Out with a whimper: Broncos fall flat in regular season finale

Final: Boise State 63, San José State 68

Boise State appeared to be riding high heading into the MWC tourney next week after consecutive wins over UNLV, SDSU, and Nevada. All the 20-win Broncos had to do was to get past the 8-win Spartans in San José to continue their momentum for championship week. You know what they say about the best laid plans of Rice and men...they often go awry. Boise State was flat from the get-go in San José, shooting just 38% from the floor and an absolutely atrocious 11% from beyond the arc. Of course, James Webb III also fouled out with 6 minutes left despite missing a good chunk of the first half after hitting the deck hard. Really nothing went the Broncos way today, but the Broncos' lack of interest was also quite palpable. It's worthwhile, perhaps, to remember that SJSU—while one of the worst teams in the league—can put together some good games from time to time (victories over Fresno State, Wyoming, and the same Montana team that defeated the Broncos early in the season). However, the silver linings here are few as the Broncos really never got into a rhythm against the league's 11th place team. If you're looking for a head pat it might be this: Boise State didn't have to win this game. They are assured a first round bye at the MWC tourney and will likely still sit in 3rd place when the tourney opens in Vegas this Wednesday.

Regardless, the Spartans lost by 25 to the Broncos their last go 'round, so no excuse will really suffice. The bottom line is they stole our 21st win from us when another win this year is far from guaranteed. SJSU's Brandon Clarke led all scorers with 21 and also pulled down 10 boards while Anthony Drmic was the top Bronco with 13 points. James Webb contributed 7 rebounds despite his fairly brief time on the court. The Broncos had a good chance to claw back into this one late, but as is their custom, missed some free throws down the stretch (they shot just 61% from the charity stripe on the day). Full stats from the Broncos comatose effort can be found below.