The Boise State men’s basketball team beat Carroll College 76-58 on Nov. 1. This was the team’s first exhibition game of the season, and they did not let fans down.
The first official game on the brand new hardwood in ExtraMile, hosted a highly anticipated game to see the returning Mountain West Champions play since the 2021-22 season.
Head coach Leon Rice used this exhibition game to experiment different lineups. Rice utilized seven of his new players: Mohamed Sylla, Chibuzo Agbo, Kobe Young, Kade Rice, Jace Whiting, Sadraque NgaNga and Burke Smith.
The team also let their three key starters, Tyson Degenhart, Marcus Shaver and Naje Smith, see some action.
“One of the challenges with a new team is figuring out combinations,” Rice said. “ Figuring out who plays where and together and what our best defensive and offensive lineups are.”
The Broncos started off strong with incoming junior transfer Chibuzo Agbo knocking down the first score of the night with a 3-point shot.
Photo courtesy of Boise State Athletics
“[This was] my first game as a Bronco,” Agbo said. “It was really fun, you know, just playing with my teammates and getting coached by the coaches. We have some things to get better over this next week that we’re really going to improve on.”
The team was also aggressive on the defensive side of the ball in the first half. Players were diving and making athletic plays throughout to retain possession.
While their defense gave a strong look, their offense lacked power and consistency. The team went 4-14 (28.6%) from beyond the arch and 6-10 (60%) from the free throw line.
The Broncos led 36-25 heading into halftime.
In the second half, the Broncos heated up on the offensive side and dispersed the ball to a variety of different playmakers. Their overall performance earned them the 76-58 win.
The team’s leading scorer, Degenhart, collected 19 points on the night and went 3-3 from three-point range. Shaver and Agbo tied for the second-most points with 14 each.
Despite winning, the Broncos struggled with turnovers. The Broncos tallied up 17 turnovers this game but averaged 12.1 turnovers a game last season.
“Seventeen turnovers is way too much,” Rice said. “We can counter those mistakes with what we do in the next week. Seventeen turnovers is not what you want…just unforced errors.”
Boise State will play their season opener match against South Dakota State in ExtraMile Arena on Nov. 9.
