Leon Rice shared his thoughts after Boise State’s 82-65 win over Utah State in Mountain West Conference play:
The Broncos pulled away in the second half, outscoring Utah State 45-34 to claim the victory. Boise State had a 37-31 lead at halftime, securing a regular-season split with the Aggies, who had won the first matchup 81-79.
Rice said, “That was a game where you had to wear them down physically. We have a lot of strong players who can do that.”
This win marked Boise State’s second consecutive home victory over a top Mountain West team, following a 86-78 triumph over New Mexico the previous week.
Tyson Degenhart led the way with 21 points, while Andrew Meadow added 17 points and five rebounds, and Alvaro Cardenas contributed 16 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. With three consecutive wins, Boise State (20-8, 12-5) is firmly in the NCAA Tournament hunt as they head into a road game at Fresno State on Saturday.
Utah State’s Mason Falslev had 19 points, three rebounds, and three assists in the loss.
Rice spoke on a few key points during his postgame radio interview:
On Boise State’s improving defense:
“Watching the tape from the last game against them, we played well offensively but struggled defensively. Utah State is really good, they pressure the rim, attack well, and spread you out. If they get by you and get to the rim, it opens up 3s. We’ve improved defensively, staying in the gaps and understanding our defense better.”
On Alvaro Cardenas running the offense:
“He knows exactly when and where to pass the ball. His teammates are lucky to play with a point guard like him. They’re doing a better job of getting open, knowing they’ll get the ball when they do.”
On the crowd at ExtraMile Arena:
“Our fans were great tonight. A big shout-out to the kids who came out on a school night at 8:30 – I know it’s tough on families, but they saw an excellent performance by the Broncos and two great teams.”
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