Why is Boise State hoops playing an NAIA team? Minutes for players, money are involved
Boise State basketball fans might be looking forward to this weekend’s big home game against Clemson, but the Broncos have a slightly different challenge before then.
On Tuesday night, Boise State welcomes Eugene, Oregon-based Corban to ExtraMile Arena for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
The Warriors are an NAIA team, so regardless of the result, it won’t count toward Boise State’s NET ranking, which is used as one of the primary sorting tools when it comes to NCAA Tournament bids.
So why are the Broncos playing a game that doesn’t seem to have a ton of benefits?
“I’ve got a lot of guys that don’t get enough minutes that they deserve,” Boise State coach Leon Rice said Monday.
Of course, Rice admitted that the answer is more complicated than that, but if the game goes as expected, it is an opportunity for a lot of Broncos to get playing time.
Whenever an NCAA team plays a school in nonconference play, the organizing school will typically have to pay a fee. This is known as a “buy game” and is generally used as a resume booster for the larger school.
Paying an NCAA-level team to play can cost well into five figures, according to a report by AthleticDirectorU. Hosting an NAIA-level team is much cheaper, and it also provides exposure for the smaller school.
“To go get a Division I team costs 20 times that amount (of an NAIA team),” Rice said. “And so it’s a great deal for these non-Division I’s to be able to come and play a team like us, a Division I program, and it helps them. So it’s a win, win, win.”
All of that aside, this is a chance for Rice to experiment with his team and players. The Broncos are 1-1 after blasting Oakland 87-43 at home last week before losing 84-73 at San Francisco over the weekend.
“The freshmen need that ability to go out and have some freedom, play through some things, and just get comfortable,” Rice said.
Fans who attend likely will get a look at some guys who otherwise won’t see the court much this season.
Redshirt freshman guard Chris Lockett has played just 12 minutes so far, while freshman forwards Pearson Carmichael and Ethan Lathan have yet to see the court.
The Broncos also recently gave former student-manager Brennan Ramirez a walk-on roster spot. Rice said the junior guard could see some minutes Tuesday.
“These are important games, and the outcome’s not guaranteed,” Rice said. “You’ve got to go play, and you’ve got to get better at stuff. You’ve got to approach it the right way.”
