Boise State will face another hostile environment in key game at No. 22 Utah State
The Broncos have been road warriors this season.
The Boise State men’s basketball team is 4-2 in true road games this season and 4-1 on the road since opening Mountain West play Jan. 5 at San Jose State. The Broncos suffered their first road loss to a conference opponent Tuesday in a 75-62 setback at Colorado State.
The Broncos (16-7, 7-3 Mountain West) have gone into some hostile environments and picked up wins this year, including an 86-78 victory on New Mexico’s home court, The Pit, and a 64-56 win at Nevada’s Lawlor Events Center. They’ll face another test on the road Saturday (8 p.m., FS1) at No. 22 Utah State’s Dee Glenn Smith Spectrum Center.
“It’s always a great place to play and one of the best home courts and one of the best crowds in college basketball,” Boise State coach Leon Rice said Friday. “You have to have things line up to have a chance, and you need your guys playing at their best.”
Boise State was not at its best at Colorado State. The Broncos hit just 11 field goals in the first half, finished the game shooting 41% from the floor, and missed six key free throws in the second half. Utah State (19-4, 7-3 MW) is coming off a 77-63 loss to Nevada on Tuesday.
Saturday’s game in Logan, Utah, will be another big one for the Broncos, who are trying to stay in contention for one of the top seeds in the Mountain West Tournament. There’s a four-way tie at the top of the conference. Boise State, Utah State, New Mexico and San Diego State have an identical 7-3 record in league play. Here’s a look at Saturday’s matchup:
Boise State at Utah State
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Where: Dee Glenn Smith Spectrum Center, Logan, Utah
Aggies’ record: 19-4, 7-3 Mountain West
TV: FS1, which is carried by YouTubeTV. It’s also channel 146 on Sparklight and 219 on Direct TV.
Radio: KBOI 670 AM (Bob Behler, Abe Jackson)
Series history: Utah State leads the all-time series 37-21. The Broncos have lost three in a row, including an overtime setback at ExtraMile Arena earlier this season. The Aggies also knocked the Broncos out of the Mountain West tournament last year.
Last time: The Aggies went into ExtraMile Arena on Jan. 27 with sole possession of first place in the Mountain West on the line, and they left with a 90-84 win in overtime. Utah State’s Ian Martinez forced overtime when he got a layup to fall with one second left on the clock. Boise State couldn’t buy a shot in the extra period. The Broncos missed their first six shots and finished the five-minutes period 2-for-10 from the floor, allowing Utah State to steal the win. Tyson Degenhart scored 21 of his team-high 24 points in the second half, including all eight of Boise State’s points in overtime. O’Mar Stanley added 20 points and nine rebounds before fouling out in the opening seconds of overtime.
Matchup to watch
Boise State guard Chibuzo Agbo vs. Utah State F/G Great Osobor
Osobor wasn’t Utah State’s top scorer when the Aggies knocked off the Broncos at ExtraMile Arena. Those honors went to point guard Darius Brown II, who finished with 19 points, and Martinez, who added 18. Utah State probably wouldn’t have won without Osobor, though. He put up 14 points and 10 rebounds against the Broncos. He also added seven assists and two steals. The transfer from Montana State leads the Mountain West with 9.2 rebounds a game this season. The 6-foot-8 junior ranks No. 2 in the conference with 18.6 points a night. Osobor followed his performance at Boise State with a 31-point effort in a win over San Jose State on Jan. 30, but he was limited to 11 against Nevada on Tuesday.
Agbo has been Boise State’s most consistent scorer this season. He scored at least 10 points in 16 straight games, but that streak was snapped Tuesday when Colorado State limited him to seven. Agbo’s 14.4 points a game rank No. 2 at Boise State, and he may be the most confident shooter on the team. He’s shooting 46% from the floor and leads the Broncos with 55 3-pointers and a .417 3-point percentage.
