Boise State back in First Four?

With victories in eight of its last nine games, the Boise State men’s basketball team has put itself in position to secure an NCAA Tournament at-large bid. 

ESPN’s Joe Lunardi released his latest NCAA Tournament projection Tuesday morning, and Lunardi had the Broncos (21-8, 13-5 Mountain West) as the last team in his field of 68. Lunardi projects the Broncos to face Nebraska of the Big Ten in Dayton, Ohio, with the winner advancing to play fifth-seeded Clemson of the ACC in the round-of-64. 

The Broncos, who have reached the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three seasons, defeated Clemson at home back in November, 84-71. 

A First Four matchup between Boise State and Nebraska would be guaranteed to make history. The Broncos are 0-10 all-time in the NCAA Tournament while the Huskers sit at 0-8. 

Only Iona (16) has more NCAA Tournament appearances without a victory than Boise State and Nebraska. 

The Broncos have been selected for the First Four three times under head coach Leon Rice: 2013, 2015 and 2024. Boise State fell to Colorado, 60-53, in last year’s First Four. 

Lunardi had Ohio State and Arkansas as the other First Four participants with Oklahoma, Xavier, North Carolina and Texas as the first four out. Surging Colorado State (20-9, 14-4) was Lunardi’s 10th team out. 

After Tuesday’s 7 p.m. Mountain time road game at Air Force (4-25, 1-17), Boise State hosts the Rams Friday night to close the MWC regular season. 

Lunardi had four MWC teams in his NCAA Tournament field of 68: Nine seed New Mexico (23-6, 15-3), nine seed Utah State (24-6, 14-5), 10 seed San Diego State (20-7, 13-5) and 12 seed Boise State. The Aztecs were among Lunardi’s last four byes. 

New Mexico can clinch its first MWC regular-season title since 2012-13 Tuesday night at Nevada (16-13, 8-10). 

CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm also released an updated NCAA Tournament projection Tuesday morning.

Palm had the same four MWC teams in his field of 68: New Mexico (nine seed), Utah State (nine seed), San Diego State (10 seed) and Boise State (11 seed, First Four). 

In Palm’s projection, the Broncos were matched up against Arkansas of the SEC in the First Four.

Palm had Xavier, Baylor, Boise State and Arkansas as the last four teams in with Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio State and Cincinnati on the outside looking in. Colorado State was just off Palm’s NCAA Tournament bubble. 

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