Boise State’s 13-game win streak is about staying in the moment. What’s the secret?
The Boise State men’s basketball team spends a lot of time practicing its game, but the Broncos also devote a significant chunk of time to mental preparation.
That mental strength has sustained the Broncos this season, and they roll into Friday’s Mountain West matchup against Fresno State sporting a 13-game winning streak, which has tied a school record. Tipoff is 9 p.m. Mountain time at Save Mart Center in Fresno, California, and the game will be televised on Fox Sports 1.
“We have a lot of talks about it. Even if you think you’re a person that lives in the present, that’s something that you have to practice and something that you have to learn how to do,” Boise State coach Leon Rice said during a Zoom interview Wednesday. “You can’t just do it and then think, ‘Well, I’ve always done it, so it’s gonna happen naturally.’ Everything else pulls you in other directions.”
Rice has cited his team’s overall maturity as a key factor to stay in the moment. The Broncos, still undefeated in conference play, start a fifth-year senior, three redshirt seniors and a freshman.
“I’ve learned that we’ve got a lot of mature, tough-minded guys that are really learned about athletics and about winning and about how important the response is,” Rice said. “It’s something we always harp on and I’ve talked about it a lot, but their response to all these situations that we’ve been in has been impeccable.
“… Mature doesn’t necessarily mean old. (Freshman) Tyson (Degenhart) has shown us that. He’s 19 years old and he’s got a maturity way, way beyond his years.”
Staying in the moment is about preparation for the task at hand. Looking ahead — or reveling in current accomplishments — can be a stumbling block, the coach said.
“We talk about the humility of preparation and you start to get tricked into thinking you’re special or the rules don’t apply to you,” Rice said. “I’m not speaking about our team, I’m speaking in general. Success can be intoxicating, and we have to stay sober.”
Friday’s game against Fresno State is the second meeting of the season between the two teams. Boise State opened conference play with a 65-55 win over the Bulldogs on Dec. 28 in Boise. At the time, Fresno State was playing without starter Anthony Holland, who was out because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
Both teams could be missing key players Friday. Fresno State 7-footer Orlando Robinson and Boise State guard Marcus Shaver Jr. suffered sprained ankles in their most recent outings. Robinson and Shaver did return to their respective games, and their status remains uncertain.
“Everything I’ve heard is he’s looking better and better … ,” Rice said of Shaver. “It’s probably still early. He doesn’t have to run around on it yet, so he’s got a couple more days.”
Fresno Bee reporter Robert Kuwada provided an update on Robinson’s status from Thursday’s practice.
“He’s banged up. He’s getting healthy. He’s working really hard doing that,” Fresno State coach Justin Hutson told the Fresno Bee. “We have a great strength, conditioning and athletic training staff. Orlando will show up and work hard. He’ll be ready. The percentage we don’t know yet.”
BOISE STATE AT FRESNO STATE
When: 9 p.m. MT Friday
Where: Save Mart Center (15,596), Fresno, California
TV: Fox Sports 1 (Tim Neverett, Richie Schueler). That’s DirecTV channel 219, DISH channel 150 and Sparklight channel 146.
Radio: 670 AM (Bob Behler, Abe Jackson)
Records: Boise State 16-4, 7-0 MW; Fresno State 14-5, 4-2
Series: Boise State 25-22
Last meeting: Boise State won 65-55 on Dec. 28, 2021, in Boise
Vegas line: Fresno State by 1
KenPom rating: Boise State 41; Fresno State 59
KenPom & ESPN predictions
Ken Pomeroy, who created the popular college basketball statistical website KenPom.com, ranks every Division I team using an adjusted efficiency margin, which Pomeroy defines as the difference between a team’s offensive and defensive efficiency.
According to Pomeroy’s detailed statistical analysis, Boise State has a 44% chance of beating Fresno State. His score prediction is a 58-56 Fresno State victory.
ESPN’s College Basketball Power Index: Fresno State has a 56.8% chance of winning with a predicted point differential of 1.5.
Women’s basketball: Broncos fall at Wyoming
Wyoming held Boise State to 28.3% shooting and the Cowgirls earned a regular-season series split with a 61-47 win over the Broncos on Wednesday at Arena-Auditorium in Laramie.
Paula Salazar and Alba Sanchez Ramos each scored 15 points for the Cowgirls (7-9, 3-4 MW), who lost to the Broncos 70-59 in Boise one week ago.
“It was really reminiscent of our game against Wyoming in the Mountain West Tournament last year,” Boise State coach Gordy Presnell said in a news release. “We never established post play whatsoever. We had great effort for the first two and a half quarters, but we have to do a better job offensively.”
Wyoming eliminated Boise State from the 2021 tournament by a score of 53-38, and the Broncos shot just 28% in the loss.
On Wednesday, sophomore point guard Mary Kay Naro led Boise State (7-12, 3-5) with nine points, four rebounds and two assists. Freshman forward Trista Hull added eight points and a career-high 11 rebounds, while freshman guard Jayda Clark chipped in eight points off the bench.
Boise State continues conference play at San Jose State on Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. Mountain time, and the game will be streamed live online on the Mountain West Network, or listen on the radio on 670 AM.
WYOMING 61, BOISE ST. 47
BOISE ST. (7-12, 3-5 MW): Mary Kay Naro 4-15 0-0 9; Jayda Clark 3-8 1-1 8; Trista Hull 2-10 4-8 8; Linsey Lovrovich 2-5 1-2 6; Abby Muse 2-4 2-5 6; Dominique Leonidas 2-6 1-2 5; Anna Ostlie 1-5 0-0 3; Rachel Bowers 1-4 0-0 2; Mackenzie Naro 0-2 0-0 0; Sydney McQuietor 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 17-60 9-18 47.
WYOMING (7-9, 3-4 MW): Paula Salazar 7-14 1-2 15; Alba Sanchez Ramos 6-11 1-2 15; Emily Mellema 3-8 4-5 10; Grace Ellis 4-8 0-2 9; Allyson Fertig 2-2 3-3 7; Quinn Weidemann 1-5 0-0 3; McKinley Bradshaw 1-11 0-0 2; Tommi Olson 0-4 0-0 0; Lexi Bull 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-63 9-14 61.
Boise St...................... 13 14 11 9 — 47
Wyoming....................... 16 15 19 11 — 61
3-point goals — Boise St. 4-18 (Clark 1-3; Ostlie 1-3; Naro 1-7; Lovrovich 1-3; Mac. Naro 0-2), Wyoming 4-16 (Sanchez Ramos 2-3; Weidemann 1-4; Ellis 1-2; Bradshaw 0-2; Olson 0-1; Mellema 0-3; Salazar 0-1). Fouled out — None. Rebounds — Boise St. 44 (Hull 11), Wyoming 44 (Sanchez Ramos 10). Assists — Boise St. 8 (Naro 2; Lovrovich 2; Leonidas 2), Wyoming 9 (Mellema 3). Total fouls — Boise St. 17, Wyoming 17. Technical fouls — None. A — 2009.
