LAS VEGAS — Editor's note: The video above this article was published March 9.
Update: Boise State defeated Nevada 71-69 Thursday. A game recap of the Broncos' quarterfinal win can be viewed here.
Hot on the heels of a historic Mountain West Conference regular-season championship season, the Boise State men's basketball team looks to defend its throne and No. 1 overall seed against No. 8-seeded Nevada on Thursday at 1 p.m. MT.
The Broncos (24-7, 15-3 MW) ride into the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas with momentum after head coach Leon Rice was named conference Coach of the Year and forward Tyson Degenhart earned Mountain West Freshman of the Year on Tuesday.
However, Nevada (13-17, 6-12) calls for a tougher matchup with Boise State on the court than the Wolf Pack may show on paper. The Broncos swept Nevada in their two regular-season matchups in 2022 for the first time since 2016, but Nevada took down No. 9 New Mexico 79-72 Wednesday night.
The Wolf Pack also took down Boise State 89-82 in last year's conference tournament quarterfinal 364 days ago, setting the table for the Broncos to return the favor Thursday afternoon.
Boise State has struggled in Las Vegas as of late, losing in the tournament quarterfinal five out of the last six years, including losses to Nevada last year and in 2019. The Broncos advanced to the Mountain West semifinal in 2020 and 2015.
The Broncos will lean on their veterans to ensure history does not repeat itself. Boise State All-Mountain West Second Team honorees Abu Kigab and Marcus Shaver Jr. should play a massive role if the Broncos seek a semifinal berth Thursday.
Bronco Nation can keep up with the score, updates and highlights from Thursday's game with KTVB's Game Tracker and live blog. Scroll down to find KTVB's Game Tracker, which will have the latest scores and a live blog with the newest tweets and updates by KTVB's Jay Tust and Will Hall from Las Vegas.
Nevada had a pair of guards earn All-Mountain West Third Team honors in 2022 in Grant Sherfield and Desmond Cambridge Jr. Sherfield enters Thursday's contest averaging 18.9 points and 6.4 assists per game, while Cambridge averages 16.2 points per contest.
Boise State's regular season performance and loaded roster earn them the title of "favorites" vs. Nevada, but Rice said the Wolf Pack are no easy matchup in the Mountain West Conference Tournament quarterfinal.
"That's got to be the best … 8-seed we've ever had in this league," Rice said this week. "And I've been around the league 12 years. I don't remember anything close."
The Broncos and Wolf Pack tip off Thursday's action at the Thomas & Mack Center. The winner of the game moves on to face the winner of fourth-seeded Wyoming vs. fifth-seeded UNLV. Like the Broncos, the Cowboys and Runnin' Rebels both earned first-round byes. They tip off at 3:30 p.m. MT.
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