What has gone wrong for Boise State men’s basketball this season?

The Boise State men’s basketball team was expected to contend for an NCAA Tournament berth this season.

Picked to finish third in the preseason Mountain West media poll, the Broncos added a pair of highly-rated transfers (UCLA point guard Dylan Andrews, Georgetown center Drew Fielder) to a solid core of returners.

The pieces were an awkward fit from the jump as Boise State dropped its season-opener to Division II Hawaii-Pacific and started 1-5 in MWC play. The Broncos (15-11, 7-8), who are tied for seventh in the MWC ahead of Saturday’s home matchup with San Jose State (7-19, 2-13), hold a 3-8 record against the top half of the conference standings.

Here are five reasons why the Broncos have not lived up to their preseason expectations in 2025-26.

1. Perimeter defense

Boise State does not have a single defensive stopper on its roster.

When facing explosive lead guards like Utah State’s MJ Collins Jr. and Mason Falslev, Grand Canyon’s Jaden Henley, Nevada’s Corey Camper Jr. or UNLV’s Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn, the Broncos simply have no good defensive options.

Andrews, starting wing Andrew Meadow and reserve Spencer Ahrens all have negative Bayesian Performance Rating on defense, according to analyst Evan Miya. The Broncos’ two best perimeter defenders—RJ Keene II and Aginaldo Neto—rank among the team’s worst offensive players.

Head coach Leon Rice has regularly praised the team’s depth, but the Broncos do not have a single difference-maker on the defensive end.

2. Rim protection

Boise State’s perimeter defense woes are exacerbated by the team’s lack of rim protection.

The Broncos have blocked just 58 shots this season, ranking ninth in the MWC.

Centers Dominic Parolin (14 blocks) and Fielder (13 blocks) have adequate size but lack the length and explosiveness to impact most shots. The 6-foot-10 Ahrens (10 blocks) has been the Broncos’ best rim protector in limited minutes.

With issues at every level, Boise State’s KenPom defensive rating is down to 104.5, ranking 79th nationally and sixth in the MWC.

3. Three-point shooting

For the third straight season, Boise State is shooting below 35 percent from beyond the arc.

The Broncos rank 145th nationally and seventh in the MWC at 34.7 percent.

Fielder (42.7 percent), Ahrens (40.4 percent) and Meadow (37.8 percent) have proven to be reliable shooters, but the Broncos are not getting enough makes from Javan Buchanan (32.1 percent), Andrews (31.9 percent) and Pearson Carmichael (31.4 percent).

4. Point guard play

Boise State had similar three-point shooting woes last year, but the offense functioned much better with Alvaro Cardenas running the show.

Cardenas smashed the Boise State single-season assists record with 256 while averaging 11.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 6.9 assists with 2.5 turnovers.

Andrews (3.4 assists, two turnovers) and Neto (2.2 assists, 1.8 turnovers) both lack Cardenas’s vision and creativity as a passer. As a result, the Broncos’ offense has stagnated at times against quality defenses.

5. Player development

Boise State returned four rotation players from last year’s team: Buchanan, Carmichael, Keene II and Meadow. None of the four have shown marked improvement at either end of the court.

Carmichael, Keene II and Meadow all have relatively flat numbers and splits from last year. Buchanan’s field goal percentage has dropped from 53.4 percent as a junior to 38.9 percent this season.

The lack of development has played a major role in Boise State’s surprising struggles at both ends of the court.