Boise State breaks scoring record in 132-53 season opener

The Boise State men’s basketball team shattered program records during its 132-53 victory over West Coast Baptist on Wednesday night.

The win marked the opening game of the 2026-27 regular season and produced a statistical performance that exceeded all previous single-game benchmarks for the Broncos.

Boise State recorded 132 points, a total that surpasses the former program record. The team also set all-time bests with 51 field goals, 67 rebounds, and a 79-point margin of victory.

Eight players scored in double figures. Dovydas Butka, a native of Lithuania, led the squad with 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting. He also secured nine rebounds and two assists.

Damari Wheeler-Thomas, a transfer from North Dakota State, added 17 points. He finished with five rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Bhan Buom contributed 16 points, seven rebounds, and four assists.

Forward Jerquarius Stanback recorded his third career double-double. He scored 15 points and grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds. Junior guard Julian Bowie reached a career-high with 14 points and five rebounds. Rayzhon Bergersen posted a career-best 11 points as a fifth-year player, while Spencer Ahrens and Aginaldo Neto each scored 10 points.

The Broncos established a 40-point lead by the end of the first half. They held a 69-26 advantage at intermission after shooting 56 percent from the floor. The team forced 12 turnovers and limited the Eagles to seven field goals in the first 20 minutes.

Boise State extended its lead to 80 points with 19 seconds remaining in regulation. The Broncos shot 58 percent from the field overall, improving on the previous record of 45 field goals set against Montana in 2007.

Head coach Leon Rice noted that the team showed growth despite areas for improvement. "I was really proud of our guys’ approach," Rice said. "Is there a ton of things that we can still get better at? Absolutely, and these guys know it, but I think we’re seeing some growth."

Wheeler-Thomas attributed the team’s focus to instructions given during timeouts. "It was definitely in the timeouts," he said. "We kept saying, ‘just keep going, stay tight and keep doing us,’ and that’s what we did."

Stanback emphasized the value of playing time for bench players. "I think that can help us a lot," Stanback said regarding the team’s upcoming matchup. "Esepcially with guys getting more experience on the court, I feel like that can help us a lot."

The Broncos will host Big East opponent Butler on Sunday, Nov. 8. Tipoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.