What happened?
Boise State wins 82-65 vs Utah State. Tyson led all scorers with 21 points. Alvaro chipped in with 16 points and 7 assists, and Andrew had 17 points and 5 rebounds. Utah State was led by Mason Falslev who had 19 points. This was a total team win, with everyone contributing.
Pearson had another strong performance with 9 points and a phenomenal block. Omar had a solid 10 points and looked like the old Omar. It’s easy to look at Tyson’s numbers and think he’s doing all the heavy lifting, he’s not. Tyson went into the locker room with only 5 points. That’s what makes this team so dangerous. Other players carry the banner on nights when the star is slow off the blocks.
Total Demoralization
When this Bronco team is rolling, it kinda feels like watching Ashton Jeanty run the football. The team is built on the fundamentals: rebounding, defense, and free throws. It’s nothing flashy or awe-inspiring most days. But watch out when all 3 phases are clicking, because those 3-5 yard runs turn into a 75-yard highlight reel, or in this team’s case, a basic three-man weave into the ol’ reliable Alvaro-to-Tyson pick and roll.
That’s how that second half felt. The lead never got below four and incrementally increased as the Broncos took care of business defensively and made their free throws. There were many fouls in the last 6 minutes of the ball game, and in that stretch, the Broncos went 17-20 to USU’s 13-20. Those things add up, and in the end, the best team won.
What Does This Win Mean?
This win gave us the last key to unlock the at-large birth. Going into the month of February, we knew the margin of error was thin. After the loss to SDSU, the margin evaporated. Every night was a play-in game. Credit to this team; they took the challenge, and it’s paying off. At the moment, the Broncos are sitting in the “Last 4 In”. Take care of business and that can improve.
This win also puts the conference on notice. There isn’t a hotter team in the conference than the Broncos, having won 7/8 with more wins on the horizon. It is instrumental that the Broncos keep playing their basketball because March is coming. If Tyson is going to be playing like this, I don’t think there are many teams that can stop us.
What’s Next?
The Broncos travel to Cal State Fresno on Saturday to play in front of 10’s of people. The Broncos just need to keep taking care of business. (Have we mentioned the Broncos need to take care of business?) Do that, and March could finally be special.
Writers P.S
My Grandma loved BSU sports and she especially loved basketball because I loved it. She always looked forward to the games against Utah State because her cousin lived in Logan and was a big USU fan. She would stay up to watch the games and hoped that she would be the one to call and gloat. My grandma passed away in January, making this was the first win overt USU that I wasn’t able to celebrate with her. So today, I will do the gloating for her.
