Boise State gets another tune-up Saturday night, but fans hoping to watch it on a screen are out of luck.
The Broncos host Washington in an exhibition game at 7 p.m. Mountain time at Idaho Central Arena in downtown Boise, and there will be no TV broadcast or live stream. The only live audio option will be KBOI 670 AM.
Boise State already opened exhibition play last weekend with an 82-72 win over Idaho, and the second half gave Leon Rice plenty to like. The Broncos shot 68 percent from the floor after halftime to pull away from their in-state opponent.
“For us being shorthanded, I thought our guys really did a great job,” Broncos head coach Leon Rice told local media earlier this week. “One turnover in the second half, which is amazing.
You look at all these box scores of all these scrimmages and exhibition games, there’s not many teams that are going to have a half like that this early. So really pleased with that.”
That win came without Boise State’s top two transfer portal additions. Guards Ty Rodgers and Lamar Washington were both unavailable against Idaho.
Rodgers is out after suffering a knee injury during offseason workouts. Washington, a fifth-year senior, is trying in court to secure another year of eligibility. He can practice with the team, but he cannot play in games.
“It’s really hard because you look at some of the things he’s doing in practice and you’re like ‘Wow, that would make us better,’” Rice said. “In a game like what we just played, he would’ve been terrific.
I told Lamar and I told Ty that you look at these NBA preseason games, you don’t play any veterans, and that’s what they are. … Hopefully we get things tightened up for the real counting games.”
Rice said he does not know whether Washington will eventually be cleared for the 2026-27 season.
In the opener, Julian Bowie led Boise State with 21 points, while Dovydas Butka finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals.
The Broncos still have one more exhibition on the calendar, facing Bismarck State College on Oct. 29 at ExtraMile Arena, before their first counting game against West Coast Baptist on Nov. 4.
In Other News...
Boise State Suddenly Has A New Pac-12 Team To Worry About
Through seven weeks of Pac-12 play, Boise State has been right where it expected to be near the top of the league picture, but the path to a title race just got a little more crowded. Oregon State stayed in striking distance with a convincing win over Washington State, while Texas State also got its first Pac-12 victory of the season by rolling past Colorado State in a game that featured a big all-around day from Torrance Burgess Jr.
Oregon States offense has become impossible to ignore, and the Beavers have now put themselves firmly into the same conversation as Boise State. Against Washington State, AJ Newberry and freshman Jesse Legree supplied the kind of explosive plays that can change a standings race in a hurry, giving Oregon State a result that tightens the margin at the top and adds another contender for Boise State to keep an eye on as the season moves deeper into conference play. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Faces One Telling Test Against A Suddenly Unsettled Washington State
Boise State heads into Saturdays meeting with Washington State carrying a 5-1 record and a fair amount of momentum, but this one still feels like a useful measuring stick. The game kicks at 4 p.m. Mountain time on USA Network, and the Broncos are expected to handle a Cougars team that has been searching for traction since last weekends loss to Oregon State.
Washington States recent quarterback change adds another layer to a matchup that already looked interesting on paper, especially with the Cougars trying to steady an offense that has not settled in yet. Boise State, meanwhile, will be trying to make the most of a game where the pressure is on the favorite to look the part, even as the line has shifted since opening. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Just Got A Ranking Boost At The Right Time
A week off can do more than rest a roster, and Boise State got a timely reminder of that in the Week 6 Coaches Poll. After stacking up five straight victories, the Broncos continued their climb in the national conversation, landing in a stronger position as they turn toward Washington State and the next chance to prove they belong in the mix.
The broader poll picture helped frame the rise, too, with several top 25 teams taking losses and shaking up the ladder around Boise State. Oregon held at No. 25 after beating Nebraska, while other teams lingered among those receiving votes, leaving the Broncos with a little more room to keep building as the season moves deeper into October. [Read more 🡒]