Boise State center earns second Mountain West Player of the Week honor

For the second time this season, Boise State junior center Drew Fielder was voted Mountain West Player of the Week, the conference announced on Monday.

Fielder erupted for a career-high 33 points in last Tuesday’s 86-77 home victory over San Diego State. He went 7 of 10 from the floor and also grabbed nine rebounds.

In Saturday’s regular-season finale at Colorado State, Fielder notched 23 points, six rebounds, an assist and a steal. The Broncos defeated the Rams, 78-67, for their fifth straight win.

Head coach Leon Rice used the 6-foot-11 Fielder as a secondary ball-handler to combat San Diego State’s press.

“When you have a center that can handle the ball like that, it helps you break the press so you don’t have to rely on guards against their quickness,” Rice said.

Boise State (20-11, 12-8) will open the MWC Tournament at 9:30 p.m. Mountain time on Wednesday against San Jose State (8-23, 3-17). The Broncos are the No. 6 seed for the MWC Tournament.

Fielder is Boise State’s leading scorer at 14.8 points per game. He is also averaging a team-best 5.7 rebounds along with 1.3 assists.

Fielder was also voted MWC Player of the Week in December following consecutive victories over Duquesne and Saint Mary’s.

After spending his first two college seasons at Georgetown, Fielder transferred to Boise State last offseason. He was rated the No. 163 overall player in the transfer portal and the No. 24 center by 247Sports.

Fielder started all 31 games for the Hoyas last season, averaging 7.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and one assist.

Fielder began his prep career at Meridian, Idaho’s Rocky Mountain High School before transferring to California’s SoCal Academy. Rated the nation’s No. 132 overall prospect by 247Sports, Fielder signed with Georgetown over offers from Arizona State, Creighton, Maryland, Miami, Syracuse and numerous others.

In 32 games as a true freshman in 2023-24, Fielder averaged 5.2 points and 3.1 rebounds.

Boise State senior point guard Dylan Andrews also earned Mountain West Player of the Week honors in February.

Andrews scored a career-high 33 points in a 91-90 road victory over New Mexico. He also had 25 points and six assists in a 91-87 overtime victory over Nevada.

Andrews spent his first three college seasons at UCLA before transferring to Boise State during the offseason. He has started all 31 games at point guard and is averaging 12.6 points, 3.3 assists and 2.5 rebounds.