‘A heck of an experience’: Tyson Degenhart, Naje Smith, Max Rice make big contributions in Boise State’s NCAA Tournament loss to Memphis

PORTLAND – As expected, an influx of Gonzaga Bulldogs fans raided the Moda Center during Thursday’s Boise State-Memphis NCAA Tournament first round game to cheer on former GU assistant coach Leon Rice.

Not that Rice’s Broncos needed the extra support.

Blue-and-orange clad fans were loudly cheering on BSU by the time many Gonzaga supporters arrived prior to GU’s game against Georgia State, and together they watched as the Broncos made a furious second-half rally from 19 points down before finally falling to the Tigers, 64-53.

The Broncos have a lot for Boise, Spokane and Zag fans to love.

Rice, who has coached BSU since 2010, spent 11 seasons as a GU assistant. His son, redshirt junior Max Rice, was born in the Lilac City. Redshirt senior Naje Smith went to Lewis and Clark, and Tyson Degenhart – the Mountain West Freshman of the Year – was a Mt. Spokane Wildcat.

“We were so proud of him that his goal has always been to go to a college that could get into the NCAA Tournament,” said Tiffany Degenhart, Tyson’s mom. “For him to be able to do this his freshman year, and then to be in Portland where we could get like 30 family members to cheer him on was just amazing.”

Last summer, Degenhart was finishing up his senior season at Mt. Spokane after an undefeated run throughout the Greater Spokane League.

Less than a year later, he helped guide Boise State to its eighth tournament appearance.

“It’s a heck of an experience,” he said. “It’s something I’ll never forget for the rest of my life. Not the result that we wanted, but just kind of makes me hungry for next year.

“To have my family and friends behind me means a lot.”

Degenhart, Smith and Max Rice all played valuable minutes in the 64-53 first-round loss to Memphis.

“The common theme about all these guys is what great competitors they are,” Leon Rice said.

Degenhart, who averaged just under 10 points per game in the regular season, was held to eight, with six coming in the first half. He supplied some strong defense against a bigger Memphis team.

Rice came into the game and instantly provided a spark off the bench.

And Smith finished with six points and four rebounds. He hit all four of his free-throw attempts.

“They all fought and I thought some of those guys … were huge in the second half,” Leon Rice said. “Naje was great, and Max was great as far as heating them up and our defensive intensity increased. Same with Tyson. He was Freshman of the Year, and it wasn’t even close. He could have been an all-league player when you break it all down, he had that kind of year.

“Those guys have been terrific.”