New and improved? Boise State hoops changes things up amid losing skid
In the immediate moments after Boise State basketball’s 93-68 home loss to Utah State last week, head coach Leon Rice declared something had to be done differently.
The Broncos’ losing streak was three games then — it’s four now — and two of those losses, against Utah State and a 75-58 home loss to Grand Canyon, ranked among the three worst home defeats under Rice.
“I’m not going to be insane,” Rice said after the Utah State loss. “I’m not going to keep doing the same things.”
True to his word, the Broncos did look different against UNLV in Las Vegas on Tuesday night. It didn’t lead to a win — UNLV emerged 89-85 victors in overtime — but the team was way more competitive.
The primary change was moving away from reliance on the 3-point shot and attacking the rim more aggressively. Across the first three games of the Broncos’ current losing streak, they shot 25-for-87 (28.7%) from beyond the arc. Changing things up, Boise State used more screens and high-low action to reach the rim at UNLV.
The Broncos scored 48 points in the paint against the Rebels, winning that battle 48-46. In losses to San Diego State, Grand Canyon and Utah State, they lost the inside scoring competition by an average of 42-27.
“We’ve got to keep doubling down on what’s doing good, and keep teaching and keep coaching,” Rice said Thursday afternoon. “That happens in the course of a year. You’re getting ready for games, and you’re moving so fast, and you’re like, maybe we haven’t been focusing enough on the things that we’re doing good.”
That doesn’t mean the Broncos will move away from the 3-point shot altogether, even though they were just 3-for-14 from 3-point range against the Rebels. Five players are shooting the three-ball at over 35% on the year, and three of those — senior forward Javan Buchanan (35.2%), and junior forwards Andrew Meadow (38.2%) and Drew Fielder (36.4%) — are regular starters.
Fielder sank a 3-point shot at the buzzer to send Tuesday’s game against UNLV to overtime.
“The more pressure we put on the basket, the more overloads we’re going to get from three,” Fielder said. “The better we are at the basket, the better our threes are going to get.”
Boise State (9-8, 1-5 Mountain West) has a chance to break its losing streak Friday night at ExtraMile Arena against Colorado State (11-6, 2-4), which is coming off a 10-point road loss to Fresno State.
The Rams, an NCAA Tournament team a year ago, have struggled in conference play, but some of that can be attributed to the absence of sophomore big man Kyle Jorgensen. The 6-foot-9 forward was Colorado State’s leading scorer (13.8) until he went down with a knee injury in late December. He was listed as questionable and missed the loss to Fresno, but could return Friday night.
“They’re a really good basketball team,” Rice said. “... They’re not underestimating us. I know that we’re not underestimating them. It’s two teams with their backs against the wall trying to fight their way out.”
