BOISE, Idaho — The Boise State men's basketball program this week announced a pair of regional non-conference games against opponents out of the West Coast Conference and Pac-12 at neutral sites.
On Dec. 1, the Broncos will go across the Gem State for a showdown with Saint Mary's, a well-respected squad that made its way to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in March. Hero Arena at the Mountain America Center in Idaho Falls will host its first NCAA Division I basketball contest when the Gaels and Broncos tip-off.
The 48,000 square-foot venue in eastern Idaho broke ground in May 2021. The center features Hero Arena, which is capable of holding up 6,000 members of Bronco Nation and Saint Mary's fans. Both programs are coming off 20-plus-win seasons and trips to March Madness.
Tickets for the Friday night showdown go on sale to the general public on Thursday, Aug. 17, at 10 a.m., and start at $41. Boise State season-ticket holders will have the first chance to land a spot, with tickets available from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., on Wednesday, Aug. 16.
“Boise State athletics has a strong and passionate fanbase in Eastern Idaho,” Boise State Director of Athletics Jeramiah Dickey said. “We’re excited to be able to connect with Bronco Nation across the state of Idaho. This is a great neutral-site opportunity, and I’m grateful to our men’s basketball coaching staff for continuing to be innovative in their approach to scheduling marquee opponents as we seek a third-straight NCAA Tournament appearance.”
Boise State and Saint Mary's will tip-off at 7 p.m. on Dec. 1, with doors set to open at at 6 p.m. To purchase tickets and for more information, click here.
For the third-straight season, the Broncos will square off against Washington State, this time in the Cougs' backyard. The neutral site game will take place Thursday, Dec. 21, at Spokane Arena, the same location the regional opponents met back in December 2021.
2022-2023 All-Mountain West first team honoree Tyson Degenhart will led the blue and orange back into his hometown, where he was a two-time Greater Spokane League Player of the Year. Two years ago, the 509 native registered 11 points and nine rebounds as a true freshman in Boise State's 58-52 win.
Last year, the Broncos took a 2-0 advantage over the Cougars with a 71-61 win at Idaho Central Arena in downtown Boise. Returning starters Max Rice and Degenhart tallied 15 and 14 points, respectively, while Marcus Shaver Jr. scored 15 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished five assists.
Washington State's three leading scorers from the 2022 matchup have left Pullman. TJ Bamba, who put up a game-high 24 points, transferred to Villanova this offseason, while Mouhamed Gueye (Atlanta Hawks) and Justin Powell (Miami Heat) found success in testing the NBA waters.
Both programs welcomed former Kansas players since their last meeting in Cam Martin and Joseph Yesufu.
The December contest is part of the Numerica Holiday Hoops 2023 supporting Numerica CARES for Kids! According to Boise State, a portion of each ticket sold will be donated to the program that supports nonprofits focused on youth and families.
Tickets for the event, put on by Numerica Credit Union, the Spokane Chiefs and Brett Sports, will be announced in the coming weeks.
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