Presented by WESTERN HEATING & AIR.
Wednesday Weekly…February 26, 2025.
In Mountain West men’s basketball this season, New Mexico is 1A and Utah State is 1B. Boise State kept its slim NCAA Tournament at-large hopes alive by taking care of 1A a week ago. 1B takes the court tonight in ExtraMile Arena. Victory was in the Broncos’ grasp last month in Logan before they took an 81-79 loss. What was the issue at USU? Second-half defense, as the Aggies shot an unthinkable 80 percent. What made the difference against the Lobos last week? The defensive effort was better. Boise State did allow 51 percent shooting from UNM, but it made 10 steals. And the offense was in a groove, especially with 42 percent accuracy from three-point range and its attack mode in the paint, which turned into a 26-for-32 night at the free throw line. So, Broncos, force tough shots tonight and see what happens.
REPEAT: ROTATION, ROTATION, ROTATION
Tonight’s matchup is the latest “biggest game of the year” for the Broncos. Can’t wait to see what the rotations will look like. In Saturday’s win over Nevada, Peanut Carmichael got his second start—and played only 11 minutes, scoring two points. RJ Keene, who had started five straight games through the San Diego State game, came off the bench in Reno and played 28 minutes. Keene was his feisty self on defense, while on offense, yes, he scored. Keene made a three-pointer as the shot clock ran out in the second half. But four minutes before that, and about four minutes after that, Keene passed up open looks on possessions that ended with shot clock violations. He has attempted 17 shots in 16 conference games. (I still think Keene can make buckets.)
DIFFERENT NAMES ON THE LEADERBOARD
There were two “best games ever” by Boise State players in the Broncos’ 70-69 win at Nevada last Saturday. One was from Andrew Meadow, who agreed “100 percent” with that assessment on the postgame show. Meadow’s career-high 24 points kept the Wolf Pack guessing as he went 8-for-13 from the field, shooting inside and out. He also had four rebounds. The other “best of” goes to Javan Buchanan, who scored 17 points, with 11 of them coming in a five-minute stretch of the second half while Boise State was building its biggest lead. But just as important were Buchanan’s three steals, two of which led to Meadow dunks—the last one giving the Broncos their biggest stop of the night with 12 seconds left. Buchanan played 29 minutes and Meadow 34. Well-deserved.
THE MAUI WELCOME MAT
Boise State does have a basketball brand. Otherwise it wouldn’t have been invited to the 2025 Maui Invitational. This will be the Broncos first appearance at the one of the pioneer early-season tournaments, set for November 24-26 at the Lahaina Civic Center. The field will include host Chaminade, plus three other teams Boise State has never faced: Texas, USC and Seton Hall. The Broncos have played the other three schools, Washington, Arizona State and North Carolina State a combined 11 times.
TO BE A FLY ON THE WALL OF THE ‘INDOOR’
It probably wouldn’t be prudent to move Boise State’s Pro Day on March 26 from the Caven-Williams indoor facility outside to the blue turf next month and sell tickets. It would be a heckuva fundraiser, though, because that’s the only place NFL scouts will be able to see Ashton Jeanty go through speed and agility drills. Jeanty is going to sit those out during the NFL Combine this week, participating only in team interviews and medical evaluations. Former Bronco Ahmed Hassanein is set to do the on-field work in Indianapolis, though. Hassanein will go through drills with the defensive linemen on Thursday. It’s big for him.
ONE ‘MOCK’ AT A TIME
The Athletic has put together an “NFL beat writers mock draft,” which could be affected by the NFL Combine that begins today. Longtime Dallas beat writer Jon Machota has Jeanty going No. 12 overall to the Cowboys. Writes Machota, “Jeanty gives them the best back in the draft and a player capable of making a significant impact on an offense that needs playmakers. New head coach Brian Schottenheimer is expected to put more of an emphasis on the run game. Adding Jeanty could bring the type of impact Ezekiel Elliott had in 2016. Establish a quality run game and all of a sudden Dak Prescott sees more favorable opportunities in the passing game. Dallas is unlikely to make a big move to get a standout back like Philadelphia did with Saquon Barkley. Drafting Jeanty is the next best option.”
THE MOUNTAIN WEST FAREWELL TOUR
Boise State’s 2025 football schedule is out, with some moves from Saturdays to Fridays still possible. But we do know that it is not quite the juggernaut of 2024—no Washington State or Oregon State. And we do know that the Broncos have probably faced Wyoming, San Jose State and Hawaii for the final time, as the Pac-12 kicks in next year. Those schools aren’t on the slate this year. By the same token, the 2025 season could be the last time around for Boise State against Air Force, New Mexico, UNLV and Nevada.
KHALIL CASHES IN
You can safely say former Boise State star Khalil Shakir has proven his mettle in the NFL. Shakir and the Buffalo Bills have agreed on a four-year, $60.2 million contract extension, including $32 million guaranteed. Shakir is set to be a Bill through 2029. You’ve gotta love the tweet from his mom, Mona: “From backyard football to Okinawa Youth Football to Murrieta Jr. All American Football to Boise State to the Buffalo Bills. He’s accomplished all that he has set out for. I am forever grateful! Keep grinding son!” The Bills, meanwhile, tweeted “Here to stay!” Shakir led Buffalo last season with 76 catches for 821 yards and four touchdowns. Thirty-five of his receptions went for first downs.
KELLEN RAIDS A FORMER BRONCOS MENTOR
I’m going to drape this paragraph in irony. It was Justin Wilcox, current head coach at Cal, who was defensive coordinator at Boise State when he convinced Chris Petersen to offer a scholarship to Kellen Moore of Prosser, WA. Moore, of course, is now head coach of the New Orleans Saints and is filling out his staff. Reports yesterday said Cal defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon is leaving Wilcox’s staff to become the linebackers coach for the Saints. You can just hear Wilcox: “So that’s the thanks I get?”
YOTES GET CHALK IN CCC TOURNEY
College of Idaho had defeated Bushnell by 21 and 19 points in two regular season games, and the Coyotes held serve first round of the Cascade Conference tournament. The Yotes cruised past Bushnell 88-61 Tuesday night in newly-christened Elgin Baylor Arena, with five players scoring in double-figures. With the win, C of I advances to the CCC semifinals against either Southern Oregon or Eastern Oregon Friday night in Caldwell. On the other side of Canyon County, Northwest Nazarene wrapped up its home season with a 74-62 Senior Night win over Western Oregon last Saturday. The regular season ends this week with road games at Simon Fraser and Western Washington—and a chance at a 20-win season. The Nighthawks go in at 18-6.
STEELIES SHOOT – THEY NEED TO SCORE
After splitting a two-game series with the Wichita Thunder last week in ExtraMile Arena, the Idaho Steelheads face the Rapid City Rush in a three-game road set starting tonight. The Steelheads would love to pressure the Rush the way they did the Thunder last Saturday. Idaho put up a season-high 52 shots on goal, tied for the fourth-most in the ECHL this season, and a whopping 25 coming in the first period. But that doesn’t always translate to the scoreboard—it took overtime for the Steelies to nab a 5-4 win, with Wade Murphy scoring 1:14 into the extra period. The Steelheads are 26-17-8 this season and sit in fifth place in the ECHL Mountain Division. The top four teams in each division, based on regular-season points, will qualify for the 2025 Kelly Cup Playoffs.
This Day In Sports…brought to you by HIGH DESERT HARLEY-DAVIDSON…let’s ride!
February 26, 1972: Steve Wallace pulls down the second-most rebounds in Boise State history with 22 boards in the Broncos’ 94-63 win over Montana. Only Boise State Athletic Hall of Famer Bill Otey ever had more, recording 24 rebounds twice in 1968-69. Wallace averaged a double-double for the season—that wouldn’t happen again for a Bronco for 42 years, until Ryan Watkins did it in 2013-14. Wallace is still second behind Otey in Bronco career rebounding, averaging 10.4 boards per game.
(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.)
