What head coach Leon Rice said after Boise State’s Maui Invitational victory over Chaminade

Broncos close tournament with 102-76 win

Boise State Broncos head coach Leon Rice. | Brian Losness-Imagn Images

The Boise State men’s basketball team wrapped up play at the Maui Invitational late on Wednesday with a 102-76 victory over Chaminade. 

The Broncos had opened the tournament with losses to USC and No. 23 N.C. State. 

“We were toe-to-toe with everybody,” Boise State head coach Leon Rice said. “I told our guys ‘We’ve got to be good enough to beat those teams in two months.’

“We’re right there, we’re right close to being good, but it’s a zero-sum game. We’ve got to get those done.” 

Drew Fielder led the way for Boise State (5-3) against Chaminade (2-4) with 27 points, 14 rebounds and four assists. Fielder finished 12 of 13 from the field. 

Andrew Meadow (16 points, eight rebounds), Javan Buchanan (14 points, six rebounds, three assists) and Pearson Carmichael (12 points, seven rebounds) also had strong games for the Broncos. 

“This game was really good because you’re going to play a lot of good, big, physical teams (in Mountain West play). These guys, their hands are active, they’re hard to hold onto the ball against,” Rice said. 

The Broncos held a narrow 43-39 halftime lead but outscored the Silverswords 59-37 after the break. 

Chaminade competes in the Division II PacWest Conference alongside Hawaii Pacific, which upset the Broncos to open the season. 

Here are the highlights from Rice’s postgame comments. 

On small halftime lead, pulling away in second half

“I think we got up 11 and relaxed a little bit. And we’re not a good team (when we do that). You look all around college basketball, you see these crazy (results) like ‘How did those guys beat those guys?’ There’s so many good players and good teams in college basketball now that if you don’t show up with an edge, and you don’t play on that edge and with that edge, you’re going to get beat. We’ve already proven that once and I wasn’t going to let them prove it again. 

“And the guys, it’s on them. They responded and did a great job.”

On emptying the bench

“The thing these guys have to understand is you’re out there earning every second. … (Freshman Bhan) Buom has had a terrific attitude, and every minute he’s gotten to play, he’s done something good, something positive. I was proud of Ethan (Lathan) because he’s hung in there for two years and just kept going and going and going, got in there and blocked a shot, squeezed the ball … got himself an offensive rebound and a bucket. Those guys are winners.

“Those guys have had such a great attitude, they’ll do anything for the team. So I was so excited to see them get to do that to end the tournament, and it was really cool how the bench supported them.”