Two expected starters for the Boise State women’s basketball team are out for the season with knee injuries.

Forward Kinzi Poteet was injured during the summer and guard Keiahnna Engel was injured Tuesday in practice. Both will redshirt.

“We showed ‘Rocky.’ He got off the mat,” coach Gordy Presnell said. “We’re going to get off the mat. It’s part of basketball, but man.”

The Broncos host Lewis-Clark State in an exhibition game at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Taco Bell Arena. Boise State opens the regular season at Utah Valley on Nov. 9.

The 5-foot-7 Engel, a sophomore, is one of the more explosive players in the Mountain West, Presnell said. She averaged 4.7 points and 3.2 rebounds per game last season as a reserve.

She came down untouched after a layup and injured her knee. “It’s just a crusher,” Presnell said.

Poteet, a 6-foot senior, averaged 6.7 points and 6.5 rebounds and started all 31 games last season. There was contact involved in her injury.

“It’s a hard thing to deal with. It’s always a bummer and we’re definitely going to miss those two,” said senior Lauren Lenhardt, a preseason first-team All-Mountain West selection. “You’ve got to move on. We have perfectly capable players who are out here working hard and can do just as great of things.”

Presnell, in his eighth season with the Broncos, said he will evaluate the program to find out why it has been plagued with knee injuries.

“What are we doing right? What are we doing wrong? Why are we having knee injuries?” Presnell said. “We’ve had a plethora of them.”

Brian Murphy: 377-6444,Twitter: @MurphsTurph