Broncos Pull Away From San Jose State 66-51

Whatever they're paying Leon Rice, they'd better double it.

Rice has Boise State playing like world beaters.  They've won seven straight now with a 66-51 victory tonight in the last WAC game ever in Boise.  That's a pretty good way to head into the WAC Tournament.  The last time a Boise State team won seven consecutive games, Rod Jensen was the head coach.

La'Shard Anderson once again led Boise State with 18 points.  6'7 forward Paul Noonan did not score inside, getting all of his 12 points on three-point shots while Westly Perryman had one of his better games of late with 11 points.  Daequon Montreal cleared the boards for the Broncos with nine rebounds.  Adrian Oliver had 30 points for San Jose State, but the Spartans were still held to season lows in points and field goal percentage (29.1%).

We already know the Broncos have a first-round bye as well as a second-round bye.  They automatically advance into the conference semifinal game.  If they can keep the same energy level they've been playing at (and there's no reason to think anything different), they have as good a chance at winning the thing as anyone else.  That Boise State had already clinched the #2 seed and still played inspired basketball tells us a lot about the way this team is playing right now.  San Jose State (15-14, 5-11 in conference) needed a win to avoid being the #8 seed and still got beaten by 15.



The Spartans did close to seven points with six minutes remaining.  But Boise State responded down the stretch to claim the win.

Boise State is now 19-11 on the season and they finish their final WAC campaign with a 10-6 conference mark. The Broncos will play Friday at 9 p.m. in one of the conference semifinal games against the winner of the New Mexico State-Nevada/Fresno State game.