Gem State teams up the ante with big games this week

While football teams at Boise State and Idaho await bowl invitations, their basketball programs can build strong postseason rsums in the next week or so.

Boise State plays at Illinois on Saturday, giving the Broncos (4-2) a shot at a Big Ten team that started the season in the Top 25.

"It's a big challenge and a good opportunity," Boise State coach Greg Graham said. "It helps you RPI-wise, and it's a good, quality game for us."

It's also a rarity.

The Broncos haven't played a Big Ten team since losing at Indiana in 1998. In Graham's tenure, BSU is 1-6 against teams from BCS conferences. Five of those seven games were away from home, including postseason losses against Louisville and Stanford.

"You wish you could play (those teams) home and home," Graham said.

The Fighting Illini (4-2) have lost two in a row (Utah and Bradley) and play at No. 18 Clemson on Wednesday.

Idaho gets a home game against a Top 25 team this week when No. 25 Portland (5-1) plays coach Don Verlin's Vandals (4-1) at Memorial Gym. According to university research, it's the first time Idaho has hosted a ranked team since the 1960s.

Idaho also plays Thursday at Cal State Northridge (3-3) and next week at Washington State (6-0) - two teams that received votes in this week's Associated Press poll.

"It gives us the opportunity to build confidence in our team,'' Verlin said. "There can be nothing but positives if we are able to go out and compete on every possession for 40 minutes in these games."

The Idaho State men are in the same boat. The Bengals (2-5) lost 80-70 at Notre Dame on Tuesday and play Saturday at Utah (3-3) before hosting Boise State on Dec. 9.

WOMEN'S TEAMS PLAY TOUGH SLATES, TOO

Boise State (7-0) is coming off a win over Washington State, and coach Gordy Presnell's team gets another shot at a Pac-10 foe Friday when the Broncos play at Oregon (5-1).

Boise State is off to its best start since the 1974-75 squad began the year 12-0.

The Broncos also play at Portland (3-2) on Sunday before returning home Dec. 9 for a game against Montana State (5-1).

Idaho (1-6), which lost 65-55 against Colorado State on Tuesday, hosts unbeaten Wyoming (6-0) on Thursday.

Idaho State plays at Utah (2-3) on Wednesday and travels to Arizona State (4-1) on Friday.

Nick Jezierny: 377-6420