How to watch Boise State men’s basketball vs. San Diego State: TV channel, live stream

Broncos host Aztecs in marquee Mountain West Conference matchup

Boise State Broncos forward O'Mar Stanley. / Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

Sitting at 3-0 in conference play, the Boise State men’s basketball team will host San Diego State on Saturday afternoon in a premier early-season Mountain West matchup.

Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. Mountain time at ExtraMile Arena.

The Broncos (11-3, 3-0) have won five straight games overall, including back-to-back road MWC victories over San Jose State and Wyoming. 

“I feel like there’s so much more to this team than what we’ve shown,” head coach Leon Rice said. “Which is great, because … with this team, there’s almost a feeling where if we get clicking like maybe I think we could, we can get 25 percent better. So that’s encouraging and exciting.

“We’ve established some things that we are doing great, and we’ve got a lot of things that we’re doing really good. But if we could make those things great, then look out.” 

San Diego State (8-3, 1-1) dropped out of the AP top 25 following a 67-66 home loss to Utah State on a buzzer-beater. The Aztecs were ranked No. 20 prior to the Dec. 28 loss and have been idle the last week. 

Guards Nick Boyd (13.5 points per game) and Miles Byrd (13.1 points) are the offensive leaders for the Aztecs. Defensively, San Diego State is ranked No. 14 nationally by KenPom. 

“The amount of pressure they put on a team to score … you look at the Cal game, and Cal got to 10 points right away. And then they had their water shut off for the rest of the half,” Rice said of the Aztecs, who led the Golden Bears 25-16 at halftime in a runaway 71-50 victory. 

“They are capable of (doing) that to teams. We’ve seen that over the years, where it’s a crusade to get a bucket. I think that presents the biggest challenge, and the physicality they present. They do a good job of being physical without getting fouls called. They’ve learned over the years how to do that, and they teach that really well. We’ve got to be able to be tough enough to handle that.” 

Boise State has won three consecutive games against the Aztecs, including a 79-77 overtime victory in San Diego to close last year’s Mountain West season. 

In the latest NCAA Tournament prognostication by ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, the Mountain West received just two bids: Seventh-seeded Utah State and 10th-seeded San Diego State. No Mountain West teams were on either side of the bubble. 

The Broncos, who check in at No. 52 in the NET Rankings, are favored by 2.5 points over the Aztecs. The over/under is set at 137.5 points. 

HOW TO WATCH BOISE STATE VS. SAN DIEGO STATE

Who: Boise State hosts San Diego State in a critical early-season Mountain West Conference game

When: 2 p.m. Mountain time | Saturday, Jan. 4 

Where: ExtraMile Arena | Boise, Idaho

TV: CBS

Betting line: Boise State -2.5

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