Broncos Host Northwest Christian Friday

Boise State (2-0) vs. Northwest Christian (3-4)
Friday, Nov. 16 • 5:30 p.m.
Boise, Idaho • Taco Bell Arena
Series: Boise State leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: Boise State 83, Northwest Christian 51 (Nov. 13, 2016) • Boise, Idaho
Live Stream | Live Stats

BOISE, Idaho - Boise State (2-0) hosts Northwest Christian (3-4) Friday at 5:30 p.m. in its final tuneup before Monday's big game against No. 5/4 Louisville.

The Broncos close out their season-opening four-game homestand Monday, Nov. 19, with a 7 p.m. tip against No. 5/4 Louisville.

LAST TIME OUT: Boise State picked up its second win of the season last Saturday, defeating Southern Oregon, 91-46.

Senior forward Joyce Harrell scored a career-high 23 points on 11-of-14 shooting and grabbed six rebounds, while fellow senior Marta Hermida continued her hot start to the campaign, scoring 18 points and hitting four 3-pointers for the second game in a row.

The Broncos had eight of their 12 available players score at least six points, with Riley Lupfer adding nine and freshman forward Rachel Bowers eight on top of Harrell's 23 and Hermida's 18.

WHO'S NEXT: Northwest Christian (3-4) will have Friday's game count as an exhibition, officially, but the Beacons are 3-4 in NAIA play already this season.

The Beacons have won two-straight after dropping four of its first five games, defeating Pacific Union (Calif.), 77-56, and Willamette, 62-55, last weekend.

Morgan McKinney leads Northwest Christian in both scoring (15.6 ppg) and rebounding (5.6 rpg), while Conner Borigo is also scoring in double figures at 10.0 points a game.

CAREER WEEKEND FOR HARRELL: Senior forward Joyce Harrell had herself a career weekend to open 2018-19, setting career highs in scoring and rebounding over the two wins.

Thursday against CSUN, Harrell grabbed a career-best 11 rebounds to go with six points and two blocks, then went for a personal-best 23 points on 11-of-14 shooting along with six rebounds in Saturday's win over Southern Oregon.

Harrell has shown an improved touch around the basket early on, and is shooting 60.9 percent (14-for-23) from the field through two games.

HERMIDA FROM DEEP: Senior guard Marta Hermida has also opened eyes two games into the new campaign, averaging 17.0 points and shooting 66.7 percent (12-for-18) from the field and 61.5 percent (8-for-13) from deep over Boise State's 2-0 start.

Hermida opened the season with 16 points on 5-for-8 shooting, including 4-for-7 from 3-point range, in last Thursday's win over CSUN, and followed with 18 points and four more 3-pointers in the win over Southern Oregon two days later.

HERMIDA CLOSING IN ON 1,000: Marta Hermida's 34 points over Boise State's first two games this season has brought her closer to joining Boise State's 1,000-Point Club.

Heading into Friday's game against Northwest Christian, Hermida stands at 952 career points, just 48 away from the 1,000-point milestone.

EYES ON NO. 5/4 LOUISVILLE: Friday's game against NAIA Northwest Christian is Boise State's final tuneup ahead of the big early-season test Monday night against No. 5/4 Louisville.

The Cardinals, which defeated the Broncos, 74-42, in last year's NCAA Tournament First Round en route to a Final Four appearance, would match the highest-ranked opponent to face the Broncos at Taco Bell Arena should they remain fifth in next week's Associated Press Poll, matching No. 5 Georgia, which beat the Broncos, 91-51, back on Dec. 20, 1998.

One week from today, #5/4 Louisville comes to town...

...and it will be a BLACKOUT!

Bronco fans, get your tickets now, and help us Blackout Taco Bell Arena for the rematch of last year's NCAA Tournament First Round!

🎟️ - https://t.co/QNcottrytN #BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/J2Q8tH24k2
— Boise State WBB (@BroncoSportsWBB) November 13, 2018

BOISE STATE AGAINST RANKED TEAMS: Going into Monday's contest against No. 5/4 Louisville at Taco Bell Arena, Boise State is 2-37 against teams ranked in the Associated Press Poll.

Both of Boise State's wins over an AP-ranked team came in January 1994, as the Broncos beat No. 15 Western Kentucky, 75-71, on the road on Jan. 3, then defeated No. 20 Montana, 70-61, on Jan. 29 in Boise.

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Players Mentioned

Rachel Bowers

Joyce Harrell

Marta Hermida

Riley Lupfer

Boise State Athletics