The Boise State men’s basketball team continues play at the inaugural College Basketball Crown tournament against Butler on Wednesday.
The Broncos (25-10) and Bulldogs (15-19) will meet in a 5 p.m. Mountain time quarterfinal at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Boise State opened the Crown with an 89-59 dismantling of George Washington. The Broncos matched a school record with 16 steals while forcing 22 turnovers.
“These guys did a great job with the game plan,” Boise State head coach Leon Rice said. “We know they are really good drivers. They were in the gaps and getting after the ball.”
With two weeks off following the Mountain West Tournament, the Broncos got off to a slow offensive start in Las Vegas. The Revolutionaries led 9-3 after eight-plus minutes of action before Boise State turned on the jets.
“Our defense got us through the first 10 minutes,” Rice said. “Once we got it clicking, we were really effective.”
Boise State senior forward Tyson Degenhart enters Wednesday’s game with 1,990 career points. Degenhart is the leading scorer in program history.
In Monday’s Crown opener, Pierre Brooks II scored a late basket that lifted Butler to an 86-84 victory over Utah. Brooks II finished with 22 points, nine rebounds and three steals.
The Bulldogs finished in a tie for eighth place in the Big East Conference under head coach Thad Matta. Matta, who led Ohio State to a pair of Final Fours (2007, 2012), is in his third season of his second stint with Butler.
Jahmyl Telfort, Butler’s leading scorer at 16 points per game, is not participating in the Crown. Telfort is nursing a sore ankle as he prepares for the NBA Draft.
The winner of Wednesday’s Crown quarterfinal will be guaranteed an NIL payout of at least $50,000.
The champion of the 16-team Crown tournament receives an NIL prize of $300,000 with the runner-up taking home $100,000. The semifinal losers get $50,000 apiece.
Who: Boise State and Butler meet in the quarterfinals of the College Basketball Crown
When: 5 p.m. Mountain time | Wednesday, April 2
Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena | Las Vegas, Nevada
Live stream: Watch Boise State vs. Butler live on fuboTV (Start your free trial)
TV channel: FS1
Betting odds: Boise State -5.5
ESPN BPI prediction: Boise State has a 61.9 percent chance to win
Odds are courtesy of DraftKings. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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