In Mountain West farewell, Boise State tries to be ‘in conversation’ for title
When Boise State first arrived in the Mountain West Conference back in 2011, Leon Rice said he knew he had his work cut out for him.
The Broncos were joining a conference that had just sent three teams to the NCAA Tournament the year before. A young Tony Snell was still hooping for the Steve Alford-led New Mexico Lobos, while San Diego State was coached by 1989 national champion Steve Fisher and had just sent Kawhi Leonard to the NBA.
“It was grow or perish,” said Rice, who at the time was going into just his second year as head coach of the Broncos.
At first, it looked like they might perish. Boise State’s first season in the Mountain West saw it finish tied for last with a 3-11 conference record, and two of the wins came by one point. The third win came over Air Force, which also finished with a 3-11 record.
But 15 years later, having won regular-season titles in 2015 and 2022, as well as the conference tournament in ‘22, the Broncos haven’t done too badly. They’ve made the NCAA Tournament five times, including three trips in a row from 2022-24.
Now Boise State is in its final year in the conference before heading to the reborn Pac-12 next season, where it will be joined by some familiar foes and gain new rivals.
“When we moved to the Mountain West, I’m like, ‘Well, I won’t be here very long, because I’m not going to survive this,’” Rice laughed. “... It’s been just an amazing basketball league, and that can’t get lost on people.”
Boise State (8-3) kicks off its final season in the league with a road game Saturday night in Reno against the Nevada Wolf Pack (8-3). Tipoff is 8 p.m. Mountain time.
Similar to the Broncos, the Wolf Pack — coached by Alford — have slowly grown into the season after a difficult start, including losses to Santa Clara and future Mountain West team UC Davis. But they’ve turned it around in recent weeks, rattling off four straight wins, including against Washington State (78-64) and Duquesne (78-75).
Boise State beat Duquesne 86-64 earlier in December, part of a four-game winning streak that includes victories at Butler and over Saint Mary’s in Idaho Falls.
Nevada has tightened up defensively in recent weeks, giving up just 68.5 points per game during the winning streak.
The Broncos have been no slouches on defense, either. Boise State is the Mountain West’s highest-ranked team (19) for KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency, which grades teams on points allowed per 100 possessions, while taking into account the opposition. The next-closest Mountain West team in that category is Utah State, which is No. 43. Nevada is 114th.
“One of the best defensive teams in this league is going to be right at the top,” Rice said. “If we can keep improving, we can be in that conversation.”
Julian Bowie to seek hardship waiver
Sophomore guard Julian Bowie announced via social media on Thursday that he would be sitting out the rest of the season and seeking a hardship waiver, which would grant him an extra year of eligibility.
Bowie’s father passed away earlier this year, and despite playing in eight games this season, he hasn’t played since Boise State’s win over Chaminade on the final day of the Maui Invitational on Nov. 26.
“As some of you may know, my father passed away as this season commenced,” Bowie wrote in a statement. “Losing him has been difficult to process, and with the full support of the Boise State staff, administration, and my teammates, I will be stepping back this year and pursuing a hardship waiver. I feel that this is what’s best for me long term and look forward to continuing to be part of the team and helping however I can.”
Shortly after Bowie’s post, Boise State released a statement from Rice in support of the decision.
“While navigating such a difficult and altering time in his life, Julian has been a consummate professional, and he’s given his all to his teammates and the staff,” Rice’s statement read in part. “The love, respect and admiration I have for him is endless, and as a key pillar of this program, Julian will remain visible with the team.”
