Broncos Outlast Paladins

Wednesday, December 18

Seattle, Wash.

1 p.m. MT

Boise State

10-2,0-0Mountain West

Furman

9-4,0-0SoCon

Furman

Boise St.

12/18/2024 3:40:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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SEATTLE – Boise State women's basketball staved off a comeback attempt from Furman, winning 74-65 in the first game of the Husky Classic, Wednesday afternoon.

The Broncos (10-2) led by as many as 17 points in the first half, but the Paladins (9-4) wouldn't back down. Furman clawed back into the game, taking a brief lead early in the final quarter, but Teryn Gardner and Elodie Lalotte helped Boise State to a late 10-0 run to propel the team to victory.

The win marks the first 10th victory of the season for the Broncos, marking the first time the program has reached 10 wins in nonconference play since 2016-17.

Natalie Pasco and Dani Bayes both recorded season-highs in the win. Pasco poured in 20 points in the victory, while Bayes chipped in 18. Mary Kay Naro dished out 11 assists in the win, marking her fourth time dropping double-digit assists in her career.

Boise State struggled offensively to start, committing four-straight turnovers as the team found itself in an early 9-4 hole. The Broncos found their rhythm midway through the frame, ending the quarter on a 24-4 run. Mary Kay Naro matched her season-high with six assists in the opening quarter, and Pasco buried three triples in the opening frame. The Broncos shot 75% from the field in the period and led 28-13 after one.

Both teams struggled to find the bottom of the net in the second quarter, but Tatum Thompson stretched the Bronco lead to 17 with an acrobatic layup midway through the quarter. Furman responded with an 8-0 run to cut the lead to single digits, with Boise State taking a 43-34 lead to the locker room.

The Paladins continued their hot streak, opening the half with another 8-0 run to cut the Bronco lead to two. Furman finally tied the game with a jumper with a little over a minute remaining in the quarter, but Teryn Gardner scored on a backdoor layup on the next possession as Boise State held on with a 53-51 advantage as the game entered the final quarter.

The Paladins took its first lead since the opening frame with 8:30 left on the clock, draining a 3-pointer from the top of the key. A minute later, Pasco responded with a 3-pointer of her own to tie the game at 58.

After Furman responded with a bucket down low, Naro found Gardner in the corner for a triple as the Broncos retook the lead. Lalotte notched a bucket down low, followed by another Gardner triple to give Boise State a 66-60 lead with four minutes to play. Lalotte added another bucket to give Boise State an 8-point advantage.
Furman managed to cut the lead to five, but Bayes sealed the game with a floater with 46 seconds left.

Top Broncos
- Natalie Pasco scored a season-high 20 points in the victory. The junior shot 4-of-7 from beyond the arc and 7-of-13 from the floor.
- Dani Bayes also notched a season-high, finishing with 19 points in the win. The junior went 3-of-6 from 3-point range and 8-of-14 from the field.
- Freshman Teryn Gardner scored eight of her 10 points in the final quarter.
- Mary Kay Naro dished out 11 assists in the contest. The fifth year added six rebounds and recorded a career-high four steals.

Notables
- Boise State reached 10 wins in nonconference play for the first time since the 2016-17 season.
- The Broncos picked up their first win in the state of Washington since defeating Eastern Washington, 63-61, on Dec. 15, 2019.
- Boise State has dished out 20 or more assists in three consecutive contests, finishing the game with 20. The Broncos have recorded four games with 20+ assists on the year, topping last year's total of three.
- The Broncos scored 40 bench points in the win, marking the fifth game of the season with 40+ points from their reserves. Boise State has scored 30+ bench points in eight consecutive games.
- Abby Muse became the second player in program history to eclipse 1,000 career rebounds, joining Karla Meier (1977-82) as the only two players in program history to corral over 1,000 career boards. Meier holds the program record with 1,025 career rebounds.
- Mary Kay Naro finished with 11 assists, marking her fourth career game with 10+ assists. The fifth year last did so as a sophomore against Warner Pacific on Dec. 20, 2021, recording 11 dimes.
- Naro matched her previous season-high of six assists in the opening quarter.
- Naro also eclipsed 4,000 career minutes in the victory. The point guard has totaled 4,032 minutes over her career.
- Natalie Pasco recorded her fifth game of the season with 4+ 3-pointers. The junior has done so 17 times in her career.
- Pasco scored in double figures for the third consecutive contest. The junior has scored in double figures eight times on the season and 48 times in her career.
- Dani Bayes recorded her 13th career game with three or more 3-pointers.
- Tatum Thompson matched her career high with three blocks.

Quotables
"We showed some grit. We got some really big rebounds that turned into points. Our depth really helped. Teryn hit some big buckets, Natalie hit some big buckets, Abby played really well, and Elodie had some big points down low. Mary Kay had 11 assists and played great as she always does. Our team is seasoned. Our veterans stepped up." – head coach Gordy Presnell

What's Next
Boise State will close out the Husky Classic with a matchup against North Dakota State on Dec. 19. Opening tip is set for 1 p.m. MT and the game will be broadcast on B1G+ and 670 KBOI AM.