Boise State tops San Diego State, 53-52 in MWC title game

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Boise State works on the "perfect possession" every practice, where they have to get one stop and grab a rebound.

"We’ve done it so many times in practice," freshman Tyson Degenhart said, "that we just knew what to do when it came time to do it."

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San Diego State had the ball with 28 seconds left Saturday, but Matt Bradley and Trey Pulliam both missed shots before Boise State’s Emmanuel Akot grabbed the rebound as time wound down — and the Broncos defeated the Aztecs 53-52 to win the Mountain West Tournament and earn the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

"We said one more stop and we’re the champions," Akot said. "And we did it. It was a great feeling."

Degenhart, who led the Broncos (27-7) with 13 points, provided another pivotal moment late in the season half, when he took a charge on Pulliam under the rim with 2:48 left in the game. Boise State led by one at the time, and sending Pulliam to the line with a chance for the Aztecs to take the lead with have swung momentum.

Instead, Degenhart gave the Broncos a three-point lead, 53-50, with a bucket at the other end on the next possession.

"Whatever is needed, they step up and do, no matter who it is," said Broncos coach Leon Rice, whose Broncos came into the tourney just 5-10 all-time and 3-7 in the quarterfinal round since joining the league in 2012. "And they find what’s needed and figure it out on the fly."

Boise State players celebrate their victory over San Diego State after an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of Mountain West Conference men's tournament Saturday, March 12, 2022, in Las Vegas. (AP