Busting Brackets
Fansided

Grand Canyon vs Boise State: College Basketball preview, TV schedule

By Bryan Mauro

PHOENIX, AZ - DECEMBER 05: Joshua Braun #2 of the Grand Canyon Antelopes dives for the ball during the first half of the college basketball game against the St. John's Red Storm at Talking Stick Resort Arena on December 5, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ - DECEMBER 05: Joshua Braun #2 of the Grand Canyon Antelopes dives for the ball during the first half of the college basketball game against the St. John's Red Storm at Talking Stick Resort Arena on December 5, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 3
Next
PHOENIX, AZ – DECEMBER 05: Joshua Braun #2 of the Grand Canyon Antelopes dives for the ball during the first half of the college basketball game against the St. John’s Red Storm at Talking Stick Resort Arena on December 5, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ – DECEMBER 05: Joshua Braun #2 of the Grand Canyon Antelopes dives for the ball during the first half of the college basketball game against the St. John’s Red Storm at Talking Stick Resort Arena on December 5, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

So far this season, mid-major programs have put many elite Power 5 programs on alert. This week two of the very best mid-major programs in the country this year are going to square off.

Boise State and Grand Canyon are two teams that are going to be able to score. While the teams are built completely differently, they will both find themselves in the NCAA Tournament.

When: Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017

Where: Taco Bell Arena Boise, ID

Time: 9:00 p.m. ET

TV: Check Local Listings

Why This Game is Important:

Grand Canyon is probably one of the best mid-major teams that virtually no one knows about. They possess one of the best home-court advantages in all of college hoops. A former NBA player also leads the team, Dan Majerle. Majerle and the Lopes have progressively gotten better since they made the transition to Division I basketball. This being the year that Grand Canyon is finally eligible for all postseason play, they hope to get a huge win early in the season to further their claim at one of the coveted 68 spots in the NCAA Tournament. The Lopes do play in the WAC, so they are going to have to win their conference to receive a bid to the tournament, but this is a team that can do it.

The Broncos have been a program on the rise for the last few years. Boise State has one of the best backcourts in all of college basketball and they will be on display in this game, as Boise State relies a lot on the play of their guards to score their points. The Broncos already own a win over Oregon and gave Iowa State a competitive game. The Broncos are hoping to get a huge resume win and close the gap on a tournament bid. The Mountain West conference should be a multi-bid league this year, and Boise State is playing early on like they want one of those bids.