Boise State Runs Past Runnin’ Rebels

Tuesday, January 7

Boise, Idaho

8:30 PM

Boise State

12-4,4-1Mountain West

UNLV

9-6,3-1Mountain West

UNLV

Boise St.

1/7/2025 11:43:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

BOISE, Idaho — Sparked by Tyson Degenhart's ninth career double-double, Boise State downed UNLV, 81-59, on Tuesday night inside ExtraMile Arena.

Boise State (12-4, 4-1 MW) handed UNLV (9-6, 3-1 MW) its first conference loss of the season and improved to 7-1 at home.

Four Broncos scored in double figures led by Degenhart who posted 21 points (8-11 FGs) and 11 rebounds. Alvaro Cardenas nearly notched a double-double of his own and registered 13 points and nine assists in 37 minutes of action.

O'Mar Stanley stuffed the stat sheet and had 12 points, four rebounds and two blocks. Javan Buchanan also had 12 points to go with five rebounds.

For the Runnin' Rebels, Jailen Bedford scored 11 points, while Jaden Henley and Dedan Thomas Jr. scored 10 points apiece.

At the outset of the contest, Boise State made three of its first five shots from the floor and began the game on an 8-2 run. Meadow and Dylan Anderson combined to score all eight points, with each player knocking down a three-point shot.

The Broncos had the long ball working early in the contest, pouring in three three-pointers in the first five minutes of the game. Stanley and Degenhart added a fourth and fifth three-point play—the old-fashioned way—on two layups plus the foul.

Spreading the wealth, five different Broncos accounted for the team's first 17 points. Meadow tallied five of the 17 with the other four totaling three points apiece.

In the opening half, the Broncos forced nine UNLV turnovers. The Runnin' Rebels' nine giveaways turned into 16 points for Boise State.

With 8:19 remaining in the frame, Boise State captured its first double-digit lead of the night on a three-pointer by Pearson Carmichael and a layup by Degenhart. The deep ball by Carmichael was the first points of his collegiate career.

Aided by a 14-2 run over the final 4:39 of the half, Boise State's lead reached 19, its largest of the period. Cardenas capped the first-half scoring and knocked down a jumper with three seconds on the clock.

For the half, the Broncos shot 50 percent from the field (17-34 FGs) and hit five threes. Boise State totaled 43 points and led by 19 at the intermission.

Within first 90 seconds of the second half, the Broncos' lead reached 26. Boise State began the period with a 9-2 spurt which made it 52-26 game.

Boise State, who jumped ahead by as many as 29 points in the second half, led wire-to-wire. For the game, the Broncos shot 49 percent (30-61 FGs) as a team, en route to their fifth 20-point victory of the 2024-25 campaign.

Splitting consecutive home games, Boise State will have Wednesday off before returning to practice on Thursday. The Broncos next game will take place in Logan, Utah, where the team will play Utah State at 7 p.m. MT on Saturday.

NOTABLE:

Boise State improved to 19-11 in 30 all-time head-to-head meetings with UNLV.

Dating back nearly five years (March 5, 2020), the Broncos have won nine of the previous 10 games against the Runnin' Rebels.

The Broncos have won eight games by double figures this season, including five by 20 or more points.

Alvaro Cardenas tallied nine assists in the game, marking the 13th time—and sixth consecutive game—he's notched five or more assists in a single contest.

Surpassing 100 assists, Cardenas now has 108 helpers this season. He is 108 dimes are 57 behind La'Shard Anderson (165, 2010-11) for the most in a single season in program history.

Tyson Degenhart recorded his ninth career double-double (third this season), totaling 21 points and 11 rebounds.

Degenhart upped his career point total to 1,644, placing him just 16 points behind Abe Jackson for sixth on the all-time scoring list in program history.

Pearson Carmichael made his collegiate debut, scoring eight points off the bench in 18 minutes.

QUOTABLE (HEAD COACH LEON RICE):

"Perfect response. We had a tough one the other day with a quick turnaround. I'm really proud of our guys. We played with energy, effort and passion. We came at them in waves."

"We talked to (Pearson Carmichael's) parents and we talked to him, and it just felt like the right time."

"In this day and age with the changing landscape of college and what could happen, it seemed like the prudent move to get him out there and help this team. For his first game—and it be a conference game—that was pretty impressive. I was pretty happy."

"I thought we played 37 really, really powerful minutes. Those games can be hard to play perfectly for 40, but 37 is a pretty darn good complete game."