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The Boise State Broncos will head to Reno to take on the Nevada Wolf Pack in a Mountain West Conference showdown, featuring some of the nation's top talent amongst Mid-Major teams.
The Broncos are currently atop the Mountain West standings with a 10-1 record in the conference play.
Meanwhile, the Wolf Pack sit 3.5 games back with a 7-5 conference record but seem to have things clicking as they recently swept their season series against the UNLV Rebels.
Match Details
Fixture: Boise State Broncos vs Nevada Wolfpack - NCAA Men's Basketball
Date & Time: Friday, February 5, 2021, 9 PM ET
Venue: Lawlor Events Center, Reno, Nevada
Boise State Broncos Preview
The Boise State Broncos suffered their first conference loss last week against the Colorado State Rams in a 78-56 blowout. However, the Broncos quickly showed it was just an off night, as they defeated the Rams just two days later, 85-77, leveling the season series.
What allowed the Broncos to bounce back from their first conference loss was their increased shooting efficiency. Boise State had eight of their nine available players score a field goal and went 52.7% from the night's floor.
For the Boise State Broncos to pull off a win against the Nevada Wolf Pack and remain atop of the Mountain West standings, they will need to continue to get production deep from their bench.
Key Player - Derrick Alston Jr.
Derrick Alston Jr. is a top-ten finalist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year award for the second straight season.
He is currently leading the team in scoring with 16.5 points on 45.3% shooting and played a key role during Boise State's school-record 13-game win streak.
Alston Jr. has scored double-digit points in 12 of his 14 games this season and will need another to earn his team a victory on Friday night against the Nevada Wolfpack.
Boise State Broncos Predicted Lineup
F Mladen Armus, F Abu Kigab, F Derrick Alston Jr., G Marcus Shaver Jr., G RayJ Dennis
Nevada Wolf Pack Preview
The Nevada Wolf Pack have shown remarkable talent all season in the Mountain West but struggle to display it through 40 minutes of basketball consistently.
However, Nevada's head coach, Steve Alford, seems to recently have found the correct balance for his side as they earned back-to-back wins against their in-state rival, the UNLV Rebels, last week.
One of the largest changes seen in the Wolf Pack's play during their two recent victories was their aggression in the paint. Nevada earned over 41 free throws and forced the Rebels to change their rotations due to early foul trouble.
If the Nevada Wolf Pack can remain aggressive offensively and play downhill basketball, they will have a chance of upsetting the Boise State Broncos.
Key Player - Grant Sherfield
Grant Sherfield is the key player for the Nevada Wolf Pack. The sophomore guard has scored double-digit points in all but two games for the Wolf Pack this season.
In Sherfield's last three games, he has scored 59 points on 46.9% shooting.
If Sherfield can continue his dominance, he will help his team take down the Boise State Broncos on Friday night.
Nevada Wolf Pack Predicted Lineup
F Tre Coleman, F Warren Washington, G Grant Sherfield, G Desmond Cambridge Jr., G Daniel Foster
Boise State vs Nevada Prediction
Expect the Boise State Broncos to defeat the Nevada Wolf Pack on Friday night. The Broncos are too talented on offense and will be able to outscore the aggressive Wolf Pack.
Boise State ranks second in the Mountain West Conference for offensive efficiency with 110.2 points per 100 possessions, via kenpom.com.
Expect Derrick Alston Jr. to continue his strong play. He has recorded 20 or more points in seven games this season.
Where to watch Boise State vs Nevada
The game will be broadcast live on Fox Sports One (FS1).
