Credit where it's due

[BuffDog]

Not to say I told you so, but I did question the decision to start Ben Mills before the game. And I was met with "it will get the crowd fired up."

Now I'm not saying starting Ben Mills is WHY we lost but it didn't help and definitely contributed in my mind. I get Tad wanted to reward one his first recruits, but this isn't 2005, this is a very important game in our journey for a Tourney bid. If we had little to play for, I could've understood.

Agree that it isn't why we lost but things were going poorly from the start and I looked over to the scorer's table about a minute in when there was a break thinking that Scott would be coming in but he let Mills play for longer than I expected. Loved Mill's 3 pointer in garbage time.

 

[Buffalo Brad]

The Buffs got steamrolled by a team that played well in all phases. I was so disappointed by the second half fold after they had gone into the locker room down by 6 with a chance to get to 4 before UofA got to touch the ball. Actually felt for as bad as we played in the first half, we were set up for a great game in the second.

This team and staff has too much pride and shown resilience thru this season to let this be a season buster. They will be very hungry and this will be a long week waiting for the Utes. Especially when you were outplayed and outcoached in every phase in the second half. That taste in their mouths all week will be hard to take.

Bottom line, they will learn and get better from this. This is a young team that rolled by a top 2-4 team in the country. I am pretty sure that the coaches also learned a few things last night. We will see how this team reacts in a week.

 

[89BUFF89]

Total domination and we didn't respond in 2nd half. AZ has a chance to deep in the tourney if they play like that very night. Buffs need to toughen up mentally and come out and get a road win or two to close out the season.

 

[Quattro]

This quote kept going through my head the whole 2nd half...

"They're definitely not on the court, Cotton. Their absence in noticeable."


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cubuffs85]

Agree that it isn't why we lost but things were going poorly from the start and I looked over to the scorer's table about a minute in when there was a break thinking that Scott would be coming in but he let Mills play for longer than I expected. Loved Mill's 3 pointer in garbage time.

I don't usually criticize Tad, after all, he's done so much for the program, that particular thing bothered me from the second it was announced. I remember with the Patton teams (when it didn't matter), the seniors would all start and then at the first opportunity, they would be substituted out. I wouldn't have started Mills in the first place, but he should've been substituted out immediately unless he was play like he did against KU. Like you said not why we lost, but I'm a big believer in change the rules, change the game so who knows what would've happened if we didn't start out so poorly.

 

[Parallax]

AZ has a chance to deep in the tourney if they play like that very night.

Were the guys to play like that every night, we'd be strong favorites to win it all. Now if only I could get a kid on the other team to make comments like XJ's before each game . . .

 

[GoonieBuff]

As Coach Miller said between halves, there's no way Arizona is 27 points better than Colorado. Sometimes things can get out of hand. I think XJ's comments had A LOT to do with that. Sports is so much about emotion and Arizona came to play. But for XJ's comments, it probably would have been a very close game.

As for Arizona fans talking **** and not showing up in this thread, you were merely unfortunate enough to tap into the idiocy of the PGU world. I promise they are a very small portion of our fan base. There are many mature and knowledgeable Arizona fans, just as I'm sure is true of your program. In fact, you are collective proof of the truth of that statement. Will try to send some folks over from the Scout site. Best to you all.

Thanks for the pleasantries. Every fan base has their morons. We have ours along with weirdos, jerks, and conspiracy theorists. It's all good.

 

[MiamiBuffs]

I don't usually criticize Tad, after all, he's done so much for the program, that particular thing bothered me from the second it was announced. I remember with the Patton teams (when it didn't matter), the seniors would all start and then at the first opportunity, they would be substituted out. I wouldn't have started Mills in the first place, but he should've been substituted out immediately unless he was play like he did against KU. Like you said not why we lost, but I'm a big believer in change the rules, change the game so who knows what would've happened if we didn't start out so poorly.

I believe tad took responsibility for losing. Maybe he thought mills would play like a stud and the different look would disrupt UA. We're not the same team that started the season. We're still good but not killer good. Oh well.

 

[Ama stac]

Unfortunately, this was not the game everyone was anticipating. May have been tight with all the hype. Forgive the trolls...every fan base has them. Colorado has been a welcome addition to the Pac-12 and one of the reasons it is returning to prominence in basketball. Amazing job by your coach to bring this club to national recognition in such a short time span. Starting Mills showed class. Lute Olson did the same in his day. I don't think it impacted the result of the game. If you ask the players I would think they would say the same thing. Some nights the shots are not falling (Arizona last week at ASU). I am encouraged by the improvement of teams in the Pac. It makes for exciting games and better pub for all. Colorado is a very good team and some unfortunate souls are going to find out in the tourney.

 

[SECOBuffsFan]

Ben Mills starting is the most overblown topic on the game last night

We lost that game in the first 5 minutes of the 2nd half when we absolutely did not defend or rebound and they scored on seemingly every possession...we cut it to 4, its goes back to 7, we have three empty possessions in a row and then it is up to 13...we just never got the stops needed

 

[Deleted member 807]

When the stage is at it's biggest, which team shows up? Which team wilts?

Arizona answered that question with an exclamation point. Miller must be proud to see his players rise to the occasion. Coming into this game, Arizona was facing a tight OT win at Utah and a 2OT loss at ASU. They were playing in a venue where, previously, they had never won. It was ESPN College Game Day, and all the national exposure that comes with it. It was a sell-out with the Event Center filled with hostile and loud fans. Arizona rose to the occasion with an explosive an unexpectedly dominant offensive performance. The brighter the lights, the better Arizona played. Credit where it is due. The trip to Boulder was a nice benchmark for how Arizona can be expected to play during the P12 and NCAA tournaments.

The Buffs went exactly the other way. Our Colorado players were not prepared, looked shell shocked, and delivered the absolute worst performance, bar none, that a Boyle team has ever experienced at the Keg. (Similar performance anxiety occurred against Okie Lite, Baylor, UCLA, and back in Tempe). This particular Colorado team has to prove they belong in the Big Dance, not only with their RPI and statistics, but with some heart. They need to show some of the character and grit that was on display against Oregon, Kansas, and ASU. When they are on the road over these next three games, it is important that the team proves to themselves that they belong in the tournament and play like a tournament team when the lights are brightest.

Josh Scott is the one player who truly delivers a consistent quality performance game in and game out. But CU this can't win with Josh being the only bright spot. Askia and XJ are inconsistent, sometimes delivering amazing games, and sometimes not. If Askia and XJ can't provide that consistent performance, then Talton, Gordon and Hopkins have a responsibility to step up and shine when the stakes are highest.

 

[Parallax]

When the stage is at it's biggest, which team shows up? Which team wilts?

Arizona answered that question with an exclamation point. Miller must be proud to see his players rise to the occasion. Coming into this game, Arizona was facing a tight OT loss to Utah and a 2OT loss to ASU. They were playing in a venue where, previously, they had never won. It was ESPN College Game Day, and all the national exposure that comes with it. It was a sell-out with the Event Center filled with hostile and loud fans. Arizona rose to the occasion with an explosive an unexpectedly dominant offensive performance. The brighter the lights, the better Arizona played. Credit where it is due. The trip to Boulder was a nice benchmark for how Arizona can be expected to play during the P12 and NCAA tournaments.

The Buffs went exactly the other way. Our Colorado players were not prepared, looked shell shocked, and delivered the absolute worst performance, bar none, that a Boyle team has ever experienced at the Keg. (Similar performance anxiety occurred against Okie Lite, Baylor, UCLA, and back in Tempe). This particular Colorado team has to prove they belong in the Big Dance, not only with their RPI and statistics, but with some heart. They need to show some of the character and grit that was on display against Oregon, Kansas, and ASU. When they are on the road over these next three games, it is important that the team proves to themselves that they belong in the tournament and play like a tournament team when the lights are brightest.

Josh Scott is the one player who truly delivers a consistent quality performance game in and game out. But CU this can't win with Josh being the only bright spot. Askia and XJ are inconsistent, sometimes delivering amazing games, and sometimes not. If Askia and XJ can't provide that consistent performance, then Talton, Gordon and Hopkins have a responsibility to step up and shine when the stakes are highest.

Not to pick nits, but Arizona won a tight game against Utah in OT, lost to ASU in double OT and lost to Cal on the road on a last second shot. Two losses so far, a two game lead over UCLA in the Pac-12 race with four games to go, and a decent shot at a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Most important, Arizona proved to itself last night that it can play a great game without Ashley.

 

[Deleted member 807]

Not to pick nits, but Arizona won a tight game against Utah in OT, lost to ASU in double OT and lost to Cal on the road on a last second shot. Two losses so far, a two game lead over UCLA in the Pac-12 race with four games to go, and a decent shot at a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Most important, Arizona proved to itself last night that it can play a great game without Ashley.

Fixed.

 

[Parallax]

Fixed.

Thanks friend. Good luck to you fellas the rest of the way. Perhaps we'll see you in Vegas.

 

[cubuffs85]

Ben Mills starting is the most overblown topic on the game last night

We lost that game in the first 5 minutes of the 2nd half when we absolutely did not defend or rebound and they scored on seemingly every possession...we cut it to 4, its goes back to 7, we have three empty possessions in a row and then it is up to 13...we just never got the stops needed

He hasn't started since high school, it's the easiest thing to criticize.

 

[buffaholic]

Not making excuses or suggesting we were well matched with UofA, but I thought the refs swallowed their whistles early on and allowed the 3 guards (especially) for UofA to hand-check and allowed lots of contact vs Scott. I thought a foul could have been called on nearly every play and the refs let that go. They were somewhat consistent, but I felt like UA exploited it big time and CU never did.

 

[Parallax]

Not making excuses or suggesting we were well matched with UofA, but I thought the refs swallowed their whistles early on and allowed the 3 guards (especially) for UofA to hand-check and allowed lots of contact vs Scott. I thought a foul could have been called on nearly every play and the refs let that go. They were somewhat consistent, but I felt like UA exploited it big time and CU never did.

There's truth in what you say and Arizona was whistled far more frequently than was Colorado. I saw no evidence of bias; just mediocre officiating -- the kind Pac-12 fans are used to. That said, being a ref must be the hardest job. One has to make fast decisions based on limited information as kids run up and down the floor. A lot of times, your sight lines are impaired. You don't often get the benefit of close up pictures or replay.

 

[CVilleBuff]

There's truth in what you say and Arizona was whistled far more frequently than was Colorado. I saw no evidence of bias; just mediocre officiating -- the kind Pac-12 fans are used to. That said, being a ref must be the hardest job. One has to make fast decisions based on limited information as kids run up and down the floor. A lot of times, your sight lines are impaired. You don't often get the benefit of close up pictures or replay.

I'm almost ready to let bygones be bygones, but sorry I just can't resist here. Replay has failed refs in CU/Zona before...

 

[Buffnik]

There's truth in what you say and Arizona was whistled far more frequently than was Colorado. I saw no evidence of bias; just mediocre officiating -- the kind Pac-12 fans are used to. That said, being a ref must be the hardest job. One has to make fast decisions based on limited information as kids run up and down the floor. A lot of times, your sight lines are impaired. You don't often get the benefit of close up pictures or replay.

The lack of bias is actually a complaint I have. Pac-12 refs are inconsistent and mediocre. That's part of the deal. But the frustrating thine is that CU sees opponents get home cooking (majority of the 50/50 calls) when we play on the road but I don't think we're getting that home cooking ourselves when we play in the Keg.

 

[cubuffs85]

The lack of bias is actually a complaint I have. Pac-12 refs are inconsistent and mediocre. That's part of the deal. But the frustrating thine is that CU sees opponents get home cooking (majority of the 50/50 calls) when we play on the road but I don't think we're getting that home cooking ourselves when we play in the Keg.

I don't keep track, but I think most fans feel this way since I follow multiple teams in multiple sports. It stands out more when your team isn't the beneficiary of a call. Not saying that's not the case here, I just think that fans in general have a different perspective.

 

[Wldcat11]

Not trying to be argumentative but I do feel the need to point out that CU shoots more FT than the majority of teams in D1 basketball. I am fairly certain there is no bias. Feel free to check the stats. Looking forward to the next match up! Best of luck!

 

[tante]

Not trying to be argumentative but I do feel the need to point out that CU shoots more FT than the majority of teams in D1 basketball. I am fairly certain there is no bias. Feel free to check the stats. Looking forward to the next match up! Best of luck!

It is our style of play. We take the majority of shots at the rim.

So on a side note do they keep track of and one attempts? I feel like we don't foul hard and we foul on a lot of made shots. Would be interesting to see.

 

[Deleted member 807]

Not trying to be argumentative but I do feel the need to point out that CU shoots more FT than the majority of teams in D1 basketball. I am fairly certain there is no bias. Feel free to check the stats. Looking forward to the next match up! Best of luck!

I was thinking the same thing. CU ends up at the FT line more than the opponents a lot. The Oklahoma State game is the only time that comes to mind where CU had fewer FT attempts than the opponent.
Dinwiddie was a master of drawing the foul, before the injury. Askia was driving the lane looking for a foul last night, but wasn't getting as many as he wanted.

 

[Buffnik]

Not trying to be argumentative but I do feel the need to point out that CU shoots more FT than the majority of teams in D1 basketball. I am fairly certain there is no bias. Feel free to check the stats. Looking forward to the next match up! Best of luck!

CU also shoots a lot fewer 3 pointers than the national average. When your offense is focused on getting to the rim, you get fouled a lot more than teams that shoot jump shots. Also, Tad emphasized "not fouling" as a key to how CU plays defense. This is a style of play thing.

Miller's philosophy is very similar, right?

 

[Wldcat11]

CU also shoots a lot fewer 3 pointers than the national average. When your offense is focused on getting to the rim, you get fouled a lot more than teams that shoot jump shots. Also, Tad emphasized "not fouling" as a key to how CU plays defense. This is a style of play thing.

Miller's philosophy is very similar, right?

So, CU is averaging 28 FTA. Fair question: how many attempts would they have if the officials called everything correctly in your opinion?

 

[tante]

So, CU is averaging 28 FTA. Fair question: how many attempts would they have if the officials called everything correctly in your opinion?

Well to be fair, we suck at closing out games so there a decent number of end of game attempts.

But to answer your question it is complex because some teams are better than other at guarding the rim. It would be interesting to see home and road free throw attempt splits of teams we play but correlate it to percentage of shots taken at the rim.

 

[Buffnik]

So, CU is averaging 28 FTA. Fair question: how many attempts would they have if the officials called everything correctly in your opinion?

Hell if I know. We're already 15th in the nation on that (not sure where CU would be if adjusted for pace but probably about the same). Could be my bias when I'm watching games, but I think refs like to keep things somewhat in balance even when the play doesn't dictate that they should. More often than not, that tendency is going to be to CU's detriment. And at home, CU's advantage on 50/50 calls sems less than its disadvantage on those when on the road in conference play (tie-ups, out-of-bounds, touch fouls, block/charge, etc.).

 

[BuffG]

Hell if I know. We're already 15th in the nation on that (not sure where CU would be if adjusted for pace but probably about the same). Could be my bias when I'm watching games, but I think refs like to keep things somewhat in balance even when the play doesn't dictate that they should. More often than not, that tendency is going to be to CU's detriment. And at home, CU's advantage on 50/50 calls sems less than its disadvantage on those when on the road in conference play (tie-ups, out-of-bounds, touch fouls, block/charge, etc.).

Thing is, when your style of play is to attack the rim and draw fouls then you're putting more power in the whistle than otherwise. I like that style of play and thank the sweet baby jebus that we're no longer running the Princeton offense with Bz. You said it yourself, it can be to CU's detriment. It's simply a quantity problem--the more fouls one draws the more likely the refs will miss the call or choose not to call it.

 

[jgisland]

Hell if I know. We're already 15th in the nation on that (not sure where CU would be if adjusted for pace but probably about the same). Could be my bias when I'm watching games, but I think refs like to keep things somewhat in balance even when the play doesn't dictate that they should. More often than not, that tendency is going to be to CU's detriment. And at home, CU's advantage on 50/50 calls sems less than its disadvantage on those when on the road in conference play (tie-ups, out-of-bounds, touch fouls, block/charge, etc.).

16th