Boise State men’s basketball vs. Santa Clara: How to watch, prediction and odds

While point guard Marcus Shaver Jr. is recovering from an undisclosed injury, Jace Whiting has assumed Shaver’s spot in the starting lineup for the Boise State men’s basketball team.

A few shorts months ago, no one saw this coming.

“I just didn’t know what to expect when a guy doesn’t play for two years,” Boise State coach Leon Rice said. “I know he’s put in the time since he’s been back, and that’s always a start. I like guys that want to invest in their game, and those are guys I want to invest in. I’ll invest minutes in a guy that’s going to go in there and shoot. Because he didn’t make a shot for a couple months in practices. But I knew he would, because he’s put in the time. And he’s gonna become an elite shooter.”

Whiting, a true freshman, has gained increased playing time despite being fresh off a two-year church mission in Helsinki, Finland, after graduating from Burley High School in 2020.

“I just knew I wanted to do whatever I could to help the team win in any way possible, whether that was me cheering on the bench or handing guys towels or waters,” Whiting said. “I just wanted to help in any way possible. They gave me chances, and the only thing you can control is how hard you fight and how hard you work.”

Whiting made his first start on Dec. 6 against Eastern Oregon. He posted career highs in minutes (25) and points (7) against the Mountaineers, but has since surpassed both. He totaled nine points, four assists, two rebounds and one blocked shot in 31 minutes against New Orleans on Dec. 13.

Whiting could find himself in the starting lineup again Thursday when the Broncos face Santa Clara at 3 p.m. Mountain time at the Leavey Center in Santa Clara, California.

Rice said Shaver’s status for Thursday’s game is still up in the air.

“I’m trying to get out of No Shave December as quick as I can,” Rice joked Tuesday during a news conference. “And same with him. ... But you don’t want it to be lingering for the next two months, either. It’s a fine line and tough decisions, but ultimately Marcus wants to be out there with his teammates. ... He’s close. He’s real close.”

In other injury news, redshirt freshman Kobe Young was not injured as badly as initially thought, Rice said.

Young went down with an ankle injury when he was fouled on a 3-point attempt against Oakland. He was taken to the locker room and never returned to the game.

“I think he’s doing a lot better than I thought,” Rice said. “... We had X-rays and they were negative. Thank goodness. ... I think his return won’t be that far off.”

BOISE STATE AT SANTA CLARA

When: 3 p.m. Mountain time Thursday

Where: Leavey Center, Santa Clara, California

TV: WCC Network (wccsports.com/watch)

Radio: KBOI 670 AM (Bob Behler, Abe Jackson)

Records: Boise State 10-2, Santa Clara 11-3

Series: Santa Clara leads the series 3-1, but Boise State won 72-60 last season in Boise.

Vegas line: Boise State by 2.5

KenPom rating: Boise State 51, Santa Clara 116

KenPom & ESPN predictions

Ken Pomeroy, who created the popular college basketball statistical website KenPom.com, ranks every Division I team using an adjusted efficiency margin, which Pomeroy defines as the difference between a team’s offensive and defensive efficiency.

According to Pomeroy’s detailed statistical analysis, Boise State has a 62% chance of beating Santa Clara. His score prediction is a 70-66 BSU victory.

ESPN’s College Basketball Power Index: Boise State has a 63.3% chance of winning with a predicted point differential of 3.4.

Women’s basketball: Broncos split tourney games

The Boise State women’s basketball team left the South Padre Island Classic with a 76-66 win over Texas A&M University-Commerce and a 72-60 loss to UTRGV.

The Broncos (5-8) will be off until they open Mountain West play Thursday, Dec. 29, against San Diego State. Tipoff is 6:30 p.m. at ExtraMile Arena, and the game will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network.