Boise State faces Idaho in men’s basketball exhibition

Boise State will debut its new-look men’s basketball roster in a non-counting exhibition game against in-state rival Idaho at 5 p.m. Mountain time on Saturday at Idaho Central Arena in downtown Boise.

Fantasy & Market Impact

• The backcourt outlook requires close monitoring as transfers Ty Rodgers and Lamar Washington remain sidelined for the opener.

Roster Turnover and the Road to Tipoff

Boise State basketball enters this exhibition facing a stark roster reset after losing all five starters from a squad that finished 20-12 overall and missed the NCAA Tournament for the second season. Four of those departed starters, including center Drew Fielder, secured transfers to Power Four programs. The program brings back key rotational reserves in forward Spencer Ahrens, wing Pearson Carmichael, and guard Aginaldo Neto while integrating six fresh faces from the transfer portal.

Head coach Leon Rice addressed the developmental phase of the early calendar during his preseason press conference earlier in the week. “This time of year as a coach, you want everything to be ready and everything to be done, but also you don’t play a counting game until November,” Rice stated. “So there’s a process that you want to go through, and you don’t want to be peaking on October 10th. There’s a rhythm to the season that you’ve got to get these guys in, but it’s so valuable to get in front of fans, to get the lights on, to get the jerseys on, when you have a new team.”

Backcourt Adjustments and Early Sidelined Talent

The new roster construction will have to showcase its depth immediately without two major additions. Transfers Ty Rodgers and Lamar Washington will not take the floor against the Vandals. Washington’s playing status remains in limbo while he pursues a fifth year of eligibility following a Georgia Court of Appeals ruling. Meanwhile, Rodgers continues his recovery from a torn patellar tendon suffered during offseason workouts, leaving his return timetable undetermined.

Rice pointed to the specific competitive identity he expects from the available personnel on the floor. “I think this team reflects who our staff is, who our best teams have been more,” Rice noted. “We’ve got, I use the term hungry dogs. We’ve got a bunch of outdoor dogs, not dogs like mine that just sleep on the couch and wonder when their next great bougie meal is coming. It seems like we have a bunch of guys that are scrappy, tough and out to prove something, and that’s what I want.”

Event Detail	Specification
Opponent	Idaho Vandals
Tipoff Time	5 p.m. Mountain time, Saturday
Venue	Idaho Central Arena (Boise, Idaho)
Broadcast	KTVB
Upcoming Exhibition Schedule	vs. Washington (Oct. 17), vs. Bismarck State (Oct. 29)

Exhibition Schedule Leading to the Regular Season Opener

Saturday’s matchup against Idaho kicks off an exhibition slate designed to integrate the incoming portal talent before the official games begin. Following the contest at Idaho Central Arena, the Broncos are scheduled to face Washington on October 17 and Bismarck State College on October 29. Boise State will then officially tip off the regular season by hosting Western Baptist on Wednesday, November 4.

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