The one thing about shooty-hoops is that it is not as “all-or-nothing” as football. For Boise State, in football, the expectation of excellence—or perfection—is what matters in order for post-season success. The margins for error are so slim that any slip up could spell doom for the Broncos.
For the basketballers, the consequences are not as dire. For the most part: win, and in. If they win the regular-season they, at minimum, have access to the NIT. If the Broncos win the Mountain West Conference Tournament, they get the auto-berth into the NCAA Tournament.