In the middle of its eight-game losing streak, a span dotted with games Boise State?s men?s basketball had chances to win, the Broncos held for the final shot of regulation against UNLV.
Boise State didn?t get a shot to the rim. UNLV won in overtime. The losing streak continued for another three games and two-plus weeks.
However, the lessons learned ? not only in the hard-fought loss to UNLV, but similarly tough losses to TCU and San Diego State ? are beginning to pay dividends for the young Broncos, who have seven freshmen and three sophomores on their roster.
Boise State (13-12, 3-7 MW) visits No. 21 UNLV (22-6, 6-4) on Wednesday night having won three straight games, including back-to-back last-second thrillers.
?Sometimes things just have to take their shape internally,? second-year coach Leon Rice said. ?We know they?re going to improve. Sometimes you can?t speed it up.?
No matter how badly you want to. They are called growing pains for a reason.
And the Broncos might not be done experiencing them. Boise State has four regular-season games remaining ? at No. 21 UNLV, at Wyoming, vs. No. 24 San Diego State and at No. 18 New Mexico.
Yikes.
The Broncos began a five-day road trip Tuesday, which means players won?t be in their own beds again until Sunday night. Not quite the easiest way to extend a winning streak.
?Nobody in the country has that left,? Rice said.
But the Broncos have something they didn?t possess the first time through the Mountain West ? confidence. A confidence that comes from winning.
?Everyone is in a better mood,? freshman guard Derrick Marks said.
Said sophomore Jeff Elorriaga: ?There?s a little bit more joking. Everybody?s a little lighter.?
And getting better.
It?s tough to pick out the Bronco that has improved the most. Marks has shown that he has the ability to be a high-level point guard, combining his athletic ability with improved defense, rebounding and attention to detail. Kenny Buckner has given the Broncos a consistent interior presence.
The return from injury of Elorriaga and Igor Hadziomerovic has helped stabilize and lengthen the rotation. Freshman Joe Hanstad, who was forced to play when the injuries hit, has twice led the team in scoring, including in the Broncos? first league win against Air Force.
?These freshmen have worked harder at basketball than ever in their lives. You like to have some tangible gains,? Rice said.
The hard work led to wins. The wins have, in turn, led the players to want more.
?Now we see all the work is paying off,? Marks said. ?That just makes us more hungry to work harder.?
The road, however, also gets harder for Boise State, which wants to prove it is peaking at the perfect time and that those January losses are paying off right now.
Boise State didn?t get a shot to the rim. UNLV won in overtime. The losing streak continued for another three games and two-plus weeks.
However, the lessons learned ? not only in the hard-fought loss to UNLV, but similarly tough losses to TCU and San Diego State ? are beginning to pay dividends for the young Broncos, who have seven freshmen and three sophomores on their roster.
Boise State (13-12, 3-7 MW) visits No. 21 UNLV (22-6, 6-4) on Wednesday night having won three straight games, including back-to-back last-second thrillers.
?Sometimes things just have to take their shape internally,? second-year coach Leon Rice said. ?We know they?re going to improve. Sometimes you can?t speed it up.?
No matter how badly you want to. They are called growing pains for a reason.
And the Broncos might not be done experiencing them. Boise State has four regular-season games remaining ? at No. 21 UNLV, at Wyoming, vs. No. 24 San Diego State and at No. 18 New Mexico.
Yikes.
The Broncos began a five-day road trip Tuesday, which means players won?t be in their own beds again until Sunday night. Not quite the easiest way to extend a winning streak.
?Nobody in the country has that left,? Rice said.
But the Broncos have something they didn?t possess the first time through the Mountain West ? confidence. A confidence that comes from winning.
?Everyone is in a better mood,? freshman guard Derrick Marks said.
Said sophomore Jeff Elorriaga: ?There?s a little bit more joking. Everybody?s a little lighter.?
And getting better.
It?s tough to pick out the Bronco that has improved the most. Marks has shown that he has the ability to be a high-level point guard, combining his athletic ability with improved defense, rebounding and attention to detail. Kenny Buckner has given the Broncos a consistent interior presence.
The return from injury of Elorriaga and Igor Hadziomerovic has helped stabilize and lengthen the rotation. Freshman Joe Hanstad, who was forced to play when the injuries hit, has twice led the team in scoring, including in the Broncos? first league win against Air Force.
?These freshmen have worked harder at basketball than ever in their lives. You like to have some tangible gains,? Rice said.
The hard work led to wins. The wins have, in turn, led the players to want more.
?Now we see all the work is paying off,? Marks said. ?That just makes us more hungry to work harder.?
The road, however, also gets harder for Boise State, which wants to prove it is peaking at the perfect time and that those January losses are paying off right now.
