PREVIEW | CBK: BOISE STATE (6-3) VS NORTHWESTERN STATE (1-8)
Boise State University vs Northwestern State University
Date: Tuesday December 12th, 2023
Time: 7:00 pm MT
Stadium: ExtraMile Arena
TV: KTVB
Stream: Mountain West Network
Radio: KBOI 670 AM
Know Thy Enemy
The Broncos look to continue their winning ways as they welcome the Demons of Northwestern State on Tuesday night at ExtraMile. Northwestern State is at the tail end of a nearly month long road trip that has spanned five different states and three different time zones.Northwestern State enters Tuesday's game searching for its first win since the Nov. 6 season-opening win against Dallas Christian. NSU dropped an 83-74 decision at Southern Miss this past Saturday in a game that saw the Demons erase a 13-point deficit to take a second-half lead before falling to the Golden Eagles.
Demons head coach Rick Cabrera isn’t trying to make excuses, but he said his team is dealing with a combination of having a lot of new guys and guys out due to injury. He said, “At this moment, we’re failing record-wise, but we’re growing and getting better together.” As far as that is concerned you can tell that NSU is trying to find their rhythm. The Demons have seen 15 players play in at least three games and 10 players have played in at least half of their game. Only one player, Braelon Bush has started every game so far this season.
There’s really no way around it, Northwestern State is just struggling so far this season. They turn the ball over a lot, they give up way too many easy buckets, and they don’t rebound well. Right now they're averaging 13 turnovers per game, their scoring margin is -16 and their rebounding margin is -7 on the season. The only real bright spot on this team right now is their leading score and do-it-all guard Cliff Davis who lead the team in just about every statistical category despite missing a game and only stating three of the eight he’s played.
Northwestern State is coached by Rick Cabrera. After more than a decade as a Division I assistant and nearly another decade as a head coach in the JUCO ranks, Cabrera enters his first season in his “dream job” as the head coach at Northwestern State.
Cabrera, 47, took over as the NSU head coach in March, mere weeks after leading Tallahassee Community College to the semifinals of the National Junior College Athletic Association’s national tournament. Cabrera took the Eagles to the NJCAA Final Four despite having to replace 13 players from a season before. In two seasons at Tallahassee, Cabrera produced a 52-16 overall record, winning at a 76.5 percent clip.
Tuesday's matchup between the Demons and Broncos will be the first in program history and will mark the fourth time this season Northwestern State will face a first-time opponent.
What Happened Last Time
First Meeting
Player to Watch
WESTERN OREGON
JR., CLIFF DAVIS, G#10
This team would be sunk if it weren’t for Cliff Davis. Davis leads the team in scoring with his 15 points per game. He also leads the team in three point percentage and attempts. Davis is averaging 8.6 three point attempts per game so far this season. In their last game against Southern Miss, Davis was 7 of 14 from beyond the arc. This could be problematic for the Broncos as they are giving up over 40% from downtown this season.
BOISE STATE
SR., MAX RICE, G#12
Don’t look now, but Max Rice might be heating up! Rice has struggled shooting the basketball this season, but on Saturday he broke out of that slump in a HUGE way! He and Agbo were tied for the team lead in three pointers with six each from deep. Rice also was a perfect 8 for 8 from the charity stripe. His 28 points led all scorers and it finally looked like Max was playing the way he knows and Bronco Nation knows he can.
PROBABLE STARTERS
BOISE STATE
WESTERN
Rev's Route to a Bronco Win
No “I” in Team
The Broncos did exactly what they were expected to do the last time out against and inferior opponent. What stood out to me the most was the assist to turnover ratio. Boise State was better than 2-to-1 in that category and it showed. They were making the extra, easy pass which led to finding wide open teammates for easy buckets. They have to continue that trend Tuesday against another squad that struggles to play defense.
Big Night From the Big Three
Boise State needs to continue with what they had going last Saturday. Between Degenhart, Chibuzo and Rice, the three of them combined to score 70 points! When those three are on this team can hang with and beat pretty much anyone. Coach Rice needs to find that right combination of the three and make sure that at least one of these guys touch the ball on every possession.
Revs Rant and Prediction
I think we all understand that there was no way the Broncos were going to lose to Western Oregon last week. However, wasn’t it nice to see these boys just lay a whoopin to a team? I mean Boise State finally looked like the team we have heard about all summer. The big three had a big night, 13 different players scored a bucket, the bench had 21 points, they dominated in the paint, scoring 46 from inside and out rebound there opponent 46-14 and only allowed WOU to get one offensive rebound. It was an outstanding performance. Not to mention that the Broncos are now riding an 18-game win streak at home. Now they play a wounded Demons team who can’t buy a win right now. It’s time for this Broncos team to smell the blood in the water and just dominate again.
I think the Broncos dominate on both ends of the floor in another big win.
Boise State 84, Northwestern State 66
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