Streaking Boise State Suffocates New Mexico State 81-63

Boise State put on a clinic last night in dismantling a talented and athletic New Mexico State team 81-63 in the semifinal of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament last night in Las Vegas.

Freshmen Ryan Watkins had eight points and Jeff Eloriaga six as Boise State jumped out of the gate to a 17-10 lead in a game in which the Broncos never trailed.  Then La'Shard Anderson took over.  Time after time, the senior guard penetrated the Aggie interior for shots or dishes to teammates for easy layups.  Anderson's flashing speed and quick starts and stops were too much for the Aggies, as Anderson created scoring opportunities or space with which to work his magic.  Anderson had a career-high nine assists on the evening.

Meanwhile, the Bronco defense was superb in bothering New Mexico State's top offensive weapon, Troy Gillenwater.  The Aggie star had averaged 29 points a game in two previous meetings with Boise State.  But Bronco coach Leon Rice worked out a brilliant game plan for dealing with him.  Boise State mixed up their defenses, sometimes doubling up on him to deny the ball, sometimes doubling and triple-teaming him once he caught it, and generally harassing him all evening.  Gillenwater finished with 12 points, but seemed frustrated and out of sync.

Paul Noonan hit a crucial three-pointer late in the half as Boise State built a 34-24 lead.  New Mexico State was able to make a jumper at the buzzer that counted to cut the lead to eight at halftime.

Coach Leon Rice's team continued to push the basketball up the floor and make great half-court decisions.  Anderson  played a tremendous game as the field general, and his heady play created numerous opportunities for his teammates.  Eloriaga hit another three-pointer to devastate the Aggies and give Boise State it's biggest lead at 42-30.  Shortly after, Robert Arnold bombed three consecutive three-pointers and Boise State's lead surged to 53-34.

The two teams traded baskets the rest of the way as soaring rebounds by Arnold and Daequon Montreal kept the Aggies from getting second chances.  The Broncos held NMSU to 43 percent shooting and just 31% (4-13) from three-point range.  Led by Eloriaga, Arnold and Noonan, the Broncos dealt deadly blows with 9-15 shooting from behind the arc.  Boise State collected its eighth win in a row, the most since Bobby Dye's Broncos won nine in a row 19 years ago.

Anderson and Watkins each had 16 points while Eloriaga had 12, Arnold and Montreal had 11 points each and Noonan added 11.  Montreal had a game-high nine rebounds and Arnold had seven.

Boise State won its 20th game of the season against 11 defeats.  The Broncos will see if they can finally topple four-time defending regular season champion Utah State tonight.  The #21 Aggies have been the class of the league and penetrating their defense won't be as easy as it was with New Mexico State.  Coach Stew Morrill is one of the top leaders in the land, and he will have his defense sag inside.  Anderson won't be able to penetrate as easily as he did tonight.  Utah State will say "We see you made the three-pointers tonight but let's just see if you can do it again."

If the Broncos can, they very well could be dancing.  Tipoff is at 8 p.m. tomorrow night.

Shame on Sports Illustrated for a Feature Story on Boise State's Traffic Tickets

I haven't broached this subject but I will just say that Sports Illustrated should be ashamed for equating the traffic tickets of Boise State football players with assault and battery and robbery of other schools.

Coach Chris Petersen, Athletic Director Gene Bleymaier and the entire athletic program do things the right way. When you have 100 football kids, someone's going to do the wrong thing.  When they do, they are punished for it.  That said, kids will be kids.  But to make a feature story in a national magazine somehow making the offenses that Boise State players are charged with on the same level as meth-related crimes, rape, robbery and murder is inexcusable.

And that's all that needs to be said about that subject.

Boise State in Fourth-Place Tie at Rainy Bandon Dunes Tourney

Heavy wind and rain wreaked havoc on the Bandon Dunes golf course and shortened play in the proposed 54-hole tournament this weekend.

Boise State is in a fourth-place tie when play was halted due to darkness.  More rain is forecast tonight and tomorrow and a decision on the number of holes to be played will be made tomorrow morning.

eam Results
1.     Notre Dame (317, +33)
2.     Idaho (324, +40)
3.     Gonzaga (331, +47)
4.     Boise State (333, +49)
T5.   Weber State (334, +50)
T5.   Utah Valley (334, +50)
7.     British Columbia (342, +58)

Individual Results (Top-Five and Boise State)
T1.    Tom Usher, Notre Dame (76, +5)
T1.    David Nuhn, Idaho (76, +5)
3.      Doug Fortner, Notre Dame (77, +6)
T4.    John Baranco, Boise State (80, +9)
T4.    Josh Sandman, Notre Dame (80, +9)
T4.    Kurt Owen, Weber State (80, +9)
T4.    Dane Christensen, Utah Valley (80, +9)
T10.  Robbie Richards, Boise State (82, +11)
T21.  Drew Surmeier, Boise State (85, +14)
T25.  Blake Brown, Boise State (86, +15)
T25.  Chris Byrne, Boise State (86, +15)

Utah State Holds Off Stubborn San Jose State 58-54

#23 Utah State advances to the WAC Championship game tomorrow night.

Cortney & Burnett 25th & 26th

Ciera Cortney and Amanda Burnett finished 25th and 26th today at the NCAA Regional Diving Championships in Minneapolis in the 1-meter competition and did not qualify for Nationals.

They will try again tomorrow in the platform diving.

Lady Broncos Disappointed After 6-1 Loss to UNLV

The Boise State women's tennis team is in a bit of a funk.  They were swept at home two weeks ago and today fell hard to UNLV 6-1.

Boise State's Felix Has Trouble in Specialty--High Jump

Just when he was doing so well, the roof fell in.

Boise State's Kurt Felix was in good shape after three events of the men's Heptathlon at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships in College Station, Texas.  The final event of the day was Felix's best event, the high jump, where he regularly clears 7-feet and higher.

On this day, however, he cleared 6-feet, 8-inches, and the chances of him attaining All-America status dimmed when the bar fell down.  Felix is not near as strong in the second day's events as he is the first day.  He is seeded last in the 60-meter hurdles, 11th in the pole vault and 7th in the 1,000-meters.  Meanwhile, most of the top competitors are putting up career-type numbers, making Kurt's task extremely difficult.  It's not out of the question, but the amazing Bronco athlete will have to excel at events in which he doesn't normally.

Here's the story in chronological order:

Kurt Felix of Boise State was fourth in the 60-meter dash, not one of his best events but certainly not one of his worst.  Felix was seeded ninth in the event, so that tells you where he's at. 



60-Meter Dash:
Silkaukas   962 points
Moss   915
Horn   879
Felix 865
Taiwo    861
Klech   854
Morrison   851
Barrefors   840
Lazas   840
Beach   837
Martin   830
Bray   823
Cleve   823
Rise   813
Cato   796
Sossah  759

Felix was the #6 seed in the Long Jump and finished fourth:
Long Jump:
Silkauskas    972 points
Felix        913
Morrison   898
Klech    896
Horn    883
Taiwo    881
Rise   874
Beach   869
Martin   862
Barrefors   862
Moss    852
Lazas   847
Bray    823
Cato   807
Cleve   790
Sossah   783



The Shot Put is an event where Felix did not do as well as he hoped.  He came in as the #4 seed and came in seventh.  I will post results shortly.

Shot Put:
1.  Rise    836 points
2.  Barrefors   747
3.  Cleve    724
4.  Moss   703
5.  Martin   700
5.  Sossah    700
7.  Felx     690
8.  Bray    698
9.  Lazas    684
10.  Horn   661
11.  Morrison   657
12.  Silkauskas    646
13.  Taiwo    603
14.  Beach   535
15.  Klech   527
16.  Cato   489


The fourth and final event of the day is complete and it is not good news.  Kurt's best event, the high jump, was one where he not only needed to win but win big.  Felix was the overwhelming favorite with no one in the field close to his best jump.  He was expected to score 963 points and he only got 850.  This means he is definitely out of the running for the title and it will be a long uphill climb to even get in the top eight. 

High Jump:
1.  Klech   906
2.  Taiwo    878
3.  Felix    850
3.  Martin   850
5.  Moss   822
5.  Horn   822
7.  Barrefors   794
7.  Rise   794
9.  Silkauskas   767
9.  Lazas     767
9.  Beach    767
9.  Sossah   767
9.  Morrison   767
14.  Cato   740
14.  Cleve   740
16.  Bray    661

Felix is #2 after the first day, but he should be way ahead to have a good chance at finishing in the top eight.  He is going to have to do far better on Day 2 than he has ever done in his life to reach the top eight.  This should be clear by reading the standings that show the amount (plus or minus) that each competitor is compared to their seed.  Felix is one of the only negative performers and his total negative number is one of the lowest in the field. 

As you can tell, Felix has 173 points to make up to reach the top eight.

Total after 4 Events:
1.  Silkauskas   3,347 (+46 points)  
2.  Felix    3,318  (Kurt is 67 points behind his WAC record performance.)
3.  Rise       3,317 (+75 points ahead of pace)
4.  Moss      3,292 (-3 points)
5.  Horn    3,265 (+53 points)
6.  Barrefors   3,243 (+96 points)
7.  Martin    3,242 (+91 points)
8.  Taiwo     3,223 (+153)
9.  Klech    3,183 (+24)
10.  Morrison  3,173 (+111)
11.  Lazas     3,137 (-23)
12.  Cleve    3,077 (+16)
13.  Sossah     3,009 (-31)
14.  Beach     3,008 (-136)
15.  Bray      2,994 (-157)
16.  Cato      2,832


Projected Total Based on First Day Performance:
1.  Barrefors   5,912
2.  Moss     5,900
3.  Taiwo     5,899
4.  Horn    5,869
5.  Rise       5,831
6.  Martin    5,819
7.  Morrison  5,805
8.  Silkauskas   5,797
9.  Cato      5,742
10.  Cleve 5,714
11.  Klech    5,709
12.  Beach     5,680
13.  Lazas     5,651
14.  Sossah     5,643
15.  Felix    5,624
16.  Bray      5,514

Guide to NCAA Men's Heptathlon

Kurt Felix competes today and tomorrow against the best in the nation in College Station, Texas in the Heptathlon.  The multi-event competition tests student-athletes in seven events:  60-meter dash, Long Jump, High Jump, Shot Put, Pole Vault and 1,000-meter run.

Felix has taken fourth place in the 60-meter dash.  Those results will be in the post above.

Here are the competitors in the Heptathlon:

1  Miller Moss                      SR Clemson                     5903
  2  Curtis Beach                  SO Duke                         5816
  3  Bjorn Barrefors              JR Nebraska                    5816
  4  Gray Horn                      JR Florida                        5816
  5  Lars Rise                        SR Missouri                     5756
  6  Mantas Silkauskas          JR Kansas State             5751 
 7  Jeremy Taiwo                 SO Washington               5746
  8  Japheth Cato                  FR Wisconsin                  5742
  9  Romain Martin                FR UT-Arlington              5728
10  Moritz Cleve                   SR Kansas State              5698
11  Michael Morrison             SR California                  5694
12  Kurt Felix                        JR Boise State                 5691
13  David Klech                    SR Oregon                       5685
14  Kevin Lazas                     FR Arkansas                   5674
15  Mateo Sossah                  SR North Carolina           5674
16  Wesley Bray                    SR Houston                     5671

Miller Moss:

60-Meter Dash:     6.93           907 points (Won ACC)

Long Jump:          7.31m           888 (Won ACC)

Shot Put:             13.32m          687 (2nd in ACC)

High Jump:             2.01m         813 (Won ACC) 

60-meter Hurdles:      7.99       984 (won ACC)

Pole vault:                 4.70m     819 (Won ACC)

1,000-Meter Run:   2:46.24     805

Bjorn Barrefors:

60-Meter Dash:    7.10       847 (4th in Big 12)

Long Jump:           7.17m    854 (2nd in Big 12)

Shot Put:              13 .85m   719

High Jump:            2.06m    859 (1st in Big 12)

60-Meter Hurdles:  8.10      957 (2nd in Big 12)

Pole Vault:             4.90m   880 (2nd in Big 12)

1,000 Meters:     2:56.43     700

Lars Rise:

60-Meter Dash      7.25        796

Pole Vault:            4.70m       819 (4th in Big 12)

60-Meter Hurdles:   8.45        872

High Jump:             1.94m      749

Shot Put:               16.10m     857 (Won Big 12)

Long Jump              7.11m     840 (3rd in Big 12)

1,000-Meter Run:   2:44.60     823

Kevin Lazas, Arkansas:

60-Meter Dash:               7.11 844 (3rd in SEC)

High Jump:                   2.00m 803 (Won SEC)

Long Jump:                  7.19m 859 (3rd in SEC)

Shot Put:                    13.21m 680 (3rd in SEC)

60-Meter Hurdles:          8.68  818

Pole Vault:                  4.90m  880 (2nd in SEC)

1,000-Meter Run:     2:47.71  790 (4th in SEC)

Jeremy Taiwo, Washington:

60-Meter Dash:         7.15      830

Long Jump:             7.00m     814 (4th in Pac-10)

Shot Put:                 13.03m   669

High Jump:               1.96m    767

60-Meter Hurdles:    8.29       910 (2nd in Pac-10)

Pole Vault:                4.75m   834 (2nd in Pac-10)

1,000-Meter Run:  2:35.68     922 (2nd in Pac-10)

Mantas Silkauskas, Kansas State

60-Meter Dash:      6.74       977 (Won Big 12)

Long Jump:          7.40m     910 (Won Big 12)

Shot Put:            12.97m       665

High Jump:            1.94m        749

60-Meter Hurdles:  7.89 5   1010 (Won Big 12)

Pole Vault:            4.30m      702

 1,000 Meters:    2:52.64     738

Moritz Cleve:

60-Meter Dash:    7.25  3    796

Long Jump:           6.60m   720

Shot Put:            14.23m     742 (4th in Big 12)

High Jump            2.00m    803 (3rd in Big 12)

60-Meter Hurdles: 8.20       932 (3rd in Big 12)

Pole Vault:           4.70m     819 (4th in Big 12)

1,000 Meters  :  2:38.85     886 (Won Big 12)

Gray Horn, Florida:

60-Meter Dash:     6.99      886 (Won SEC)

High Jump:           1.94m  749 (3rd in SEC)

Long Jump:        7.35m    898 (2nd in SEC)

Shot Put:          13.20m    679

60-Meter Hurdles:  8.00    998 (Won SEC)

Pole Vault:            4.80m     840

1,000-Meter Run:  2:49.2    877

Kurt Felix:

60-Meter Dash:    7.10         847 (Won WAC)

Long Jump:         7.22m      866 (Won WAC)

Shot Put:             13.71m     711 (Won WAC)

High Jump:           2.17m     963  (Won WAC)  

60-Meter Hurdles:   8.46       869 (Won WAC)

Pole Vault:            4.13m       654 

1,000-Meter Run:   2:48.49     781 (2nd in WAC)

Curtis Beach:

60-Meter Dash:       7.07         858 (2nd in ACC)

High Jump:           1.98m         785

Long Jump:           7.35m       898 (Won ACC)

60-Meter Hurdles:   8.32        903 (3rd in ACC)

Shot Put:              11.95m      603

Pole Vault:              4.60m      790

1,000-Meter Run:  2:30.78     979 (Won ACC)

     

Sossah Mateo

60-Meter Dash:        7.47       723

High Jump:              2.04m    840 (Won ACC)

Long Jump:             6.87m     783

60-Meter Hurdles:    8.31       905 (2nd in ACC)

Shot Put:               13.49m    697 (2nd in ACC)

Pole Vault:              4.70m   819 (3rd in ACC)

1,000-Meter Run:  2:36.98     907 (2nd in ACC)

David Klech, Oregon

60-Meter Dash:         7.01       879 (Won Pac-10)
Long Jump:               7.42m    915 (Won Pac-10)
Shot Put:                  10.48m     515
High Jump:               2.05m     850 (Won Pac-10)
60-Meter Hurdles:     7.99       984 (Won Pac-10)
Pole Vault:                3.85m    576
1,000-Meter Run:    2:31.90     966 (Won Pac-10)

Michael Morrison, California

60-Meter Dash:          7.11       844

Long Jump:              7.15m      850 (2nd in Pac-10)

Shot Put:                 13.22m     681

High Jump:               1.87m      687

60-Meter Hurdles:    8.37         891 (3rd in Pac-10)

Pole Vault:               4.25m      688

1,000-Meter Run:    2:42.24     849

Romain Martin, Texas Arlington

60-Meter Dash:          6.76      816 

Pole Vault:                 4.90       880

High Jump:               2.03        831

Shot Put:                13-27        684

Long Jump:               6.99       811

 60-Meter Hurdles:    8:31       905

1,000-Meter Run:   2:46.33     804

Wesley Bray, Houston

60-Meter Dash:          7.06      861

Pole Vault:                 4.80       849

Long Jump:               7.26        876

60-Meter Hurdles:     8.32        903

High Jump:               1.90        714

Shot Put:                13.54        700

1,000-Meter Run:  2:49.78      768

To help you track the competition, here is how each competitor stacks up in each of the seven events:

60-Meter Dash:

Silkauskas, Mantas, Kansas State          6.74       977

Romain Martin, Texas Arlington                6.76      816

Bjorn Barrefors, Nebraska                         6.93      907

 Miller Moss, Clemson                               6.93      907   

 Gray Horn Florida                                     6.99      886

 Davaid Klech, Oregon                              7.01      879

Wesley Bray, Houston                              7.06       861
Curtis Beach, Duke                                 7.07        858

Felix, Kurt, Boise State                            7.10       847

 Morrison, Michael, California                  7.11        844

Kevin Lazas Arkansas                            7.11        844

Taiwo, Jeremy, Washington                   7.15       830

Rise, Lars, Missouri                                7.25       796

Cleve, Moritz, Kansas State                   7.25       796

Mateo Sossah, North Carolina               7.47      723

Long Jump:

Klech, David, Oregon                             7.42m      915

Silkauskas, Mantas, Kansas State        7.40m       910

Gray Horn,Florida                                  7.35m        898

Miller Moss, Clemson                             7.31m        888

Wesley Bray, Houston                          7.26m          876

Kurt Felix, Boise State                          7.22m         866

 Morrison, Michael, California               7.15m          850

Curtis Beach, Duke                               7.35m         898

Rise, Lars, Missouri                              7.11m         840

Kevin Lazas Arkansas                         7.19m          859

Romain Martin, Texas Arlington          6.99m          811

Mateo Sossah, North Carolina            6.87m          783

Barrefors, Bjorn, Nebraska                  7.17m          854

Taiwo, Jeremy, Washington                7.00m           814

Cleve, Moritz, Kansas State                6.60m         720

Shot Put:

Rise, Lars, Missouri                          16.10m       857

Cleve, Moritz, Kansas State             14.23m      742

Barrefors, Bjorn, Nebraska               13.85m       719

Felix, Kurt, Boise State                    13.71m       711

Wesley Bray, Houston                      13.54m      700

Mateo Sossah, North Carolina           13.49m     697

Miller Moss, Clemson                         13.32m     687

Romain Martin, Texas Arlington          13.27m    684

Morrison, Michael, California              13.22m    681

Kevin Lazas, Arkansas                       13.21m    680

Gray Horn, Florida                             13.20m     679

Taiwo, Jeremy,  Washington              13.03m    669

Silkauskas, Mantas, Kansas State      12.97m   665

Curtis Beach, Duke                             11.95m   603

Klech, David, Oregon                           10.48m  515

High Jump: 

Felix, Kurt, Boise State                        2.17m     963   

Barrefors, Bjorn, Nebraska                  2.06m    859

Klech, David, Oregon                          2.05m    850

Mateo Sossah, North Carolina             2.04m    840

Romain Martin, Texas Arlington           2.03      840

Miller Moss, Clemson                          2.01m     813

Kevin Lazas, Arkansas                        2.00m      803

Curtis Beach, Duke                              1.98m     785

Taiwo, Jeremy, Washington                 1.96m     767

Rise, Lars,  Missouri                             1.94m     749

Silkauskas, Mantas, Kansas State       1.94m     749

Gray Horn Florida                                 1.94m    749

Wesley Bray, Houston                         1.90m      714

Morrison, Michael,  California               1.87m    687