The Boise State men's basketball locker room doesn't contain a phone booth - at least, not one that we know of - but guard Derrick Marks has found a way to turn things around quickly in there.
Marks scored all 16 of his points in the second half in the Broncos' 63-62 loss at San Diego State on Wednesday.
It is quickly becoming standard for the sophomore.
"I'd much rather have a guy that's really, really good at the end then good at the beginning," Boise State coach Leon Rice said.
Marks is averaging 10.8 points per game after halftime, up dramatically from his 5.8 points in the first half.
Marks ranks fourth in the Mountain West in scoring. If he only played the second half, he would still be in the top 20 in the league.
If you take away the Colorado State game - when an ailing Marks did not play in the second half - his scoring average after halftime is 11.4 points.
Marks has scored in double figures in the second half 10 times in 20 games, including a ridiculous 28-point second half at Creighton. He had 21 post-break points against Idaho and 22 against Fresno State.
"I have to do whatever my team needs me to do," Marks said. "If they don't need my scoring, I know they're going to need my passing. I have to contribute in some ways to help us win."
The Broncos (15-7, 3-5 in the Mountain West) host Wyoming (16-6, 2-6) at 6 p.m. Saturday. It is a pivotal game for the Broncos, who open the second half of conference play needing to hold serve at Taco Bell Arena. Marks missed the Broncos' 63-61 victory against Wyoming in January. Jeff Elorriaga hit a 3-pointer as time expired to lift Boise State in that game.
But in six Mountain West second halves, Marks is averaging 13.5 points and has scored at least nine points five times. Against San Diego State, Marks scored or assisted on 10 of the Broncos' 13 second-half field goals.
"Some of it is we have to break him out of the offense and he does have to go a little bit 1-on-1. We don't want him doing that for 40 minutes," Rice said. "If you have to do that too much it's too much of a burden on him."
His increased aggression after halftime has led to a free-throw bonanza. Marks has shot 31 free throws in the first half this season - and 94 in the second half.
Marks, the leading free-throw shooter in the Mountain West at 85.8 percent, was at the line late against San Diego State. He missed the second of two free throws, allowing the Aztecs to be in position to win the game on a 3-pointer, which they did with 2.8 seconds remaining.
"He's a competitor and it eats him up," Rice said. "I have to lift him back up because he'll make the next one. He's in a good place and he's doing a good job. He'll bounce back."
Brian Murphy: 377-6444, Twitter: @MurphsTurph
