BOISE, Idaho (Interstat) — In a high-stakes Mountain West clash with postseason implications, Boise State avenged a triple-overtime heartbreak from earlier this season by holding off a furious second-half rally from San Diego State for an 86-77 victory Tuesday night at a raucous Taco Bell Arena.

A crowd of 12,171 watched the Broncos improve to 19-11 overall and solidify their conference standing, while the Aztecs fell to 19-10, suffering a costly road defeat in the final week of the regular season.

The most critical phase of the game was a decisive second-half response by Boise State after San Diego State had clawed back from a double-digit deficit. The Aztecs, who trailed 34-27 at halftime, opened the second period with renewed energy, cutting the Broncos’ lead to just two points on multiple occasions. However, each time San Diego State threatened, Boise State answered with a critical basket, often from sophomore forward Drew Fielder.

The local product from Boise delivered a career-defining performance, scoring a game-high 33 points in just 25 minutes off the bench. His efficiency and poise at the free-throw line were paramount down the stretch, as he consistently drew fouls and converted, going a perfect 13-for-13 from the stripe. His scoring outburst built upon a strong recent run of form, including 20 points against San Jose State and 18 against Wyoming last week.

San Diego State was led by Reese Dixon-Waters, who poured in 23 points, and Tae Simmons, who added 12. The Aztecs’ offense, which managed only 27 points in the first half, exploded for 50 after the break but could never string together enough stops to overtake the Broncos.

Boise State’s backcourt of Dylan Andrews and Javan Buchanan provided crucial support. Andrews scored 13 points and handled the ball for 33 minutes, while Buchanan added 17 points. The Broncos’ ball movement was sharp, particularly in the first half, as they built their lead with a series of assisted three-pointers and layups.

The game carried the weight of recent history, as the teams had played an epic triple-overtime thriller on Jan. 3 in San Diego, a 110-107 victory for the Aztecs. This time, on their home floor, the Broncos ensured there would be no extra sessions.

After Dixon-Waters hit a three-pointer to pull San Diego State within 67-65 with just under eight minutes to play, Boise State embarked on the game-sealing run. Fielder was at the heart of it, scoring inside and drawing fouls. When Andrews drilled a clutch three-pointer off a feed from RJ Keene with just over three minutes left, the Broncos’ lead ballooned to 77-71, and the Aztecs could not recover.

San Diego State’s final push was hampered by foul trouble and an inability to secure defensive rebounds in key moments. Boise State finished the game on a 9-6 run, with seven of those points coming from the free-throw line, to seal the nine-point victory.

The total points scored, 163, sailed over the pregame over/under line of 144.5. Boise State, which had been installed as a narrow one-point favorite, covered the spread, and the outcome was slightly against the grain of pregame analytics, which gave the Broncos a 51.9% probability to win.

Both teams conclude their regular seasons this weekend. San Diego State returns home to host UNLV on Friday night, while Boise State travels to face Colorado State on Saturday.