BOISE, Idaho — Boise State men's basketball continues to ride an impressive four-game winning streak in conference play, but it is always about the next game in this year's tough Mountain West.
The Broncos (14-4, 4-1 MWC) welcome Nevada (15-4, 5-1 MWC) to ExtraMile Arena on Tuesday at 7 p.m. MT, and the stakes could not be any higher.
Boise State has not lost since its last-second, 74-72 defeat against the Wolf Pack back on Dec. 28, 2022. Tuesday's showdown gives the Broncos an opportunity to surpass Nevada atop the Mountain West standings.
In the Broncos' dominant 84-66 win at UNLV on Jan. 11, Boise State exploded in the second half, shooting 71.8% from the field and 61.5% from the three in the final 20 minutes at the Thomas & Mack Center
Against Wyoming on Saturday, the Broncos led by just eight at halftime. Once again, Boise State rolled out of the break in Laramie, hitting three consecutive three-pointers. The single-digit lead turned into a 20-point advantage with less than 14 minutes to play.
Boise State went on to beat the Cowboys 85-68. The win marked the Broncos' third-straight 80-point effort against Mountain West opponents.
One player bringing a spark in the final 20 minutes of contests is Texas Tech transfer and standout guard Chibuzo Agbo. He has tied the team high in scoring in both of Boise State's last two wins, with almost all of his points coming in the final stanza.
Against the Runnin' Rebels, Agbo scored 17 points, with 15 coming in the second half. On Saturday, the junior registered 16 of his 18 points in the final 20 minutes.
During Monday's media availability, redshirt-senior guard Max Rice said the late-game surges are helping elevate Boise State's entire roster.
"During the [Wyoming] game, [Agbo said] 'I'm a second-half player. Like, I feel like I play a lot better in the second half,' and I was like, 'well that's good mindset to have because it's really working for you right now.' I think it's just nice to have a second-half player like that, who can kind of push you over the edge, and there's really no drop off from the first half when you have a guy like that coming out aggressive," Rice said.
After loosing key players like Abu Kigab and Emmanuel Akot from last year's NCAA Tournament squad, Rice said Agbo has been the "perfect piece we were missing and that we needed to fill in this year."
Rice has also been on a tear this season as a full-time starter and clear leader. During the Broncos' four-game winning streak, Rice has been scoring in double digits, including a 17-point performance in the win at Wyoming.
The Wolf Pack knocked off Utah State 85-70 in their last outing. Nevada has won seven of its last eight games, with its only loss over the last month coming on the road against then ranked San Diego State.
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