Viva Las Vegas: Boise State Wins Big in Inaugural Hoops Tourney

It was an emotional season for the Boise State basketball program--and at this point in the year, for most, the season is simply 'over'.  It's the greatest sporting event on earth, as dubbed by Hall of Fame nominee Mark Few--March Madness! To be a team worthy of a bracket spot--win or lose--is the honor and ultimate goal of any collegiate basketball program.

For the last several years, Boise State made the cut.

This year, Boise State just barely missed out.

Only four teams remain in 'the big tournament' but for Boise State--things just got fired back up and they did so with FINESSE.

The Broncos made the cut for the College Basketball Crown, which is a brand new post-season tournament being hosted in Las Vegas by Fox Sports. The tournament invited some of the country's biggest programs that did NOT make March Madness and they're putting them in front of a pretty big television audience! Teams are playing for lofty BIL packages, too--so there's plenty on the line for teams to play for and want to win--even if it isn't the perennial 'Big Dance'.

In their first matchup, Boise State dominated George Washington, winning by THIRTY points and will advance to play a well-known program in Butler, on Wednesday of this week.

While Butler didn't make it to the big dance either--they gave the likes of St. John's and UCONN a run for their money.

The game will be televised on FS1 at 5:00 p.m. here in Boise.

It's fair to say that despite what a handful of 'fair-weathered fans' have to say online--Leon Rice really is a gem on the campus of Boise State University!