Boise State Outlasts Nevada in Overtime Thriller

BOISE, Idaho (Interstat) — In a game defined by explosive individual performances and a relentless back-and-forth pace, Dylan Andrews and the Boise State Broncos outlasted Corey Camper and the Nevada Wolf Pack 91-87 in overtime Tuesday night in a Mountain West Conference men’s basketball thriller at Taco Bell Arena.

A crowd of 9,224 watched as Andrews, the Broncos’ guard from Gardena, California, scored 25 points and dished out six assists, including critical free throws in the final seconds of overtime to seal the victory. His counterpart, Nevada’s Camper, was spectacular in defeat, pouring in a game-high 35 points on 13-of-24 shooting from the floor, adding two assists and three steals in 42 minutes of action.

The game’s most pivotal sequence came in the final minute of regulation. Trailing 77-75, Nevada’s Elijah Price converted a layup with 27 seconds left to tie the game. On the ensuing possession, Boise State’s Javan Buchanan was fouled and calmly sank two free throws with 16 seconds remaining to put the Broncos back up 79-77. Nevada, without a timeout, raced downcourt and found Vaughn Weems, who buried a clutch three-pointer from the wing with 10 seconds left, giving the Wolf Pack an 80-79 lead.

Boise State immediately advanced the ball and Buchanan was fouled again with five seconds on the clock. He made the first free throw to tie the game at 80 but missed the second. Nevada’s Price secured the defensive rebound, but his full-court heave was off target, sending the game to an extra period tied at 80.

The overtime period was a continuation of the tense battle. Nevada took an 85-83 lead on a Camper floater with 1:58 left, but Andrews answered with a deep three-pointer on the next possession to put Boise State back ahead 86-85. After a series of stops, Andrews was fouled with 28 seconds left in OT. He missed the first but made the second free throw for an 89-87 Broncos lead.

Nevada’s final possession resulted in a missed three-pointer by Camper, and Andrews iced the game with two more free throws with six seconds left for the final margin.

The contest was a tale of contrasting efficiencies. Boise State won despite attempting 11 fewer field goals than Nevada, offsetting that disparity by getting to the free throw line early and often. The Broncos shot 27 of 35 from the stripe, while Nevada attempted just 19 free throws, making 13. Boise State also held a significant edge in offensive rebounding, 8-4, leading to 12 second-chance points.

Nevada’s Tayshawn Comer from Indianapolis was a force, scoring 24 points to go with four assists. Price added 17 points and nine rebounds for the Wolf Pack. For Boise State, Buchanan provided crucial support for Andrews with 23 points, and Dominic Parolin of Coquitlam, Canada, chipped in 11 points and several key rebounds and defensive plays off the bench.

The first half set the stage for the drama, with Boise State using a 14-2 run to build a double-digit lead and ultimately take a 39-28 advantage into the break. The Wolf Pack stormed back in the second half, outscoring the Broncos 51-40 behind the prolific scoring of Camper and Comer, setting up the frantic finish.

With the win, Boise State improved to 14-9 overall and gained a measure of revenge for an 81-66 loss at Nevada on Dec. 20. The Broncos’ next game is Saturday at New Mexico. Nevada, which saw a three-game winning streak snapped, fell to 16-7. The Wolf Pack will host Fresno State on Saturday.