Presented by WESTERN SIDING.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014.
Just when you thought it was gone forever, the NCAA Tournament’s first and second rounds have been awarded to Boise again. The Big Dance returns to Boise State for the first time since 2009—March 15 and March 17 in 2018. Time has kind of passed 32-year-old Taco Bell Arena by, but BSU athletic director Mark Coyle said yesterday that long-awaited new videoboards, sound system and LED signage will be in place by 2018 to bring the facility up to speed. There are no plans to build suites or to significantly alter any of the arena’s current seating, Coyle said. Outside of arena improvements, Boise’s track record in hosting in the past set the table for a return engagement. Maybe the NCAA is rethinking the trend of playing early rounds in NBA arenas and/or markets, where fans have often shown they don’t appreciate the product.
One of my first reactions: aren’t those opening rounds supposed to be called the “second and third round?” Thankfully, not anymore. In a move away from political correctness, the NCAA Tournament committee announced yesterday that the rounds of 64 and 32 will again be referred to as the first and second rounds. The four games on the first two days of the tournament to whittle the field from 68 to 64 will be known officially as the “First Four,” as they should be. They will continue to be played in Dayton, OH, through at least 2018. The Final Four that year is set for San Antonio—fellow Mountain West member San Diego State will also be a host for the first and second rounds.
This will be the ninth time the NCAA Tournament has visited Boise since 1983. We would be remiss if we didn’t reminisce on March Madness visits to Boise. At the first one, NCAA Player of the Year Ralph Sampson’s appearance with the Virginia Cavaliers was upstaged by Utah’s shocking upset of UCLA. In 1992 Shaquille O’Neal of LSU and Alonzo Mourning of Georgetown both played their final collegiate games in Boise. In 1995 there was the highlight that you still see today. With 4.9 seconds left, Missouri held a 74-73 lead over UCLA when Bruin guard Tyus Edney drove the length of the floor and dropped in a high floater at the buzzer to win the game, 75-74. UCLA would go on to win its 11th national championship two weeks later.
In 2001 the tourney produced one of Boise’s finest sports day ever, as the Pavilion hosted the closest first round bracket in the history of the NCAA Tournament. First, Georgia State upset Wisconsin by one…then Maryland held off George Mason by three…then Georgetown beat Arkansas by two at the buzzer. But the last game was the best—Hampton becoming only the fourth No. 15 seed to ever upset a No. 2, bringing the sold-out house down with a 59-58 upset of Iowa State and former Idaho coach Larry Eustachy.
Yesterday’s announcement certainly can’t hurt the buzz for tonight’s Boise State home opener against former Big Sky rival Montana. The Grizzlies opened their season under new head coach Travis DeCuire Saturday night with an 83-66 loss at Colorado State. Longtime Bronco fans will remember DeCuire as an All-Big Sky point guard at Montana in the early 1990’s. He spent the last six seasons as a top assistant at Cal under former Griz head coach and one-time Boise State assistant Mike Montgomery. The Grizzlies, incidentally, have two Australians, just one fewer than the Broncos. Both are forwards—Jack Lopez is a sophomore and Fabijan Krslovic is a freshman. Krslovic was a teammate of Nick Duncan’s on Australia’s U19 team at the 2013 World Championships.
Every team needs guys who can gut it out at the end of a close game, and Montigo Alford made a good impression in his first appearance as a Bronco. As Boise State cradled a four-point lead against San Diego last Friday, Toreros star Johnny Dee tried to launch a three-pointer with 17 seconds left. Alford, all 5-9 of him, blocked the shot from behind, got the rebound, and dribbled the clock down until he was fouled. The former CSI standout then dropped in two free throws to account for the final 81-75 margin. Alford combined to score 16 points and dish out five assists in the victories over San Diego and Loyola Marymount.
Chris Santini was one of Boise State’s captains for the coin toss against San Diego State Saturday night, and it’s only gotten better from there. Santini has become a special teams leader in his two seasons as a Bronco, and he’s the one who made the game-changing play against San Diego State Saturday night, taking a fake punt 24 yards. Now he’s been named Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week. Santini was also lauded for a tackle on kickoff coverage later in the game that stopped the Aztec at their own 20. Quarterback Grant Hedrick said after the game the offense knew what was coming. “They said be ready, we’re running a fake and Chris Santini showed up at a big time moment and made a great play for us,” said Hedrick. “I think that ultimately changed the momentum of the whole game, right there.”
Okay—Laramie weather check. The latest forecast says the high Saturday will be 37, with a low (more importantly) of 15, with a chance of snow. Of course, last week at this time we thought the high in Boise this past Saturday was going to be 38 and the low 21. What’s worrisome is the word “breezy” is in the Laramie outlook for Saturday night. In Wyoming, that’s the worst word in the world. The saving grace at the Albertsons Stadium deep freeze special was that there was no appreciable wind. Laramie is infamous for wind. “It definitely affects the game,” said coach Bryan Harsin. “You’re trying to throw a ball maybe you don’t grip as well into the wind, and it doesn’t go so well. We’ll still practice outside (this week), and when we get there we’ll have to factor in those conditions.”
Kickoff time has been established for Boise State’s regular season finale against Utah State. You got it—8:15 p.m. What can we say? It’s the nature of the beast. At least this one’s on ESPN2 as opposed to ESPNU (no offense, Coach Hawk). The Broncos earn another $500,000 bonus, as do th Aggies. Boise State’s TV take for the season is now $2.1 million. Fans have been through historic cold now at Albertsons Stadium, and they performed admirably. There’ll be a lot at stake in this game for one or both teams, and it’ll be Senior Night, so turnout should be strong. But, wow.
Harsin said yesterday defensive end Mat Boesen will miss another game this week at Wyoming and indicated it’s not because of injury, but suspension. “It’s definitely something from our end of things that we’re handling,” Harsin said. “We’ll get him back when we get him back.” The Statesman’s Chadd Cripe reports that Boesen pleaded guilty yesterday to a charge of inattentive or careless driving stemming from a July arrest and received a withheld judgment. He was also arrested for speeding on Halloween. Boesen, who has 12 tackles and three sacks this season, has missed the New Mexico and San Diego State games (so far).
Volleyball is a hot commodity in Canyon County right now. The College of Idaho has been named a host site for the NAIA Championships Opening Round, meeting Cal State-San Marcos in Caldwell Saturday afternoon. Northwest Nazarene is hosting the NCAA Division II West Regionals Thursday through Saturday in Nampa, with the top-seeded Crusaders opening against Dixie State. Both of NNU’s men’s basketball games Friday and Saturday nights have been moved to the C of I—convenient in that the Crusaders and Coyotes are facing the same opponents this week, Montana State-Northern and Westminster. There’ll be a doubleheader each night at the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
This Day In Sports…brought to you by HANDYMAN CONNECTION…trusted home improvements.
November 18, 2000: In the final regular season game ever in Big West football, Boise State trounces Idaho, 66-24. The Broncos rolled up a 42-10 halftime lead on four of Bart Hendricks’ five touchdown passes on the day. Hendricks wrapped up his regular season career with his first 400-yard game, as Boise State won the last Big West title. The victory capped a 10-game conference winning streak during which the Broncos averaged 50 points a game.
(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment Sunday nights at 10:30PM on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra and anchors five sports segments each weekday on 93.1 The Ticket. He also served as color commentator on KTVB’s telecasts of Boise State football for 14 seasons.)
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