A heart rate monitor couldn’t encapsulate the heart-stopping moments that took place on the hardwood last week. In a year where Bronco basketball has been full of runs – both good and bad – they finally found a way to beat a pair of Mountain West programs ahead of them in the conference standings. Against […]
A heart rate monitor couldn’t encapsulate the heart-stopping moments that took place on the hardwood last week.
In a year where Bronco basketball has been full of runs – both good and bad – they finally found a way to beat a pair of Mountain West programs ahead of them in the conference standings.
Against Nevada, they were up by as much as 15 in the second half. However, the visitors weren’t going to go away quietly into the night. Slowly chipping their way back, the Wolf Pack managed to take the lead with less than three minutes to go before Boise State responded with a brief spurt to recapture a two-possession lead as 16 seconds showed on the clock. A pair of Andrew Meadow free throw misses kept the door ajar for a Nevada miracle, and like a horror film, the inevitable happened at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.
One would have thought that a collapse like that would have bled over into the extra session, but Boise State recomposed itself thanks to the heroics of guard Dylan Andrews and his eight overtime points.
For any lingering hopes of reaching the Big Dance, it is vital that you defend home court against every team in the conference, especially when it would be considered a quality win.
A few nights later, the Broncos road tripped to one of the most hostile arenas in college basketball for what may be the last time for the foreseeable future and experienced a bit of deja vu.
Close at halftime, stretch big Drew Fielder came out of the break absolutely scorching, converting two triples within the first two minutes and another pair of threes before the 14-minute mark.
Boise State’s lead grew to nine, but to think that New Mexico would lie over and wave the white flag at home would be a foolish thought.
Within five minutes, the Lobos stormed their way back and closed the gap to two points with under ten minutes to go.
From then on, it was a high-stakes game of chess – each team resisting the urge to flinch under the pressure.
Boise State held the upper hand, and its dynamite free-throw shooting proved to be pivotal in an eventual one-point win.
Prior to last week, most of Boise’s wins were empty calories against the bottom of the conference.
But by beating both the Wolf Pack in Boise and the Lobos at “The Pit” in Albuquerque, Boise State has clawed its way back into fighting for a first-round bye in the Mountain West tournament come March.
The magic number to watch for during the next month is No. 4.
Currently, the Broncos (7-6) are slotted sixth in the standings, two games back in the loss column to Grand Canyon (8-4), Nevada (9-4), and New Mexico (9-4).
They have faced the most daunting part of their schedule, with just Utah State and San Diego State posing as large hurdles the rest of the way. If they can take care of business against the likes of San Jose State, Wyoming, and Fresno State, it should set them up to capitalize on carnage at the top.
- New Mexico plays Grand Canyon, Nevada, San Diego State, and Utah State.
- Grand Canyon plays New Mexico, San Diego State, and Utah State.
- Nevada plays San Diego State, Utah State, and New Mexico.
And that list doesn’t include pesky opponents like UNLV or Fresno State, or visits to Wyoming or San Jose.
In a season of volatility, Leon Rice and Boise State may be turning the corner during the most important part of the year…
Category: General Sports
