It may seem like testing your team early in the season with tough matchups isn’t necessary.

However, this Bronco squad has grown tremendously over just six games because every team they have faced is within the top-160 of KenPom’s rankings.

Their performance against Colorado was the culmination of that.

Key Team Stats of the Night

Three Point Percentage

Boise State - 34.8%

Colorado - 20.0%

Steals

Boise State - 8

Colorado - 5

Free Throw Percentage

Boise State - 70.6%

Colorado - 56.5%

Stat Leaders

Points

Marcus Shaver Jr. (BSU) - 20 points

KJ Simpson (CU) - 14 points

Rebounds

Marcus Shaver Jr. (BSU) - 10 rebounds

Lawson Lovering (CU) - 6 rebounds

Assists

Max Rice (BSU) - 3 assists

KJ Simpson (CU) - 4 assists

Story of the Game

After Chibuzo Agbo’s stellar performance against Loyola-Chicago, it was apparent that he needs to be a key cog in the Bronco offense for it to run smoothly. While he didn’t rain shots from downtown, Agbo played much more aggressive and looked for his shot rather than waiting for it.

A 10-2 run midway through the first half gave the Broncos their first instance of breathing room, up 19-10. The Buffaloes would trim their deficit to as little as three, but three-pointers by Max Rice and Tyson Degenhart kept the lead at eight as the first half came to a close.

There were no sizable runs in the second half as Boise State maintained their lead throughout. Colorado was not able to build any true momentum as Marcus Shaver Jr. made multiple tough baskets to carry the day. Despite early foul trouble, the Broncos salted the game away and concluded their time in Myrtle Beach with another high-profile win.

FINAL

BOISE STATE BRONCOS (3-2) 68

COLORADO BUFFALOES (3-3) 55

I hope all of you who celebrate Thanksgiving had a great time being with family, friends, or simply taking some time for yourself!

With that, here is a preview for Boise State’s matinee game versus Utah Valley.

BOISE STATE (3-2) VS UTAH VALLEY (3-3)

Location: Boise, Idaho (ExtraMile Arena)

Date/Time: Saturday, November 26th at 2:00 p.m. (Mountain Time)

Television: None

Streaming: Mountain West Network

Radio: KBOI 670 AM

Head-to-Head: Boise State is 5-1 all-time against the Wolverines. The Broncos’ lone defeat came in 2004 when Utah Valley handled Greg Graham’s squad 74-55. In their latest matchup, Boise State won 76-56 in Boise.

Keys to Watch

1. Will Utah Valley keep shooting the three-ball poorly?

• Out of 363 division one teams, the Wolverines rank 351st, shooting 24.6%.

2. Can Boise State continue to build on their defensive output?

• The Broncos are top-25 in the nation in overall defensive adjusted efficiency per KenPom.

3. How effective will Wolverine center Aziz Bandaogo be?

• The 7-foot sophomore leads his team in points, rebounds, and blocks.

Stat Leaders (Averages)

Points

Boise State: Forward Tyson Degenhart - 14.6 Pts.

Utah Valley: Center Aziz Bandaogo - 13.2 Pts.

Rebounds

Boise State: Guard Marcus Shaver Jr. - 9.0 Reb.

Utah Valley: Center Aziz Bandaogo - 11.2 Reb.

Assists

Boise State: Guard Marcus Shaver Jr. - 3.8 Ast.

Utah Valley: Guard Trey Woodbury - 3.3 Ast.

Odds

Via DraftKings, Boise State is currently favored by 9.5 points and the total is set at 125.5.

Prediction

Aha! I’m officially on the board!

Boise State should win this game, but with having roughly a week off, I see some rust needing to be knocked off. That, and the aforementioned Aziz Bandaogo poses a tough assignment for Lukas Milner and Tyson Degenhart. The Broncos will find a way to win, but not before Utah Valley puts a scare into the Broncos.

Final Score

Boise State 61 - Utah Valley 56

What are your thoughts on the Broncos’ performance in the Myrtle Beach Invitational?

Leave your comments down below.