Boise State vs. San Jose State men’s basketball series: How to watch, prediction, odds
The circumstances are anything but typical for Boise State’s two-game Mountain West men’s basketball series against San Jose State this week.
The Spartans will host the Broncos on Thursday and Saturday, but the games won’t be played inside Provident Credit Union Event Center in San Jose, California. Instead, the teams will square off in Phoenix because of restrictions in Santa Clara County in response to COVID-19.
Game 1 tips off at 6:30 p.m. Thursday (Mountain West Network) at the Ability 360 Sports & Fitness Center, while Game 2 is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Saturday (Fox Sports 1) at Grand Canyon University.
“That’s the way the year is. We want to get games in, whatever we have to do,” Boise State coach Leon Rice said in a Zoom interview Wednesday from Phoenix. “I know one thing, we could be in a lot worse places than this right now — the warm weather, getting some vitamin D from the natural sun. It puts a bounce in your step right now, so in that aspect it’s been great.
“Our job is the same whether it’s for one person or 10,000.”
Boise State redshirt junior guard Marcus Shaver Jr., who is from Phoenix, said he has worked out several times at Ability 360 and is just thankful to be on the court, regardless of the circumstances. After missing three games with a foot injury, Shaver returned for the Broncos’ 89-52 win over New Mexico on Dec. 23, collecting 13 points and five rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench.
“It honestly doesn’t affect us at all,” Shaver said. “We’ve just got to get the job done and play basketball. I mean, we’re just lucky to even be playing right now, to be honest with you, so just make the most out of it and just do what we gotta do.”
When asked about the status of Arizona transfer Devonaire Doutrive, Rice said it was “not likely” the 6-foot-5 junior guard would make his Boise State debut against San Jose State.
Update: The Broncos won the opening game against the Spartans 106-54 on Thursday at Ability 360.
NOTABLES
▪ Boise State was included in the “others receiving votes” list in the latest Associated Press Top 25 Poll. The Broncos received two points, their first in the poll since 2018. Boise State also received five points in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll.
“It definitely gets us excited,” Shaver said. “We still want to keep getting better every day and just keep proving to everybody that we deserve the recognition that we’re getting. We just need to keep our eye on the prize and just keep getting better as a team.”
▪ Redshirt senior guard Derrick Alston Jr. was named the Mountain West Men’s Basketball Player of the Week following the Broncos’ sweep of New Mexico. Alston averaged 21 points, five rebounds and 4.5 assists per game and shot a combined 77.3% from the floor, including 75% from 3-point range. Alston was 9-for-9 from the field for 22 points in the second game against the Lobos.
▪ Through eight games, Boise State ranks among the best in the country defensively. Opponents are averaging 57.5 points per game against the Broncos, which is tied for 9th nationally. The Broncos are holding opponents to an average of 35.7% from the floor, which ranks No. 5 in the nation. BSU’s 3-point defense checks in at No. 9 at 23.6%.
“We play fast offensively, so for us to have that good of a points-per-game number is a credit to our guys defensively,” Rice said.
▪ Boise State has benefited from a turnover margin of 5.4, which is the 19th-best mark in the nation and tops in the Mountain West.
▪ Alston has connected at a clip of 44.68% (21-for-47) from 3-point range, good enough for 47th in the country and No. 1 in the Mountain West.
BOISE STATE VS. SAN JOSE STATE
When: 4:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Grand Canyon University, Phoenix
TV: Fox Sports 1
Radio: KBOI 670 AM (Bob Behler, Abe Jackson)
Records: Boise State 7-1, 3-0 MW; San Jose State 1-5, 0-3 MW
Series: Boise State leads 35-3
Last meeting: Boise State won 106-54 on Thursday in Phoenix
Vegas line: Boise State by 25.5
KenPom rating: Boise State 63; San Jose State 314
KenPom & ESPN predictions
Ken Pomeroy, who created the popular college basketball statistical website KenPom.com, ranks every Division I team using an adjusted efficiency margin, which Pomeroy defines as the difference between a team’s offensive and defensive efficiency.
According to Pomeroy’s detailed statistical analysis, Boise State has a 96% chance of beating San Jose State. His score prediction is an 86-67 BSU victory.
ESPN’s College Basketball Power Index: Boise State has a 94.8% chance of winning with a predicted point differential of 21.7.
Note: All stats and rankings are through Thursday’s games.
Women’s basketball: Broncos host Spartans
The Boise State women’s basketball team returns from a three-week layoff to host a two-game series against San Jose State.
The Mountain West series is scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday and 1 p.m. Saturday at ExtraMile Arena.
The Broncos (4-0, 1-0 MW) have not played since an 84-64 win over Eastern Washington on Dec. 10. Scheduled games against BYU and College of Idaho were canceled because of a positive COVID-19 test within the Broncos’ program.
San Jose State (2-1, 1-1) was picked to finish second in the Mountain West preseason poll, one spot ahead of Boise State. However, the Spartans recently lost starting point guard Ayzhiana Basallo — a preseason All-MW pick — for the season because of an ACL injury.
Note: The Broncos won the opening game against the Spartans 77-75 on Thursday. Game 2 can be heard on the radio on 1350 AM, or watch a live stream online at themw.com/watch.
This story was originally published December 30, 2020 at 3:47 PM.
