:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/29586649/20140124_ter_ib2_1128.0.jpg)
It was senior night for Boise State (19-11, 9-8 MW) Wednesday night when Nevada (14-16, 9-8 MW) came into Taco Bell Arena to hand the Broncos another close loss in front of the home town crowd. The win for the Wolf Pack was secured by Deonte Burton, who scored 25 points in the dramatic victory over Boise State on Wednesday night.
The loss by Boise State was in spite of a good showing by the three seniors being honored: Ryan Watkins, Jeff Elorriaga and Thomas Bropleh. Watkins had his best outing of the season and became only the 25th player in Boise State history to score 1,000 points. He had 27 points on the evening and 14 rebounds against Nevada. Elorriaga also put up 15 points with five 3-pointers while Bropleh contributed seven points with eight rebounds. It was a Bropleh 3-pointer at the buzzer that forced the second overtime. Juniors Derrick Marks scored 16 points and Anthony Drmic added 15.
But the Broncos once again sealed their own fate when they came out flat in the first half. For the third straight game, the Broncos trailed by at least 10 in the first 10 minutes. At the 8:12 mark they were down 24-10 after shooting a mediocre 25.8 percent from the field while the Wolf Pack took care of business and took advantage of the slump. The Wolf Pack went into the locker room at the half up 32-24.
The Broncos battled back in the second half and actually gained the lead after they stole the Wolf Pack’s momentum. But the close game was due to spectacular plays on both sides of the court. Nevada trailed 62-57 with under three minutes left when Burton drove to the hoop for a score, followed by Marqueze Coleman, who hit a 3-pointer with an assist by Michael Perez. Regulation ended with the score tied at 62-62.
The first overtime ended 69-69 after Boise State held when Thomas Bropleh and an assist by Derrick Marks made the three-point jumper with one second on the clock. The second overtime was almost as close, but Burton’s two jumpers and a layup, combinded with a three-pointer by Perez, sealed the game for Nevada.
The regular season finale for the Broncos will be this Saturday, March 8, 4 PM MT in Clune Arena, Colorado Springs against Air Force (11-17, 5-12 MW).
Nevada will also close out their regular season Saturday against UNLV (19-11, 10-7 MW), at home in Lawlor Events Center, Reno, at 8 PM MT.
Also, you may have missed this:
