Sunday, February 8, 2015

Red-Hot Boise State Silences San Diego State 61-46

San Diego State came into the day as the #1 team in the Mountain West Conference and third in the nation in scoring defense, but Boise State was the team that held their opponent under 50 points this afternoon before a crowd of 10,511 in Taco Bell Arena.

The streaking Broncos have now won seven consecutive games and are the hottest team in the league.  San Diego State, which had been allowing 53.5 points a game, got a dose of their own medicine on this day, with Boise State holding the Aztecs to 35.7% from the floor.

The seven straight conference wins ties the school record set by the 1986-87 Bronco team and tied by the 1987-88 and 1995-96 teams.
Nick Duncan drilled three consecutive three-pointers in the space of one minute as Boise State jumped out to a 17-4 lead.  So complete was Boise State's clampdown on defense that the Aztecs had just 10 points with less than five minutes remaining in the first half.  The Broncos went into the locker room up 30-18.

Coach Steve Fischer's Aztecs chipped away at the lead, closing to 34-30 with 14:22 remaining on a layup by Ageel Quinn.  But Rob Heyer came out of the time out with a three-pointer, and James Webb III followed with a trey of his own on the next possession, and the Broncos were never threatened after that.

Senior Derrick Marks led Boise State with 19 points to pass Coby Karl for third place on the all-time scoring list.  Marks will finish his outstanding Bronco career behind only Tanoka Beard and Steve Connor.  Webb III had 17 points and 7 rebounds and Duncan was perfect from the field for 12 points for Coach Leon Rice's Broncos.

Boise State committed just six turnovers while forcing San Diego State into 13 miscues, with the Broncos converting most of those into points.

J.J. O'Brien netted 16 points to lead the Aztecs, with scoring help from Winston Shepard, who contributed 12 points.

Boise State moved within a half game of first place with the victory.  San Diego State and Wyoming continue to lead with 8-3 conference records, but the Broncos are breathing down their necks now with a 7-3 record.

Boise State hosts Air Force Wednesday night at 7.

Emma Bates Needs Our Concern

Emma Bates has done so much for Boise State over the years.  The ten-time All-American has always handled herself with so much class and been an outstanding representative of the school. 
 Now, she needs our concern.  Emma always finishes near the top of every race she is ever in.  Yesterday at the U.S.A. Cross Country Championships, when the temperature in Boulder, Colorado was an unseasonably warm 71 degrees, Bates did not finish the race.  According to a representative of U.S.A. Track & Field, and he stressed that this was "Very Unofficial", he believes that Emma required medical attention for "heat-related issues".

We can only hope that Emma is O.K. this morning.  Get the rest and fluids you need, Emma, and get better soon!