Broncos Begin Road Week Wednesday At Nevada

Boise State (12-2, 3-0 MW) at Nevada (5-10, 1-3 MW)
Wednesday, Jan. 16 • 7:30 p.m. MT
Reno, Nev. • Lawlor Events Center
Series: Boise State leads, 39-17
Last Meeting: Boise State 62, Nevada 60 - Las Vegas, Nev.
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BOISE, Idaho - Boise State begins a stretch of three of its next four games on the road this Wednesday as it visits Reno to take on Nevada at 7:30 p.m. MT.

LAST TIME OUT
Boise State rolled to a 99-68 victory over San Jose State on Jan. 12, setting season bests in scoring and field goals (39).

The Broncos shot 58.2 percent in the contest, led primarily by the bench, which accounted for 55 points on 66.7-percent shooting (22-for-33). Freshman center Rachel Bowers led all Broncos with 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting, while the trio of Tess Amundsen, Marijke Vanderschaaf, and Ellie Woerner went a combined 9-for-9 from the field for 19 points.

Marta Hermida led the starters with 13 points and six assists, going 5-for-7 and 3-for-4 from long range, while A'Shanti Coleman (12 points) and Riley Lupfer (10) were also in double digits.

WHO'S NEXT
Nevada (5-10, 1-3 MW) split last week's contests, defeating San Jose State, 52-49, Wednesday before falling, 79-63, to Fresno State.

The Wolf Pack, which made a run to the Mountain West Tournament Championship Game last season, are led by the play of Terae Briggs (15.9 ppg, 7.5 rpg) and Jade Redmon (13.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg).

Boise State leads the all-time series against the Wolf Pack, 39-17, and took two of three last season, including a 62-60 win in the Mountain West Tournament title game on A'Shanti Coleman's buzzer beater.

LAST YEAR'S MEETINGS
The Broncos and Wolf Pack met thrice last season, with the rubber match an all-timer, as Boise State used A'Shanti Coleman's buzzer-beating putback to claim the Mountain West Tournament title and automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with a 62-60 win.

Prior to that meeting, each school had captured a win on the other's home court. Nevada defeated the Broncos, 72-68, last Jan. 20, and the Broncos returned the favor with a 63-55 win in Reno on Valentine's Day.

PROGRAM-BEST MW START
Jan. 12's win over San Jose State got Boise State out to the first 3-0 start to Mountain West play in program history. The Broncos had opened MW play 2-0 five times (including this season), but had never, until Saturday, been able to get that third-straight win.

Boise State's all-time best start to conference play is an 10-0 run to open Northwest Basketball League (NWBL) play in 1977-78. This current 3-0 start is the program's best to a conference slate since an 8-0 start to the 2006-07 WAC campaign.

AMONG THE BEST PERFORMANCES
Recently, it seems Boise State puts up some of its all-time best performances against San Jose State. In Jan. 12's 99-68 win, the Broncos' 99 points ranked as the third-most for the program in a conference game, and last year's 112 points (Jan. 24, 2018) was the most.

The team's 39 field goals Saturday tied for the third-most in a conference matchup, just two behind the record of 41, set, again, last Jan. 24 at San Jose State.

MARIJKE'S BACK
Redshirt senior center Marijke Vanderschaaf made her much-anticipated return to the court Jan. 12 against San Jose State, going 3-for-3 from the field for six points in five minutes of action.

It marked Vanderschaaf's return to action after a 13-month injury absence. The 2016-17 All-Mountain West Honorable Mention had been averaging 11.0 points and 6.7 rebounds through six games last season before suffering a torn ACL just 30 seconds into the seventh contest of the campaign, Dec. 7, 2017 against Washington.

Vanderschaaf's return should bolster a Bronco post crew in which A'Shanti Coleman, Joyce Harrell, and Rachel Bowers have combined to average 26.9 points while shooting 59.3 percent (35-for-59) from the field over the first three games of Mountain West play.

HERMIDA JOINING A SELECT CLUB
Senior guard Marta Hermida has been a jack-of-all-trades for the Broncos throughout her career, being relied upon at various times to score, rebound, run the point, and play her usual tenacious defense.

That strong all-around play has put Hermida on the cusp of joining a very select club in Boise State women's basketball history. With one more rebound, Hermida will join Tasha Harris (2004-10) as just the second Bronco to accumulate 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, and 300 assists in her career.

LUPFER APPROACHES 1,000
Junior guard Riley Lupfer heads into Wednesday's game at Nevada at 980 career points, just 20 away from becoming the 21st member of Boise State's 1,000-Point Club.

Lupfer averaged 19.0 points over three games against Nevada last season, so she could very well reach the milestone Wednesday.

THE BENCH PRODUCES
Boise State's bench production was extraordinary Jan. 12 against San Jose State, as seven Broncos combined to score 55 of the team's 99 points and shoot a blazing 66.7 percent (22-for-33).

The effort was led by freshman center Rachel Bowers (14 points, 6-for-8 shooting), while the trio of Tess Amundsen, Marijke Vanderschaaf, and Ellie Woerner went a combined 9-for-9 from the field for 19 points. Freshman Jade Loville also added eight points.

DEFENDING THE LONG BALL
The Broncos have locked down opponents from deep early on in Mountain West play, limiting its three opponents (Wyoming, San Diego State, San Jose State) to a paltry 21.6-percent mark (11-for-51).

After Wyoming went just 6-for-19 on Jan. 2, the Broncos limited San Diego State to a 1-for-14 effort Jan. 5, before holding San Jose State to just four triples in 18 attempts.

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Players Mentioned

Tess Amundsen

Rachel Bowers

A'Shanti Coleman

Joyce Harrell

Marta Hermida

Jade Loville

Riley Lupfer

Marijke Vanderschaaf

Ellie Woerner