What Happened?

The Broncos were literally run out of the Pit 65-84. Tyson Degenheart and Javon Buchanan led the Broncos with 14 points, respectively. Donovan Dent led New Mexico with 16 points and 7 assists. The Broncos lost in every category that mattered. This game is a big black eye on the season.

To be clear, a loss in The Pit isn’t the worst thing in the world. Lots of great teams lose here. Losing by 19 (and having a lead as large as 29) is unacceptable for a team that was projected to be leading the conference and fighting for a bid to the NCAA tournament.

Editor’s Note: The game was not good.

Tale As Old As Time

Once again, the Broncos prove they can’t do it on the big stage on the road. The 3-point well ran dry tonight, with the Broncos shooting an abysmal 5-24. 4 of those 3’s came in the second half. The Broncos had 16, that’s right, 16 turnovers. When playing a team that thrives on fast break points that seal the game. New Mexico had 29 fast break points. That’s more points than the Broncos team in the first half. Just an utter embarrassment for this whole team and even more on Leon Rice.

The team looked unprepared and rattled from the start. UNM opened the game on a 10-2 run. From there, with the crowd behind them, it was over. The Bronco fans I talked to turned off the game as early as 3 minutes left in the first half. There is no belief that this team can overcome adversity. When personnel and game plan decisions keep failing, it’s hard to blame them.

Last night’s loss was a snapshot of the big picture this season. In ideal conditions at home, the Broncos are good. On the road and/or in big games, the Broncos fold like a wet paper bag. (Do wet paper bags fold?) Obviously some of the blame is on the players because, well, they’re the ones on the court. That said, you have to wonder about the coaching staff and their ability to use these players in their best positions.

Excuses and… More Excuses

Bronco fans will rightly point out that the officiating whistle wasn’t in our favor in our last two road games. That’s where in-game adjustments need to happen. UNM realized it was going to be a physical game. They just kept feeding the post, knowing nothing was going to happen. The Broncos kept moving farther from the paint, afraid to attack, not knowing if they would get the foul call.

This is a trend in these big road games. The Broncos have 3 conference losses so far this season. Home vs San Diego State, at Utah State, and at New Mexico. The team lost the battle for points in the paint in both road games. They also attempted fewer free throws than their opponent. To some, those stats are unrelated. I see the Broncos being afraid to go into the paint because they won’t be rewarded with FT’s. The team settled for contested 3-point attempts that didn’t go in, in both games. That is a fundamental failure for the coaching staff. Why are there no changes to the game plan?

Have We Hit the Ceiling?

With all great teams and coaches, sometimes there is an imaginary ceiling that just can’t be broken. It’s not unfair to ask if we have hit this ceiling with this coaching staff. Leon has done wonders for this program in his 15 years. When we sold out Taco Bell Arena, he walked across the Boise River and rode horses across campus. Leon has done more good than anyone could have imagined when he was hired. And yet, I think it’s time for new blood to propel this team forward. I hope I’m wrong, but the numbers don’t lie. This season is a wash with only hopes of an NIT birth unless major changes happen.

Looking Forward

The Broncos continue their road trip to Fort Collins to play Colorado State. Every game matters going forward now. As it stands, the Broncos would be the 6th seed going into the Mountain West Tournament. That would mean missing out on the first-round bye. This is unacceptable for a team that was picked to win the conference. Fingers crossed that this is rock bottom, and we can finally celebrate a decent road win.

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