Boise State gets one last tune-up Thursday night before the games start counting, with the Broncos wrapping up exhibition play against Bismarck State College at ExtraMile Arena.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. Mountain time, and there won’t be a TV broadcast for the matchup. Fans can still follow along through the radio live stream.
Bismarck State, an NAIA program that went 1-27 overall last season, has never played a Division I men’s basketball team. Boise State, meanwhile, has already handled two exhibition tests and looks to keep building momentum before the 2026-27 season opens next Wednesday against West Coast Baptist.
The Broncos opened exhibition play with an 82-72 win over Idaho and followed that up with a 109-91 victory over Washington at Idaho Central Arena on Oct. 17. In that win over the Huskies, sophomore point guard Aginaldo Neto led the way with 29 points, five rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks.
Head coach Leon Rice said earlier this week that the exhibition stretch has given his group needed time to sharpen things up.
“This has been a nice preseason as far as giving us some time to work on some things,” Boise State head coach Leon Rice told local media earlier this week. “I think every day, we get a little closer to a full roster. … That’s got all us excited, and the players are excited to gradually get back out there.
“I think the identity of the team is starting to come together. We’ve got a ton of work to do, and I think this team is just going to be-as we go forward with all these new guys and new roles-we’re always going to be a work in progress. But the upside, there’s a lot of it.”
Boise State has to replace all five starters from last year’s 20-12 team, which missed the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row.
Rice also said the Broncos will be able to play with a different edge in 2026-27.
“We can extend our defense a little bit more, we can be more aggressive both offensively and defensively,” Rice said. “We have more ability to attack the ball in a full-court situation, but still be really, really good in the half-court.
And it’s the same offensively, too. I think that opens up a whole different kind of style for us with the personnel we have.”
One key piece remains unavailable: projected starting guard Lamar Washington is still ineligible. Washington, a transfer from Georgia Tech, had his request for a temporary restraining order denied by a judge in Texas on Thursday as he continues to seek a fifth year of eligibility.
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Boise State's Favorite Status Suddenly Feels Less Comfortable Than Expected
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Boise State Just Sent A Strong Late-Season Message To The Pac-12
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The defensive side was just as important, with Texas State managing only two shots on goal in the second half and Ava de Leest picking up her 10th shutout of the season. Now the Broncos have one more regular-season test in front of them, and the stakes are simple: a win over Washington State would give Boise State a share of the Pac-12 regular season crown. [Read more 🡒]