Checking Out the Boise State Broncos

I am nothing if not fickle in praising the underdog, which is not an uncommon affliction amongst those of us who love college sports. A few weeks ago I labeled Boise State as a team on the rise, despite some questionable losses. When a reader challenged my choice, I admitted that it might have been a shaky decision and opined that maybe I should have left the Broncos off the list.

Fast forward to December 29, and the blue and orange have knocked off then-#21 Brigham Young, and I want to crow about my prediction. Kind of tough to do that with a retraction in the comment field...

Anyway, enough about me and my weak spine. True fortitude belongs to BSU. In a rare home game against a power-conference foe, the boys from Boise rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit and used just nine players to bring about the upset.

Senior Forward Reggie Larry leads the Broncos in most of the meaningful categories, averaging 19ppg and 8rpg and hitting 62% of his shots from the floor. Fellow forwards Matt Nelson and Tyler Tiedeman join Guard Matt Bauscher to give the Broncos a quartet of senior leaders, each of them with decent size and scoring ability. 6'6", 200-lb freshman Paul Noonan comes off of the bench in Boise, no doubt causing opponents to flash back to the film Caddyshack and shout "Miss it, Noonan!!" Which he often does, shooting only 40% from the field.

As a team, BSU (9-3) is an enigma, having lost to 3-11 Loyola Marymount at home, and Montana State on the road. We'll forgive them the 12-point loss to a dominant Washington State. Does this recent win mean that the Brocos have shaken off the rust and are ready to contend in the WAC? BYU - once WAC, now Mountain West - is probably better than anyone they'll face amongst the holdovers. Utah State has potent NBA-hopeful Jaycee Carroll, and Nevada tends to thrive under coach Mark Fox, but the rest of the league is questionable at best.

If they make the tournament, and play Oklahoma, perchance... what's the basketball version of the hook-and-ladder play? I can't wait to find out.