Broncos Score 100 in Third Straight Game

Boise State men's basketball scored 111 points on Wednesday, marking the third consecutive game the team has reached the century mark. The 111-79 victory over Oakland at ExtraMile Arena extended a run that has not happened in program history before. The Broncos are now the only team in the nation to score in triple digits in every contest this season. If the exhibition period is included, the streak extends to five games.

Starting guards Aginaldo Neto and Damari Wheeler-Thomas were central to the offensive output. The pair combined for 48 points and 11 assists. Neto led the team with 25 points and five assists, while Wheeler-Thomas contributed 23 points and six assists. Their partnership has developed since the summer, when they played together in 5-on-5 settings. Wheeler-Thomas noted that their ability to create shots for one another and the team makes them a difficult matchup for opponents.

"Bro, there's nothing much the other team can do," Wheeler-Thomas said regarding their summer sessions. "We both can create for one another, we both can create for the team and we can both make shots." Neto added that playing with a guard who can create for others simplifies the game for the rest of the roster.

Through three games, Neto is averaging 20 points and six assists per game. Wheeler-Thomas is averaging 17.3 points and 4.7 assists. The team's ball movement supports these individual numbers. Boise State has assisted on 72 of its 125 made field goals this season. Coach Leon Rice credited the players' character for their willingness to pass the extra time.

"The amount of selfish plays I've seen from this team so far this year, you can count them on one hand," Rice said. "It's been not very many possessions and that's a credit to these guys and the character that we recruited." The coaching staff emphasizes delivering the ball and moving the ball to create open opportunities.

Oakland coach Greg Kampe praised the Boise State backcourt after the loss. His team, which is 0-5, has faced a difficult non-conference schedule that included road games at Michigan, Stanford, and Alabama. Kampe, who is friends with Rice through their involvement with Team USA, compared the Broncos' guards to the Michigan duo of Trey McKenney and Elliot Cadeau. He stated that Neto and Wheeler-Thomas played better against Oakland's zone defense than McKenney and Cadeau did against the same defense.

Three other Broncos scored in double figures, marking the third straight game with at least five players reaching 10 points. Dovydas Butka finished with 16 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Pearson Carmichael, making his first start of the season, scored 11 points. Spencer Ahrens also scored 11. Julian Bowie finished with nine points, just one shy of joining the double-digit club. Neto said the current system allows the guards to drive and the wings to space the floor, resulting in open shots.

The Broncos improved to a 3-0 record with the win. The team will continue its season with upcoming non-conference matchups.