Tag: MJ Amey Jr.

Boise State Secures 82-50 Home Win Over San Jose State

Game Recap: Boise State 82, San Jose State 50 Boise State Secures 82-50 Home Win Over San Jose State Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire The Broncos take care of business in lopsided 32-point win over Spartans. The conference title race is as …

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 Game Recap: Boise State 82, San Jose State 50

Boise State Secures 82-50 Home Win Over San Jose State

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

The Broncos take care of business in lopsided 32-point win over Spartans.

The conference title race is as close as it’s ever been. With only four games left in the regular season on average, losing for teams who currently find themselves in the top-half of the standings could be a death sentence for their at-large hopes.

So, as what could be the game that decides that aforementioned title race come a few weeks from now taking place about 292 miles southeast of the ExtraMile Arena. Those hoping Boise State would have a hiccup against San Jose State on Tuesday night were watching. A tall task given the Broncos are were 21-0 against the Spartans in Boise heading into this one. While those hoping they tightened their hold on a top-3 conference finish with a blow out win were too.

Either way, somebody was going to end their night disappointed and Leon Rice’s group was on a mission to keep those sentiments outside of Boise.

The last time these two programs met in San Jose earlier this year the Spartan’s gave Boise State quite a scare. Behind a 30 point outing from MJ Amey Jr., Tim Mile’s group had the Broncos on the ropes heading into halftime. Down 40-33, their visitors went on to outscore them 45-29 to secure the 78-69 victory. Tuesday night’s matchup had a different feel entirely.

Even though the Broncos were double-digit favorites coming into this one, that didn’t mean the Spartans weren’t going to come out swinging. A Trey Anderson three opened things up for San Jose State. While back to back Tyson Degenhart layups gave the Broncos their first lead of the game at 4-3.

After a Myron Amey Jr. layup put Tim Miles’ group back on top. That would be the last time they held the lead for the rest of the game. An ensuing 7-4 run kept the home squad out front.

Boise State began to break away with a 6-0 run, Trey Anderson would respond with a jumper of his own. That would be the last time the Spartans would score over the next six minutes. The Broncos went on a 17-2 run over that next six minutes of play. Which really decimated what little momentum the Spartans had before a Tibet Gorener three pointer ended their scoring drought.

As impressive as that sounds, it wouldn’t end there. It would only be a part of a larger 24-3 run. Everyone showed out offensively for the Broncos. The seldom played freshman RJ Keene threw his name in the mix with five straight points of his own in just six minutes of play.

For the Spartans the shooting nightmare couldn’t come sooner. As they found themselves down by twenty points (33-13) with 2:51 left to go in the half. Amey Jr. would put a single point on the scoreboard after going 1-2 from the charity stripe, but his squad could not make a field goal no matter where they tried on the floor.

Boise State wouldn’t pile it on much more after that. Heading into halftime up 38-16 over their visitors. San Jose State didn’t attempt a single free throw until the final three minutes of the half. They also shot a horrid 6-27 (22.2%) from the floor, mostly in part due to their shot selection. Taking a whopping 14 three pointers, which was 51% of their total shots.

Even though it wasn’t one of the most efficient offensive performances ever. Boise State didn’t need anything remotely close to efficient to display their dominance. Shooting 52% from the floor, finding most of their success inside the arc (10-16, 62.5%).

Leading the charge for the Broncos in the first half was Tyson Degenhart with 9 points (2-3 FGs, 5-6 FTs). With O’Mar Stanley not far behind him with 8 points of his own to go along with 6 rebounds. Leon Rice had eight different players score a field goal in the first twenty minutes.

The Broncos didn’t take their foot off the gas as they emerged from halftime either. A quick 5-0 run felt like a replay of the first-half until the Spartans responded with a quick 5-0 run of their own. Both sides would go on to treat fans inside ExtraMile Arena to a three point barrage I’ve rarely seen in college basketball. As San Jose State would shoot 2-3 from deep as the Broncos answered. Making three of their next four attempts in that same time.

Even as the Spartans found some offensive rhythm, Boise State stayed hot enough to effectively make that run irrelevant to the overall score. Both squads began to cool off after that, with a few field goals on both sides to keep the scoreboard operator involved.

Boise State found themselves up 57-32 heading into a media timeout with 11:57 left in the game. A quick 5-0 run capped by yet another Tibet Gorener three pointer shrunk the lead back to twenty points. O’Mar Stanley would make a second chance layup off of an offensive board on the other end, his 3rd of the game. That sparked a 7-0 run only to be muddled with an extracurricular tie up after the whistle.

That resulted in a double technical and saw two players on each side dealt technical fouls (which canceled each other out). Myron Amey Jr. would end another San Jose State scoring drought with a made field goal & 1 free throw within about thirty seconds of play.

As both coaches began to utilize their bench with a little less than five minutes to go, Roddie Anderson III received an and one to put Boise State up 70-45. Each side would continue to exchange a few buckets as the Broncos would let time expire to secure their 82-50 win at home.

“Obviously it’s good for metrics but you can’t take these kinds of wins for granted in the Mountain West,” said Chibuzo Agbo. “Really good teams can still lose these kinds of games on any given night in this conference so it felt good to get it done.”

San Jose State looked like a JV team in the first-half, which couldn’t be overcome. No matter how much more impressive their 34 point second half was. They ended the night having shot 10-28 (35.7%) from deep, thanks in part to Myron Amey Jr. (3-7 3FGs) & Tibet Gorener (4-9 3FGs, 12 points).

Boise State on the other hand had a very efficient & well rounded offensive night. Shooting 29-54 (53.7%) from the floor & 10-25 (40%) from three-point range & 14-17 (82.4%) from the charity stripe.

All night it was a team effort, with ten different Bronco’s seeing time on the floor & all scoring at least one field goal. Four starters posted double-figures, in Stanley (10 points), Agbo (14 points), Rice (14 points) & Degenhart (15 points).

As impressive of a night it was for Leon Rice’s group offensively, they did just as good of a job defensively. Forcing 14 turnovers, logging 7 steals as a team & only sending the Spartans to the line 5 times total. Not to mention playing a part in San Jose State only having five players score a point.

Player Spotlights

Boise State F-Tyson Degenhart

Stat line: 15 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals & 4 assists on 4-9 shooting (44.4%) from the floor & 7-8 (87.2%) from the line in 30 minutes of action

Boise State’s 32-point point win on Tuesday night was definitely a team effort. And I don’t think Degenhart’s 15 points would have necessarily been the line between win or loss. But he turned in a fine performance nonetheless and should be highlighted for it.

He had his way offensively down low against San Jose State. And was a part of a frontcourt defensive effort that made the paint a no go zone for Spartans all night.

San Jose State G–Myron Amey Jr.

Stat line: 21 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals & 2 blocks on 8-15 shooting (53.3%) from the floor & 3-7 (42.8%) from the line in 32 minutes of action

Amey Jr. has been a reliable scoring threat for Tim Miles and Co all season. Taking the leap many onlookers of the conference thought he was capable of and tasked with replacing former MWC POY Omari Moore. Even though the Spartans have fallen down the conference standings this season, Amey Jr.’s offensive production isn’t the reason why.

His 21 point performance Tuesday night was his 23rd double-digit outing this season & his 8th 20+ point performance of the season. Amey Jr. also made his impact on the other side the ball as well, forcing five recordable turnovers & being involved in plenty of others.

Two Takeaways:

  • San Jose State is obviously at the tail end of a rebuilding year. The Spartans are without their best frontcourt player in Robert Vaihola, who could have provided a scoring presence in the paint. And have relied on plenty of freshman & a few transfers to make meaningful impacts in their first season’s in San Jose. The ceiling for this team at the moment is snagging a win (or two) in their final remaining four games of the season. In hopes of building some winning momentum before the conference tournament in Las Vegas.
  • Boise State were the favorites by far coming into this home matchup against a program from the Mountain West’s cellar at the moment. Yes, any team can win any given night still. So team’s need to stay focused & execute in very winnable games like this. The Broncos did just that and in doing so, sit alone in second place in the conference just 0.5 games behind league leader Utah State.

Next Up:

The Broncos begin a two game road trip on Saturday against a sneakily dangerous Wyoming team in Laramie. The Cowboys have done their share of giant slaying this conference season, so Boise State shouldn’t take them lightly, especially inside the Arena-Auditorium.

That game tips off at 5:30 PM MT on February 24th and can be seen on the Mountain West Network.

While the Spartans head back home to prepare to host San Diego State on Friday February 23rd. The Aztecs are coming off of a tough loss to league leaders Utah State Tuesday night but are one of the always dangerous Mountain West teams year in & year out.

That game tips off at 7:00 PM PST and can be seen on FS1 as the lone Mountain West game of the night.

Larry Muniz covers college basketball as a writer for Mountain West Wire and WAC Hoops Digest. Also as a co-host of the college basketball podcast “Hoops Talk W/Jay & Larry”. He is also a USWBA Member.

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Myron “MJ” Amey Jr.’s heroics lifts SJSU to first conference win

A miraculous, buzzer-beating three from Myron “MJ” Amey Jr. lifts SJSU basketball to first conference win over Air Force.

Somehow, someway, with 1.3 seconds left and the score at 67-67, Myron “MJ” Amey Jr. drilled a wildly improbable three from the corner to lift San Jose State to a 70-67 win over Air Force. 

But as Amey Jr. (16 points and nine rebounds) was a portrait of unbridled joy after his buzzer-beater while teammates mobbed him, it was easy to forget that SJSU fumbled a 10-point second half and was down 66-64 with 1:58 remaining. 

So now comes the difficulty of identifying what’s more meaningful: SJSU rallying back in those final few minutes? Or how it fumbled yet another second half lead?

“They [SJSU] can be 4-0 in this league,” SJSU head coach Tim Miles said after the win. Miles’ quote came a few dafter the Spartans nearly upset No. 19 San Diego State.

Now, some may be thinking, ‘How can you not leave a buzzer-beater completely happy?’

That’s because SJSU (8-9, 1-3 MW) has made a habit of turning promising first half starts into disappointing second half finishes. For example, it squandered a 17-point first half lead to Wyoming in its conference opener. One game later, against a stellar Boise State, it fell 78-69 after it held a nine-point lead with nine minutes remaining. And in its six non-conference losses, SJSU outscored its opponent just once following the first half.

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On Saturday, SJSU ended the first half up 46-33 after it outrebounded the Cadets 18-7 and outscored them in the paint 24-18. Then, in the second half, SJSU was outrebounded 18-13, outscored in the paint 12-10 and outscored AFA by seven fewer points than it did in the first half on second chance opportunities. 

Looking ahead, what’s particularly worrisome is that Air Force is the second lowest-ranking team in the NET (232) in the conference. The Cadets aren’t particularly sharp, either. They average the third-most turnovers in the conference (12.9) and have the third-lowest free throw percentage. Both were was put on full display in the final seconds from Rytis Petraitis who went 1-for-2 with a chance to give AFA the lead with 10 seconds left. Moments later, it was Petraitis who stepped out with 1.3 seconds left after rebounding SJSU point guard Alvaro Cardenas’ (11 points and nine assists) airballed three. 

Then came Amey Jr.’s dagger that Miles called “insanity. 

Without Petraitis’ sloppiness, it’s hard to say SJSU wouldn’t be 0-4. What’s more, it’s hard to say SJSU wouldn’t continue to crater.

But maybe, just maybe, within those final couple minutes and Amey Jr.’s heroics was SJSU realizing it can be a conference force. 

Or, will the momentum from Saturday slip away and the Spartans struggle to handle a Fresno State (No. 251 NET ranking) this Tuesday night?

Even more intriguing now is how SJSU will fare in the six-game gauntlet after FSU which features four teams in the top-40 of the NET and five teams in the top-100. 

Ask someone their prediction of how SJSU will fare in the first half on Saturday, when Adrame Diongue (four points and three rebounds) slammed down an alley-oop from Cardenas and Garret Anderson (six points) was attacking at will, it may yield a positive one. What if you asked in the second half when SJSU let a 46-33 halftime lead whither into a 66-61 deficit?

And eventually, after Amey Jr.’s buzzer-beater, where will that same person land?

“We looked like we are dead in the water and Myron Amey Jr. makes this incredible, miracle of a shot,” Miles said, “… Great way to get out first Mountain West win.”

Can SJSU Basketball Use Near Upset Over No. 19 SDSU To Shift Season?

Can SJSU basketball use near upset over No. 19 SDSU to shift season?

Can SJSU Basketball Use Near Upset Over No. 19 SDSU To Shift Season?

A deep-dive into SJSU’s conference slate

Follow @Mattweiner20 & @MWCwire

Frustration must turn to momentum

WHO: San Jose State (7-9, 0-3 MW) vs. Air Force (7-7, 0-2 MW)

WHEN: Saturday, January 13th — 7:30 p.m. MST / 6:30 p.m. PST

WHERE: Cadet Field House

TV: Mountain West Network

STREAM: FuboTV — get a free trial

It’s surprising San Jose State head coach Tim Miles and junior guards MJ Amey and Alvaro Cardenas didn’t exhibit more glee in their press conference after the Spartans nearly upset No. 19 San Diego State 81-78 last Tuesday. 

SJSU has never won an NCAA Tournament game. The Aztecs, meanwhile, won five last year en route to finishing as March Madness runner-ups. 

So shouldn’t the Spartans have viewed that near monumental upset as encouraging first and frustrating second – not vice versa? In theory, yes. But Tuesday’s defeat was the latest example of how the Spartans (7-9, 0-3 MW) lost a game they could have won. With its postseason chances slimming, SJSU must figure out how to turn frustration into momentum. 

Just a week before the SDSU loss, the Spartans squandered a 17-point lead in its conference-opener to Wyoming, falling 75-73 on a buzzer-beater. Then, in its conference home-opener, SJSU fumbled a nine-point lead it held over Boise State with less than 10 minutes and wound up losing by nine.

SJSU felt frustrated last Tuesday night not because it played poorly. In fact, considering the talent disparity, that game could be considered one of the best of Miles’ tenure. But the Spartans method of losing is emotionally draining. 

Following the SDSU loss, Miles asked rhetorically “‘Do you let it [frustration] suck the life out of you? … Or use it [frustration] to make yourself stronger and more resilient?’”

Could Miles’ sentiment also be that of a coach whose team entered conference play with a penchant for struggling to finish games?

In SJSU’s six non-conference losses, it outscored its opponent following the first half just once. Now, the defeat to Texas Tech (No. 31 in NET) can be forgiven. But what about the losses to Cal Poly (No. 327 in NET) and Abilene Christian (No. 255 in NET)? 

In doing so, it hinted that what’s happening now could’ve been seen from far away. 

Miles should know. After the Cal Poly loss he said, “You hope it’s not a symptom of a larger problem in the program or an unwillingness to build on a lead and play the type of defense necessary to win tough-minded games.”

Months later, those words are hauntingly prophetic. 

But the Spartans inability to “play the type of defense necessary to win tough-minded games” isn’t perplexing. 

After all, they entered this season without 2022-23 Mountain West Player of the Year Omari Moore and last year’s frontcourt of center Ibrahima Diallo (transferred), power forward Sage Tolbert (graduated) and power forward Robert Vaihola who sustained a season-ending injury this offseason. 

Their replacements haven’t come close to matching their production. Though Washington State transfer Adrame Diongue averages the second most blocks per game (1.6) in the conference, his inability to stay out of foul trouble and staggering 38.2 free throw percentage limits his crunch time minutes.  

Power forwards sophomore William Humer and freshman Diogo “DJ” Seixas haven’t made contributions required for SJSU to command the paint. In the Wyoming loss SJSU was outscored 36-20 in the paint. After that, Broncos’ power forward O’mar Stanley went for 30 points and 11 rebounds and SDSU’s Jaedon LeDee netted 31 points and 10 rebounds. 

This doesn’t mean Diongue, Humer and Seixas are bad. This is just what happens when inexperienced players are thrust into major roles they may not be ready for.

This loaded Mountain West, however, will offer no sympathy. 

But to take a step back, is all of this far too harsh and grim of an outlook? Shouldn’t the SDSU defeat vault — not crater — SJSU’s CBI chances? 

That’s what makes it so difficult to predict SJSU’s future. To definitively say the SDSU loss will vault SJSU is to be too much of a prisoner of the moment. To definitively say that loss will crater SJSU is to unjustly give up on a team dripping in promise.

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Amey’s 15.3 points per game is good for top-10 in the conference and Cardenas has paired his 14.1 points per game with 5.7 assists – fifth-most in the conference. The pair’s 20-point performances against SDSU is just the latest example of how they’ve taken that pivotal third-year leap. 

And don’t let the Spartans inability to close games fool you into thinking they are incompetent. Evidenced by how they turned the ball over 11 times against Wyoming, seven times against BSU and 10 times against SDSU. As a result, SJSU has averaged the second-fewest turnovers per game (10.4) in the Mountain West.

If the Spartans can find a way to match their first half effort with their second half effort, they can win nine of their next 15 games to clinch the .500 record necessary for CBI eligibility. 

“I’ve been saying we can play with anybody in the country,” Amey said after the SDSU game.

If there’s one thing SJSU can’t play with — it’s time. And if there’s any time for a seismic shift, it’s this Saturday night at Air Force (No. 232 in NET) and next Tuesday night at Fresno State (No. 245 in NET). 

With wins over the Mountain West’s lowest-ranking NET teams, SJSU can quickly erase the sting of the 0-3 conference start. Not to mention the momentum required to attack a six-game slate afterward featuring four teams in the top-40 of the NET and five in the top-100. 

“We can lose to anybody in this league, but I think we have proven we can beat anybody in this league, too,” Miles said.  

SJSU basketball nearly upsets No. 19 San Diego State

SJSU basketball nearly upsets No. 19 San Diego State, 81-78.

SJSU basketball offered glimpses of greatness

SJSU basketball nearly upsets No. 19 San Diego State

Follow @Mattweiner20 & @MWCwire

Was SJSU’s near upset a sign better times lay ahead?

Following a 81-78 near upset over No. 19 San Diego State, SJSU head coach Tim Miles opined on the concept of “frustration.” 

“A situation like this, it really comes down to frustration. Like, ‘how do you handle frustration? Do you let it suck the life out of you?’” Miles reflected. “ … Or use it to make yourself stronger and more resilient.”

This is why when looking back at the SDSU (14-2, 3-0) loss, Spartan fans should be encouraged. SJSU was dealt several frustrating moments. And yet, despite playing a team far more talented, it ended up being one blocked lay up at the end of regulation away by Trey Anderson from going to overtime. 

Furthermore, this came in a game where SJSU (7-9, 0-3) was fresh off two frustrating losses. Still, it never let a couple poor possessions turn into an avalanche of disappointment against an SDSU on pace to make another deep run in the NCAA tournament.

Following Miles’ press conference, SJSU guards MJ Amey (20 points) and Alvaro Cardenas (21 points) sat side-by-side and voiced a disdain for using Tuesday as a moral victory. 

“We feel like we are capable of winning every game,” Cardenas said. 

And to a certain extent, Cardenas is right. 

Prior to the SDSU loss, SJSU squandered a 17-point lead to Wyoming and a nine-point lead to Boise State. Both losses to BSU and SDSU came in similar fashion: the inability to stop a power forward. 

Last Saturday, it was the Broncos’ O’mar Stanley who went for 30 points and 11 rebounds and Tuesday it was SDSU’s Jaedon Ledee, who went for 31 points and 10 rebounds. 

This why it’s essential for SJSU to make strides in the NIL space. It appears the Spartans are a dominant frontcourt away from winning games against the upper echelon of the conference. 

The Spartans were outrebounded 37-28, outscored in the paint 38-24 and outscored on second chance opportunities 18-9. 

SJSU center Adrame Diongue and power forwards Diogo “DJ” Seixas and William Humer are all in a transitional phase and just aren’t ready to take that next leap to compete with elite big men. 

“We are mismatched inside,” Miles said. 

Now, considering the several departures from last year’s Final Four squad, some may be surprised at SDSU’s continued domination. 

That’s where Ledee comes in. 

From last season to this one, he has nearly tripled his points total – from 7.9 points to 21.4 – and lifted his rebound total from 5.3 to 8.7. Earlier this year, SDSU head coach Brian Ducher told the San Diego Union Tribune that “He could have probably gotten a lot more NIL (money) somewhere else.”

So why did he choose to stay? It’s simple. He’d flourish at SDSU in ways he wouldn’t at any other school. SDSU’s culture and system is just that stellar. So now Ledee can leverage that into premier post-career opportunities. 

With Golden State Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy in attendance, Ledee illustrated his prowess. 

Unlike Ducher in this NIL era, Miles has to establish his own system and culture. If SJSU plays like it did against SDSU that era is coming sooner than later. 

Which is why it’s imperative for SJSU to not waste the momentum from Tuesday. Cardenas, Amey, Anderson (11 points) and Tibet Gorener (15 points) all finished in double figures. Plus, it turned the ball over just 10 times. There’s unquestionable evidence that SJSU is capable of doing much more than its record indicates. 

Although, that does hinge upon SJSU capitalizing on the momentum from Thursday in its next two games – this Saturday at Air Force and next Tuesday at Fresno State. Back-to-back wins could give the Spartans the momentum they need to have a legitimate shot at reaching that prized .500 overall record which would give them eligibility for the CBI. 

“I mean you just gotta finish games – that’s it,” chuckled Amey.

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