CU vs USC
The Buffs let USC jump on top early, thanks to an extended 15-3 run to start the game. They spent the whole first half working their way back into the game and headed to the locker room down two at half. After trading blows to start the second half, USC began to pull away after about five minutes of play. Remaining within striking distance, the Buffs made a push during the final few minutes but simply could not catch USC. Finding themselves stuck at 62-59, the Buffs had multiple opportunities to tie the game or draw to within one. Colorado had two chances and turned the ball over both times. With time running down, Tad Boyle opted to foul rather than play defense as he tried to extend the game. This was an interesting decision down only three points but was still a viable strategy. In the end, it did not pay off for the Buffs as Kobe Johnson was money from the charity stripe. Along with some missed shots by CU, Johnson sank four clutch free throws to ice the game. The Buffs lost by a final score of 68-61.
The young Buffs need to learn how to close games. Learning how to have a killer's instinct in the clutch is a challenge, but it is something the Buffs desperately need to work on. The Buffs fought all game to keep it close and weren't successful when it mattered most. The biggest problem for the Buffs was the timing of their turnovers. At the end of the game the Buffs had multiple chances to take the lead, but costly turnovers killed any momentum they were building.
KJ Simpson played a solid game, going 7-of-14 for 17 points. Simpson and Tristan da Silva really struggled, turning the ball over a combined 13 times. Lawson Lovering snagged 13 rebounds and dropped 14 points, showing the development he is making as a player. Lovering will be a big piece for the Buffaloes if he can get it going. The other player that stood out was Javon Ruffin. Ruffin came off the bench and put forth a solid effort with 5 rebounds and 12 points(3-6 from 3pt). Overall, it feels like the team needs to simplify things on offense like they did with defense over the break. Slowing things down and playing to their strengths will help the Buffs find a workable offense in the future.
CU vs UCLA
UCLA vs. Colorado was a matchup of two defensive powerhouses. From the get go, both sides played electric defense and it was CU who was able to get some quick points on the board. The Buffs went on a big 14-4 run in the first half, but UCLA was able to minimize the damage as they went into half only down three. Coming out of the half, the Buffs held UCLA to 1-for-17 from the field. Additionally, UCLA went 0-for-15 from beyond the arc well into the second half. Despite these poor stats, it was clear that UCLA was going to find their offense and it was only a matter of time. The Buffs failed to capitalize on the Bruin's poor shooting out of the half, and the nine point lead they built disappeared in a matter of seconds. The Bruins dropped 17 unanswered points in the span of four minutes and it was evident the Buffs wouldn't be able to recover. UCLA's defense was already having a strong game, holding the Buffs to an abysmal 15-of-49 from the field. This was mainly due to the Bruins' presence in the paint, as they ended the game with 11 blocks. UCLA's strong defense mixed with a hot offense led to a 10-33 run to finish the game. The Buffs lost by a final score of 68-54.
The Buffs were cookin' early as they led well into the second half. The flame burned out fast, as the Buffs gave up a demoralizing 33-10 run to finish off the game. Basketball is a game of runs and it is how you respond that matters. A loss of this magnitude simply cannot happen, as the Buffs need to learn how to limit the damage. CU folded the minute the Bruins started surging back and were unable to recover. The Bruins went on 11-0 run halfway through the second half and the game was still only 44-45. Tad Boyle needed to call a timeout before UCLA's run reached 11-0, as it would have given the Buffs time to regroup without losing the lead. They needed to figure out how to stop the momentum and get some crucial buckets. CU won't be able to successfully close many games scoring only ten points in the final ten minutes of play. Led by KJ Simpson, the Buffs played with heart to the end but still couldn't buy a bucket.
KJ Simpson was the biggest standout from this game, as he played with heart the whole game. Simpson dropped 17 points on 5-for-15 shooting, as the shot blocking of UCLA proved challenging for him. The whole team struggled offensively and it is something that needs to be worked on. Not only did the Buffs get blocked 11 times, they also had 23 turnovers and let UCLA get 15 steals.
Overall Takeaways
It really felt like the Buffs should have been 2-0 on this trip. They positioned themselves to take both games but struggled when closing them out. As a young team with exciting prospects on the way, our performance in the clutch should only improve. That being said, the Buffs need to figure out an alternative in the meantime.
Turnovers are a momentum killer. Every time the Buffs would try and get back in these games, they ended up giving the ball right back to the opponent. CU had 22 turnovers against USC plus an additional 23 turnovers against UCLA. 45 turnovers over a two game span is unacceptable. Giving Pac-12 teams extra possessions is not a strategy that will result in many wins. At the end of the day, turnovers are merely growing pains with this young team but if they want to compete on the national stage it needs to be fixed.
The Buffs will win many games due to their electric defense, but not if the offense is actively in the way. They have proven to be one of the best defenses in the nation and we have seen glimpses of their potential. Playing amazing defense will not be enough in March or April. The Buffs need to play smart and take advantage of easy opportunities, as the defense can only make up for so much. If the Buffs want to compete nationally they need some offensive consistency.
What’s Next?
1/16 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I hope everyone takes time to explore the lasting impact that Dr. King's legacy has on our nation.
The Buffs will look to right the ship in Boulder next weekend, with big matchups against Washington and Washington State. The Buffs are 1-5 at home on the year but are hoping that they can piece together a strong bounceback weekend at the Events Center.
1/19 - 7:00 PM MT vs. Washington
1/22 - 4:00 PM MT vs. Washington State
The Buffs let USC jump on top early, thanks to an extended 15-3 run to start the game. They spent the whole first half working their way back into the game and headed to the locker room down two at half. After trading blows to start the second half, USC began to pull away after about five minutes of play. Remaining within striking distance, the Buffs made a push during the final few minutes but simply could not catch USC. Finding themselves stuck at 62-59, the Buffs had multiple opportunities to tie the game or draw to within one. Colorado had two chances and turned the ball over both times. With time running down, Tad Boyle opted to foul rather than play defense as he tried to extend the game. This was an interesting decision down only three points but was still a viable strategy. In the end, it did not pay off for the Buffs as Kobe Johnson was money from the charity stripe. Along with some missed shots by CU, Johnson sank four clutch free throws to ice the game. The Buffs lost by a final score of 68-61.
The young Buffs need to learn how to close games. Learning how to have a killer's instinct in the clutch is a challenge, but it is something the Buffs desperately need to work on. The Buffs fought all game to keep it close and weren't successful when it mattered most. The biggest problem for the Buffs was the timing of their turnovers. At the end of the game the Buffs had multiple chances to take the lead, but costly turnovers killed any momentum they were building.
KJ Simpson played a solid game, going 7-of-14 for 17 points. Simpson and Tristan da Silva really struggled, turning the ball over a combined 13 times. Lawson Lovering snagged 13 rebounds and dropped 14 points, showing the development he is making as a player. Lovering will be a big piece for the Buffaloes if he can get it going. The other player that stood out was Javon Ruffin. Ruffin came off the bench and put forth a solid effort with 5 rebounds and 12 points(3-6 from 3pt). Overall, it feels like the team needs to simplify things on offense like they did with defense over the break. Slowing things down and playing to their strengths will help the Buffs find a workable offense in the future.
CU vs UCLA
UCLA vs. Colorado was a matchup of two defensive powerhouses. From the get go, both sides played electric defense and it was CU who was able to get some quick points on the board. The Buffs went on a big 14-4 run in the first half, but UCLA was able to minimize the damage as they went into half only down three. Coming out of the half, the Buffs held UCLA to 1-for-17 from the field. Additionally, UCLA went 0-for-15 from beyond the arc well into the second half. Despite these poor stats, it was clear that UCLA was going to find their offense and it was only a matter of time. The Buffs failed to capitalize on the Bruin's poor shooting out of the half, and the nine point lead they built disappeared in a matter of seconds. The Bruins dropped 17 unanswered points in the span of four minutes and it was evident the Buffs wouldn't be able to recover. UCLA's defense was already having a strong game, holding the Buffs to an abysmal 15-of-49 from the field. This was mainly due to the Bruins' presence in the paint, as they ended the game with 11 blocks. UCLA's strong defense mixed with a hot offense led to a 10-33 run to finish the game. The Buffs lost by a final score of 68-54.
The Buffs were cookin' early as they led well into the second half. The flame burned out fast, as the Buffs gave up a demoralizing 33-10 run to finish off the game. Basketball is a game of runs and it is how you respond that matters. A loss of this magnitude simply cannot happen, as the Buffs need to learn how to limit the damage. CU folded the minute the Bruins started surging back and were unable to recover. The Bruins went on 11-0 run halfway through the second half and the game was still only 44-45. Tad Boyle needed to call a timeout before UCLA's run reached 11-0, as it would have given the Buffs time to regroup without losing the lead. They needed to figure out how to stop the momentum and get some crucial buckets. CU won't be able to successfully close many games scoring only ten points in the final ten minutes of play. Led by KJ Simpson, the Buffs played with heart to the end but still couldn't buy a bucket.
KJ Simpson was the biggest standout from this game, as he played with heart the whole game. Simpson dropped 17 points on 5-for-15 shooting, as the shot blocking of UCLA proved challenging for him. The whole team struggled offensively and it is something that needs to be worked on. Not only did the Buffs get blocked 11 times, they also had 23 turnovers and let UCLA get 15 steals.
Overall Takeaways
It really felt like the Buffs should have been 2-0 on this trip. They positioned themselves to take both games but struggled when closing them out. As a young team with exciting prospects on the way, our performance in the clutch should only improve. That being said, the Buffs need to figure out an alternative in the meantime.
Turnovers are a momentum killer. Every time the Buffs would try and get back in these games, they ended up giving the ball right back to the opponent. CU had 22 turnovers against USC plus an additional 23 turnovers against UCLA. 45 turnovers over a two game span is unacceptable. Giving Pac-12 teams extra possessions is not a strategy that will result in many wins. At the end of the day, turnovers are merely growing pains with this young team but if they want to compete on the national stage it needs to be fixed.
The Buffs will win many games due to their electric defense, but not if the offense is actively in the way. They have proven to be one of the best defenses in the nation and we have seen glimpses of their potential. Playing amazing defense will not be enough in March or April. The Buffs need to play smart and take advantage of easy opportunities, as the defense can only make up for so much. If the Buffs want to compete nationally they need some offensive consistency.
What’s Next?
1/16 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I hope everyone takes time to explore the lasting impact that Dr. King's legacy has on our nation.
The Buffs will look to right the ship in Boulder next weekend, with big matchups against Washington and Washington State. The Buffs are 1-5 at home on the year but are hoping that they can piece together a strong bounceback weekend at the Events Center.
1/19 - 7:00 PM MT vs. Washington
1/22 - 4:00 PM MT vs. Washington State