NIT-picked: Broncos to face Huskies in Seattle

The Broncos season didn’t end exactly how they (or we) wanted it to, but that doesn’t mean it had to end entirely. This evening, Boise State learned that even though they failed to make the Big Dance...they’d still have a dancing partner on a slightly smaller stage—the still prestigious NIT. Add a familiar foe—the Washington Huskies—and there’s just enough intrigue to apply a nice salve to the burn caused by losing to Utah State in the MWC tournament quarterfinals.

Believe it or not, the Broncos will actually be the higher-seeded team when they tussle with the Huskies...but still have to play the role of spoiler as they’ll be competing on the Huskies home floor. The Huskies finished their season 20-12 and will be the 5th seed matchup to the 4th seeded Broncos. The NIT may have a bit less luster than the NCAA tourney, but there are still some very good teams in the 32-team field, including Notre Dame, Oregon (who the Broncos beat back in December), USC, and Louisville. If the Broncos are able to get by the Huskies, they’ll face the winner of the St. Mary’s-Southeast Louisiana contest.

Bonus: if you have an ESPN subscription, you’ll be able to watch the game (airing at 8pm on Wednesday), as it airs on ESPN3 (that’d be the online streaming option or via the ESPN app on Apple or Smart TV).

Oh, and if you’re wondering about our ladies...who are heading to the Big Dance by virtue of winning the regular season AND tournament title—we’ll find out their opponent tomorrow, so stay tuned. In the meantime...Go Broncos! Beat Huskies!