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One final stand:
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Tonight at Taco Bell Arena, the Boise State seniors will have their night. And this one will decide who wins the regular season Western Athletic Conference title.
Tonight’s men’s basketball showdown between the Utah State University Aggies (21-9, 10-4 WAC) and the Boise State Broncos (22-7, 12-3 WAC) should not lack excitement. It will be the Broncos’ last home game of the season.
BSU will clinch the Western Athletic Conference title outright with a win, and USU hopes to win a share of it with a victory. To add even more meaning for the Broncos, it will be senior night. The graduating BSU players will be honored for their time spent representing the university.
The Broncos will have their hands full trying to defend USU standout guard, Jaycee Carroll. Carroll was voted the WAC Preseason Player of the Year for obvious reasons. He averages 22.7 points per game this season. In 2006-07, Carroll posted 21.3 ppg to go along with 6.3 rebounds per game.
“Jaycee has had a great year,” BSU Head Coach Greg Graham said. “We’re not going to stop Jaycee, but we’re going to make sure that he works for everything.”
Carroll put up 29 points in 39 minutes of action in his team’s win against BSU in Logan, Utah earlier this season.
The “Carroll factor” isn’t trumping the spirits of the Broncos. The way the rest of the 2007-2008 season will play out is very much on the minds of the blue and orange.
“We want Boise to take the WAC title alone,” BSU guard Matt Bauscher said. “We don’t want to share it with nobody . it’s senior night. It’s going to be emotional. Hopefully we will put on a good show and take the title.”
The Broncos return home after a trip to Hawai’i, where they were able to beat the Warriors 78-71, despite a strong final Hawai’i push. The win came three days after BSU defeated San Jose State 74-68.
“The big thing is for the guys to get rest,” Graham said. “We know that they will be ready to play, we just need to be rested to be ready.”
Though the Aggies have proven to be a formidable foe, they have been weak on the road. Utah only won 3-of-11 road games this season. Utah held off everyone who came to the Smith Spectrum doorstep, finishing undefeated (17-0) at home.
BSU senior forward Matt Nelson is expected to be dressed despite nursing a sprained ankle and foot.
“I haven’t had any live practice on it,” Nelson said. “We will see how [the ankle] responds and hopefully we will be ready.”
He said his injuries are getting better every day with rehab, keeping ice on his leg regularly. His presence will provide support for others who have had to pick up the slack with Nelson sitting out.
The stands will likely be dotted with navy blue and white in the sea of orange that is expected to provide an ‘Orange Out’ in Taco Bell Arena tonight.
“Hopefully all we will see is orange, that’s the optimistic view,” Bauscher said. “Hopefully our fans are so loud that we don’t even know that [the Aggies] are in the building.”
The Broncos expect a strong turnout for the season finale. They’re hoping for the largest crowd of the season.
KIRK BELL
Sports Writer
