When you hear of Boise State, you think of the great success that the Broncos have had in football. From Ian Johnson’s game-winning touchdown in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, to Kellen Moore becoming the winningest quarterback in NCAA history, Boise State has emerged as a true football power.
The basketball team, however, has gone unnoticed. That is, until this season.
Expectations were not high for the team in the preseason, as it was picked eighth out of nine teams in the conference.
Despite winning their first three games, no one was convinced that the Broncos would make any noise this season, but then a trip to East Lansing opened the eyes of basketball fans across the country.
Boise State took on Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans in November, one of the toughest teams to play at home in the country.
The Broncos held a two-point lead with 4:27 left in the game, before falling 74-70. After the game, star sophomore guard Derrick Marks said he knew that his team was capable of big things.
“We just wanted to come in and attack them,” Marks said. “This shows we can play with anybody.”
A week later, Boise State went on to defeat then-ranked No. 11 Creighton in Omaha, showing that they could not only play with the best, but also beat the best.
Playing in the Mountain West Conference, which has the highest RPI of any conference in the country, the Broncos were able to pick up wins against NCAA tournament teams Colorado State, UNLV and San Diego State.
One of the biggest reasons for the strong play by Boise State this season was the team’s backcourt.
Sophomores Anthony Drmic, with 17.3 points per game, and Marks, with 16.3, form one of the top backcourt scoring duos in not only the Mountain West, but all of the country.
Marks is the point guard for the offense, doing a great job of scoring as well as finding teammates for the wide open shot.
What makes them even more lethal on the offensive end is the fact that both have the ability to score in any way possible. Drmic and Marks can both get to the rim and finish, as well as hit from deep, where they shoot right at 40 percent.
With Wednesday’s game looming against La Salle in the first round of the NCAA tournament, the Broncos will look to continue their great season in the tournament. Whatever happens though, Boise State has put their name on the map.