BOISE STATE SHOOTS LIGHTS OUT IN VICTORY OVER MEN’S BASKETBALL
12/16/2006
BOISE, Idaho – Boise State shot a blistering 63.2 percent (36-57) from the field and 50.0 percent (12-24) from beyond the three-point arc on the way to a 99-66 victory over Sacramento State in a non-conference men’s basketball game Saturday evening at the Taco Bell Arena.
With the victory, Boise State remained perfect at home (4-0) while improving its overall record this season to 5-4. The Broncos, who defeated the Hornets, 70-61, last year in Boise, are now 273-98 at Taco Bell Arena since the facility opened in the spring of 1982.
Sacramento State (5-7) continued its struggles on the road, as the team fell to 1-6 away from the friendly confines. That includes a four-game losing streak on the road since posting a blowout win (74-53) at Denver. The Hornets are in the midst of a season long four-game road trip that will also see the team play at Northern Arizona (Dec. 28) and Northern Colorado (Dec. 30).
Reggie Larry (game-high 24 points, 9-of-10 shooting, 11 rebounds), Coby Karl (19 points) and Matt Nelson (18 points) combined for 61 of Boise State’s season-high 99 points. Six different Broncos knocked down at least one three-pointer, including 4-for-4 from Karl. The Broncos’ .632 field goal percentage was the highest by a Sacramento State opponent this year. Tyler Tiedeman (10 points) and Matt Bauscher (10 points) also scored in double figures for the Broncos.
Senior Haron Hargrave (16) and sophomore Loren Leath (14) combined for 30 of Sacramento State’s 66 points as the Hornets shot 37.7 percent (26-69) from the field. Eight different players scored for the Hornets, including eight points from senior Alex Bausley. However, Bausley, a first team all-Big Sky Conference selection last year, was limited to just 3-of-15 shooting from the field and 1-of-6 from beyond the three-point arc. Eleven of Hargrave’s 16 points came in the second half while Leath was held scoreless in the second stanza.
The Hornets tallied 10 steals and 18 of their rebounds came on the offensive end, but the sharp shooting of Boise State was too much. Junior Davon Roberts added eight points and six rebounds, junior Roderick Adams had seven points, six rebounds and two steals, and junior Angel Alamo had five points and a team-best eight rebounds for Sacramento State.
Boise State led from start to finish as the team jumped out to a 25-6 lead, burying 11 of its first 17 field goal attempts. Sixteen of the Broncos’ 25 points during the game-opening run came via layups or dunks. The Hornets were able to claw back to within 10 points (28-18) after going on a 12-3 run which included three three-pointers from Leath. However, Boise State closed the final six minutes of the half on a 15-2 run, which included a halfcourt buzzer beater from Larry to give BSU a 53-30 halftime advantage.
The Hornets opened the second half on an 8-0 run, including three consecutive field goals from Hargrave, and eventually got Boise State’s lead down to 13 points (57-44) on a bucket and free throw from Hargrave with 16:16 left in the game. After a three-pointer from Alex Bausley again chopped Boise’s lead to 13 points (60-47), the Broncos responded with a 9-0 run to reclaim a 69-47 lead with 13:40 to play. The Hornets were never able to get any closer than within 17 points of the Bronco the lead the rest of the night.
Sacramento State juniors Jason Davis and Roberts each started their first games of the season tonight, snapping a streak of eight straight games in which head coach Jerome Jenkins started Adams, Alamo, Bausley, Leath and Hargrave. Davis replaced Leath, and Roberts replaced Alamo in the starting lineup.
Next week is finals week at Sacramento State, and the Hornets will not play again until Thursday, Dec. 28, when the team opens up Big Sky Conference play at Northern Arizona. The team concludes its season long four-game road trip on Saturday, Dec. 30, at Northern Colorado. Sacramento State’s next home game doesn’t take place until Jan. 4 against Montana in the team’s first Big Sky home game.
