The Boise State Broncos and the San Diego State Aztecs delivered a women's basketball matchup for the ages on February 25, 2026, with the Mountain West regular-season title hanging in the balance. In front of a lively crowd at ExtraMile Arena in Boise, the Aztecs rallied from a sluggish first half to edge the Broncos 66-64, clinching the conference crown and extending their winning streak to six games. For Boise State, the narrow defeat marked only their second home loss of the year and snapped several impressive streaks, including their unbeaten record when leading at halftime.
San Diego State entered the contest with a 22-4 overall record and a formidable 16-1 mark in Mountain West play, sitting atop the standings. Boise State, hot on their heels, boasted a 22-6 record and a 13-4 conference tally. The stakes were sky-high: a win for the Aztecs would secure the regular-season championship outright, while a Broncos victory would have tightened the race with just two games remaining.
The game tipped off with San Diego State winning the opening possession, but it was Boise State who struck first. Mya Hansen made an immediate impact, snatching a steal and feeding Libby Hutton for a layup. Hutton, showing her usual hustle, added another basket after grabbing an offensive rebound. The Aztecs struggled to find their rhythm early, going on a four-minute scoring drought until Naomi Panganiban finally broke through with a jumper at the 7:41 mark. Kaelyn Hamilton ended another dry spell for SDSU with a layup, but both teams found points hard to come by in a defensive-minded first quarter. Boise State managed to pull ahead 11-8, thanks to a clutch three-pointer from freshman Kenna Garza as the period expired.
The Broncos looked poised to control the tempo in the second quarter. Natalie Pasco sank two free throws to open the frame, and Hutton followed up with a layup off a sharp assist from Izzie Harms. Yet, the Aztecs' defense tightened, and Boise State endured a three-and-a-half minute scoring drought. Tatum Thompson, who would finish with a stat-stuffing night, drilled a three-pointer to keep the Broncos in front. By halftime, Boise State had built a 29-21 lead, buoyed by timely shooting and a determined rebounding effort.
But basketball is a game of runs—and the third quarter belonged entirely to San Diego State. Head coach Stacie Terry-Hutson later admitted, “I was disappointed with our effort or lack thereof in the first half. We completely flipped the script in the third quarter when we came out and went on that 10-0 run. That was the effort and energy that we need to always play with.” The Aztecs stormed out of the break with a 10-0 surge, erasing the deficit and seizing a 31-29 lead. Bailey Barnhard and Nat Martinez knocked down back-to-back threes, while Kennedy Lee added another from deep. Boise State, rattled but resilient, clawed back with buckets from Pasco, Thompson, and Hutton. The lead seesawed throughout the quarter, but Hutton’s aggressive drive to the rim gave the Broncos a 44-42 edge heading into the final period.
The fourth quarter was a heart-stopper, with both teams trading blows and the lead changing hands multiple times. Hamilton and Lee sparked the Aztecs with quick baskets, but Boise State’s underclassmen responded. Garza’s layup and a three-pointer from freshman Morgan Maldonado put the Broncos back in front, 49-47. San Diego State answered with threes from Barnhard and Nala Williams, seizing a 53-50 advantage. The tension mounted as Garza and Hansen combined for four points to retake the lead for Boise State.
With just over five minutes remaining, the game reached its defining moment. Naomi Panganiban, who led all scorers with 19 points, drilled a three-pointer off a crisp Natalia Martinez pass after a crucial offensive rebound by Barnhard. That shot gave the Aztecs a 59-56 lead they would not relinquish. Down the stretch, San Diego State’s composure at the free-throw line proved decisive. The Aztecs hit seven free throws in the closing minutes, including two by Williams with just one second left, pushing the lead to 66-61. Boise State’s Natalie Pasco drained a three at the buzzer, but it was too little, too late.
For Boise State, the loss was a bitter pill. Head coach Gordy Presnell didn’t mince words: “We didn’t execute down the stretch of the game. We turned it over and got rattled. We will keep trying and get ready for Saturday’s game. It’s disappointing, we always come out in the third quarter really well, but we turned it over and didn’t execute there. Those things catch up with you against a good team. We got to get back to the drawing board. We have two more games then the tournament.”
Statistically, the Broncos were led by Tatum Thompson, who packed the box score with 14 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and a career-high five steals—tying the most by a Bronco this season. Natalie Pasco matched her with 14 points and tied her season-best with seven rebounds. Libby Hutton chipped in 13 points and six boards. Despite the individual efforts, Boise State dropped their first game of the season when leading at halftime and when outrebounding their opponent. The team also saw its streak of starting the same five players every game—unique in the Mountain West—continue, but the consistency couldn’t stave off the Aztecs’ late charge.
San Diego State’s balanced attack featured key contributions from Kaelyn Hamilton (13 points off the bench), Bailey Barnhard (10 points, six rebounds), and Kennedy Lee (nine points, six rebounds, two steals). The Aztecs’ second-half shooting was electric, as they poured in 45 points and drained 10 three-pointers after managing just 21 points and a single triple in the first half. The win marked San Diego State’s fifth straight victory over Boise State and pushed their all-time series lead to 18-13.
With the win, San Diego State improved to 23-4 overall and 17-1 in Mountain West play, clinching the regular-season title and setting up a celebratory home finale against Wyoming on February 28. Boise State, now 22-7 overall and 13-5 in conference, will look to regroup as they host Utah State in their last home game of the season, also on February 28. The Broncos remain tied for second in the conference alongside UNLV and Colorado State, keeping their postseason hopes alive.
As the Mountain West regular season nears its conclusion, both teams have their eyes fixed on the tournament ahead. For the Aztecs, Wednesday’s triumph was a testament to resilience and championship mettle; for the Broncos, it’s a reminder that every possession counts when the stakes are this high.