Boise State vs. Utah State at ExtraMile in Boise
NET Rankings update: Boise State among four Mountain West teams inside top 50
BPI prediction: Boise State has a 56.9 percent chance to win
Betting odds: Boise State -3.5
Game time: 8:30 p.m. Mountain time | Wednesday, Feb. 26
Location: ExtraMile Arena | Boise, Idaho
Live stream: Watch Boise State vs. Utah State live on fuboTV (Start your free trial)
TV channel: FS1
Utah State Aggies (24-4, 14-3 MWC) at Boise State Broncos (19-8, 11-5 MWC)
Utah State vs. Boise State: High-Stakes Mountain West Showdown
The Mountain West race is intensifying as Utah State and Boise State gear up for a pivotal showdown with major NCAA Tournament stakes for each team.
Utah State leads the Mountain West in the latest NCAA NET Rankings at No. 33, followed by No. 42 New Mexico (22-6, 14-3), No. 47 Boise State, No. 49 San Diego State (19-7, 12-5), and No. 61 Colorado State (19-9, 13-4).
The Rams solidified their third-place standing in the conference Tuesday with a dominant 77-55 road victory over Air Force (4-24, 1-16).
Photo Courtesy Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Before Tuesday’s games, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi projected three Mountain West teams in his NCAA Tournament field of 68: New Mexico (No. 8 seed), Utah State (No. 9 seed), and San Diego State (No. 10 seed), with the Aztecs listed among his last four byes.
Meanwhile, Boise State—having made the NCAA Tournament three years in a row—sits just outside the bubble as Lunardi’s fifth team out.
New Mexico’s back-to-back losses have shaken up the top of the conference, breathing new life into teams fighting for postseason positioning ahead of the Mountain West Tournament in Las Vegas.
The big question for this writer is: Will the Utah State Aggies finish the season stronger than the New Mexico Lobos?
This will largely decide whether the Aggies can secure back-to-back Mountain West Conference Championships or if Richard Pitino’s Lobos will claim their first title with this year’s squad.
New Mexico is chasing its first regular-season Mountain West title under Richard Pitino since the 2012-13 season (Steve Alford Era) , while Utah State seeks to protect its reigning championship.
Fresh off a statement win over New Mexico, Boise State looks to bolster its tournament résumé with another key victory.
Photo Courtesy ktvb.com sports
Utah State aims to solidify its standing atop the conference and capture the Mountain West Conference Championship two years in a row.
Utah State heads to Boise State, chasing their 25th-season victory.
The Broncos boast a strong 12-1 record at home, averaging 76.1 points per game while outpacing opponents by 9.8 points.
The Aggies hold a 14-3 record against Mountain West Conference teams, with a 3-3 mark in games settled by fewer than 4 points.
Photo Courtesy of bigblueusuaggienews.com
Boise State shoots 47.2% from the field, surpassing Utah State’s defensive average of 43.7% by 3.5 points. Meanwhile, Utah State averages 82.5 points per game, 16.2 more than the 66.3 Boise State typically allows.
Broncos Fighting for Their Tournament Lives
Boise State (19-8, 11-5 MW) has found its stride, winning six of its last seven games, including a crucial win over MWC leader New Mexico and a road victory at Nevada.
Photo Courtesy of nevadasports.com
Tyson Degenhart, the reigning MWC Player of the Week, led the way with a career-high 32 points against the Lobos, while freshman Pearson Carmichael made a splash with 21 points in his first college start.
Andrew Meadow also stepped up, scoring a career-high 24 against Nevada.
Despite their recent success, the Broncos are still teetering on the NCAA Tournament bubble, with ESPN’s latest Bracketology listing them among the first five teams out
Photo Courtesy ktvb.com sports
A win over Utah State would significantly improve their chances, giving them another key victory over a Quad 1 opponent.
“Wednesday is a great opportunity for us,” Degenhart said. “Utah State is right on the brink of a Quad 1 game. They’re a great team, and we’ll be ready.”
Utah State Aiming to Stay on Top
Photo Courtesy Eli Lucero, The Herald Journal via AP
The Aggies (24-4, 14-3 MW) have been one of the best teams in the conference all season, winning five of their last six games.
Their most recent victory was a 79-71 statement win over San Diego State, led by Dexter Akanno’s career-high 26 points.
Utah State edged Boise State 81-79 in their first meeting back in January, overcoming a 13-point second-half deficit thanks to a late four-point play by Ian Martinez.
The Aggies now have a chance to sweep the season series and take another step toward securing the conference title.
What the Numbers Say
According to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index (BPI), Boise State has a 56.9% chance to win at home, while Utah State sits at 43.1% to complete the sweep.
With the Mountain West title race tightening and NCAA Tournament spots on the line, this game is shaping up to be one of the most critical matchups of the season.
Expect a high-intensity battle as Boise State fights to stay in the tournament picture and Utah State looks to strengthen its grip on first place.
TOP PERFORMERS: Alvaro Cardenas Torre contributes 11.7 points, 6.8 assists, and 1.6 steals per game for Boise State. Tyson Degenhart has been a standout, averaging 18.6 points over his last 10 outings.