NCAA Tournament selection show: Boise State left out for first time since 2021

Broncos had reached three consecutive tournaments

Boise State Broncos forward Tyson Degenhart. / James Snook-Imagn Images

The Boise State men’s basketball team won’t be dancing this year.

After reaching the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three seasons, the Broncos were not selected for the field 68. Boise State (24-10) was among the first four out alongside West Virginia (19-13), Indiana (19-13) and Ohio State (17-15). 

The last four teams in were North Carolina (22-13), Xavier (21-11), Texas (19-15) and fellow Mountain West Conference bubble team San Diego State (21-9). 

The full bracket was unveiled during Sunday’s NCAA Tournament selection show.

The selection committee awarded four MWC teams with tournament bids. 

MWC regular-season champion New Mexico (26-7) was given a 10 seed in the South Region. The Lobos and MWC Player of the Year Donovan Dent will face seven seed Marquette (23-10) in a first-round matchup.

Utah State (26-7) limped to a 4-4 finish down the stretch but still earned a 10 seed in the Midwest Region. The Aggies drew seven seed UCLA (22-10) in the opening round. 

Red-hot Colorado State (25-9), which routed Boise State in the MWC Tournament title game for its 10th straight win, was awarded a 12 seed in the West Region. With star guard Nique Clifford (19 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists) leading the way, Colorado State will likely be a popular first-round upset pick.

The Rams are set to face five seed Memphis (29-5) in Seattle. 

San Diego State, an 11 seed, will take on North Carolina Tuesday in a First Four matchup in Dayton, Ohio. The winner advances to play Ole Miss (22-11), the South Region’s six seed. 

Auburn (28-5), Duke (31-3), Houston (30-4) and Florida (30-4) earned the four No. 1 seeds. Future Pac-12 member Gonzaga (25-8) was given an eight seed in the Midwest Region with a first-round matchup against Georgia (20-12).

The SEC led the way with 14 bids, followed by the Big Ten (eight), Big 12 (seven), Big East (five), ACC (four) and MWC (four). 

A record six MWC teams made the NCAA Tournament last season: Boise State, Colorado State, Nevada, New Mexico, San Diego State and Utah State.

The Broncos were considered a bubble team entering Selection Sunday with clear positives and negatives scattered throughout their resume. 

Boise State had an up-and-down non-conference season with high-end victories over Saint Mary’s (NCAA NET Ranking of No. 21) and Clemson (No. 22) and ghastly defeats to Washington State (No. 112) and Boston College (No. 202).

The first half of MWC play was also a rollercoaster for the Broncos, who started 5-4 with losses to the conference’s four NCAA Tournament teams. Boise State roared back to win nine of its next 10 games but stumbled at home to Colorado State to close the regular season. 

The Broncos finished in a tie for fourth place in the MWC standings, three games behind New Mexico. 

Boise State opened the MWC Tournament with consecutive comeback victories over San Diego State and New Mexico before suffering another loss to Colorado State. The Rams swept the three meetings with the Broncos; San Diego State took two of three from Boise State. 

With solid marks in NET Ranking (No. 44) and KenPom (No. 50), Boise State was in contention for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid. But the committee bypassed the Broncos in favor of four bigger basketball brands. 

MORE BOISE STATE NEWS & ANALYSIS

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• What Leon Rice said after Boise State’s loss to Colorado State in Mountain West Tournament title game

• Unstoppable Rams: 3 takeaways from Colorado State’s blowout win over Boise State in MWC Tournament title game

• 2025 NFL mock drafts: Chicago Bears favored to select Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty

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