Report: Boise State men’s basketball, Saint Mary’s to meet for third straight year

Broncos and Gaels will play in Idaho Falls

Saint Mary's head coach Randy Bennett. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

For the third consecutive men’s basketball season, Boise State and Saint Mary’s will face off in Idaho Falls. 

The Broncos and Gaels are finalizing an agreement to play a non-conference game at Mountain America Center on Dec. 14, according to a report from college basketball analyst Rocco Miller. 

The trilogy began in Dec. 2023 with Boise State earning a 63-60 victory over the Gaels in Idaho Falls. The Broncos edged Saint Mary’s again last December, 67-65, in overtime. 

The Gaels have captured the last two West Coast Conference regular-season titles and have made four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances under head coach Randy Bennett. Saint Mary’s finished 29-6 overall a season ago and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. 

NEWS: Boise State and Saint Mary's are finalizing an agreement to play a neutral-site game on December 14th inside the Mountain America Center in Idaho Falls, according to sources.

This will mark the third straight Broncos-Gaels meeting in Idaho Falls. BSU is 2-0. #MWC #WCC pic.twitter.com/1tBxV2bZAt

— Rocco Miller (@RoccoMiller8) August 15, 2025

Boise State ended last season with a 26-11 overall record. The Broncos were among the first four teams left out of the NCAA Tournament. 

With five returning rotation players and two highly-rated transfers, Boise State is expected to contend for the Mountain West title during the 2025-26 season. 

Guards Julian Bowie, Pearson Carmichael and RJ Keene II and forwards Javan Buchanan and Andrew Meadow are all experienced returnees for the Broncos. Boise State also landed point guard Dylan Andrews (UCLA) and forward Drew Fielder (Georgetown) in the transfer portal.

Boise State Broncos head coach Leon Rice. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Broncos also added four freshmen to the 2025-26 roster: forward Spencer Ahrens (Bella Vista Prep, Arizona), guard Noah Bendinger (Corner Canyon High School, Utah), forward Bhan Buom (Link Academy, Missouri) and guard Aginaldo Neto (Bella Vista Prep).

Boise State has already announced the majority of its 2025-26 non-conference schedule.

The Broncos have home games scheduled against Utah Valley (Nov. 8), Texas Rio Grande Valley (Nov. 11), Montana State (Nov. 15), Wichita State (Nov. 18) and Duquesne (Dec. 10) at ExtraMile Arena and a Dec. 6 road game at Butler. Boise State will also play an Oct. 17 exhibition game against Idaho at Idaho Central Arena in downtown Boise. 

Right before Thanksgiving, Boise State will compete in the prestigious Maui Invitational for the first time in program history. The Broncos will open the three-day, eight-team tournament on Nov. 24 against USC. 

The Trojans finished 17-18 overall last season in head coach Eric Musselman’s first year at the helm. 

The 2025 Maui Invitational’s other first-round matchups are N.C. State vs. Seton Hall, Washington State vs. Chaminade and Texas vs. Arizona State. Boise State will face either N.C. State or Seton Hall in its second game at Lahaina Civic Center in Lahaina, Hawaii.