BOISE, Idaho — Paul Noonan scored 25 points and Mark Sanchez added 14 to lead Boise State to a 74-61 victory over Montana State on Monday night.

Noonan was 9-for-13 from the field, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range, for the Broncos (3-1) from the Western Athletic Conference.

Kurt Cunningham came off the bench to add 10 points and five assists for Boise State.

For the Bobcats (1-2) of the Big Sky Conference, Marquis Navarre led the way with 14 points followed by Branden Johnson with 13 points and Bobby Howard with 10 points.

Montana State went on a 9-0 run midway through the first half to take a 21-16 lead. But Boise State, behind Noonan’s 3-point shooting, went ahead 30-26 with 3:45 left in the first half. The teams were tied at 32 at halftime.

The Bobcats opened the second half with a 3-pointer by Navarre, but Boise State then outscored the Bobcats 16-2 over the next four minutes to lead 48-37.

Montana State trailed by double digits in the remainder of the game, except with about two minutes to play when a basket by Divaldo Mbunga brought it to within 69-61.

Boise State shot a torrid 73 percent from the field in the second half and finished the game with a 54 percent shooting, compared with just 38 percent for the Bobcats.

Montana State outrebounded the Broncos 36-30, led by Mbunga with seven and Danny Piepoli and Navarre with six each.

But Boise State was able to score more inside, hitting 38 points in the paint to just 24 for the Bobcats.

Pressure defense in the second half helped Boise State force a game total 13 turnovers by the Bobcats, and the Broncos were able to score 15 points off those turnovers.

BOISE ST. 74, MONTANA ST. 61

MONTANA ST. (1-2)-Howard 5-12 0-0 10, Mbunga 4-10 1-2 9, Navarre 5-11 3-4 14, Bynum 0-7 0-0 0, Rush 2-8 0-0 5, Brown 0-1 0-0 0, Hennessy 1-1 0-0 3, Henderson 1-1 0-0 2, Piepoli 2-6 0-0 5, Johnson 4-5 3-4 13. Totals 24-62 7-10 61.

BOISE ST. (3-1)-Okoye 0-3 1-2 1, Noonan 9-13 3-4 25, Sanchez 6-11 1-4 14, Greene 1-6 0-0 2, Thomas 3-6 2-3 8, Rouse 1-1 0-0 2, Garner 2-3 0-0 6, Imadiyi 2-3 1-1 5, Anderson 0-0 0-0 0, Moritz 0-1 1-2 1, Cunningham 4-5 2-2 10. Totals 28-52 11-18 74.

Halftime—Tied 32-32. 3-Point Goals—Montana St. 6-19 (Johnson 2-2, Hennessy 1-1, Rush 1-1, Piepoli 1-5, Navarre 1-6, Bynum 0-1, Brown 0-1, Howard 0-2), Boise St. 7-16 (Noonan 4-7, Garner 2-3, Sanchez 1-2, Greene 0-2, Thomas 0-2). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Montana St. 36 (Mbunga 7), Boise St. 30 (Noonan, Okoye, Sanchez 6). Assists—Montana St. 8 (Navarre, Piepoli 2), Boise St. 19 (Cunningham, Noonan 5). Total Fouls—Montana St.

17, Boise St. 13. A—2,052.