SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -Ike Okoye scored a career-high 22 points and Anthony Thomas made a pair of clinching free throws with 41 seconds left as Boise State held on to beat San Jose State 89-83 on Saturday night.
Okoye, who went into the game averaging just 8.7 points this season, went 8-of-12 from the floor and was 6-for-10 from the line. He also had six rebounds.
Thomas finished with 15 points and five assists for the Broncos (16-6, 6-3 Western Athletic Conference), who have won four of five to move into second place after stumbling with back-to-back conference losses to Nevada and Utah State.
Boise State also improved to 19-1 all-time against the Spartans and have won 14 straight in the series.
Adrian Oliver scored a career-high 37 points for San Jose State (10-11, 4-6), the second-most in school history and three shy of the school record. The Spartans sophomore guard missed two shots in the final 30 seconds, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
The Broncos led by as much as 15 in the first half and were ahead 87-78 with 1:13 left to play but couldn't put the pesky Spartans away. Justin Graham scored on a three-point play and Oliver followed with a pair of free throws to pull the Spartans within four with 42.7 seconds remaining.
Thomas then grabbed the inbounds pass and was fouled quickly. He made both free throws to make it 89-83 and Boise State held on as Oliver missed two shots in the final 30 seconds.
San Jose's only win in the series came in 2002.
Boise State led 27-12 less than nine minutes into the first half but the Spartans chipped away behind Oliver and C.J. Webster. Oliver, who had 23 in the first half, sank back-to-back 3-pointers and Webster scored five straight points to pull San Jose within 41-40.
Okoye answered with four straight points, helping the Broncos take a 45-44 halftime lead.
