Boise State faced another defeat on Wednesday night, losing 75-58 to Grand Canyon at ExtraMile Arena. This marks the Broncos’ second consecutive loss, leaving them with a 9-6 record and 1-3 in Mountain West play.
Javan Buchanan emerged as the standout for Boise State, scoring 18 points and grabbing three rebounds. Drew Fielder contributed 10 points, showing that while the team fought hard, it wasn’t enough to secure a win.
Grand Canyon’s Jaden Henley led all scorers with 22 points, supported by Makaih Williams with 16 points and Efe Demirel, who added 13 points along with strong rebounding and defensive play. Demirel set the tone early by scoring the first eight points of the game, putting Boise State on the backfoot right away.
The game began with a slow start for the Broncos. After missing their first four shots, they fell behind quickly. But a pair of free throws from Dominic Parolin and a basket by Fielder sparked a small run, giving Boise State a brief lead. However, they couldn’t maintain the momentum.
In the first half, Boise State struggled with their shooting, ending with only seven field goals. They went into the break down 37-27 after a strong finish from Grand Canyon, which included an impressive three-point play from Demirel just before halftime.
The second half began much like the first, with Grand Canyon quickly extending its lead. Boise State made a push with a 7-0 run, narrowing the gap to 11 points. They continued to fight back, with Buchanan and Pearson Carmichael contributing several points to bring the score to 51-45. Yet, just as they gained momentum, Grand Canyon retaliated with an 8-0 run, pushing their lead back to 12 points.
Throughout the game, there were six ties and three lead changes, but Boise State was on the back foot for the majority of the match, only leading for about six minutes.
Highlights of the Game:
- Javan Buchanan: 18 points, 3 rebounds.
- Drew Fielder: 10 points and 4-of-9 shooting.
Notable Mentions:
- Dylan Andrews reached over 900 career points.
- Buchanan and Fielder recorded their 11th double-digit scoring game of the season.
- Aginaldo Neto made his first career start, while Dominic Parolin started as a Bronco for the first time.
Boise State will look to regroup on Saturday against Utah State, with the game airing live on CBS Sports Network at 7 p.m. MT.
This suggests a need for a strategic turnaround. With the right adjustments and focus, Boise can look to break this losing streak and regain their footing in the league.
