The Boise State basketball team has lost six of its last seven games. Their 4-0 conference start seems like forever ago. That replica Paul Noonan jersey purchase I made may is starting to look like a bad choice. Leon Rice may actually be human and not the wizard I mistook him to be.
Times are tough in Taco Bell Arena, but that's nothing some unsolicited advice from a blogger can't fix. After the jump, I offer up three suggestions on how to end the Broncos' slide. What would you suggest? Here's hoping this stuff gets fixed before this week's TV games. Basketball already looks bad enough on the WSN. To the jump.
Games this week:
- vs. Fresno State, tonight, 7:05 MT, WAC Sports Network
- vs. Idaho, Saturday, 9:00 MT, ESPNU
1. Play better defense
Boise State got off to its stellar start on the back of its high pressure D, which suffocated teams night after night. In hindsight, those teams were Western State and Eastern Washington, but still. Defense is defense, and the Broncos haven't been playing much of it over the last few weeks.
Case in point: shooting percentage. Only two teams have shot under 50 percent against the Broncos in the last seven games. Their last time out, BSU allowed USU to shoot 64 percent. And the Broncos have been outshot by 10 percent or more five times ... which brings me to unsolicited suggestion No. 2.
2. Stop shooting threes
Seriously. They're not working. Here's proof: the Boise State basketball team is 34-of-150 from three-point range in its last seven games. That's good for 22 percent, and 22 percent is good for last in all the NCAA - a heinous 345th out of 345.
Drive to the rim, dish and dunk, pick and roll, three in the key, I'm just throwing out random basketball sayings, onions.
3. Find out who is playing point guard and what they have done with La'Shard Anderson
Anderson was clearly the best player on the Boise State basketball team during the first half of the season, and his play kept the six losses in seven games from being seven in seven. However, Anderson has not had his A game lately. He scored zero points against Utah State. He went 0-for-6 from three against Hawaii. He needs reanimating and fast.
Of course, someone else could certainly step up and fill Anderson's shoes. I bet Leon Rice wouldn't mind that one bit. Robert Arnold, Daequon Montreal, and Paul Noonan are all capable of carrying this team for stretches. You have my permission to do so. Begin.
This week's games
Both Boise State basketball games are on TV this week - Fresno State tonight on the WSN and Idaho on Saturday on ESPNU. Where were these people in early January? That may have made for better TV.
The games themselves are hugely important for the Broncos and not just to get back on the winning track. Fresno State is tied with BSU in the conference standings at 5-6. Idaho is right above both of them at 7-5. Two wins by the Broncos vault them back in contention for the No. 4 spot in the conference, a first round bye in the conference tournament, an easier path to an NCAA berth, and INTERN BRING ME MY PAUL NOONAN JERSEY I'M GETTING ALL SORTS OF EXCITED.
Your turn
Will you be watching the Bronco games this weekend? What do you think BSU needs to do to get back on track? Share your thoughts in the comments.
The Broncos are back at home and back on TV for both games this week. Tonight is their first look at Fresno State