Final Homestand Opens Saturday Against UNLV

Boise State (22-4, 13-2 MW) vs. UNLV (11-16, 9-7 MW)
Saturday, March 2 • 2 p.m. MT
Boise, Idaho • Taco Bell Arena
Series: Tied, 9-9
Last Meeting: Boise State 64, UNLV 57 - Las Vegas, Nev. (Feb. 6, 2019)
Watch | Listen | Live Stats

BOISE, Idaho - Boise State opens its final regular-season homestand of 2018-19 with two games in three days, beginning Saturday at 2 p.m. against UNLV.

LAST TIME OUT
Boise State rebounded from last Saturday's loss at Utah State with a 72-63 overtime win at Colorado State Wednesday night. The win was the Broncos' sixth in a row over the Rams, and third-straight at Moby Arena.

Braydey Hodgins scored 20 points to extend her streak of 20-point games to a Boise State program record-matching six games, equaling Michelle Schultz' run from Dec. 31, 1995-Jan. 20, 1996. Senior Marta Hermida extended her streak of double-figure scoring games to five, netting 17 points and going 6-for-6 from the line in overtime.

The Broncos turned up the heat defensively on the Rams in overtime, forcing two turnovers and allowing just two field goals, winning the extra session by a 13-4 margin.

WHO'S NEXT
Boise State opens its final homestand of the regular season Saturday afternoon against UNLV (11-16, 9-7 MW). The Lady Rebels have won four of their last five, including two-straight, following Wednesday's 67-58 win over Nevada.

UNLV is led by the play of Katie Powell, who paces the team in both scoring (14.1 ppg) and rebounding (6.4 rpg). Nikki Wheatley averages 11.9 points a game and leads the Lady Rebels with 66 assists.

Bronco fans, we want to 👀 and 👂 you out in force at Taco Bell Arena as we go for the @MountainWest title and No. 1 seed during our final homestand!

GA 🎟️ are just $5 at the box office Saturday (UNLV, 2 pm) and Monday (New Mexico, 7 pm)!#BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/CUYhjY2KCp
— Boise State WBB (@BroncoSportsWBB) February 28, 2019

THE LAST MEETING
Boise State beat UNLV in Las Vegas for the first time since 2016 when it captured a 64-57 win over the Lady Rebels at Cox Pavilion on Feb. 6.

The game marked the start of Braydey Hodgins' current six-game 20-point scoring streak, as the junior went for 28 points on 10-for-14 shooting, including a 5-for-8 showing from deep.

An interesting note from that contest was that Hodgins, Rachel Bowers (19 points on 7-for-8 shooting), and A'Shanti Coleman (six points on 3-for-6 shooting) combined for 53 of Boise State's 64 points on 20-for-28 shooting, while the rest of the Broncos score just 11 points and went 2-for-32 from the field.

LET'S TALK CLINCHING SCENARIOS
With three games left in the regular season, Boise State is inching ever closer to clinching its second-straight Mountain West regular-season title. Let's take a look at the most direct ways this could happen by Monday:

First, regardless of Saturday's results, Boise State would clinch the No. 1 seed at March 10-13's Mountain West Tournament, along with at least a share of the regular-season title, with a win over New Mexico Monday at Taco Bell Arena.

The Broncos would clinch the regular-season title outright, along with the No. 1 seed, with wins in its next two games against UNLV and New Mexico, respectively.

Boise State would clinch at least a share of the regular-season title, but not the No. 1 seed, Saturday with a win over UNLV and a New Mexico loss at Colorado State.

HODGINS MATCHES THE RECORD
Braydey Hodgins matched the Boise State program record with her sixth-straight 20-point game Wednesday, as she went for exactly 20 in the win at Colorado State.

Hodgins equaled Michelle Schultz' (1991-96) run of six-straight 20-point games set from Dec. 31, 1995 to Jan. 20, 1996.

Over this current six-game run, Hodgins is averaging 22.5 points with FG/3FG/FT percentages of 50.5/42.0/81.5.

Last night, @braydeyhodgins tied the #BoiseState program record with her sixth-straight 20-point game, matching Michelle Schultz' run from Dec. 31, 1995-Jan. 20-1996!

Don't miss out on our final homestand, beginning Saturday at 2 pm vs. UNLV!#BleedBlue #ncaaw pic.twitter.com/QXqzRxUzwH
— Boise State WBB (@BroncoSportsWBB) February 28, 2019

GOING FOR ANOTHER REGULAR-SEASON TITLE
Boise State is in control of its own destiny for a second-straight Mountain West regular-season title, whether outright or shared, heading into this weekend.

Should the Broncos claim at least a share of the crown over these final three games, it would mark the sixth regular-season conference title in program history.

In addition to last year's Mountain West crown, Boise State claimed two Big Sky regular-season titles (1991-92, 1993-94) and two WAC titles (2006-07, 2007-08).

HERMIDA'S BEEN CLUTCH
Key to Boise State's 4-1 stretch over the last five games has been the play of senior guard Marta Hermida, who has scored in double figures in each game.

Hermida scored 17 points, including a 6-for-6 showing from the line in overtime, to help Boise State beat Colorado State Wednesday. Over this current five-game run of scoring in double figures, the Madrid, Spain, native is averaging 14.6 points while shooting 42.6 from the field, 37.9 percent from 3-point range, and 84.2 percent from the line.

CHASING A CONFERENCE WINS MARK
Boise State won its 13th game in Mountain West play this season with Wednesday's victory at Colorado State. The win brings the Broncos within a game of matching the best win total in Mountain West play, and two from establishing the new benchmark.

The Broncos' best mark since joining the Mountain West in 2011-12 was last year's 14-4 record. Boise State also has a chance to set the program record for most conference wins in a season, needing two victories over the final three contests to eclipse the 14 wins last season, and in 2007-08, when the Broncos went 14-2 in WAC play.

HODGINS MAKING A MW PLAYER OF THE YEAR RUN?
Junior guard Braydey Hodgins has been making a second-half push for Mountain West Player of the Year consideration, and it's tough to dismiss her case.

Since the calendar flipped to February, Hodgins has scored at least 20 points in six of seven games during the month, namely each of the past six. Since Feb. 1, Hodgins is averaging 21.0 points while shooting 52.0 percent (51-for-98) from the field, 44.2 percent (23-for-52) from 3-point range, and 81.5 percent (22-for-27) from the free-throw line. Most notably, Hodgins picked up the scoring mantle over the four-plus games then-leading scorer Riley Lupfer missed with injury after leaving during Feb. 6's game at UNLV.

Over Boise State's 13-2 Mountain West season, Hodgins is averaging 14.7 points per game, sixth in the conference, and is third in the loop in 3-pointers made (35) and 3-point field-goal percentage (42.2).

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Rachel Bowers

A'Shanti Coleman

Marta Hermida

Braydey Hodgins

Riley Lupfer