Boise State men’s basketball vs. South Dakota State: How to watch, prediction and odds
In Leon Rice’s perfect world, the Boise State men’s basketball team would be playing South Dakota State with more than just an exhibition win under its belt.
But scheduling isn’t a perfect world, so the Broncos will take a quality opponent when they can get it.
Enter the reigning Summit League regular season and tournament champion, fresh off an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2022. The Jackrabbits and Broncos square off at 7 p.m. Wednesday at ExtraMile Arena in Boise State’s season opener.
“There’s a reason why we are playing South Dakota State on Wednesday,” Rice said. “Nobody wants to come here, and nobody wants to play South Dakota State. Guys aren’t dumb.”
While many programs open the season with gimme opponents, games in which they’re practically guaranteed a double-digit win, Rice said he didn’t want the Broncos to miss out on a resume-building contest. Even if it meant scheduling the Jackrabbits right out of the gate.
“You can say, ‘Oh, look at these guys, they’re off to a great start,’” Rice said. “And they’ve played teams that they should beat by 40. But the reality of scheduling is, yeah, in theory, you’re like, ‘OK, I like this one. I like that one and I’d like to put it here.’ But you don’t get to do that because of restrictions like, ‘Huh, we’re not coming there.’ We get that a lot.”
It’s the same reason why the Broncos’ second game of the season is against Pac-12 opponent Washington State at Idaho Central Arena. And then it’s off to Conway, South Carolina, for the Myrtle Beach Invitational.
“We wanted quality opponents,” Rice said. “There’s a fine line. Yeah, you want some opportunities to develop these young guys, but you also are building a resume, and we’re starting that resume Week 1. Those are two high-level, feather-in-the-cap games if you can get it done.”
South Dakota State, picked to finish second behind Oral Roberts in the Summit in a preseason poll, has a game under its belt already: an 81-80 overtime loss at Akron on Monday night. Last season, the Jackrabbits posted the first undefeated regular season in Summit history, and they return three starters from that team, headlined by 2022 sixth man of the year Luke Appel and all-newcomer team honoree Zeke Mayo.
“It’s a great challenge,” Boise State center Lukas Milner said. “It’s wonderful to start off the year against such a tough opponent like them.”
Broncos to celebrate conference titles
Prior to tipoff Wednesday night, the video board at ExtraMile Arena will play a thank you video to Boise State fans in celebration of last season’s Mountain West titles and NCAA Tournament appearance.
The first 750 students in attendance will receive a replica of the 2021-22 championship ring, as will each season ticket holder.
Additional rings will be available for purchase.
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE AT BOISE STATE
When: 7 p.m. Wednesday
Where: ExtraMile Arena (12,380), Boise
TV: Mountain West Network (Broncosports.com/mwn)
Radio: KBOI 670 AM (Bob Behler, Abe Jackson)
Records: Boise State 0-0, South Dakota State 0-1
Series: First meeting
Vegas line: Boise State by 6.5
KenPom rating: Boise State 86, South Dakota State 128
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 74% chance of beating South Dakota State. His score prediction is a 77-69 BSU victory.
ESPN’s College Basketball Power Index: Boise State has a 72.1% chance of winning with a predicted point differential of 6.0.
Women’s basketball: Broncos roll in opener
The Boise State women’s basketball team set a program record for points scored in its season opener, a 121-64 victory over Multnomah on Monday night at ExtraMile Arena.
Freshman guard Natalie Pasco scored a team-high 20 points off the bench, shooting 8-of-16 from the field, and junior forward Abby Muse finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds, recording the 13th double-double of her career.
Boise State also broke the school record for made field goals with 46, and 14 players scored points. The previous high was 43 against Whitman on Jan. 3, 1989. And the Broncos’ 16 made 3-pointers are the second most in a single game in program history.
The Broncos return to action at 6:30 p.m. Friday against Eastern Washington at ExtraMile Arena.
