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Boise State V.S. UC-Irvine: Game Preview
The Broncos Need A Win After A 31 Point Loss To Oregon.
Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire
Can Derrick Alston Jr. lead the Broncos Past UC-Irvine for a Div. one win?
WHO: Boise State Broncos (1-1, 0-0 Mountain West) vs. UC-Irvine Anteaters (2-1, 0-0 Big West)
WHEN: Friday, November 15 — 9:00 PM ET/7:00 PM MT
WHERE: Extramile Arena, Boise, ID
TV: MW Network
STREAM: MW Network
RADIO: Tunein
SERIES RECORD: UC-Irvine leads all-time series 5-6
ODDS: Boise State -3, per KenPom
PREVIEW: The Broncos will host the Anteaters of UC-Irvine on Friday the 15th, and they will be looking to get their first win against a NCAA division one opponent this season. Derrick Alston Jr. led his team to an 80 point win last week against a NAIA Life-Pacific team, and did everything in his power against a Top-20 ranked Oregon team (28 points, 2 rebounds and shot 44% from 3) but fell 75-106. This was good enough for second place in our new Mountain West Player of the Year watch list rankings.
The Broncos scoring attack looks well balanced through two games, as the Broncos currently have four players averaging 14.0 points a game or higher. They have opted for a smaller starting line up so far, starting 6-7 215 senior forward RJ Williams at center in their first two games. The lack of size doesn’t seem to be hurting them at the moment but that weakness may be tested a bit against the Anteaters who have some size on their roster and were predicted to win the Big West this year.
The Anteaters of UC-Irvine are 2-1 on the season with that lone loss at coming at the hands of Pepperdine and those two wins coming against San Diego on opening night and a familiar Life-Pacific team on Tuesday the 12th, in which they won by 46 points. They are led in scoring by senior guard Evan Leonard who scored 19 points in their first win at San Diego but hasn’t played in the team’s last two games and with no news on his status for Friday.
If he doesn’t play expect fellow senior guard Eyassu Worku (15.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 4.0 APG) to have the ball in his hands and sophomore forward Collin Welp (12.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 1.3 APG) to help out. Welp is a part of a tall and efficient frontcourt for the Anteaters, who including Welp have three players 6-8 or taller averaging nearly ten points a game while logging twenty minutes plus a game in three games so far. This should be a test for the Broncos tonight and an indication of how they handle team’s with size.
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