PREVIEW | CBK: BOISE STATE (7-3) VS CAL STATE FULLERTON (6-4)
Boise State University vs Cal State Fullerton
Date: Sunday December 17th, 2023
Time: 2:00 pm MT
Stadium: ExtraMile Arena
TV: KTVB
Stream: Mountain West Network
Radio: KBOI 670 AM
Know Thy Enemy
The Titans come in hot, winners of four straight, but the Broncos have been unbeatable inside ExtraMile Arena and are riding a four-game win streak of their own. It’s a reheat of an old Big West matchup from a year ago!
Cal State Fullerton is coming off its second consecutive 20+ win season, something the program had accomplished one other time in school history. In last seasons Big West Tournament, Fullerton advanced all the way to the finals, beating both the #5-Seed and the #1-seed before falling to the #2-seed UC Santa Barbara.
This season the Titans spent the first month of the season trading off wins and losses, but have been unbeatable since the calendar has changed to December. CSF has rattled off four wins in a row against North Dakota, Stanton, Pepperdine, and Sacramento State.
Fullerton returns three starters from last season in 2022-2023 Big West Honorable Mention Max, Jones and Vincet less as well as reigning Big WEst Devenfise Player of the Year Troy San Antonio.
Offensively the Titans won’t wow you, averaging only 68 points per game. Their leading scoring, Max Jones, averages a solid 16.8 points per game, but ranks 9th in the Big West. He and DJ Brewton will take turns being the lead scorer in games usually, like last time out when Brewton scored a career-high 23 against Sac State.
Defensively the Titans are stingy. They give up only 66 points per game, but during this current win streak Fullerton has only allowed their opponent to break 60 once.
Head Coach Dedrique Taylor, in his 11th season at the helm of the Titan program,
has accomplished what no Fullerton coach has before him: leading the team to the
NCAA Tournament on two separate occasions. Taylor is also the first coach in program history to have at least two 20+ win seasons, as well as the first to have 10+ conference wins in at least four different seasons.Coach Taylor entered the 2023-24 season with 141 career wins, 14 shy of tying Bobby Dye as the program’s all time winningest head coach.
The Titans are 4-8 all time versus the Broncos, including 1-4 on the road.
What Happened Last Time
Fullerton and Boise State last met on Feb. 8, 2001, during the Broncos’ last season in
The Big West Conference. Boise State won the matchup in Boise, 75-55.
Player to Watch
CSF
SR., DJ BREWTON, G#7
DJ Brewton is having a really solid season in his first year in navy and orange. Brewton spent the last three season at Alcorn State where he averaged 12 points and 4 rebounds per game. Brewto was also named to the All-SWAC First Team last season. This year Brewton is averaging over 14 points per game and last time out against Sacramento State he scored a career-high 23 points. Brewton is part of a 1-2 scoring punch that the Titans will rely on come Sunday.
BOISE STATE
JR., TYSON DEGENHART, F#2
There has been a lot of buzz surrounding Chibuzo Agbo and Max Rice the last couple of games for their breakout performances, but what when you look at the stat sheet, Tyson Degenhart has been putting up amazing numbers during this current win-streak. In the last four games Degenhart is averaging 18.5 points on 64% shooting. He saved his best performance for last when he was 8-of-10 from the field for 20 points and 7 rebounds (3 offensive) against Northwestern State on Tuesday. Buzo and Rice may be the flash right now for Boise State, but Degenhart is the heart that hold the Broncos together.
PROBABLE STARTERS
BOISE STATE
WESTERN
Rev's Route to a Bronco Win
Pound The Paint
Boise State will have the size advantage in this one, especially down low. Titans have giving up as much as 44 points in the paint this season and give up 30 in that category on the regular. Look for Degy, O’Mar and Cam to have big games inside.
Make the Free Ones
The Broncos will have plenty of opportunities from the charity stripe on Sunday afternoon. Many times this year the Titans have allowed their opponent to shoot 20-25 free ones. Boise State is shooting 70% from the line and will need to cash in on the free ones.
Revs Rant and Prediction
There’s not too much to rant about for this one. Yes the Titans have found their groove, but so have the Broncos. With how the Big 3 have been playing lately this one could get out of hand in a hurry.
Broncos 88, Titans 60
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