BOISE, Idaho — Monday Special: March 9, 2022.
As you know, the Scott Slant column is a Wednesday-only thing these days. Except for today. This is a one-trick pony, as in, Boise State men’s basketball. It’s only appropriate. It didn’t take but a few minutes into the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on CBS Sunday to find out that Boise State will be playing Memphis Thursday in the West Region in Portland. And that the Broncos, despite winning both the Mountain West regular season and tournament championships—and winning 24 of their last 27 games—only earned a No. 8 seed in the Big Dance.
Some are blaming storylines, like the rematch of an NIT quarterfinal last year between Boise State and Memphis—and the possibility of Leon Rice finally facing Gonzaga coach Mark Few for the first time. But I don’t think the selection committee cares about that. It just couldn’t let go of the Broncos’ November ledger. Every game counts. Colorado State, which landed a No. 6 seed, didn’t have a loss like Boise State’s against Cal State Bakersfield. But it does put the proverbial chip on the Broncos’ collective shoulders, and that is not a bad thing.
THE NIGHT AFTER THANKSGIVING
Think back to how everyone was feeling after the 46-39 loss to Cal State Bakersfield in ExtraMile Arena on November 26. Boise State’s struggles in late February and March last year weren’t even going to be an issue. How were the Broncos and coach Leon Rice going to dig themselves out in December after that debacle? How were they going to engage fans?
Well, they didn’t lose faith when just about everybody else had. Inside the locker room, Boise State knew what it had with this team. The 3-4 record after on overtime loss in the following game would not be a death sentence. The story will long be remembered. Rice made the gutsy decision to dismiss Devonaire Doutrive from the team and make Tyson Degenhart a permanent starter. Then came the 14-game winning streak, and the rest is, as they say…
A MOVE UP MOUNT RUSHMORE
As someone who has watched this program for more than 50 years, I can tell you that was a pretty emotional rushing of the court by the Broncos Saturday in Las Vegas, especially with the way last season ended and this season started. Regardless of what happens in the NCAA Tournament, you can write it down: this is the best team in Boise State history. The 53-52 win over San Diego State in Saturday’s MW Tournament championship game seals it. For 34 years, I hung onto the 1987-88 team that won the Big Sky and came within five points of upsetting Michigan in the NCAA Tournament. But not now.
COMPLETING THE SDSU SWEEP
The San Diego State game was a composite of Boise State’s season. On one end, there were some offensive struggles and free throw woes. On the other end, there was lock-down defense, including a stop for the ages on the Aztecs’ final possession. SDSU had 29 seconds to work with. Degenhart contested a layin by Aztecs star Matt Bradley—then Emmanuel Akot clogged the lane as Trey Pulliam tried a floater at the buzzer, and the celebration was on. Degenhart, after going scoreless in Friday night’s semifinal win over Wyoming, led the Broncos with 13 points and accounted for the winning points when he backed down Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year Nathan Mensah and banked one in with his left hand.
In the end, the all-important rebounding column was finally true to form for Boise State. San Diego State pulled down a whopping 12 offensive boards in the first half, and that’s why the Broncos led by only three points. The Aztecs shot 29 percent in the first half, but they were able to take 12 more shots than Boise State. The Broncos bore down after halftime and ended up winning the battle of the glass 37-34. Did you notice the Aztecs snared just one offensive rebound in the second half? This is only the second time in 17 years SDSU has suffered a three-game sweep at the hands of one team in a single season.
KIGAB’S SURREAL SATURDAY
You hear lots of stories about families seeing their loved ones play college basketball for the first time. But this one came at a magical moment in the life of Abu Kigab. His girlfriend helped arrange for his mom and brother to fly to Las Vegas for their first Boise State hoops game Friday night. KTVB’s Will Hall posted video of Kigab up in the stands hugging his mom after the semifinal win over Wyoming. Sure looked like she was crying. Kigab, too, perhaps. Then they got to see the ultimate Saturday. After leading Boise State with 22 points against the Cowboys, Kigab put up 11 against the Aztecs and keyed the Broncos’ defensive effort. Mom and brother watched him hoist the trophy—and accept the Mountain West Tournament MVP award.
THIS WIN WENT NINE DEEP
Boise State got only four points from its bench in the championship game. But the Broncos don’t win this without their reserves. Mladen Armus and Marcus Shaver Jr. got into foul trouble, and Emmanuel Akot twisted an ankle with 2:40 left in the first half. The Aztecs hadn’t scored since the 5:42 mark, and they’d remain scoreless for the rest of the half as the Broncos went with Kigab, Degenhart, Max Rice, Lukas Milner and Pavle Kuzmanovic. Milner made one of the biggest plays of the game during that stretch, blocking a Mensah dunk attempt. Rice had four points in the game on 1-for-5 shooting, but somehow he gathered a team-high nine rebounds.
LADDERS AND SCISSORS AND PIECES OF TWINE
There’s only one way to finish this column. From the “I couldn’t have said it better myself” department comes this from Wendy Green, a longtime Scott Slant reader (and former radio colleague):
For a couple of hours Saturday, there was no Russian invasion, no Ukrainian refugees or civilian casualties amid cities reduced to rubble. There was no climate change, no drought, no anxiety about when, or if, we might get precipitation.
There were no soaring gas prices, no inflation, no political finger pointing. Pandemic? In recess, for two hours. There was no Ammon Bundy making life hell for hospital workers in yet another political stunt. Hell, there wasn't even angst about my struggle to lose weight and determination to keep trying.
There were only these young men, Black and White, from Boise, Phoenix and Spokane, Serbia, Canada and Sudan, committed to a purpose and to each other. There was unselfishness and trust in one another as we seldom see. There was talent, but mostly grit, willing their bodies to run and leap and dive through their exhaustion to achieve their goal.
There were ladders and scissors and pieces of twine. There were protracted, genuine, rib-crushing embraces amid a shower of blue and orange confetti.
God, I want to hug 'em all. And how was your day, my friend?
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March 14, 1982, 40 years ago today: The Idaho Vandals, led by Brian Kellerman, Phil Hopson and Big Sky Player of the Year Ken Owens—and legendary coach Don Monson—go next door to Pullman to play their first round NCAA Tournament game against Iowa. The thriller went into overtime with Idaho, the No. 3 seed in the West Region, pulling out a 69-67 win to advance to the Sweet Sixteen against Ralph Miller and the Oregon State Beavers. OSU was victorious in that one, 60-42. The best hoops team in Vandal history finished the season 27-3.
(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra and anchors four sports segments each weekday on 95.3 FM KTIK. He also served as color commentator on KTVB’s telecasts of Boise State football for 14 seasons.)
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