Boise State’s Rice, Degenhart named Mountain West coach, freshman of year
For the second straight day, the Boise State men’s basketball team brought home the most honors of any team in the Mountain West, this time in a vote of the league’s 11 head coaches.
Boise State’s Leon Rice was chosen as Mountain West Coach of the Year, while forward Tyson Degenhart was named Freshman of the Year.
Forward Abu Kigab and guard Marcus Shaver Jr. were each named second-team All-MW, while guard Emmanuel Akot and Degenhart received honorable mention accolades.
Kigab also was named to the All-Defensive Team, becoming the first Bronco to earn that honor since Chandler Hutchison in 2017-18.
Boise State is the only team to win the Mountain West regular-season title without having a player named to the first team in the league’s current alignment.
On Monday, media members who cover the league released a separate poll announcing Rice as top coach, Degenhart as top freshman, second-team all-league honors for Kigab and Shaver, and honorable mention recognition for Akot and Degenhart.
Rice guided Boise State to a 15-3 mark in conference play, setting a program record for league wins in a season, as the Broncos won their first outright Mountain West regular-season title. This is the second coach of the year honor for Rice, who was also chosen in 2014-15.
Degenhart is the first Bronco to be named Mountain West Freshman of the Year in program history. He finished the conference season averaging 11.2 points per game, while shooting 48.6% from the field. He recorded nine double-figure scoring efforts, including a career-high 23 points against San Jose State on Feb. 5. He was named Mountain West Freshman of the Week nine times, which is more than the rest of the league’s freshmen combined.
Kigab started every game for the Broncos and averaged a team-best 14.7 points per game on 50.8% shooting (156-of-307). He also averaged 5.9 rebounds per game, ranked second on the team in assists (2.3 apg) and led the Broncos in steals (1.2 spg).
Shaver established himself as the Broncos’ closer, sinking 3-pointers against Utah State, San Diego State, Fresno State and Colorado State that either won the game or forced overtime. The redshirt senior averaged 13.9 points per game, scoring in double figures a team-best 25 times this season. He also ranked third on the team in assists (2.1 apg) and second in steals (1.2 spg).
Despite missing a stretch of four games during conference play with a knee injury, Akot averaged 10.3 points and a team-leading 2.9 assists per game. His 49 3-pointers ranked second on the team, and he scored in double figures 14 times, including a pair of 20-point games. Akot also was named to the Charleston Classic All-Tournament Team earlier this season.
Boise State opens the conference tournament at 1 p.m. Mountain time Thursday (CBS Sports Network) at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. The Broncos will face the winner of Wednesday’s game between No. 8 Nevada and No. 9 New Mexico.
Broncos to play in Myrtle Beach Invitational
Boise State is one of the eight teams chosen to compete in the 2022 Myrtle Beach Invitational, ESPN Events announced Tuesday.
Joining the Broncos will be Charlotte, Colorado, Loyola of Chicago, Texas A&M, Tulsa and UMass, and an eighth school will be announced at a later date.
Games are slated for Nov. 17, 18 and 20 at the HTC Center on the campus of Coastal Carolina University in Conway, South Carolina.
All games will be televised across ESPN networks.
2021-22 All-Mountain West Men’s Basketball Teams
First Team
David Roddy, Jr., F, Colorado State
Orlando Robinson, Jr., F, Fresno State
Matt Bradley, Sr., G, San Diego State
Bryce Hamilton, Sr., G, UNLV
Hunter Maldonado, Sr., G, Wyoming
Second Team
Abu Kigab, Sr., F, Boise State
Marcus Shaver Jr., Sr., G, Boise State
Isaiah Stevens, Jr., G, Colorado State
Justin Bean, Sr., F, Utah State
Graham Ike, So., F, Wyoming
Third Team
Desmond Cambridge Jr., Sr., G, Nevada
Grant Sherfield, Jr., G, Nevada
Jaelen House, Jr., G, New Mexico
Jamal Mashburn Jr., So., G, New Mexico
Brandon Horvath, Sr., F, Utah State
Defensive Team
Abu Kigab, Sr., F, Boise State
Orlando Robinson, Jr., F, Fresno State
Lamont Butler, So., G, San Diego State
Nathan Mensah, Sr., F, San Diego State
Justin Bean, Sr., F, Utah State
Honorable Mention
A.J. Walker, Sr., G, Air Force
Emmanuel Akot, Sr., G, Boise State
Tyson Degenhart, Fr., F, Boise State
Nathan Mensah, Sr., F, San Diego State
Omari Moore, So., G, San Jose State
Royce Hamm Jr., Sr., F, UNLV
Player of the Year: David Roddy, Jr., F, Colorado State
Defensive Player of the Year: Nathan Mensah, Sr., F, San Diego State
Newcomer of the Year: Matt Bradley, Sr., G, San Diego State
Sixth Man of the Year: Chad Baker-Mazara, So., G, San Diego State
Freshman of the Year: Tyson Degenhart, F, Boise State
Coach of the Year: Leon Rice, Boise State
