Bob Behler of the Bob and Chris Show

I am sitting in my hotel room, going over my notes for tonight’s broadcast…and think it is a huge game.  A win and the Broncos are in 2nd and a loss and they can drop all the way to fifth.  Boise State has looked more like its old self the last two games, shooting 50% from the floor and 47% from three.

New Mexico is 8-4 in the conference and Boise State is 8-5.  Both could have won more win and one less loss if a call would/wouldn’t have been made at the end of recent games.  With those results changed, both teams would still have a chance to press San Diego State for the top spot and both teams would comfortably be avoiding the dreaded sixth seed, that doesn’t receive a first round bye.

The Lobos won the first meeting, 88-83 in Boise, on January 30th.  New Mexico shot 56% and didn’t miss a shot in the last five minutes of the game.  To win tonight, the Broncos will have to play better defense against the conference’s best offensive team averaging 79 points a game in league play.  They have three really good scorers in Elijah Brown, Tim Williams, and Cullen Neal.  Those three had 65 of the 88 points last time.

Defending, making your shots (James Webb III made seven threes in Boise State’s win last year here), and handling a raucous crowd will be keys tonight.