Boise State men’s basketball vs. Colorado State: How to watch, prediction and odds

Injuries have depleted the Colorado State men’s basketball roster to nine players.

The Rams are under .500 on the season, tied for second-to-last in conference play and have lost three of their past four games.

But looks can be deceiving, according to Boise State.

“It’s definitely a dangerous game,” sophomore Tyson Degenhart said. “They’re very well coached, they have a very good team and I think they’re way better than their record shows. A lot of their games have been close, they’ve either sent it to overtime or played it to a couple possessions. They’re not a team you can mess with.”

The Broncos host Colorado State at 6 p.m. Saturday at ExtraMile Arena looking to maintain a share of second place in the Mountain West standings with Nevada.

“They’re a great team,” Boise State redshirt senior Max Rice said of the Rams, who are 10-11 overall and 2-6 in league play. “They’ve got a bunch of good guards and solid bigs, too. They don’t beat themselves, so that’s gonna be a huge thing for us just not making mistakes like we did last game, because those will really come back to bite us if we do that again.”

The Rams have overtime losses to first-place San Diego State and Air Force, and also fell to conference foes New Mexico, San Jose State, Nevada and Wyoming. Their two league wins came against Fresno State and UNLV in overtime.

As of Friday, Colorado State’s NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool) ranking sits at No. 120, making this a Quad 3 game for the Broncos — which is to say a game they can’t afford to lose as they chase an NCAA Tournament bid.

The Rams also happen to be the only team that swept the Broncos in league play last season.

“It’s an important game for us because of where we sit, and it’s an important game for them because they’re getting better and they’re battling in league,” Boise State coach Leon Rice said. “We’re all battling in league, so in that aspect it’s got a lot to it.”

Colorado State is led by senior point guard Isaiah Stevens, who leads the Mountain West in assists per game (6.6 apg) and assist-to-turnover ratio (3.7). Stevens recently broke the school’s career assists record — he’s at 536 and counting.

“He does everything. He’s just a terrific shooter. He’s a clutch player. He’s got a great feel for the game. He sees the floor. He’s experienced. All those things add up to being a great point guard,” Leon Rice said of Stevens. “When you break down his film and you’re looking at his reads, you’re like, ‘Yep, that’s the right read.’”

COLORADO STATE AT BOISE STATE

When: 6 p.m. Saturday

Where: ExtraMile Arena, Boise

TV: CBS Sports Network

Radio: KBOI 670 AM or 93.1 FM (Bob Behler, Abe Jackson)

Records: Boise State 16-5, 6-2 MW; Colorado State 10-11, 2-6 MW

Series: Boise State leads the all-time series 15-14

Vegas line: Boise State by 8.5

KenPom rating: Boise State 27, Colorado State 112

KenPom & ESPN predictions

Ken Pomeroy, who created the popular college basketball statistical website KenPom.com, ranks every Division I team using an adjusted efficiency margin, which Pomeroy defines as the difference between a team’s offensive and defensive efficiency.

According to Pomeroy’s detailed statistical analysis, Boise State has an 85% chance of beating Colorado State. His score prediction is a 74-63 BSU victory.

ESPN’s College Basketball Power Index: Boise State has an 89.2% chance of winning with a predicted point differential of 13.2.

Women’s basketball: Broncos ground Air Force

The Boise State women’s basketball team overcame a sloppy first half for a 60-55 victory over Air Force on Thursday at ExtraMile Arena.

The Broncos (9-12, 4-4 MW) committed 18 of their 26 turnovers in the first half, resulting in a 28-23 halftime deficit.

Junior guard Anna Ostlie helped rally the Broncos in the second half, scoring seven of her nine points in the fourth quarter, including making two free throws with 18.8 seconds left to make it a two-possession game.

“It feels good that we finished the game,” Boise State coach Gordy Presnell said in a news release. “We haven’t come from behind much. We’ve come close, but we haven’t really come from behind and finished the deal and I was glad we were able to tonight.”

Junior forward Elodie Lalotte led the Broncos in scoring with 12 points, freshman guard Mya Hansen chipped in 9 points and six assists, and sophomore forward Trista Hull pulled down a team-leading seven boards to go with five points.

Boise State will be at home again Saturday against Wyoming. Tipoff is 2 p.m. at ExtraMile Arena, and the game will be streamed on the Mountain West Network, or listen on the radio on KBOI 670 AM.