2bAutwktjunjZlc8-4M3K7-F-oGNRweAT99wtNHeYfDDfBYA/s320/BSU%20flag2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Two weeks loom large over the regular season in the Mountain West conference. The final two weeks of the 2023-24 season, in which the dust will settle. Four games for the Boise State Broncos men's basketball team to remain at the top of the Mountain West standings.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Then, the dust will get kicked up all over again come <a href="https://themw.com/mbballchamp/" target="_blank">Mountain West tournament</a> time.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Broncos have set themselves up for success, coming off a master class on offense in their last three games. Ball movement. Efficiency. Fantastic shooting and a balanced attack. All have helped propel the Broncos since a rough stretch with two losses a few weeks back. Yes, opposition has been weaker but Boise State handled their business, averaging 88 points in their three-game winning streak, with an average margin of victory at 25.3.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It's easy for a team to lose focus in these types of games. Thankfully <a href="https://broncosports.com/sports/mens-basketball" target="_blank">Boise State</a> has not because they close the regular season with three teams possibly NCAA tournament bound. Boise State (19-8, 10-4) shares first place with the Utah State Aggies, with only three games separating first and seventh place teams. The Broncos are in midst of fighting for an important first-round bye in the MW tourney, in which the top five teams receive. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Two wins this week would guarantee Boise State said bye. The big question sits with the Broncos and their NCAA tournament chances. They've climbed to number 32 in the <a href="https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/basketball-men/d1/ncaa-mens-basketball-net-rankings" target="_blank">NET rankings</a> and most projections in recent weeks have them in the tournament for sure. To me, winning three of four plus a MW tourney victory should guarantee them of reaching the Big Dance for a third straight season. Even 2-2 plus a conference tournament win should mean Boise State is in good position (as long as one of those losses isn't to Air Force).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Crucial games are on the agenda this time of year, with even losses to a rising UNLV team and 19th-ranked <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/265/washington-state-cougars" target="_blank">Washington State</a> (21-7) not looking as bad. The Broncos, with the type of activity they've had in recent games on offense plus stellar defense, will look to keep things rolling this week.</p><p></p><h2>Boise State at Air Force</h2><p></p><p>First up, the Broncos have a road meeting on 2/27 (7 p.m. MT) with the <a href="https://goairforcefalcons.com/sports/mens-basketball" target="_blank">Air Force Falcons</a> (9-17, 2-12). Boise State won the first matchup, running away with things in a 94-56 victory.</p><p>But, be wary of those Falcons. They may have only two conference wins but those have been huge. The first was a 32-point win in Las Vegas. The second was last Saturday, a 78-77 victory in The Pit that snapped a seven-game losing streak.</p><p>In the first meeting between Boise State and Air Force, all five Bronco starters scored in double figures. Boise State shot 60 percent from the field and was 15-27 from three-point range. The Broncos had 17 assists and only eight turnovers.</p><p>Standouts included Chibuzo Agbo and O'Mar Stanley, who each scored 14 points, and Cam Martin had four points, six rebounds, and seven assists. But, it was <a href="https://broncosports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/degenharttyson/9457" target="_blank">Tyson Degenhart</a> who soared sky high.</p><p>Degenhart had 29 points on 11-12 shooting. This game kicked off a current six-game stretch where Degenhart is averaging 22 points per game and shooting 65.7 percent from the field. He is also pulling down almost seven rebounds per contest in this span.</p><p>Air Force shot 34.6 percent in the first matchup, with 13 turnovers. Jeffrey Mills had 17 points in that game, with Beau Becker adding 13. Boise State held Rytis Petraitis to three points, who went 0-8 from the field.</p><p>Petraitis averages 14.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists on the season. He scored 15 in the victory over New Mexico. Becker, who also averages 14.9 and shoots 50 percent from the field, scored 19 against the Lobos. Air Force shot 51.7 percent and committed only eight turnovers in the victory.</p><p>The Falcons are very capable of pulling off the upset at home, even though their two conference wins have both been on the road. Boise State needs to hold focus, especially with an even larger game on the horizon.</p><p></p><h3>Broncos vs Lobos</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The <a href="https://golobos.com/sports/mbball/" target="_blank">New Mexico Lobos</a> (21-7, 9-6) get a full week to stew over their loss to Air Force before taking the court Saturday (3/2, 6 p.m. MT) in Boise.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This means Boise State will be facing a very motivated and fired up New Mexico squad who, with another loss, could be moving further away from the wrong side of the bubble.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the first meeting between the teams, <a href="https://broncosports.com/news/2024/1/31/mens-basketball-rices-career-night-leads-boise-state-past-ranked-new-mexico-in-the-pit" target="_blank">Boise State walked away</a> with a 86-78 road victory. That game was where Max Rice re-emerged from a shooting slump, scoring a career-high 35 points. Agbo had 16 points and Stanley finished with a double-double (12 points, 14 rebounds). Degenhart struggled, going only 1-8 from the field and scoring four points.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State shot 48.5 percent from the field and turned the ball over only 11 times. The Broncos were 9-27 from deep and had a plus 8 advantage on the boards.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Guard Donovan Dent had a career game of his own for the Lobos, scoring 31 points. Jamal Mashburn Jr. had 14 points and JT Topping pulled down 15 rebounds.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">New Mexico had only seven turnovers in that meeting but shot only 7-25 from three-point range.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Lobos are 3-4 in their last seven games. They average 82.5 points per game but only have reached that twice in this seven-game stretch.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Jaelen House averages 15.5 points and is a top defender, averaging 2.4 steals. Dent scores 15.4 a contest and shoots 52.4 percent from the field. Toppin averages 12.1 points and 8.8 per contest, teaming with Nelly Junior Joseph to form quite the inside pair. Junior Joseph had 17 points and nine rebounds in the Air Force loss.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State holds a 12-2 record at home, so the Broncos should have the edge. But part of me worries New Mexico will come out ablaze. Boise State might have to withstand an early storm to prevail in this one.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Still, the Broncos are playing at such a high level, it's hard to imagine them faltering this week. They have switched gears, seen bench players rise up, and are dominating. Do that going forward, and there will be a lot to talk about regarding this Boise State team come mid-March. Until then, keep doing the work and notching the wins.</p><p><i>More on Boise State men's basketball:</i></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i><a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/02/boise-state-broncos-smooth-sailing-in.html" target="_blank">Smooth sailing in win over Fresno State</a></i></li><li><i><a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/02/boise-state-broncos-surging-at.html" target="_blank">Broncos surging at halfway point</a></i></li></ul><p></p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-68087024763311866202024-02-25T15:07:00.000-08:002024-02-25T15:07:22.979-08:00Boston Red Sox and the spring training eternal flame of hope<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDTiPMlSm18JcDYfV41jWtu4KdAU8jPfHN5pYDzuBSitVcKRw5EwsWtk7X6E4pPTZhebcA-rlsB3zHfaYsCLP0g04zUnPJ6lmylOXMdWZEaqEv2wsb1RMx2k1Q9Cw64wxFTkm1muylwcJXiHktA2-u0UO1w6Qcrz6NHWzWAQp1SXmvM247ZWhvOa9iLc/s4000/Red%20Sox%20sign.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDTiPMlSm18JcDYfV41jWtu4KdAU8jPfHN5pYDzuBSitVcKRw5EwsWtk7X6E4pPTZhebcA-rlsB3zHfaYsCLP0g04zUnPJ6lmylOXMdWZEaqEv2wsb1RMx2k1Q9Cw64wxFTkm1muylwcJXiHktA2-u0UO1w6Qcrz6NHWzWAQp1SXmvM247ZWhvOa9iLc/s320/Red%20Sox%20sign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ah, sunshine.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Beaming down glorious hope and optimism to 30 Major League Baseball teams in Arizona and Florida, where spring training is under way in preparation for the 2024 season.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The pop of a baseball slamming into a well-oiled mitt. A crack of the bat, echoing between foul poles. Chatter and dirty uniforms. Games of <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2010/02/long-toss.html" target="_blank">long toss</a> between veterans and newcomers alike. All signs of new beginnings, and eyeballs staring towards the future.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">For the Boston Red Sox, <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2023/09/boston-red-sox-winding-down-2023-season.html" target="_blank">success in the future</a> is farther off than many wish it to be. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is a type of rebuild perhaps a generation of Red Sox fans are not used to. Over five years have passed since Boston's last World Series title, with no playoff appearances since 2021. A franchise blessed with four World Series championships in the last 20 years, now faced with realistic expectations that a fifth won't be happening in 2024.</p><p></p><h2>A strange trip in '24?</h2><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Sports can deliver funny results, with big spenders prior to the 2023 season failing to even reach the playoffs, while the Texas Rangers <a href="https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/rangers-redemption-at-long-last-texas-wins-its-first-world-series" target="_blank">finally added their name</a> to the list of champions. Pursuits of titles are a joyous and heartbreaking affair, playing dreamers and dasher of dreams along the way.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">To give up in February and March, with a clean slate of 162 games on the agenda, is a tough pill to swallow. When teams spend money (recklessly or not) and the <a href="https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-storylines-during-2024-grapefruit-league-play" target="_blank">Red Sox</a> choose a route of thriftiness, fans of the teams are not wrong to turn their looks sour.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Ah, wicked thinking.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This facet remains ingrained in the souls of a franchise that went 86 years between World Series titles. Souls toughened through heartbreak and misfortune and bad hops, with horrible seasons wiped from the brain. One wishes to that with three of the last four seasons, where last place finishes have devastated the faithful (in a very competitive AL East, one might add).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Yet, an excited and talented offense is in place, asked to again carry the team. Dreams of a <a href="https://bosoxinjection.com/posts/red-sox-2024-opening-day-roster-projection-star-addition-for-rotation-arrives-01hqb5emdm6v/3" target="_blank">dominant bullpen</a> are carried in the heart, with perhaps a starting rotation takes form sooner rather than later. A little sunshine goes a long way, with a bit of chalk magic mixed in. Impossible? No, not at all. Things might fall into place ahead of schedule, bringing the Red Sox closer to the top of the division rather than occupying its cellar. A little success breeds confidence, and Boston could be the benefit of both in 2024.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Ah, hope.</p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-28243075448662327302024-02-20T15:41:00.000-08:002024-02-20T15:41:07.870-08:00Home cooking ahead for Boise State Broncos women's basketball<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9vRurqJKtBFXovWCw71u_Xu0w2Nm77lEX3N1N0wP1SK7IfDKmY9A_WWmlEIMKffzF7WN-2lLrOLCCw6yK4AmPlaeJ6vQkZEVCh-7HfFDJVBiSuqqIRFLgLreHJ8L0pLEk8XgpfYksCdMQIvRm0ntg-Ynk6p_vhhAx2QVIYlAsBw0fmhN002LLTB-urQ/s776/basketball%20rim.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="776" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9vRurqJKtBFXovWCw71u_Xu0w2Nm77lEX3N1N0wP1SK7IfDKmY9A_WWmlEIMKffzF7WN-2lLrOLCCw6yK4AmPlaeJ6vQkZEVCh-7HfFDJVBiSuqqIRFLgLreHJ8L0pLEk8XgpfYksCdMQIvRm0ntg-Ynk6p_vhhAx2QVIYlAsBw0fmhN002LLTB-urQ/s320/basketball%20rim.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Five-game winning streaks have proven to be elusive for the Boise State Broncos women's basketball team so far in 2023-24. Each time the opportunity presented itself, victory has not been found.<p></p><p>The latest failed attempt was especially tough, <a href="https://broncosports.com/news/2024/2/17/womens-basketball-broncos-drop-overtime-thriller-in-reno" target="_blank">losing to the Nevada Wolf Pack</a> in overtime. It was a game the Broncos had every opportunity to win, missing free throws in regulation and overtime that might have sealed the deal for Boise State (17-9, 8-5).</p><p>This despite an outstanding game from Elodie Lalotte, who scored a season-high 19 points.</p><p>Guards Mary Kay Naro and Mya Hansen were injured late in the game. It appeared Naro rolled her ankle and Hansen left the game in overtime with what might have been a head injury. Naro did return to the game but it will be interesting to see if both are available for this week's games. </p><p>The two have combined for 197 assists, just over 50 percent of the team's total. Naro has 32 assists over the last five games and continues to move up the Broncos all-time list. </p><p>Natalie Pasco remains Boise State's leading scorer at 14.2 points per game. Pasco has upped that to 15.8 in the last four games, though she is only 8-28 from three-point range, including a 1-8 performance in Reno. And Abby Muse is the rebounding leader, averaging nine per contest. Muse has 21 rebounds in the last two games. More offense from her could be useful, where Muse is only 3-12 from the field in the same span.</p><p>Boise State dropped into a tie for fourth place with Nevada, who swept the season series. The Broncos, however, remain only one game behind the New Mexico Lobos and <a href="https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/team/_/id/2751/wyoming-cowgirls" target="_blank">Wyoming Cowgirls</a>. UNLV sits safely in first place with a conference record of 12-1.</p><p>Two home games this week, where the Broncos are 11-2 this season, give Boise State a chance to not only maintain their conference position but climb to second place if they take care of business. Wyoming has home games with UNLV and New Mexico and Nevada hosts UNLV on 2/24. The Broncos can get things started right when they play host to New Mexico (2/21 at 6:30 p.m. MT).</p><p></p><h2>Boise State Broncos vs New Mexico Lobos</h2><p></p><p>Naro missed the first game against New Mexico, a 64-56 Boise State victory. The Broncos found their stroke in that victory, knocking down 11 three-pointers. <a href="https://broncosports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/dani-bayes/9522" target="_blank">Dani Bayes</a> had 21 points that game and Hansen had 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists. </p><p>Hansen has been efficient in the last three games, averaging 11.3 points.</p><p>Pasco struggled in the first meeting with the Lobos, scoring only five points while shooting 1-11.</p><p>New Mexico (18-8, 9-4) is 2-2 in their last four games. The Lobos four conference losses are by an average of 6.7 points.</p><p>In the first meeting between the teams, the Lobos shot only 35.1 percent from the field and committed 13 turnovers. The Broncos, at full strength, hold an edge in bench play, where 10-11 players contribute efficiently for Boise State. New Mexico isn't as deep and bench players scored 0 points in the last meeting.</p><p>Nyah Wilson is the top scorer for <a href="https://golobos.com/sports/wbball/" target="_blank">New Mexico</a>, scoring 14.8 points per game. Wilson has six conference games in which she scored 20+ points and was held to 11 by Boise State.</p><p>Aniyah Augmon had 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in that first matchup. On the season, Augmon averages 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists and recently had 22 points and 16 rebounds in a victory over Colorado State.</p><p>Paula Reus and Viane Cumber also scored in double digits in the first meeting but were a combined 7-25 from the field.</p><p>Charlotte Kohl had nine points and 10 rebounds vs the Broncos and averages 6.7 and 7, respectively.</p><p>This game will come down to Boise State's defensive effort and keeping New Mexico's guards at bay. Advantage inside and the bench goes to the Broncos and I expect a big game from Lalotte, Muse, and Trista Hull.</p><p></p><h3>Boise State vs Fresno State</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The <a href="https://gobulldogs.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster" target="_blank">Fresno State Bulldogs</a> (13-14, 6-8) boast a deeper bench than New Mexico, with the unit scoring 23 points in their first meeting with Boise State. The Broncos overcame 21 turnovers in that game to defeat the Bulldogs 60-50.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Sophomore Tatum Thompson scored 21 points and had 7 rebounds in the victory. Pasco scored 14 and Muse had five blocked shots.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Fresno State had 14 turnovers of their own and shot 33.3 percent (5-25 on three-point attempts).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Mia Jacobs was the only Bulldog to score in double digits in the first meeting and the only one who does so on the season. Jacobs had 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists against Boise State. She averages 14.2 points and 7 rebounds per game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The rest of the team is balanced, with six players who average at least five points per game. Kylee Fox and Taija Sta. Maria each average 8.1 points per game. Fox shoots 38.6 percent from deep and Sta. Maria averages four assists.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Fox scored eight points (3-10 from the field) in the first game against the Broncos, while Sta. Maria was 0-2 with four turnovers and three assists.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Senior Deajanae Harvey is the top player off the bench. Harvey scored a career-high 21 points off the bench last Saturday in a <a href="https://gobulldogs.com/news/2024/2/17/womens-basketball-dogs-win-big-over-spartans-on-saturday" target="_blank">victory over San Jose State</a>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Fresno State is 2-2 in their last four games and are 3-6 in their last nine.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Discouraging as the loss to Nevada was, Boise State is in prime position to earn a first-round bye in the Mountain West tournament. Taking care of business at home is a must. Do that this week and the Broncos will be one step closer to guaranteeing exactly that.</p><p><i>More on Boise State Broncos women's basketball:</i></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i><a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/02/ultimate-defensive-effort-in-boise.html" target="_blank">Ultimate defensive effort in win over Wyoming</a></i></li><li><i><a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/02/boise-state-broncos-womens-basketball.html" target="_blank">Boise State basketball: Halfway report</a></i></li></ul><p></p><p><i>photo credit: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Basketball_net.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a></i></p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-33795903829301532732024-02-19T20:15:00.000-08:002024-02-19T20:15:30.495-08:00Boise State Broncos men's basketball: Setting the pace in week ahead<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_mfUWp4OualvID3ZUAf-KVWRXoDsqu2_yPmzmqWwa7SIxKcLSjZPek5cJOyK5bvjxiJTWd_3Y95beXq9TrOJb652yge40DnfXIMnnLEl6bi8lt2f-16WmmjiadnASZwR6Hep-Zjg2Nd_elzxYGig7y0oEuTpU8bacr4Dtrf-8-1d3DUmYKgmb1ipqBk/s4000/Boise%20State%20banners.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_mfUWp4OualvID3ZUAf-KVWRXoDsqu2_yPmzmqWwa7SIxKcLSjZPek5cJOyK5bvjxiJTWd_3Y95beXq9TrOJb652yge40DnfXIMnnLEl6bi8lt2f-16WmmjiadnASZwR6Hep-Zjg2Nd_elzxYGig7y0oEuTpU8bacr4Dtrf-8-1d3DUmYKgmb1ipqBk/s320/Boise%20State%20banners.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Fresh off a resounding victory, the <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/02/boise-state-broncos-smooth-sailing-in.html" target="_blank">Boise State Broncos</a> men's basketball team is staring at a week ahead full of prime opportunity. Opportunities in two games they should win and, in the process, chances to separate from the Mountain West pack.<p></p><p>And even the possibility to rise to first place in the process.</p><p>Entering the week, Boise State (17-8, 8-4) sits in third place in the Mountain West Conference, 0.5 games behind the 9-4 Utah State Aggies and the 19th-ranked <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll" target="_blank">San Diego State Aztecs</a>. Only 2.5 games separate the 1st and 8th place teams, with three weeks left to hope for separation.</p><p>Of course, it's the <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/01/mwc-gauntlet-ahead-for-boise-state.html" target="_blank">gauntlet of the Mountain West</a>, and there's a good chance standings will be muddled even more before the regular season ends.</p><p>Big games for the top teams are on the lighter side of the schedule this week. Though, with the Mountain West, each game constitutes huge opportunities, no matter the matchup. On Tuesday (2/20), the Aggies and Aztecs square off, meaning with a Boise State victory, the Broncos will move into second place.</p><p>The Aggies face a weekend bye after, with San Diego State traveling to play Fresno State on Saturday (2/24).</p><p>The 22nd-ranked Colorado State Rams have two important road games at New Mexico and UNLV. All three teams currently have five losses. This means prime action in which the Broncos, if they take care of business, could find a sliver of separation.</p><p></p><h2>Boise State vs San Jose State</h2><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Tuesday night (2/20, 8:30 p.m. MT on FS1), the Broncos welcome the Spartans. Boise State narrowly escaped San Jose with a win to start conference play, winning 78-69. The Spartans led by seven in that game but Boise State used an explosive second half to pick up the victory.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In that game, the Broncos had 0 bench points (an issue that has improved in recent games) and committed 15 turnovers. A saving grace was the plus 20 advantage Boise State had on the boards.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">O'Mar Stanley delivered a fantastic double-double in that meeting, finishing with 30 points and 11 rebounds. Tyson Degenhart had 21 points and six rebounds. This was one of seven conference games Degenhart has scored 20+ points.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://broncosports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/agbochibuzo/9455" target="_blank">Chibuzo Agbo</a> had 15 points in that game. Despite recent struggles, Agbo is still second on the team in scoring at 14 ppg. He had a rough two-game stretch in two road losses, shooting 5-19 and only scoring 12 points. But Agbo had a better effort against Fresno State, scoring 14, and he has only five turnovers in his last seven games.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">One key reason <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/23/san-jose-state-spartans" target="_blank">San Jose State</a> (9-17, 2-11) held a halftime lead was the play of Myron Amey Jr. He scored 25 of his 30 points in the first half. For the season, Amey is averaging 15.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and three assists per game. The guard has scored in double figures in all but one conference game and has crossed the 20-point threshold four times.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Trey Anderson had 13 points in the first meeting, where the Spartans had only seven turnovers but were 7-27 from three-point range. Anderson averages 11.3 points and 4.3 rebounds.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Alvaro Cardenas averages 13.4 points and 5.6 assists. He had nine and seven, respectively, the first time the teams met but was only 3-10 from the field.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Broncos will also need to key in on Tibet Gorener. Gorener averages 12.3 points and 4.2 rebounds but only had three of each in the earlier matchup.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">San Jose State's two conference wins came against Air Force. The Spartans lost two games to the Wyoming Cowboys, Boise State's other opponent this week, by a combined seven points.</p><p></p><h3>Cowboys host Broncos</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The <a href="https://gowyo.com/sports/mens-basketball" target="_blank">Wyoming Cowboys</a> (13-12, 6-6) are doing enough to hang around the Mountain West race, thanks in large part to big home victories. It's usually a tough go of things when teams visit Laramie. This season has been no different, with the Cowboys already picking up wins over Colorado State and Nevada at home.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is the first and only regular season meeting between Boise State and Wyoming in 2023-24. The Cowboys have lost three of their last four games and will face Nevada on Tuesday before Saturday's game (2/24 at 5:30 p.m. MT).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Wyoming averages 73.5 points and gives up 75.3. The Cowboys turn the ball over 13.6 times and are shooting 45.2 percent from the field (37.7 on threes) this season.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Four players drop more than ten points per game for Wyoming, led by Sam Griffin. Griffin scores 17.9 per contest (19.3 in his last three games) and has 61 three-pointers, shooting 39.6 percent.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Akuel Kot and Brendan Wenzel have combined to make 95 three-pointers this season. Kot averages 14.7 points per game, shooting 40.2 percent from deep, while Wenzel scores 10.8.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Mason Walters averages 12.9 points and 5.5 rebounds. In his last two games, Walters has scored 34 points and collected 15 rebounds.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Bench play will be the x-factor for the Broncos in Wyoming. And hopefully the flow of the game will dictate head coach Leon Rice able to use up to five players off the bench. Though the minutes weren't huge, that's how many saw action against Fresno State. In the high altitude of Laramie, this will be even more useful. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Two wins and keeping minutes for the starters below average are two "musts" this week. Because after, the margin for error grows even slimmer, especially for a Boise State team possibly fighting for the NCAA tournament life.</p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-44181344074511696302024-02-18T15:49:00.000-08:002024-02-18T15:49:30.499-08:00Boston Celtics getting down to business<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju4nI1Hi0MHPrvZLqP5N5yFBr4xIki6E4_Vrb8olTE4AUC396vr_fSqFXmlhwq5Ydkn-59w9j_WTYYRrQzvv1S0kc2Y79AqJ1j3ITTfChd3ZL8dKq8iMWRU9mo5bv5H9qLWi74pu6pxkVt6jOg4PYmXAORPOfOY8KZt0GNfP6iotJgvVvR1sYMwax6vvU/s918/Celtics_cap.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="918" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju4nI1Hi0MHPrvZLqP5N5yFBr4xIki6E4_Vrb8olTE4AUC396vr_fSqFXmlhwq5Ydkn-59w9j_WTYYRrQzvv1S0kc2Y79AqJ1j3ITTfChd3ZL8dKq8iMWRU9mo5bv5H9qLWi74pu6pxkVt6jOg4PYmXAORPOfOY8KZt0GNfP6iotJgvVvR1sYMwax6vvU/s320/Celtics_cap.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the summer of 2023, change was in the air for the Boston Celtics.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Falling short yet again in their quest for banner 18, the Celtics were nearing a crossroads. In lieu of taking the well-traveled road with all core components in place, Boston veered. Four players who helped fuel success in 2022-23 were sent away, bringing fresh optimism (and a dose of caution) to the franchise.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Consider the results an A+ return so far in 2023-24.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">At the All-Star break, the <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/01/boston-celtics-first-half-to-remember.html" target="_blank">Boston Celtics</a> have gone above expectations (well, mine at least). Major concerns of chemistry and certain players staying healthy have (mostly) been tempered, with Boston holding a league-best record of 43-12, including a highly efficient 26-3 record at home.</p><p></p><h2>Boston Celtics: High rollers</h2><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Celtics have won six straight games and eight of their last nine. The exclamation point prior to the All-Star break was a <a href="https://www.nba.com/celtics/news/gamerecap-keys-20240214-bknbos" target="_blank">50-point victory over the Brooklyn Nets</a>; Boston's second such margin of victory this season. And the decisiveness is certainly no fluke, with the Celtics averaging 120.7 points per game (5th in the league) and holding opponents to 110.6 (also 5th).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This recent stretch of winning has given the Celtics breathing room for best record in the NBA, four games ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves. In the Eastern Conference, the lead is six over the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston is up 10 games over the New York Knicks in the Atlantic Division.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Top contenders in the East are struggling, whether it's injuries, inconsistency, or both. Joel Embiid, the NBA's leading scorer, is on the shelf with a knee injury for the <a href="https://www.libertyballers.com/2024/2/18/24076128/sixers-philadelphia-all-star-joel-embiid-tyrese-maxey-buddy-hield-nick-nurse-paul-reed-injuries" target="_blank">Philadelphia 76ers</a>. The Milwaukee Bucks fired one head coach, hired Doc Rivers, and are 3-7 in their last 10 games (though they do own a win over the Denver Nuggets in that stretch). And the Miami Heat have been playing without Jimmy Butler, with the Celtics recently sweeping the season series (taking only the smallest sting from last season's Eastern Conference affair).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Through it all, Boston has deployed one of the best starting lineups in the league, with a bench coming into their own.</p><p></p><h3>Individual efforts</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Head coach Joe Mazzulla has done a terrific job in balancing night's off for the regular starting lineup. Surprisingly, these starters have only appeared together in roughly 50 percent of the team's games this season. Rest has done them good, with leading scorer <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/4065648/jayson-tatum" target="_blank">Jayson Tatum</a> playing the most games of the bunch, at 52.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">All five average double figures in scoring and each is capable of notching a triple-double any given night. Tatum is topping the list, averaging 27.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. In seven February games, he is averaging 28.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 6.9 assists (including a 41-point, 14-rebound effort against Brooklyn in 118-110 victory).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Surprisingly, Tatum is not mentioned nearly enough as a top-3 MVP candidate. His scoring is down but what Tatum does across the board is why he should be a favorite. He has elevated his game this season and overall is making smarter decisions. Tatum is also placing more trust in his teammates.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Fellow All-Star Jaylen Brown is averaging 22 points per game, which is also down from a season ago. But Brown's three-point shooting is slightly better and he's improved in the ball handling department, with turnovers down, too.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Derrick White and Jrue Holiday are combining for 28.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 9.5 assists. Holiday is shooting 44 percent from three and both employ defense tenacity. Especially White, who averages 1.2 blocked shots and one steal per game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The real x-factor in this group of five is Kristaps Porzingis. Minor ailments have shelved Porzingis at times, as has rest, leading to only 40 games played. Still, I like the plan with Porzingis and he should be on rate to play about 60 regular season games, keeping him in prime condition for the playoffs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Porzingis is a shooting threat that has helped space the floor for the Celtics. And with these five, it gives Boston multiple options in finding the opponents weak spot. Porzingis is averaging 20.2 points and 6.9 rebounds per game and shooting 36.8 percent from three-point range. In his six February games, Porzingis has been even better, averaging 24.7 points and shooting 57.6 percent from the field.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It's been the play of the bench that's also upped Boston's effectiveness. Sam Hauser, Al Horford, Luke Kornet, and <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2023/10/payton-pritchard-set-for-sky-high-2023.html" target="_blank">Payton Pritchard</a> form the core. Pritchard, especially, has been special. He's the only Celtic to play in every game and is scoring a career-high 8.1 points per game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Fill-ins, like Neemias Queta, Oshae Brissett, and Svi Mykhailiuk, have also found ways to contribute when called upon.</p><p></p><h3>Upcoming games</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boston takes to the road right out of the gate, starting with the <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/team/_/name/chi/chicago-bulls" target="_blank">Chicago Bulls</a> (26-29) on February 22. One previous meeting this season found the Celtics with a 124-97 victory. Brown had 30 points, 8 rebounds, and six assists that game, with the Celtics dishing out 36 assists.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Bulls currently hold the ninth seed in the East.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On Saturday (2/24), Boston takes on the Knicks (33-22). The Celtics are 3-0 against New York this season, with the average margin of victory ten points. Boston opened the season with a 108-104 road victory over New York and Tatum is averaging 31 points against the Knicks this season.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It's been a well-rounded effort in '23-24 for Boston. They take too many threes for my liking but at least this season they've had better shot selection within the flow of the game. In previous years, success and failure was predicated on their use of the three-pointer. This season's team has found ways to overcome bad shooting nights and that's made a huge difference. The Boston Celtics remain Tatum's and Brown's team, but the group has improved around them. And if this trend continues the final quarter of the season, this team will be poised for business of making the postseason a successful one.</p><p><i>photo credit: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Celtics_cap.png" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a></i></p><p><br /></p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-87977963678824664362024-02-17T20:07:00.000-08:002024-02-17T20:07:45.570-08:00Boise State Broncos: Smooth sailing in return to win column<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3mKCVURR4fF5StU2FnVgvwS8FoYx98KZTX1mkjun4WRI9pTosIp25znSr94S9X3nxNiua-ZVJbByH4JlNSqfZxzyGN_kfYFibTyy1QAuBu91m2vyvkPb1jYTE3jqGl9verGxa1z44MoAu92maf2BNZRcp0qFvT7uHmThKHCbG-uzoHLeaajIpyD_Tjs/s1024/basketball%20sunset.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3mKCVURR4fF5StU2FnVgvwS8FoYx98KZTX1mkjun4WRI9pTosIp25znSr94S9X3nxNiua-ZVJbByH4JlNSqfZxzyGN_kfYFibTyy1QAuBu91m2vyvkPb1jYTE3jqGl9verGxa1z44MoAu92maf2BNZRcp0qFvT7uHmThKHCbG-uzoHLeaajIpyD_Tjs/s320/basketball%20sunset.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A week off between games for the Boise State Broncos men's basketball team did wonders for the mind, body, and soul.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Bouncing back after suffering two tough road losses, the Broncos (17-8, 8-4) took care of business at home on Saturday night. Boise State led wire-to-wire in a convincing 90-66 win against the shorthanded Fresno State Bulldogs.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In never trailing, <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/68/boise-state-broncos" target="_blank">Boise State</a> took the season series from Fresno State. And the Broncos got off on the right foot in the first of four games in a row in which Boise State should win.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Nine players found the scoring column for Boise State, with four starters reaching double figures. Junior <a href="https://broncosports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/degenharttyson/9457" target="_blank">Tyson Degenhart</a> continued a recent stretch of solid play, finishing with 24 points and 9 rebounds while shooting 6-9 from the field and connecting on 12-14 from the charity stripe.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Degenhart has reached double figures in four straight games, averaging nearly 24 points per contest. He also has 30 rebounds in these four games and is playing his best basketball of the season.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">O'Mar Stanley finished with 17, Max Rice had 13, and Chibuzo Agbo 12 as the Broncos shot 58.8 percent from the field.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">For Fresno State (11-15, 4-9), playing without one starter and three key bench players, Isaiah Pope had four 3-pointers and finished with 17 points. The Bulldogs had won two of their three previous games, with the loss a 2-point affair against UNLV.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State delivered a bit of everything Saturday, starting the game off right and never taking their foot off the gas pedal.</p><p></p><h2>First half</h2><h2></h2><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Broncos jumped out to a 6-0 lead and extended that to 11-2 with a Rice three-pointer. Fresno State knocked down a couple of buckets, including a Xavier DuSell three of his own to make it 11-7.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Four points were as close as the Bulldogs would be the rest of the game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Stanley and Degenhart scored 13 of Boise State's first 16 points. Free throws, three-pointers (7-14 in the first half), and a wide array of looks slowly built out the lead. It extended as far as 17 points when Agbo hit one of three free throws.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Better ball movement and better shot selection were part of Boise State's first half success. So, too, was getting to the free throw, where the Broncos attempted 17 (though making only 11 was a little concerning).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Rice was nearly perfect from the field in the first 20 minutes, missing only one shot and scoring ten points. Agbo had 10, with Stanley and Degenhart combining for 23.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Fresno State, trailing 48-33, was able to hang around thanks to their three-point shooting. The Bulldogs were 7-16 and committed only three turnovers.</p><p></p><h3>Second half</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">A DuSell three got things rolling for <a href="https://gobulldogs.com/sports/mens-basketball" target="_blank">Fresno State</a> to open the second half. Unlike the game in Fresno, however, Boise State maintained consistency and didn't let the Bulldogs get back into the game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Every time Fresno State cut the Boise State lead down to 12, the Broncos had an answer. Roddie Anderson III finally found the scoring column, knocking down two huge 3's.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Despite foul trouble from Anderson and Stanley, the Broncos kept building their lead. Boise State was even more efficient in most regards in the second half, shooting 62.5 percent from the field and making 9-11 from the line.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The lead reached as large as 27 when a Stanley bucket made the score 90-63 with 1:02 left.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Anderson finished with six points and three assists while the bench contributed 18 points. Cam Martin scored six, again filling out the box score with six rebounds and four assists. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Andrew Meadow and Jace Whiting each scored five, with RJ Keene rounding out the scoring with a nice layup off a precision pass from Martin.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Isaiah Hill had 15 points and six assists for the Bulldogs, with DuSell adding 14 and Jalen Weaver chipping in 13.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Each team had only seven turnovers, with Boise State holding a plus 12 advantage on the boards.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The victory moved Boise State into third place. Thanks to a <a href="https://www.coloradoan.com/story/sports/csu/mens-basketball/2024/02/17/colorado-state-basketball-manhandles-mountain-west-leading-utah-state/72631021007/" target="_blank">loss by Utah State</a> earlier in the day to Colorado State, the Broncos are only 0.5 games back of the Aggies and San Diego State for the top spot in the Mountain West.</p><p><i>More on Boise State men's basketball:</i></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i><a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/02/boise-state-broncos-surging-at.html" target="_blank">Broncos surging at conference halfway point</a></i></li><li><i><a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/01/clamped-down-boise-state-defense-doing.html" target="_blank">Defense clamping down for Boise State</a></i></li></ul><p></p><p><i>photo credit: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Basketball_goal_-_sunset.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a></i></p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-11527124251191684052024-02-13T16:29:00.000-08:002024-02-13T16:29:27.414-08:00Focus on week ahead: 2 road games for Boise State women's basketball<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlmD5cJuB0Q-YWqDPGiqyvwqgvwFdAl0qsI0f5qPEZZG5zFrqdcF2FKuBvw3YRXgo3pqFf6m5hB37GL1snXSgmM_uSePUlhnQQMfzqKFimlO_Wzjnhv6zKsFmB-0XdiHDW6VJeAZPnDPg5E8tDj0HSw5eLZk5CfmaUwHEPLu7ToZK14ekG9B0KxD5T55s/s4000/BSU%20women%20b-ball%20SDSU.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlmD5cJuB0Q-YWqDPGiqyvwqgvwFdAl0qsI0f5qPEZZG5zFrqdcF2FKuBvw3YRXgo3pqFf6m5hB37GL1snXSgmM_uSePUlhnQQMfzqKFimlO_Wzjnhv6zKsFmB-0XdiHDW6VJeAZPnDPg5E8tDj0HSw5eLZk5CfmaUwHEPLu7ToZK14ekG9B0KxD5T55s/s320/BSU%20women%20b-ball%20SDSU.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On two separate occasions this season, the <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/01/brink-of-first-place-boise-state.html" target="_blank">Boise State Broncos</a> women's basketball team has strung together four-game winning streaks.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">By the end of this week, the Broncos hope to have a five-game streak under their belts.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Fresh off an <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/02/ultimate-defensive-effort-in-boise.html" target="_blank">ultimate defensive effort</a> last Saturday, Boise State (16-8, 7-4) extended their current streak to three. Three straight games where opponents have only averaged 44.7 points per game. Only one, Fresno State, reached the 50-point mark.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">During this same stretch, opponents are only shooting 32.1 percent (25.5 percent from 3-point range) and committed 59 turnovers. All marks are lower than the already solid season averages the Boise State defense is laying down.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Offense is still a struggle at times but the Broncos are coming off a game in which they committed only 10 turnovers. Natalie Pasco remains the top scorer at 14.1 points per game (the only Bronco averaging double figures). Abby Muse averages eight points and 8.9 rebounds per game and has 78 blocked shots. Mary Kay Naro is tops in the assists department, with 103.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Tatum Thompson off the bench has come on as of late. During the winning streak, Thompson is averaging 14 points and six rebounds per game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State, with two road games on the docket this week, currently sits in fourth place. The Broncos are 1.5 games back of second place Wyoming as only three losses separate the Cowgirls and the seventh-place Colorado State Rams. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Broncos have a perfect opportunity to keep the pressure on and remain in a perfect spot to secure a first round bye in the <a href="https://themw.com/wbballchamp/" target="_blank">Mountain West Conference tournament</a> this March.</p><p></p><h2>Boise State at Utah State</h2><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">First up, one of those proverbial trap games, where Boise State takes on the Utah State Aggies on February 14 (6 p.m. MT).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Aggies (4-19, 1-11) might not seem like a threat but they should not be taken lightly. Yes, tough to say that with Utah State's record but they did recently snap a 13-game losing streak with a 65-62 <a href="https://utahstateaggies.com/news/2024/1/31/womens-basketball-utah-state-womens-basketball-earns-65-62-win-at-nevada.aspx" target="_blank">victory over the Nevada Wolf Pack</a>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Utah State proceeded to lose their next three games, but that victory shows they are capable. And they started strong against Boise State last time out before a 28-6 second quarter by the Broncos sealed the deal.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State won 76-41, forcing 21 Utah State turnovers. The Aggies shot only 26.4 percent and a frigid 10 percent from deep.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Broncos weren't terribly too much better from the field, shooting only 33.8 percent. But Boise State knocked down 11 three-pointers, committed only 11 turnovers, and held a rebound advantage of 10.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Eleven players scored for the Broncos in that meeting. Dani Bayes had 16 (four 3's) to lead Boise State, with Muse scoring 15 and Thompson finishing with 12 points and seven rebounds</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Tricia Hull had three points, seven rebounds, and four blocked shots, while Pasco had four steals.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">For Utah State, junior guard Cheyenne Stubbs had 17 points and six rebounds. Stubbs averages 15.8 points and 4 rebounds per game and scored 32 in the victory over Nevada.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Junior forward Bridget Mullings only averages 4.1 points and 3.5 rebounds but had eight and ten, respectively, against Boise State.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Broncos need to maintain focus this game, especially on the road. And even more so with a chance to avenge one of their conference losses waiting in the wings on Saturday.</p><p></p><h3>Broncos at Wolf Pack</h3><p></p><p>Nevada (12-12, 6-5) is one of the seven teams right there in the mix for a first-round bye. And the Wolf Pack already own a <a href="https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/boxscore/_/gameId/401605932" target="_blank">win over Boise State</a>, a 58-57 victory in early January.</p><p>In that game, Pasco hit a three-pointer with 1:43 left to bring the Broncos within one. Boise State had opportunities down the stretch and even had a chance to win the game. Neither team scored in the last 1:43 and the Broncos didn't even get a final shot, with a turnover by Mya Hansen just before the final buzzer.</p><p>The second and third quarters did Boise State in as Nevada outscored the Broncos 37-29. Nevada was only 4-17 from deep and committed 17 turnovers.</p><p>Boise State was better from the field (39.5 to 38.5) but had 20 turnovers and shot 3-15 from beyond the arc. Even without Naro, Boise State had a chance, thanks in part to a defense that had nine blocked shots and nine steals. </p><p>Muse had one of her best all-around games this season in that meeting, netting 15 points, 13 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 3 steals. Pasco had 20 points and Hansen had seven assists, though she committed eight turnovers and was 0-6 from the field.</p><p>In the last meeting, junior guard Audrey Roden scored 19 for Nevada. Roden was 9-18 from the field and added five rebounds. She is Nevada's leading scorer this season at 11.9 ppg but, like the entire team, doesn't shoot well from three. Roden is at 23.9 percent, with the team sitting at 31 percent for the season.</p><p>Nevada has lost three of four, including a 45-point loss to first place UNLV. Before Saturday's matchup with Boise State (2/17, 2 p.m. MT), the Wolf Pack host San Diego State.</p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-36683229668858640872024-02-10T15:08:00.000-08:002024-02-10T15:08:25.695-08:00Ultimate defensive effort in Boise State win over Wyoming<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixUk2A1SAH664ZQoxnoMEoISAU1IM_UzZoV0hOwxjU2gVY8duCdGgn8GGlnYuXEfOTX9OdJaKwADWvAHQC0lXs_PL0hJ9aYEDW1CdyT8-B2WZJ-iCmWrnwa00SQt6H2wk0YYfT9KA0QHdNEoCZmaCoLyhqsoQOuuTB1_IH84BBSzWxoIas8Mp3ly7GjBY/s4752/Boise%20State%20rock.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3168" data-original-width="4752" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixUk2A1SAH664ZQoxnoMEoISAU1IM_UzZoV0hOwxjU2gVY8duCdGgn8GGlnYuXEfOTX9OdJaKwADWvAHQC0lXs_PL0hJ9aYEDW1CdyT8-B2WZJ-iCmWrnwa00SQt6H2wk0YYfT9KA0QHdNEoCZmaCoLyhqsoQOuuTB1_IH84BBSzWxoIas8Mp3ly7GjBY/s320/Boise%20State%20rock.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A defensive beast truly awakened in the Boise State Broncos women's basketball team this week.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The fire within exploded halfway through the third quarter in Wednesday's <a href="https://broncosports.com/news/2024/2/7/womens-basketball-giant-second-half-propels-broncos-past-spartans" target="_blank">victory over the San Jose State Spartans</a>. Tied at 33, Boise State went on a 40-9 run to close the game (and allowed only 13 points in the second half).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Effort was just as active and energetic on Saturday in Boise, where the Broncos (16-8, 7-4) took down the second-place <a href="https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/team/_/id/2751/wyoming-cowgirls" target="_blank">Wyoming Cowgirls</a>, 56-42.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This was the third-straight victory for <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/02/boise-state-broncos-womens-basketball.html" target="_blank">Boise State</a>, who remains in fourth-place in the Mountain West and still within striking distance of the three teams in front of them.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Defense has been a driving factor in the team's success this season. And it was on full display against Wyoming (14-9, 9-3), holding the Cowgirls to 33 percent shooting from the field while forcing 18 turnovers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Boise State made it a point to keep Wyoming's strong post play at bay and did so with much success. Elodie Lalotte and Abby Muse both made their presence felt, with Lalotte finishing with four steals and Muse three. The two also combined for three blocked shots and 13 rebounds.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Trista Hull also had her say in things on that end of the court, helping execute a game plan that saw Wyoming's leading scorer Allyson Fertig held to two points on 0-5 shooting.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fertig's points came on two free throws with just over a minute to play. She entered the game averaging 13.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game and shooting 60.6 percent from the field.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Broncos were led by Natalie Pasco, who scored 13 points, with Mya Hansen adding 11. Boise State had plenty of contributors, overcoming a cold-shooting second half to pick up the victory at home.</div><div><h2>First half: Broncos fast first quarter</h2></div><div>Looking to avenge an earlier loss to Wyoming, a <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2023/12/ice-cold-boise-state-broncos-women-drop.html" target="_blank">cold-shooting affair</a> to close 2023, the Broncos started slow in the game's first few minutes.</div><div><br /></div><div>Boise State didn't score their first points until the 6:37 mark with a bucket by Pasco. The good thing? The Broncos held Wyoming to only two points prior to that point, so no real harm was done.</div><div><br /></div><div>Pasco scored the team's first seven points and the two squads exchanged buckets and were tied at 12 with 1:31 left in the first quarter.</div><div><br /></div><div>That was the closest Wyoming would get for the remainder of the game.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Broncos knocked down four 3-pointers in the first quarter (on six attempts), building their lead out to eight by the end of the frame. It swelled to as big as 13, thanks to timely shooting, impressive defense, and the most important thing: taking care of the ball.</div><div><br /></div><div>Boise State committed only five turnovers in the first half and shot a shade under 50 percent in taking a 34-25 halftime lead.</div><div><br /></div><div>Pasco had 11 points in the first half and eight of the nine Broncos who played found the scoring column.</div><div><h3>Second half: Boise State digs in</h3></div><div><span style="text-align: justify;">Offense efficiency continued for Boise State to start the second half, with the Broncos hitting their first three shots. A Hansen jumper from the elbow gave Boise State a 40-25 lead.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From there, though, defense for both teams ramped up. The teams combined for only 14 points the last eight minutes of the third quarter, with Boise State heading into the final frame with a comfortable 13-point lead.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Boise State's defense continued to get the job done, keeping the Cowgirls without any points until 3:16 was left in the game. Prior to Wyoming finally scoring, the Broncos found their biggest lead at 52-33 thanks to a layup by Hull.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Wyoming was only 6-21 from the field in the second half, finding no easy looks on most occasions. The Broncos were pesky all game, finding the right moments to double team in the post and make things difficult for the Cowgirls.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Malene Pedersen had a game-high 16 points for Wyoming, with Marta Savic adding 10. The two were a combined 10-18 from the field, with the rest of the team only shooting 6-30.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hull added eight points for Boise State, scoring six in the second half. Thompson had seven and collected a career-high eight rebounds.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mary Kay Naro dished out five assists, giving her four straight seasons with at least 100. Naro is now 18 assists away from passing Tricia Bader for third-place on the <a href="https://broncosports.com/documents/2023/7/3/2023-24_WBB_Record_Book.pdf?path=wbball" target="_blank">Bronco all-time assists</a> list.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Boise State continues to play well in building towards the season's end. There is still not a lot of separation between the conference's top seven teams, so there is no guarantee of a first-round bye for the Broncos in the conference tournament. But continuing to play defense at this elite level will get Boise State a lot closer to where they want to be come March.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>photo credit: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boise_State_Broncos.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a></i></div>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-19709065437261206412024-02-07T14:47:00.000-08:002024-02-11T18:43:32.306-08:00Super Bowl LVIII preview: Two familiar faces left at the table<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe01cc_7D95gMAioza-AkxFn_vGXw9ybSPFq-Sx1eoQv2d86LY8R3zLAnblWczs1QtEk57WBlUEFgCpTrwGl2ln_CqCguSluLS-jP4nksytNU_qW1phwC4wRbYxNkvRzWl5y9_NvaIkFGKro2RKRFUK31vxu_E5OfpcRVHg74ISBwQaKdKb7_Jy87eJvc/s6016/las%20vegas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6016" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe01cc_7D95gMAioza-AkxFn_vGXw9ybSPFq-Sx1eoQv2d86LY8R3zLAnblWczs1QtEk57WBlUEFgCpTrwGl2ln_CqCguSluLS-jP4nksytNU_qW1phwC4wRbYxNkvRzWl5y9_NvaIkFGKro2RKRFUK31vxu_E5OfpcRVHg74ISBwQaKdKb7_Jy87eJvc/s320/las%20vegas.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By most means heading into Super Bowl LVIII, Kansas City can be considered the underdog. The current point spread of 1.5 says as much. One less win in the regular season than the San Francisco 49ers agrees. So does a regular season in which Kansas City was written off multiple times in multiple weeks.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">On the other hand, playing in their fourth Super Bowl in the last five seasons means Kansas City is anything but an underdog. They are defending Super Bowl champions and fit into the role of favorite like extra whipped cream on top of a milkshake.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The 49ers, too, are familiar in the role of favorite. This franchise, for all its glory in the 1980s and 90s, has lacked recent success in the Big Game, losing in their last two appearances. But it's not like they've been toiling away in the dredges of the NFL, appearing in four <a href="https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/the-49ers-nfc-championship-appearances" target="_blank">NFC Championship games</a> the last five seasons.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Is it possible neither team fits the role of true underdog? To be determined but it's a certainty neither team is David taking on Goliath.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A rematch of Super Bowl LIV, where <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap/_/gameId/401131047" target="_blank">Kansas City defeated San Francisco 31-20</a>, is set for February 11 live in the city that never sleeps. Familiar faces on both sides of the ball will take the field at Allegiant Field, where two teams will showcase that what happens in Las Vegas doesn't have to stay there.</p><p></p><h2>Kansas City</h2><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Patrick Mahomes Show remained solid in 2023-24, though co-stars did have some trouble enjoying the limelight. There was brilliance at times by Mahomes, steady production in most weeks, and all told, a ho-hum season by our high standards set for him.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Despite struggles that saw <a href="https://www.nfl.com/teams/kansas-city-chiefs/" target="_blank">Kansas City</a> (11-6) earn "only" the third-seed in the AFC, they overcame and left behind teams like the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, and more who were supposed to dethrone the reigning champs.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Mahomes has used another stellar postseason to propel Kansas City to the Super Bowl, with a good chance to repeat as champs after last year's victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In three postseason games this year, Mahomes has yet to throw an interception (and hasn't thrown a postseason pick since the 2021-22 season). He's thrown for 718 yards, completing 68 percent of his passes with four touchdowns. Mahomes has also been sacked twice and rushed for 75 yards.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This follows a somewhat pedestrian regular season by his standards. Mahomes had the second lowest totals in yards (4183) and touchdown passes (27) since becoming a full-time starter. Pretty impressive numbers nonetheless, adding 389 rushing yards.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Part of the problem was the supposed decline of tight end Travis Kelce and a receiving corps that really had no consistent threat outside of Rashee Rice (and tons of dropped passes, too).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Kelce did have his struggles, finishing the regular season with 984 yards (lowest since 2015) and five touchdown receptions (lowest since 2019). The playoffs have been a different beast, however, with Kelce hauling in 23 catches for 262 yards and three touchdowns. In the AFC Championship game, Kelce had 11 catches for 116 yards and a score.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The rookie Rice got off to a slow start but finished with 79 catches for 938 yards and seven touchdowns. He has 20 receptions in the playoffs and combined, Rice and Kelce have seen 52 of the 91 targets by Mahomes.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Justin Watson and Marquez Valdes-Scantling were both vilified in the regular season but have come up with clutch grabs at various times in the postseason. One of these players, or Mecole Hardman or Kadarius Toney (if he plays), could be x-factors in this Super Bowl.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">So, too, could a game plan centered on running back Isiah Pacheco, who rushed for 935 yards in the regular season. Pacheco has added 254 and three touchdowns in the postseason.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The true core of Kansas City is a hard-nosed defense that doesn't receive tons of accolades. The unit finished 2nd in yards allowed and second in points against this season. This postseason, Kansas City has held opponents to just under 14 points per game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There is really no weakness on this unit that had 57 sacks, eight interceptions, and nine fumble recoveries. Up front, they'll be without Charles Omenihu but have George Karlaftis and Chris Jones, who each finished with 10.5 sacks</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The secondary doesn't have tons of picks but Justin Reid (95 tackles), Trent McDuffie (80 tackles, 7 PD, 3 sacks), and L'Jarius Snead are some of the best in the game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Linebacker Nick Bolton's 27 tackles are tops in the playoffs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Kansas City's defense really has been an unsung hero in Kansas City's success in '23-24. On the other side of the field is another defense helping lead the way.</p><p></p><h3>San Francisco 49ers</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boasting one of the league's best (and deepest) defenses in the regular season, San Francisco seemed to be in the perfect situation to succeed. Then the playoffs saw some leaks in the damn.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A team that was third in opponent scoring this season, San Francisco has given up 52 points in two playoff games. While there have been some breakdowns in the passing game, a main culprit has been opponents rushing the ball to the tune of 159 yards per game. (Though, to be fair, they were much better in the second half of the NFC Championship game against the Detroit Lions.)</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The defense was eighth-best in yards allowed and had 48 sacks in the regular season, led by Nick Bosa's 10.5. The real number that stands out is 22 interceptions, set up by a scheme where both linebackers and secondary are ballhawks.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Leading tackler Fred Warner (132 tackles) had four interceptions. Charvarius Ward picked off five balls and Deommadore Lenoir added three. The latter two combined for 156 tackles in the regular season.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Dre Greenlaw is also a tackling machine (120) and has two postseason interceptions.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">While the defense stands out, the offense is certainly no slouch. The unit has been streaky. In starting the season 5-0, <a href="https://www.nfl.com/teams/san-francisco-49ers/" target="_blank">San Francisco</a> scored 30+ points in all five games. They then followed that up with three straight losses, scoring 17 in each and that alternating success happened throughout the regular season as they finished 12-5.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Running back Christian McCaffrey had an MVP-type regular season, finishing with 1459 rushing yards, 564 receiving yards and 21 total touchdowns. His usage rate has continued in two playoff games, with 188 rushing yards, 72 in the air, and four total touchdowns.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">San Francisco's receiving corps is deeper than Kansas City's. The 49ers have three solid receivers who can get the job done, plus tight end George Kittle. Kittle has somewhat of a quiet postseason compared to Kelce, with six catches for 108 yards and a score. But he finished the regular season with 1020 yards on 65 receptions.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The true breakout was Brandon Aiyuk, who built on his success of 22-23. Aiyuk finished with 75 receptions for 1342 yards and seven touchdowns. Deebo Samuel added 60 catches for 892 yards.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Samuel is the leading receiver in the playoffs, hauling in ten receptions. Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings each have six. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The real unknown is that of quarterback Brock Purdy. Purdy has enjoyed quite the success in his first two seasons but been a little jumpy this postseason. His completion percentage is 61.4 (down from 69.4) and he's thrown for 519 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. This after a regular season in which Purdy was All-Pro worthy, throwing for 4280 yards and 31 touchdowns against only 11 interceptions.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">All the stars seemed to have aligned for San Francisco but ultimately their success will hinge on the measured play of Purdy.</p><p></p><h3>Prediction</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Super Bowls can be a little tricky to predict, especially when it comes to a final score. Two years ago, I was way off. Last year, I was closer in at least predicting the winner and final margin (two was my guess, with three the final margin). But my final score was way off in terms of points scored.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This year, looking at two defenses that will keep the game close but not so bad as the New England vs Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl. Nor do I think we see a shootout with both teams dropping points in the mid-to-high 30s. The edge in position breakdown is slightly in Kansas City's favor, especially at what is a shaky kicker position for San Francisco. But I think the 49ers do enough to shut down the Mahomes-Kelce connection and finally reach the top of the mountain for the first time since 1995. </p><p><b>San Francisco 27 Kansas City 24</b></p><p><i>photo credit: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Las_Vegas_Sign_Nightly.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a></i></p><p><i>More on Super Bowls:</i></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i><a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2021/02/super-bowl-history-good-bad-and-yawners.html" target="_blank">Super Bowl history: The good, the bad, & the yawners</a></i></li><li><i><a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2018/02/a-little-side-of-fun-for-super-bowl.html" target="_blank">A little side of fun on Super Bowl Sunday</a></i></li><li><i><a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2023/02/super-bowl-lvii-preview-showdown-philly.html" target="_blank">Super Bowl LVII preview</a></i></li><li><i><a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2022/02/super-bowl-lvi-preview-poised-for-high.html" target="_blank">Super Bowl LVI preview</a></i></li></ul><p></p><p><i><br /></i></p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-40002568162306070632024-02-04T16:13:00.000-08:002024-02-04T16:13:38.072-08:00Boise State Broncos surging at conference halfway point<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphenASzxG4TI-4exq2y_UdqmHHUnjzBBdNSlMD33MfEvO2imhvZ-lprXI9rBgj9RuT0nLoW4KjclPcNiceAjSspzYLguS3YPv4WSTFum9wsBqOev0JurcOIeVrtdELyIihXMPIJI8vufEU2a3d9CGwrsp5sxcEF9p1OjEZSLWOlc3_rB_bLPUzGoNI8RCY/s4000/BSU%20banners.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphenASzxG4TI-4exq2y_UdqmHHUnjzBBdNSlMD33MfEvO2imhvZ-lprXI9rBgj9RuT0nLoW4KjclPcNiceAjSspzYLguS3YPv4WSTFum9wsBqOev0JurcOIeVrtdELyIihXMPIJI8vufEU2a3d9CGwrsp5sxcEF9p1OjEZSLWOlc3_rB_bLPUzGoNI8RCY/s320/BSU%20banners.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">First place Boise State Broncos has a nice ring to it.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Okay, technicalities show it's a tie with the Utah State Aggies. And sure, the Aggies hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Broncos. But for fans of Boise State, top of the <a href="https://themw.com/sports/mbball/" target="_blank">Mountain West Conference</a> is where many hoped the team would be halfway through conference play.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">And Boise State (16-6, 7-2) is coming off one of their best games of the season, providing even more hope in obtaining a conference title and marching towards a third-straight trip to the NCAA tournament.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State tipped off the right way last week, <a href="https://broncosports.com/news/2024/1/31/mens-basketball-rices-career-night-leads-boise-state-past-ranked-new-mexico-in-the-pit" target="_blank">defeating the ranked New Mexico Lobos</a> 86-78 to pick up a huge win at The Pit.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thanks, in large part to the resurgence of Max Rice.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Rice had <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/01/boise-state-broncos-fundamentals-needed.html" target="_blank">struggled in recent weeks</a> and, true to form, he shrugged off the cold-snap and criticism to deliver a career-high 35 points. He did so by knocking down seven three-pointers, quieting a crowd who let Rice have it after an early air ball. A productive game from Omar Stanley (12 points, 14 rebounds) also did wonders, along with coaching adjustments, both in-game and prior.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Head coach Leon Rice and staff placed faith in Tyson Degenhart to bring the ball up the court, taking away some of that pressure delivered by New Mexico guards. Though Roddie Anderson III and Jace Whiting are improving, handling pressure is something both have struggled with at times this season.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A 1-3-1 defense in the last few minutes of the game was a nice touch, forcing errant shots and turnovers by the Lobos. So, too, was an emphasis on pump fakes on offense, something that I noticed carried over to the Air Force game on Saturday.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Coming home on short rest, with Air Force always dangerous no matter their record, gave some concern. A back-and-forth game early also didn't help matters but Boise State never looked back after a 16-0 run to close the first half.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">All five starters scored in double digits in the 94-56 victory. Tyson Degenhart had 29 points on 11-12 shooting and the Broncos shot 60 percent from the field (15-27 from deep).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Overall, the week was nearly perfect. Boise State shot the ball better, from the field and free throw line (32-39). The bench saw extended minutes in both games and will be even deeper if Kobe Young can contribute, even if it's 3-4 minutes to give others a blow. All will be needed to help alleviate a starting lineup racking up minutes by the handful.</p><p></p><h2>Boise State: Stat leaders</h2><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Defense has often carried the Broncos much of the season, holding teams to only 30 percent from three-point range (and 43.1 percent from the field). On offense, however, the Broncos have had their highlights, and this week hopefully unlocked their true potential. It's not like they've been bad, averaging 75.5 points per game and shooting 45.6 percent. It's simply more flow is needed at times.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Degenhart remains the leading scorer at 15.7 points per game. The junior has five conference games with 20+ points but also has two recent games where he was held under 10 points. In those games, Degenhart was held to 3-16 shooting. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">A lot is asked of Degenhart, who also averages 5.4 rebounds and is shooting 50.5 percent from the field. He's a leader and does a lot of little things that often don't pop up in the box score.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Receiving help is a must, and so far it has arrived in three other starters averaging over 10 points. The most consistent is Chibuzo Agbo (14.8 ppg), who has scored in double figures in every conference game this season. Agbo is connecting on 42.2 percent of his three-point attempts and it was nice to see him break from a cold snap of his own against Air Force.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Agbo went 4-6 from beyond the arc against the Falcons, whereas in his previous six games Agbo had been only 12-40.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Stanley's work should also not go without mention. This is a player who seems to improve every game and can take over the action without notice. He is averaging 13.1 and 6.6 rebounds per game and is shooting 37.9 percent from three-point range. Stanley's last five games have seen him go 7-10 from deep and, during this same stretch, is averaging 15.4 points and 7.6 rebounds, plus 7 blocked shots.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Rice, averaging 12.5 points, brought his three-point percentage up to 35.5 (from 32.5) after going 11-21 this week. Thanks in part to a 35-point effort, Rice is averaging 19.3 points in the last four games.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Contributions have been coming from many over recent weeks. Anderson has 51 assists this season. In addition to hard-nosed defense, Anderson has seen an uptick in his offense, averaging 8.6 points in Boise State's last five games.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Plus, the bench has earned more minutes. Whiting is relieving Anderson for long spells, and doing well. And <a href="https://broncosports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/cam-martin/9465" target="_blank">Cam Martin</a> (56 assists, 4.8 rebounds) does a little bit of everything, evident against Air Force where he had four points, seven assists, and six rebounds.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Adding Young into the mix, along with Andrew Meadow, gives Boise State the needed depth so desperately missed in recent seasons. Whiting and Martin have been playing roughly 15-20 minutes per game as of late. Tossing in Meadow and Young for 5-10 minutes per game will go a long way in Boise State's pursuit of a Mountain West title.</p><p></p><h3>Mountain West Conference</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State is back in a tie for first place thanks to the <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/21/san-diego-state-aztecs" target="_blank">San Diego Aztecs</a> defeating the Aggies by 14 points on Saturday.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Broncos and Aggies are both 7-2, with the Lobos and Aztecs sitting at 6-3.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I still think the Aggies are due for a slump, though they are proving more and more each game they are for real. San Diego State is getting things back to good, it appears. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Mountain West could very well still be a five-bid conference come NCAA tournament time. Along with the top four, Colorado State rounds things out. The trick is, however, with this conference, is that only 2.5 games separate the top eight teams. Things can turn on a dime in this league, though I think some separation is possible in the next week.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State can take care of a little separation themselves with a big week on the road. Two tough tests await to start the second half of conference play. The first is on Tuesday (2/7) against Colorado State at 7 p.m.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Rams picked up two wins last week, defeating the Aztecs by eight and winning by 12 over Fresno State. It's been a middling conference season of 5-4 for the Rams and they hope to avenge a 65-58 <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/01/clamped-down-boise-state-defense-doing.html" target="_blank">victory by Boise State</a> in early January.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It will be the Broncos on the road to redemption when they face Utah State on 2/10. Utah State is 3-2 in their last five games but one of those victories was a 90-84 overtime win in Boise.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Utah State hosts Nevada before welcoming the Broncos to town.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Mountain West remains one of the stronger conferences in the nation. For Boise State, there is work to be done to close conference play. But, with more efforts like the one displayed this last week, the Broncos will be regular season conference champions once again. </p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-25746743797281914832024-02-01T17:00:00.000-08:002024-02-10T14:56:39.768-08:00Boise State Broncos women's basketball: Halfway report<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaNfRqZon3xGh81-XqKacZ2DKSCa7FPLrUkQ2DV9AhUKyv6GyOmgKWMf97g0qvNDv7Gvl9zO8962Cf2MhOG6pYOlsl1syz_DveQc7hlob72rre5JnL80i6sbr_Yz66_8lBo0KRfxucKXivq-ZAW8zJZ-e2Lt76-hQqssKoTlQeRdMUTc8qFB5vICH2xI/s4000/BSU%20women%20warmup.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaNfRqZon3xGh81-XqKacZ2DKSCa7FPLrUkQ2DV9AhUKyv6GyOmgKWMf97g0qvNDv7Gvl9zO8962Cf2MhOG6pYOlsl1syz_DveQc7hlob72rre5JnL80i6sbr_Yz66_8lBo0KRfxucKXivq-ZAW8zJZ-e2Lt76-hQqssKoTlQeRdMUTc8qFB5vICH2xI/s320/BSU%20women%20warmup.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Halfway through conference play, the Boise State Broncos women's basketball team is still in search of a little more consistency, a little more control.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Signs of a team hoping to make a special run are present, with true potential bubbling just under the surface. Boise State (14-8, 5-4) has seen both the good and the bad in conference play. Two early losses. A four-game winning streak that put the Broncos on the <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/01/brink-of-first-place-boise-state.html" target="_blank">brink of first place</a>. A forgettable week. And finally, a victory to put the team back on track.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">When the dust settled, thanks to a <a href="https://broncosports.com/news/2024/1/31/womens-basketball-thompson-leads-broncos-past-bulldogs" target="_blank">victory over Fresno State</a> the last day of January, Boise State heads to the back half of <a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2023/12/boise-state-broncos-womens-basketball.html" target="_blank">Mountain West Conference</a> play sitting in fourth place. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">After a tough week with losses to UNLV and San Diego State, by a combined 46 points, the win over the Bulldogs was much needed in righting the course. Turnovers, a season-long theme, have reappeared in scary fashion the last two games. Cold shooting spells have harmed the Broncos once again but were overcome in the victory over Fresno State.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State had only eight turnovers against the Lady Rebels. In the loss, however, a 1-13 start and 6-28 first half from the field ultimately doomed the Broncos. They did hit a hot stretch, finishing at 38.3 percent but was too much to overcome in a game where UNLV seemed content in allowing Boise State to shoot elbow jumpers, which the Broncos couldn't hit.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Against San Diego State and Fresno State, the turnovers were simply too much, with Boise State combining for 46. Shooting was better, 42.6 and 42 percent respectively, but too often passes are mishandled in the post or struggles to finish around the rim occur.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">One saving grace in the victory was sophomore <a href="https://broncosports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/thompsontatum/9535" target="_blank">Tatum Thompson</a>, who scored a career-high 21 points, with seven rebounds and two steals.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State's defense keeps them in most games and often carries the Broncos through long stretches. If more of those mid-range jumpers and easy looks with five feet start to fall, Boise State can make a lot of noise these last nine games and into the conference tournament.</p><p></p><h2>Boise State Broncos leaders</h2><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State's defense is holding opponents to 57.9 points per game and 36.7 percent shooting from the field (and 28.8 percent from three-point range). Toss in a plus six rebound margin and 6.4 blocked shots per game and the Broncos are in good shape on defense.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Offense, with some the added joy of decent three-point shooting, averages 63.2 points per game. Shooting is a little low at 40 percent but shot attempts from deep are falling at a 36.2 percent clip.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It's those pesky turnovers, 15.9 per contest, that keep getting in the way.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Sophomore Natalie Pasco leads the team in scoring with 14 per game. Pasco has reached double digits in seven of nine conference games, averaging 17 over the last three games. In this span, Pasco is 12-21 from three-point range.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Overall, she has knocked down 60 this season from deep, shooting 45.8 percent.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Pasco has handled the bulk of the scoring and only Bronco averaging double figures. Six others, however, average 4.7 or more per game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Sophomore Mya Hansen is up next with 8.4. Hansen has been bitten by the turnover bug the last two games, with 11, and has 69 this season. She is shooting 37.9 percent from beyond the arc, a number that's dipped as of late thanks to a 4-15 stretch over the last six games.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Scoring for senior Abby Muse is also down the last few games and is averaging 8.0 this season. But it's Muse's rebounding and defense doing the dirty work for Boise State. Muse has 74 blocked shots this season, leading the nation, and has had only one game this season without recording a blocked shot.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Muse's frontcourt running mate, Elodie Lalotte, averages 7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Both have had some excellent chances at the offensive end in recent games and, though finishing has been a problem, something that is bound to turnaround based off the talent of these two players.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Senior Mary Kay Naro scores 4.7 per game but shines in the passing department. In 20 games, Naro has doled out 90 assists with only 40 turnovers. Naro has also found open looks as of late, and it's simply a matter of some of those shots falling.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thompson and Dani Bayes round out the top scorers. Thompson was due for a breakout game after some shooting struggles in recent games. Thompson averages 5.0 points per game and Bayes averages 7.5.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Bayes, with 34 three-pointers this season, has found a focus in conference play. After going 0-8 in Boise State's first two Mountain West games, Bayes is 16-35 in the last seven.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Depth is a valuable asset with this Boise State squad. I like to consider this team an "old young" one with so many juniors and sophomores contributing. All have been building minutes since they were freshman, even the three seniors, and hopefully the experience will serve the Broncos well to close out the regular season.</p><p></p><h3>Mountain West Conference</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Fourth place is a decent spot for the Broncos, though there is a jumble in the four through seven spots. San Diego State and Nevada are also 5-4, with Colorado State sitting at 4-5. The Broncos only face the Rams once, in the final game of the regular season.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">UNLV is 8-1 to lead the way, followed by New Mexico and <a href="https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/team/_/id/2751/wyoming-cowgirls" target="_blank">Wyoming</a>, both of who are 7-2. UNLV will get a shot to avenge their only conference loss when they face New Mexico this upcoming weekend.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Broncos get a chance to recoup, with their next game not until 2/7. Boise State hosts <a href="https://sjsuspartans.com/sports/womens-basketball" target="_blank">San Jose State</a>, who they defeated by four. Then, it's a home meeting with Wyoming on 2/10. The Broncos lost to the Cowgirls by 14 at the start of conference play.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">San Jose State hosts Air Force before traveling to Boise, while Wyoming hosts Nevada and Utah State.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A regular season title might be a little bit of a stretch for Boise State this season but not out of the question. Steadying the offense, with less turnovers and better shooting, will keep the Broncos in the hunt. More so, success will keep the Broncos in the top-five in the league. And this means a first-round in the conference tournament, where we all know in March, anything can happen.</p><p><i>photo credit: Jason Haskins</i></p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-41509439916802651332024-01-30T15:51:00.000-08:002024-01-30T15:51:19.405-08:00Boise State Broncos: Fundamentals needed in closing conference 1st-half<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4WOJj2GC2shF8aEpPWi0E3H7vIqA_Mre5-t14mWKVdcS71pQ6CCMWmPyI90Nmu-1-jZp0CgetF0sKZXiKOxMJ9RkU8OptZfK4AJ02wQqs7kUJB8pkU9j7Kc8ryOqvL9AF2HBwsiuZt6j5wLlo53l66PACL512ZpNmn9BHaUBQmMef_IFhDPh3OTRTGU/s1836/BSU%20flag2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1836" data-original-width="1836" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4WOJj2GC2shF8aEpPWi0E3H7vIqA_Mre5-t14mWKVdcS71pQ6CCMWmPyI90Nmu-1-jZp0CgetF0sKZXiKOxMJ9RkU8OptZfK4AJ02wQqs7kUJB8pkU9j7Kc8ryOqvL9AF2HBwsiuZt6j5wLlo53l66PACL512ZpNmn9BHaUBQmMef_IFhDPh3OTRTGU/s320/BSU%20flag2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Heated rivalries, which the Boise State Broncos men's basketball team <u>does</u> have with the Utah State Aggies, can come with heartbreak on both sides.<p></p><p>Last Saturday, it was Boise State on the wrong end, falling to the (now) 17th-ranked Aggies in overtime. Missed free throws, turnovers in the closing minutes, and a long stretch of bad shooting <a href="https://broncosports.com/news/2024/1/27/mens-basketball-broncos-fall-in-overtime-to-ranked-aggies" target="_blank">doomed the Broncos</a>. Problems that have given Boise State fits all season.</p><p>And all are fixable but need to be done in fast order.</p><p>Boise State (14-6, 5-2) has seen struggles at the charity stripe all season, shooting 71.8 percent. So, 74.2 against the Aggies isn't the worst thing. Definitely can be better but it's more about when they are missed down the stretch to close out games. Or, who is missing them: a <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/stats/_/id/4397263/max-rice" target="_blank">once reliable Max Rice</a> hitting only 3-5 against Utah State.</p><p>Rice is only 7-11 from the line in his last three games but at 80 percent on the season. However, the sixth-year guard is having a tough go of things in conference play in shooting. Ill-advised three-point attempts and shots that fell last season are not going in at the same rate. Even those floaters in the key that went down last season aren't falling, leading me to believe it's a cold spell that will soon right itself. </p><p>He and Chibuzo Agbo shot a combined 8-29 (5-16 on three-point attempts) in the loss to Utah State. Rice is shooting only 34.1 percent from the field and 32.5 percent from deep, both nearly 10 points lower than a season ago.</p><p>While others overall are doing much better, the entire team is prone to long stretches of not scoring from the field. It happened against Utah State and nearly cost the Broncos in a <a href="https://www.idahopress.com/blueturfsports/basketball/boise-state-survives-comeback-scare-to-beat-fresno-state/article_d4fd60d0-ba83-11ee-8169-c3185e0b49b3.html" target="_blank">close victory against Fresno State</a>, a game Boise State should have won going away.</p><p>Buckling down at the end of that game, Boise State proved they can handle adversity (even of the self-inflicted variety). This is an experienced club with the bench seeing more minutes. Both will serve the team going forward, starting this week when they finish up the first half of conference play.</p><p></p><h2>Showdown in Albuquerque</h2><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Boise State Broncos enter this week tied for third place in the Mountain West with the San Diego State Aztecs. One-half game ahead of the two teams is this week's first opponent for Boise State, the New Mexico Lobos.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">New Mexico (18-3, 6-2) jumped up in the <a href="https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/basketball-men/d1/associated-press" target="_blank">AP poll</a> this week, now ranked 19th. The Lobos have won five straight and are playing some of their best basketball of the season. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Losses to Saint Mary's, Colorado State, and UNLV are the only blemishes on New Mexico's record this season. The loss to the Rebels kicked the Lobos into their current winning streak, where they have been dominant.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">During this win streak, New Mexico is averaging 91.2 points per game, winning by an average of 20.8 points.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Entering the season, fans and opponents alike were aware New Mexico had a stacked backcourt. That has proven to be true, especially in recent weeks but it's formidable support players, bench, and new stars giving the Lobos strength.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Six players average nine or more points per game. Jaelen House and Jamal Mashburn Jr both average 15.6 points. House is a stalwart on defense, picking the pocket of opponents almost three times per game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Mashburn battled some early season injuries and has struggled from the field at times but shot 13-20 in the last two games.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Donovan Dent dishes out 6.1 assists per game, scoring 14.8 points while shooting 51.1 percent from the field.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is a couple of interior players, however, who have really pushed the Lobos to greatness, led by the excellent play of JT Toppin.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Toppin, <a href="https://golobos.com/news/2024/01/29/jaelen-house-and-jt-toppin-earn-mountain-west-weekly-honors/" target="_blank">Mountain West Freshman of the Week</a> seven times so far this season, is averaging 13 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. Toppin is shooting 66.3 percent from the field and, along with Nelly Junior Joseph (9.3 points, 7.7 rebounds), will give the Broncos plenty to handle on the interior.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The two have combined to block 69 shots this season.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Last season, Boise State and New Mexico split their two games. The Broncos lost by two in overtime on the road and picked up a five-point win in Boise. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State at New Mexico is 1/31 at 8:30 p.m. (MT) on FS1.</p><p></p><h3>Boise State vs Air Force</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">To finish up the first half of Mountain West Conference play, Boise State hosts <a href="https://goairforcefalcons.com/sports/mens-basketball" target="_blank">Air Force</a> (8-11, 1-6) on Saturday (2/3) at 2 p.m. (MT).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The two teams met only met once last season, a seven-point win for the Broncos.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Air Force, prior to a 1/30 meeting with Wyoming, has lost nine of their last ten games. The lone conference win was a huge 90-58 victory over UNLV.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Three players average double digits in scoring for the Falcons. Sophomore Rytis Petraitis has played in only 12 games but has <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/gamelog/_/id/5113388/rytis-petraitis" target="_blank">scored more than 10</a> in all of them. Petraitis averages 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game and had a triple-double (18/13/11) against the Rebels. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Guard Ethan Taylor drops 16.4 points per contest, with Beau Becker chipping in 15.8.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Saturday's matchup should not be overlooked, win or lose on Wednesday against New Mexico. A couple of victories this week would be nice, especially a road win over a ranked opponent. Improving on the fundamentals is needed either way. So, too, will be the continued improvement of the bench. A deep rotation was hyped in the offseason. And now it's time to put those players to the test. </p><p><i>More on Boise State Broncos men's basketball:</i></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i><a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2023/10/boise-state-broncos-mens-basketball.html" target="_blank">Aiming high in 2023-24</a></i></li><li><i><a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/01/wild-mountain-west-boise-state-broncos.html" target="_blank">Victory over San Diego State</a></i></li></ul><p></p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-67974657108702251382024-01-26T16:07:00.000-08:002024-01-26T16:07:05.928-08:00Boston Celtics breezing towards February<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4fUtisc-RsrUKCoiyDme7zwsOHHRKzqpoUBaA69JDfcNYB9dIjmtJchMDu56FhzqmFuFMosIX_pZS0dN10EwbzkqNKMhD52WKFtNUHYlYj6T_jiLVPkvZufum0qdg8NW9wmz17TYVPw_vZX4SfiETdPRy3aC5crcssNWp_59eAR5XLHdxsa_nFGjP9Xk/s1024/Celtics%20leaf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4fUtisc-RsrUKCoiyDme7zwsOHHRKzqpoUBaA69JDfcNYB9dIjmtJchMDu56FhzqmFuFMosIX_pZS0dN10EwbzkqNKMhD52WKFtNUHYlYj6T_jiLVPkvZufum0qdg8NW9wmz17TYVPw_vZX4SfiETdPRy3aC5crcssNWp_59eAR5XLHdxsa_nFGjP9Xk/s320/Celtics%20leaf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Victories can often be a hard-fought affair, coming down to a possession or two in the final seconds of games. On Thursday night, in a <a href="https://www.nba.com/celtics/news/sidebar-20240115-celtics-light-up-south-beach-with-franchise-record-shooting-effort" target="_blank">record-setting victory over the Miami Heat</a>, the Boston Celtics made things look as effortless as possible.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The 143-110 win in South Beach saw seven players score in double figures for Boston and was elevated by the team shooting 22-40 from deep. The Celtics bench contributed 48 points and Boston held a 13-point lead after the first quarter, never looking back.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the last seven days, the Celtics went 3-1. It was a stretch that started off at the opposite end of the victory meter, falling to the Denver Nuggets 102-100. This game had victory written all over it at various points but the resulting loss was a true "live by the three, die by the three" example. Boston was 14-44 from deep, and too often seemed to rely on the three-pointer when a simple drive would have done. This season's Celtics, however, have overcome bad shooting performances more often than not.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boston, with the successful week, improved to a league-best 35-10 and is breezing towards February with a seven-game homestand on the horizon. The Celtics look to grow their lead in the best record department, which currently stands at three over the Minnesota Timberwolves.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Things are staying stellar in the Eastern Conference, too, where the Celtics own a 3.5 game lead over the Milwaukee Bucks, who made a <a href="https://www.wpr.org/sports/milwaukee-bucks-coach-fired-to-maximize-talent" target="_blank">surprise coaching change</a>. And Boston remains five games ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers, where Joel Embiid delivered the <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nba/2024/1/23/24047792/joel-embiid-70-points-mvp-philadelphia-76ers" target="_blank">best single game performance</a> of the 2023-24 season earlier this week.</p><p></p><h2>Boston Celtics: Next 7 days</h2><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The first four games of the homestand take place in the next seven days, with the Celtics facing four teams currently .500 or better. First on the agenda is on 1/27, where Boston welcomes to town the Los Angeles Clippers.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The teams met once this season, two days before Christmas in a 145-108 victory by Boston. Six scored in double figures for the Celtics, with the team shooting 47.2 percent on three-point attempts. Jayson Tatum scored 30, Jaylen Brown 24, and <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4397424/neemias-queta" target="_blank">Neemias Queta</a> had 14 points and 12 rebounds.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Next up, the New Orleans Pelicans visit the TD Garden on 1/29 in what will be the first meeting between the teams in '23-24.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">An important Eastern Conference game takes places on 1/30 with the Indiana Pacers in town. Each team has two wins in the series this season, alternating with the most recent a 133-131 <a href="https://spectrumlocalnews.com/me/maine/sports/2024/01/09/pacers-rally-past-celtics-133-131-after-tyrese-haliburton-injures-hamstring" target="_blank">Indiana victory</a>. Tatum, who was the leading scorer in three games against the Pacers this season, missed the fourth game. Brown put up 40 in that close loss.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Closing out the next seven days will be a game on 2/1 with the Los Angeles Lakers. Boston defeated Los Angeles on Christmas Day, winning by 11. Kristaps Porziņģis had 28 points and 11 rebounds and Tatum had a near triple-double with 25 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. The two of them helped offset a monster game from Anthony Davis, who scored 40 and pulled down 13 rebounds.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Porziņģis and Tatum were also among the standouts in Boston's most recent stretch of games.</p><p></p><h3>Star power for C's</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Porziņģis was in the mood for love in the first quarter against the Nuggets last week, scoring 15 of Boston's first 20 points. Sadly, he cooled off, finishing with 21 and the Celtics <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/401585214" target="_blank">lost their first home game</a> this season. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">In a victory over the Houston Rockets, Porziņģis was back at it, finishing off a well-rounded game with 32 points (making six 3-pointers) and five blocked shots. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Brown, too, showed up against the Rockets in a wide variety of ways. Though only 6-14 from the field, Brown recorded a triple-double with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. This game proved yet again Brown continues to improve in all aspects.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It was the dynamic duo show in the victory over Dallas. Brown had 34 points while Tatum, recently named as an <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/jayson-tatum-named-starter-2024-001844241.html" target="_blank">All-Star Game starter</a>, finished with a doozy of a line. Tatum had 39 points and 11 rebounds, contributing five assists. He also was outstanding on defense with three steals and two blocked shots.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Derrick White continued to make a case for an All-Star selection, starting the week off with 24 points and five assists against the Nuggets. And versus the Rockets, White had 21 points and 11 rebounds. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Despite a struggle against Dallas (2-12, six points), White has had a steady last five games, averaging 17.6 points. He also has six blocked shots and four steals.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is just a taste of those contributing to the Celtics success. Jrue Holiday is certainly a main factor, and the bench has performed well, especially those who are rotated into the starting lineup. Boston was seconds away from completing the last seven days with a 4-0 mark. With any luck, they have taken the loss to Denver to heart, and will only use that to fuel them towards a successful future.</p><p><i>photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/rmtip21/9163060859" target="_blank">Flickr</a></i></p><p><b><i>More on Celtics in 2023-24:</i></b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i><a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2023/10/boston-celtics-2023-24-fresh-faces-to.html" target="_blank">Fresh faces to reinforce old guard</a></i></li><li><i><a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/01/boston-celtics-first-half-to-remember.html" target="_blank">A first half to remember</a></i></li></ul><p></p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6720906931975365639.post-67586294126559431592024-01-23T17:15:00.000-08:002024-01-23T17:15:36.942-08:00Brink of first place: Boise State Broncos women's basketball on a roll<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrU44xlWTuKv2Bj8dFX6Y55P3boGYxMjkSfzyW-uCQ-wg-buXg58YHB8sxDmDdEvJqF5yEVGdJ0MLfl1qzWUm31pfWDoAWIv-aqllyBlCMTFEpo-33D23-sxVmlEiEXrzASpzkleu0zfUf_c_h96JHIQ8WRqSjRHM7rQbssdDRWpfu41SmMTIc8WA2s18/s4000/IMG_20240113_135758662.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrU44xlWTuKv2Bj8dFX6Y55P3boGYxMjkSfzyW-uCQ-wg-buXg58YHB8sxDmDdEvJqF5yEVGdJ0MLfl1qzWUm31pfWDoAWIv-aqllyBlCMTFEpo-33D23-sxVmlEiEXrzASpzkleu0zfUf_c_h96JHIQ8WRqSjRHM7rQbssdDRWpfu41SmMTIc8WA2s18/s320/IMG_20240113_135758662.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A primetime opportunity awaits on Wednesday night for the Boise State Broncos women's basketball team. On one hand, the Broncos look to build upon their four-game winning streak. And on the other, a huge chance to tighten the screws in the race for top dog in the Mountain West Conference.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boise State (13-6, 4-2) welcomes the UNLV Lady Rebels to town. The belle of the conference the last couple of seasons, UNLV had a 29-game conference win streak snapped last Saturday, <a href="https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/recap/_/gameId/401608181" target="_blank">falling at home to New Mexico</a> 69-66.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A loss last week by previously undefeated Wyoming, also to New Mexico, meant the gap between Boise State and the top teams shrunk to one. The Broncos helped their own cause by taking care of business, picking up a road win at San Jose State and a home victory against the Utah State Aggies. Two games they were expected to win but both very much trap opportunities.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Against the Spartans, <a href="https://broncosports.com/sports/womens-basketball" target="_blank">Boise State</a> received all they could handle, holding on for a 68-64 win. The Broncos started fast, racing to a 22-6 lead and had to hold on for that victory. Turnovers (20) nearly did Boise State in and were paced by Natalie Pasco (18 points), Elodie Lalotte (17), and Mya Hansen (12).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It was a much easier affair last Saturday, despite a harrowing first five minutes. The Aggies held an early lead, but Boise State righted the ship, putting the game away with a 26-0 run in the second quarter. In the 76-41 victory, 11 different Boise State players scored. Dani Bayes had 16 points off the bench, with Abby Muse scoring 15 and Tatum Thompson 12.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Close to perfection, and taking care of the ball, will be needed against UNLV. A victory will cement the Broncos as serious contenders to the throne as they aim to say in the mix for a conference title. Despite the impressive win streak, the Broncos, I believe, still haven't put together a stellar game from start to finish. Something they have two more chances to do this week.</p><p></p><h2>Boise State vs UNLV</h2><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Boasting one of the top players in the Mountain West Conference, the <a href="https://unlvrebels.com/sports/womens-basketball" target="_blank">UNLV Lady Rebels</a> (15-2, 5-1) offense will give Boise State's interior defense all they can handle on Wednesday night. Though the likes of Muse, Lalotte, and company can dig in, I wonder if the Broncos will focus on playing more zone defense, at least in the early going.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Desi-Rae Young is averaging 19.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. Young is shooting 56.4 percent from the field and can also stretch the floor. More impressive is that Young has recorded a double-double in three straight games and is averaging 23 points and 10.3 rebounds in conference play.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Guard Kiara Jackson drops 12.2 points per contest while dishing out 5.1 assists. Jackson has deadly range, shooting 48.8 percent from beyond the arc, which may prevent Boise State from playing too much zone.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">UNLV has both big wins (39 over Utah State, 36 over San Jose State) and close wins (5 against Colorado State, 7 versus San Diego State) among their conference victories. The Lady Rebels average 80.9 points, scoring 70+ in four of their conference games while turning the ball over roughly 11 times per contest.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is a big game for both teams, as currently only two games separate the top six teams in this conference. A win would be huge for Boise State, who has dropped five straight to UNLV. Tip-off is slated for 6:30 p.m. (MT) on 1/24.</p><p></p><h3>Broncos at Aztecs</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the first meeting this season between the teams, Boise State scorched the <a href="https://goaztecs.com/sports/womens-basketball" target="_blank">San Diego State Aztecs</a> (12-8, 3-4) in the first half in building a 40-19 lead. The Broncos cooled down in the third and fourth quarters, settling for a 68-59 win.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Pasco led the Broncos with 15 points and Lalotte added 12. Bayes scored 10 while Muse pulled down 16 rebounds, helping pace the Broncos to a 13-rebound advantage.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Kim Villalobos notched a double-double that game with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Sarah Barcello added 11. The Aztecs only committed eight turnovers that game but shot 35.2 percent from the field and were 6-30 from deep.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Aztecs had lost four of five before picking up a 63-51 victory last Saturday against San Jose State. Four players have a scoring average in double figures for San Diego State and three of them pull down at least six rebounds per game.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Adryana Quezada leads in both, with 14.7 points and 6.6 rebounds. Quezada was held to only six and six, respectively, in the first meeting.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Abby Prohaska, who missed the last game against the Broncos, scores 11.2 and pulls down 6.2 boards. Villalobos averages 10.6 points and 6.2 rebounds, with Jada Levi rounding out the group with 100.3 points.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Levi shot 4-12 from the field (1-7 from deep) in scoring nine points in the first meeting.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The two teams are pretty similar and, in the first meeting, the Broncos played their best half of basketball this season in building the large lead. More of that would be nice but I expect a defensive battle between the two teams on Saturday (1/27) at 2 p.m. (MT).</p><p><i>More on Boise State women's basketball '23-24:</i></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i><a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2023/12/boise-state-broncos-womens-basketball.html" target="_blank">Gearing up for conference play</a></i></li><li><i><a href="https://jrhask.blogspot.com/2024/01/boise-state-broncos-womens-basketball.html" target="_blank">Back in the win column</a></i></li></ul><p></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>photo credit: Jason Haskins</i></p>Jason Haskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18096989311700668555noreply@blogger.com0