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Colorado Basketball
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March 11th
… CU in the Arena …
Boyle: “The credit goes to our players for not giving up, not getting down, just coming to work every day and getting better”
From CUBuffs.com … Throughout the first month of the Pac-12 season, Colorado head coach Tad Boyle remained unflinchingly optimistic.
Even after the Buffaloes fell to 2-6 after a 76-74 loss at home to Oregon State — their second conference home loss in three tries — Boyle told anyone who would listen that the Buffs were capable of doing some good things in Pac-12 play.
“If we can get on a roll, which we’re fully capable of doing, we can make some noise in this league coming down the stretch,” Boyle after the Oregon State loss.
Boyle’s players were evidently paying attention. The OSU game proved to be a turning point not many folks who follow Colorado could imagine. Since then, the Buffs have won eight of 10 games, including season sweeps of UCLA and USC, and moved up from 10th place in the Pac-12 standings to a fifth seed in this week’s Pac-12 tournament in Las Vegas.
Colorado (19-11 overall, 10-8 Pac-12) opens tournament play Wednesday with a 3:30 p.m. (Mountain time) game against Cal (8-22, 3-15).
“Our guys said, ‘enough is enough,'” Boyle said last week, before the Buffs wrapped up the regular season with wins over UCLA and USC. “We had Oregon coming in a day later and our guys responded (with a 73-51 win). We kind of haven’t looked back. We haven’t won every game since then, but our intensity, our mentality, our grit, toughness, has been there every time we’ve stepped on the floor.”
The Buffs have indeed been a different team — mentally and physically — since the OSU game. They have come back from deficits to collect victories, won two games on the road, and knocked off a pair of teams that finished ahead of them in the final conference standings, Utah and Arizona State.
… Continue reading story here …
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March 10th
… CU in the Arena …
Team awards announced – McKinley Wright MVP; Evan Battey Most Inspirational
From From CUBuffs.com … The University of Colorado men’s basketball team took time from its preparation for the Pac-12 Tournament to celebrate the season at its annual Awards Banquet Sunday morning at the George Boedecker, Jr., Practice Gym at the CU Events Center.
McKinley Wright IV received the Chauncey Billups Award as the team’s Most Valuable Player. The Chauncey Billups MVP Award is one of five voted on by Colorado men’s basketball student-athletes. Tyler Bey won the Most Improved Player and Best Defender awards, Evan Battey was voted Most Inspirational and Alexander Strating won the Tebo Family P.A.S.S. Award.
In addition, two statistical champion awards were handed out. Bey won the Stephane Pelle Rebounding Award while Wright earned the Jay Humphries Assist Award.
Wright is the Chauncey Billups Award recipient for the second-straight year, joining Josh Scott as the only multiple winners. Scott won three times between 2013-16. Wright is averaging 13.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while leading the Buffaloes in assists and steals – all while dealing with a shoulder injury that has kept him less than 100 percent since the beginning of the conference season.
Wright won the Jay Humphries Award, named after the Buffaloes’ all-time leader in assists (562 from 1980-84). His 142 assists currently rank 13th on CU’s single-season list and his 4.9 per game average ranks third in the Pac-12.
Bey doubled up on the Most Improved and Best Defender Awards, winning the latter for the second time. He leads Colorado at 13.4 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, essentially doubling his numbers from his freshman campaign. He ranks among the Pac-12’s top 10 in rebounding, field goal shooting and blocked shots. Bey has also been solid from the free throw line at 76 percent, while leading the Buffaloes in free throws made and attempted (82-108).
Bey won the Stephane Pelle Rebounding Award, named after Colorado’s all-time rebound leader. He is putting together one of the best rebounding seasons in team history. Bey enters the Pac-12 Tournament 17th on CU’s single-season list at 289, with a very good chance to become the 12th Buff to reach 300 rebounds in a season.
… Continue reading story here …
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March 9th
… CU in the Arena …
Buffs earn No. 5 seed in Pac-12 tournament; to face off against Cal Wednesday
From CUBuffs.com …The University of Colorado is the No. 5 seed at the 2019 Pac-12 Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament and will face No. 12 seed California in a first-round game on Wednesday, March 13, at 3:30 p.m. MDT at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The winner of Wednesday’s game will advance to the quarterfinals and play No. 4 Oregon State on Thursday, March 14, at 3:30 MDT. Colorado’s game Wednesday, and potential Thursday contest, will air on the Pac-12 Network and on 760 AM KDSP.
Colorado finished the regular season at 19-11 overall and in a three-way with Oregon and Oregon State for fourth place in the Pac-12 at 10-8. Oregon State (18-12, 10-8) claimed the No. 4 seed and first round bye due to its 3-0 record over the Buffaloes and Ducks. Colorado received the nod at No. 5, with its 73-51 win over Oregon (19-12, 10-8) on Feb. 2.
In terms of standings alone, this marks Colorado’s second-best Pac-12 finish. The Buffaloes tied for third in 2013-14 at 10-8 and, like this year, seeded fifth for the tournament. Colorado is the tournament’s No. 5 seed for the fourth time in eight seasons and matches the program’s highest seed for the event. The Buffaloes are a perfect 7-0 in Pac-12 Tournament first round games.
Colorado has won eight of its last 10, the program’s best 10-game run at the end of a regular season since 1961-62.
California is 8-22 overall and finished last in the Pac-12 at 3-15, but the Bears ride a three-game winning streak into the Tournament, including a win over Pac-12 regular season champion Washington.
Colorado and California have met twice in the Pac-12 Tournament, with the Buffaloes winning both, and as the lower seed. No. 6 Colorado defeated No. 2 California 70-59 in the semifinals of the 2012 Tournament in win No. 3 of its storied four wins in four days to the conference title. In 2014, fifth-seeded secured a 59-56 win over the fourth-seeded Bears in the quarterfinals.
Colorado defeated California, 68-59, in Berkeley on Jan. 24, in the only meeting between the schools this season. The Buffaloes hold a 16-15 edge in the all-time series with the Bears and have a 3-1 advantage on a neutral court.
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Buff rally against Trojans, pull away for a 78-67 win
From CUBuffs.com … Evan Battey scored a career-high 21 points and Tyler Bey recorded his fifth straight double-double to lift Colorado to a 78-67 win over USC on Saturday at the CU Events Center.
The win improved the Buffs to 19-11 overall and 10-8 in Pac-12 play and guaranteed Colorado of no worse than a fifth seed in next week’s Pac-12 tournament. USC fell to 15-16, 8-10.
Battey had seven rebounds to go with his 21 points while Bey had 17 points and 11 rebounds. McKinley Wright IV had 17 points while Shane Gatling had seven points and a career-high seven rebounds.
Nick Rakocevic led USC with 17 points.
The Buffs rallied from a 37-30 halftime deficit to dominate the second half. Bey and Wright both had 12 points in the second half and Battey scored nine.
Colorado held a 40-31 rebound edge and shot 28-for-57 from the field. CU held USC to just 40.6 percent shooting from the field and forced 11 USC turnovers, which resulted in 14 Colorado points.
HOW IT HAPPENED: Colorado trailed by as much as 12 int the first half and still trailed by seven at intermission, 37-30, but quickly begin to chip away at the lead in the second half. Back-to-back baskets from Wright, including a 3-pointer, pulled Colorado to within two, 39-37, and a Battey bucket inside with 13:00 on the clock gave the Buffs their first lead since early in the first half, 44-43.
The Trojans momentarily regained the edge on a Rakocevic bucket but the Buffs regained the edge for good on their next possession on a Battey basket inside off a nice feed from D’Shawn Schwartz, part of a 9-2 run that saw Colorado turn a 43-39 deficit into a 48-45 lead.
Colorado never trailed again.
… Continue reading story here …
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Plenty at stake v. USC – Buffs can finish anywhere from third to eighth
… Today’s game … 3:00 p.m., MT, Pac-12 Networks …
… Related … “High emotions, stakes as CU basketball hosts USC in regular season finale” … from the Daily Camera
From CUBuffs.com … With one game remaining in the regular season, the Colorado Buffaloes could still finish with anywhere from the third to eighth seed in the Pac-12 standings.
Saturday, they can narrow that range down considerably if they can produce a win over USC in their 3:00 p.m. matchup at the CU Events Center.
A win for the Buffs (18-11 overall, 9-8 Pac-12) over the Trojans (15-15, 8-9) would guarantee CU of no worse than the No. 5 seed in next week’s Pac-12 tournament in Las Vegas. Some scenarios:
— A Colorado win plus losses Saturday by both Utah (vs. USC) and Oregon State (at Washington State) would move the Buffs up to the third seed.
— A Colorado win plus a loss by either Utah or Oregon State would give CU the No. 4 seed.
— A Colorado win plus wins by Utah and Oregon State would put the Buffs in the No. 5 spot.
As for the possibilities involving a Colorado loss, they are myriad, with anywhere from a No. 5 to a No. 8 seed a possibility, depending on the outcome of other games around the conference.
Earning a top-four seed in the tournament is important because it means an extra day of rest. The fifth through 12th teams open play Wednesday at T-Mobile Arena while the top four seeds don’t play until Thursday. It also means a tournament run would require only three wins instead of four (a feat CU accomplished in 2012).
But for Colorado coach Tad Boyle, chatter about all the possibilities is more a distraction than anything else. As he said after Thursday night’s win over UCLA, “It’s time to focus on USC and not worry about seeding in the Pac-12 tournament, not worry about next week. Let’s get better tomorrow, let’s have a great effort on Saturday, and then we’ll see who and when we play in Vegas.”
… Continue reading story here …
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March 8th
… CU in the Arena …
NIT Bracketology … CU a No. 6 seed
From DRatings.com … For the hardcore college basketball fan, we have now introduced bracketology for the NIT tournament (otherwise known as NITology). The NIT takes the next 32 best teams that did not make the NCAA tournament.
All regular season champions that did not win their conference tournament automatically qualify for the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). It is important to note that early predictions will be flawed because of this rule. Typically, there are about seven to nine teams that win their conference in the regular season but don’t win their conference tournament and end up in the NIT. So, in early predictions, if your team is a seven or eight seed, then it is likely they won’t make the tournament because of these auto qualifiers.
From the Pac-12 ...
NCAA bids … No. 9 seed: Washington … No. 12 seed: Arizona State
NIT bids … No. 5 seed: Oregon … No. 6 seed: Colorado
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March 7th
… CU in the Arena …
Buffs keep Pac-12 tournament bye hopes alive with 93-68 rout of UCLA
From CUBuffs.com … Tyler Bey notched his fourth straight double-double with 27 points and 13 rebounds and Colorado’s recent dominance of UCLA continued Thursday night as the Buffs routed the Bruins, 93-68, at the CU Events Center.
The win was Colorado’s fourth in a row over the Bruins, completing back-to-back regular season sweeps. CU improved to 18-11 overall and 9-8 in Pac-12 play while the Bruins, who saw a three-game win streak come to an end, fell to 16-14, 9-8.
The win also kept the Buffs in contention for a top-four Pac-12 finish while UCLA’s hopes of the same dimmed with the loss. Following Utah’s win over USC on Thursday, Colorado was in a four-way tie for fourth place with one game left to play.
Bey’s 27 points — 17 in the second half — tied a career high, and the Buffs added two other players in double figures, with Shane Gatling scoring 26 and D’Shawn Schwartz adding 15 points and six rebounds. McKinley Wright IV, meanwhile, had nine points, nine rebounds and five assists while also playing excellent defense all night on UCLA’s Jaylen Hands.
Colorado held the Bruins — the Pac-12’s highest scoring team — to under 36 percent shooting for the night and 10 points under their season scoring average. Colorado, meanwhile, shot nearly 50 percent from the floor (34-for-69) while also holding a commanding 47-35 edge on the boards.
“I think we took these matchups personally,” Wright said of CU’s defensive effort. “We got tired of hearing certain guys’ names over and over. Before the tip I told my gus to take their matchup personally and everybody did. When we come together and take our matchups personally, we’re a really good defensive team.”
Kris Wilkes led UCLA with 19 points, but shot just 6-for-16 from the field while Jaylen Hands had 18 points on 5-for-12 shooting.
Colorado coach Tad Boyle, who moved into a tie for second on CU’s all-time victory list with his 184th win, called it a complete team effort.
“We’ve got some guys that are taking (defense) personally and taking it upon themselves,” Boyle said. “That’s how you’re going to win games, especially this time of year, because some nights the shots are going to go and sometimes they aren’t. Tonight I thought it was a pretty good effort on both sides of the ball. Anytime you have 18 assists and nine turnovers, you’re doing something right. Especially the second half, we got things going offensively.”
… Continue reading story here …
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Plenty on the line tonight – CU v. UCLA (7:00 p.m., MT, ESPN2)
From CUBuffs.com … Safe to say, Thursday’s 7 p.m. Colorado-UCLA matchup at the CU Events Center will have a little extra juice.
Technically, the game won’t count any more — or any less — than any other Pac-12 game for both squads.
But with both teams playing their best basketball of the season, both still squarely in the hunt for a top-four conference finish — and both needing a win to keep those hopes alive — Thursday’s game has all the makings of an entertaining March matchup.
“This is what college basketball is all about,” said CU coach Tad Boyle, whose team enters the game with a 17-11 overall mark and an 8-8 Pac-12 record. “It’s fun to be playing when it means something, and they’re a game ahead of us in the standings. They’re playing for the same thing we’re playing for — that’s what’s great about this time of year.”
Indeed, the Bruins (16-13, 9-7) have plenty on the line this week. UCLA can clinch at least a top-four finish with a win Thursday and a victory Saturday in Utah.
For the Buffs to get a top-four spot, and the first-round conference tournament bye that comes with it, will require two CU victories this week (USC visits Saturday), along with a little help from some other teams around the conference.
But two wins would guarantee the Buffs no worse than the fifth seed and send them to Las Vegas next week with plenty of momentum. To accomplish the first part of that equation, they will have to stop a high-scoring UCLA team that has won three in a row and four of its last five.
Colorado has won three in a row against UCLA, including an 84-73 win at Pauley Pavilion in early February. But the Bruins have upped their game since then, and are now the Pac-12’s highest scoring team, averaging 78.6 points per game.
UCLA is led in scoring by sophomore guard Kris Wilkes, who is scoring at a 17.1 clip. But over the last month, the Bruins’ hottest scorer has been sophomore guard Jaylen Hands, who is averaging more than 20 points per game over UCLA’s last seven outings.
… Continue reading story here …
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March 6th
… CU in the Arena …
Three-bid scenarios for Pac-12 … CU No. 6 in Pac-12 Power Rankings
From the San Jose Mercury News … Our scenarios …
One bid: Washington wins the conference tournament and ASU, in contrast to the theory laid out above, gets left out due to a shrinking bubble.
Two bids: ASU wins the conference tournament and Washington makes the field as an at-large, or vice verse.
Three bids: Washington loses in Las Vegas but makes the at-large field (No. 9-11 seed), ASU loses in Las Vegas but makes the at-large field (No. 10-11-12 seed) and a third team claims the automatic bid.
The three-bid scenario might have been more realistic had the Sun Devils finished with the No. 4 seed at T-Mobile Arenas, thereby allowing them to collect a resume-boosting Quadrant 1 victory over Washington in the semifinals.
As things stand, ASU is not in Washington’s bracket — the teams can’t meet until the finals. And in order for the conference to grab three bids, the Sun Devils and Huskies can’t meet in the finals.
So we’re left with this potential path to three bids:
* Washington loses in the semifinals to the No. 4/5 winner
* ASU advances to the finals from the other bracket
* The No. 4/5 winner beats the Sun Devils for the title.
Pac-12 Power Rankings …
6. Colorado (17-11/8-8, NET: 75)
Last week: 6
Results: Beat Utah 71-63
Next up: vs. UCLA (Thursday)
Comment: Third place is well within range, and who figured that would be the case after the Buffaloes lost four of their first five.
… Read full story here …
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Tyler Bey “starting to understand who he is”
From CUBuffs.com … Over the last month, Colorado’s Tyler Bey has been one of the Pac-12’s most dominant and dependable players.
In his last eight games, a stretch in which the Buffs have gone 6-2, Bey has recorded six double-doubles, including in each of CU’s last three games. He has averaged 15.6 points and 10.9 rebounds in that stretch, and is still within reach of pushing his season averages — 12.8 points and 9.5 rebounds — to a season double-double.
That hasn’t been accomplished by a Buff since Andre Roberson did it in back-to-back seasons at Colorado, averaging 11.6 points and 11.1 rebounds in 2011-12, then following that with 10.9 and 11.2 season a year later.
“Tyler is starting to understand who he is when he is successful and why he is successful,” CU head coach Tad Boyle said after the Buffs’ 71-63 win over Utah last weekend. “A few games ago we were really on him. When he would set a screen, he wouldn’t roll hard to the rim. He would roll to the middle of the paint or to the free throw line. He wouldn’t put any pressure on the defense. He has done a much better job of that since we really challenged him. … As a player, you have to have self-awareness to what you do well and what you don’t do well. Tyler is starting to figure that out. I think the results have shown.”
While his numbers have been good throughout the season, Bey has no doubt taken his game to the next level over the last eight games. Had it not been for a missed free throw at the end of Colorado’s win over Arizona — a game that saw him finish with 10 rebounds and nine points — he would have five straight double-doubles to his credit.
… Continue reading story here …
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March 5th
… CU in the Arena …
Pac-12 tournament scenarios: Buffs can still finish anywhere from third to tenth
… Next game: v. UCLA, Thursday, 7:00 p.m., MT, ESPN2 …
From CUBuffs.com …While the possible scenarios for the Colorado Buffaloes are still numerous when it comes to their Pac-12 tournament seeding, the Buffs know this much:
If they don’t win their last two games, they can’t finish in the top four in the final standings.
Thus, if the Buffs have any designs on gaining a first-round bye in the conference tournament — something they have never managed in their time in the Pac-12 — they need to collects home wins this week over UCLA on Thursday (7 p.m.) and USC on Saturday (3 p.m.).
As it stands today, the Buffs could finish anywhere from the third seed to the 10th seed. Currently 17-11 overall and 8-8 in the Pac-12, CU sits in a three-way tie for sixth place with USC and Oregon, but is just one game away from the three teams bunched up in a tie for third (Oregon State, Utah and UCLA).
Washington has clinched the No. 1 tourney seed and Arizona State has nailed down the No. 2 spot.
Given the middle-of-the-pack logjam, there are still myriad scenarios that could unfold over the final week. But the Buffs do know some possible outcomes.
— Colorado could climb as high as the third seed with two wins if Oregon State (9-7) loses two (Washington and Washington State) and Utah (9-7) loses to UCLA or USC. But if Oregon State wins at least one more game, the Buffs can’t catch the Beavers in a two-way tie, as OSU would own the tie-breaker by virtue of a win in their only meeting this year.
— If the Buffs win two games and Utah loses to UCLA, the Buffs would own the tie-breaker over the Utes and Bruins. That would give the Buffs the fourth seed if Oregon State is No. 3. Colorado would also own the two-team tie-breaker over the Utes if they lose to USC.
— If Colorado wins two this week and Oregon wins a pair (Washington State and Washington), the Buffs still own the tie-breaker over the Ducks and would also own the tie-breaker against UCLA if the Bruins beat Utah for a 10th win.
— And, no matter what happens with the rest of the conference, if the Buffs win two this week, the worst they could finish is the fifth seed.
Of course, these are just a handful of the huge number of possible outcomes that could emerge this week. A CU split would probably drop the Buffs into the 6, 7 or 8 spot, and two losses could drop them as far as 10th.
… Continue reading story here …
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March 4th
… CU in the Arena …
CU one of a handful of Pac-12 teams not rated as a “disappointment”
From the San Jose Mercury News … If nothing else, we’ll always have the week of Feb. 25-March 3.
That was the only week in the calendar year 2019 that a Pac-12 team appeared in the top 25.
It was a glorious seven days, even though it included the ranked team, then-No. 25 Washington, losing in embarrassing fashion at Cal.
Soak it up, because the next moment of national relevancy may not occur for many months.
... Here’s what I’m calling the Pac-12 Disappoint-O-Meter:
Exceeded Expectations (2): Washington; Oregon State
Met Expectations: (4): Arizona State; Utah; Stanford; Colorado
Colorado: If you would have told Tad Boyle back in November that McKinley Wright IV would play most of the season with a torn labrum in his shoulder, he might poured a stiff drink.
Yet here the Buffs are at .500 in league play (8-8) entering the final week. They’re 6-2 in their last eight games. A couple more wins could push them into the NIT.
This is … fine.
Disappointments (2): Washington State; Cal
Colossal Disappointments (4): Arizona; Oregon; UCLA; USC.
… Read full story here …
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With injury to Eli Parquet, quest for a first-round bye is all the more important to Buffs
From the Daily Camera … As previously winless (in conference) Cal proved this past week by topping UW, and backing it with a win against Washington State, there will be no consensus favorite in the tournament field next week. All twelve teams harbor legitimate hopes of beating anyone else, with the first-round bye offering a slightly less demanding road to the Pac-12’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament — which may very well turn out to be the league’s only bid.
“If we can get these three wins at home in a row, we can potentially be in fourth in the Pac-12, and maybe even get a bye,” CU forward Evan Battey said. “That means the world to us as well.”
For the Buffs, that possible first-round bye became even more alluring this past week, as freshman Eli Parquet added his name to CU’s growing injury list with a hyper-extended left knee. With Parquet’s status uncertain at the outset of the week, a short rotation nonetheless is looking a little bit shorter, making the challenge of potentially needing to win four games in four days next week even more daunting.
… Continue reading story here …
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March 2nd
… CU in the Arena …
Buffs even Pac-12 record at 8-8 with 71-63 win over Utah
Related … “Bey’s double-double leads Colorado past Utah” … from ESPN
From CUBuffs. com … Colorado produced an outstanding defensive effort and a balanced offensive performance Saturday to carve out a 71-63 win over Utah at the CU Events Center.
The Buffs held the Pac-12’s best 3-point shooting team to a season-low 19.2 percent day from long distance and put four players in double-figure scoring, led by a 17-point, 10-rebound effort from sophomore Tyler Bey.
CU improved to 17-11 overall and 8-8 in Pac-12 play with two games remaining while Utah dropped to 15-13, 9-7. The win moved Colorado into a tie for sixth in the conference standings, just one game out of fourth place and a first-round bye in the Pac-12 tournament.
The Buffs led for much of the game, taking the lead for good midway through the first half and never trailing again. But they could never completely shake the Utes, and it took a pair of 3-pointers in the final two minutes — the first from Lucas Siewert with 1:41 remaining and the second from McKinley Wright IV with 48 seconds on the clock — to salt away the win.
Bey had 15 of his 17 points in the first half, and finished with a 7-for-10 day from the field for his third straight double-double, his 12th of the season and 14th of his career. D’Shawn Schwartz had 16 points and six rebounds for Colorado, Evan Battey added 15 points and four rebounds and Wright had 10 points and three assists.
Wright’s biggest contribution came on the defensive end, where he harassed Utah’s Sedrick Barefield all night. The Utes’ leading scorer did finish with 19 points, but he shot just 7-for-16 from the floor, including 2-for-8 from 3-point range.
“Obviously a great win for our team and our program, especially in March,” CU head coach Tad Boyle said. “It’s so hard to win basketball games this time of year, especially when you’re playing against a quality team and quality program like Utah. I’ve got a lot of respect for their coaches, their players. I say this when we play Arizona a lot — you have to beat them. The same is true for Utah, you have to beat Utah because they’re not going to beat themselves.”
Overall, CU held Utah to 39.3 percent shooting from the floor (24-for-61) and just 5-for-26 from 3-point range. It tied for the Utes’ fewest 3-pointers this year and was their worst shooting percentage from beyond the arc this season.
CU also also forced 12 Utah turnovers and reaped 16 points off the miscues.
“I thought our defensive toughness, our defensive identity tonight, really exhibited itself,” Boyle said. “It has to. That’s something that has to be a constant. It doesn’t guarantee that you’re going to win, but it gives you a chance.”
… Continue reading story here …
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Buffs game against Utah (4:00 p.m., MT, ESPNU) beyond crucial
… Related … “Big game? Larry Krystkowiak is allowing himself to say so” … from the Salt Lake City Tribune
From CUBuffs.com … In a normal year under normal circumstances in the Pac-12, the Colorado Buffaloes would figure to hold a solid home court advantage Saturday when Utah pays a 4 p.m. visit to the CU Events Center.
But this has not been a normal year in the Pac-12. Nothing in the conference is holding to form — witness Thursday night’s Cal upset of 25th-ranked Washington. The Bears had lost 23 straight Pac-12 games, including all 15 this season, while the Huskies entered the game with a sparkling 13-1 conference mark.
Utah is just another example of the topsy-turvy occurrences in the conference this year. Currently sitting in a tie for third in the Pac-12 standings (15-12 overall, 9-6 Pac-12), the Utes have a better record in conference play on the road (6-2) than at home (3-4).
That’s a statistic that no doubt concerns CU head coach Tad Boyle as his Buffs prepare to host the Utes in a 4 p.m. game Saturday.
“A lot of times your team is a reflection of your coach in many cases and (Utah coach) Larry Krystkowiak is a tough-minded guy,” Boyle said after Friday’s practice. “He was a helluva player back in his day. They have great toughness. They have two senior guards, (Sedrick) Barefield and (Parker) Van ****, who have been through the wars and understand what it takes. And they have some young, talented players to go along with them.”
For both teams, Saturday’s encounter is a chance to stay in the hunt for a top-four conference finish, which means a first-round Pac-12 tournament bye. The Buffs (16-11 overall, 7-8 Pac-12) need a win to get back in contention; the Utes need one to solidify their current standing.
… Continue reading story here …
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March 1st
… CU in the Arena …
Tad Boyle looking at balanced scoring as being a key for the Buffs down the stretch
From CUBuffs.com … As the Colorado Buffaloes head down their March stretch run, head coach Tad Boyle would love to see his team produce some balanced scoring.
The Buffs are at their best when they share the ball.
This season, when at least four Buffs have scored in double figures, Colorado is 11-3. When the number is three or less, the record is 5-8.
“What I’d like is I’d like to have a game where we have five guys in double figures,” Boyle said after Thursday’s practice. “That’s what we have the ability to do. D’Shawn (Schwartz) has shown it, Lucas (Siewert) has shown it, Shane (Gatling) has shown it, Daylen Kountz has shown it off the bench, Evan Battey has shown it off the bench. To me we have seven guys capable of scoring double figures. They’ve proven it.”
The key, of course, is getting that production consistently.
The Buffs are fairly certain of what they will get from point guard McKinley Wright IV. The sophomore has scored in double figures in 10 of the 14 Pac-12 games in which he has played this year. Fellow sophomore Tyler Bey has hit the mark nine times in conference play.
But after those two, the only other Buff to hit double figures in at least half of CU’s Pac-12 games is guard Shane Gatling. The junior has scored in double figures eight times against Pac-12 teams, but he has been wildly inconsistent from the field, shooting just 37 percent in conference play.
… Continue reading story here …
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Stuart
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Colorado Basketball
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March 11th
… CU in the Arena …
Boyle: “The credit goes to our players for not giving up, not getting down, just coming to work every day and getting better”
From CUBuffs.com … Throughout the first month of the Pac-12 season, Colorado head coach Tad Boyle remained unflinchingly optimistic.
Even after the Buffaloes fell to 2-6 after a 76-74 loss at home to Oregon State — their second conference home loss in three tries — Boyle told anyone who would listen that the Buffs were capable of doing some good things in Pac-12 play.
“If we can get on a roll, which we’re fully capable of doing, we can make some noise in this league coming down the stretch,” Boyle after the Oregon State loss.
Boyle’s players were evidently paying attention. The OSU game proved to be a turning point not many folks who follow Colorado could imagine. Since then, the Buffs have won eight of 10 games, including season sweeps of UCLA and USC, and moved up from 10th place in the Pac-12 standings to a fifth seed in this week’s Pac-12 tournament in Las Vegas.
Colorado (19-11 overall, 10-8 Pac-12) opens tournament play Wednesday with a 3:30 p.m. (Mountain time) game against Cal (8-22, 3-15).
“Our guys said, ‘enough is enough,'” Boyle said last week, before the Buffs wrapped up the regular season with wins over UCLA and USC. “We had Oregon coming in a day later and our guys responded (with a 73-51 win). We kind of haven’t looked back. We haven’t won every game since then, but our intensity, our mentality, our grit, toughness, has been there every time we’ve stepped on the floor.”
The Buffs have indeed been a different team — mentally and physically — since the OSU game. They have come back from deficits to collect victories, won two games on the road, and knocked off a pair of teams that finished ahead of them in the final conference standings, Utah and Arizona State.
… Continue reading story here …
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March 10th
… CU in the Arena …
Team awards announced – McKinley Wright MVP; Evan Battey Most Inspirational
From From CUBuffs.com … The University of Colorado men’s basketball team took time from its preparation for the Pac-12 Tournament to celebrate the season at its annual Awards Banquet Sunday morning at the George Boedecker, Jr., Practice Gym at the CU Events Center.
McKinley Wright IV received the Chauncey Billups Award as the team’s Most Valuable Player. The Chauncey Billups MVP Award is one of five voted on by Colorado men’s basketball student-athletes. Tyler Bey won the Most Improved Player and Best Defender awards, Evan Battey was voted Most Inspirational and Alexander Strating won the Tebo Family P.A.S.S. Award.
In addition, two statistical champion awards were handed out. Bey won the Stephane Pelle Rebounding Award while Wright earned the Jay Humphries Assist Award.
Wright is the Chauncey Billups Award recipient for the second-straight year, joining Josh Scott as the only multiple winners. Scott won three times between 2013-16. Wright is averaging 13.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while leading the Buffaloes in assists and steals – all while dealing with a shoulder injury that has kept him less than 100 percent since the beginning of the conference season.
Wright won the Jay Humphries Award, named after the Buffaloes’ all-time leader in assists (562 from 1980-84). His 142 assists currently rank 13th on CU’s single-season list and his 4.9 per game average ranks third in the Pac-12.
Bey doubled up on the Most Improved and Best Defender Awards, winning the latter for the second time. He leads Colorado at 13.4 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, essentially doubling his numbers from his freshman campaign. He ranks among the Pac-12’s top 10 in rebounding, field goal shooting and blocked shots. Bey has also been solid from the free throw line at 76 percent, while leading the Buffaloes in free throws made and attempted (82-108).
Bey won the Stephane Pelle Rebounding Award, named after Colorado’s all-time rebound leader. He is putting together one of the best rebounding seasons in team history. Bey enters the Pac-12 Tournament 17th on CU’s single-season list at 289, with a very good chance to become the 12th Buff to reach 300 rebounds in a season.
… Continue reading story here …
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March 9th
… CU in the Arena …
Buffs earn No. 5 seed in Pac-12 tournament; to face off against Cal Wednesday
From CUBuffs.com …The University of Colorado is the No. 5 seed at the 2019 Pac-12 Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament and will face No. 12 seed California in a first-round game on Wednesday, March 13, at 3:30 p.m. MDT at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The winner of Wednesday’s game will advance to the quarterfinals and play No. 4 Oregon State on Thursday, March 14, at 3:30 MDT. Colorado’s game Wednesday, and potential Thursday contest, will air on the Pac-12 Network and on 760 AM KDSP.
Colorado finished the regular season at 19-11 overall and in a three-way with Oregon and Oregon State for fourth place in the Pac-12 at 10-8. Oregon State (18-12, 10-8) claimed the No. 4 seed and first round bye due to its 3-0 record over the Buffaloes and Ducks. Colorado received the nod at No. 5, with its 73-51 win over Oregon (19-12, 10-8) on Feb. 2.
In terms of standings alone, this marks Colorado’s second-best Pac-12 finish. The Buffaloes tied for third in 2013-14 at 10-8 and, like this year, seeded fifth for the tournament. Colorado is the tournament’s No. 5 seed for the fourth time in eight seasons and matches the program’s highest seed for the event. The Buffaloes are a perfect 7-0 in Pac-12 Tournament first round games.
Colorado has won eight of its last 10, the program’s best 10-game run at the end of a regular season since 1961-62.
California is 8-22 overall and finished last in the Pac-12 at 3-15, but the Bears ride a three-game winning streak into the Tournament, including a win over Pac-12 regular season champion Washington.
Colorado and California have met twice in the Pac-12 Tournament, with the Buffaloes winning both, and as the lower seed. No. 6 Colorado defeated No. 2 California 70-59 in the semifinals of the 2012 Tournament in win No. 3 of its storied four wins in four days to the conference title. In 2014, fifth-seeded secured a 59-56 win over the fourth-seeded Bears in the quarterfinals.
Colorado defeated California, 68-59, in Berkeley on Jan. 24, in the only meeting between the schools this season. The Buffaloes hold a 16-15 edge in the all-time series with the Bears and have a 3-1 advantage on a neutral court.
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Buff rally against Trojans, pull away for a 78-67 win
From CUBuffs.com … Evan Battey scored a career-high 21 points and Tyler Bey recorded his fifth straight double-double to lift Colorado to a 78-67 win over USC on Saturday at the CU Events Center.
The win improved the Buffs to 19-11 overall and 10-8 in Pac-12 play and guaranteed Colorado of no worse than a fifth seed in next week’s Pac-12 tournament. USC fell to 15-16, 8-10.
Battey had seven rebounds to go with his 21 points while Bey had 17 points and 11 rebounds. McKinley Wright IV had 17 points while Shane Gatling had seven points and a career-high seven rebounds.
Nick Rakocevic led USC with 17 points.
The Buffs rallied from a 37-30 halftime deficit to dominate the second half. Bey and Wright both had 12 points in the second half and Battey scored nine.
Colorado held a 40-31 rebound edge and shot 28-for-57 from the field. CU held USC to just 40.6 percent shooting from the field and forced 11 USC turnovers, which resulted in 14 Colorado points.
HOW IT HAPPENED: Colorado trailed by as much as 12 int the first half and still trailed by seven at intermission, 37-30, but quickly begin to chip away at the lead in the second half. Back-to-back baskets from Wright, including a 3-pointer, pulled Colorado to within two, 39-37, and a Battey bucket inside with 13:00 on the clock gave the Buffs their first lead since early in the first half, 44-43.
The Trojans momentarily regained the edge on a Rakocevic bucket but the Buffs regained the edge for good on their next possession on a Battey basket inside off a nice feed from D’Shawn Schwartz, part of a 9-2 run that saw Colorado turn a 43-39 deficit into a 48-45 lead.
Colorado never trailed again.
… Continue reading story here …
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Plenty at stake v. USC – Buffs can finish anywhere from third to eighth
… Today’s game … 3:00 p.m., MT, Pac-12 Networks …
… Related … “High emotions, stakes as CU basketball hosts USC in regular season finale” … from the Daily Camera
From CUBuffs.com … With one game remaining in the regular season, the Colorado Buffaloes could still finish with anywhere from the third to eighth seed in the Pac-12 standings.
Saturday, they can narrow that range down considerably if they can produce a win over USC in their 3:00 p.m. matchup at the CU Events Center.
A win for the Buffs (18-11 overall, 9-8 Pac-12) over the Trojans (15-15, 8-9) would guarantee CU of no worse than the No. 5 seed in next week’s Pac-12 tournament in Las Vegas. Some scenarios:
— A Colorado win plus losses Saturday by both Utah (vs. USC) and Oregon State (at Washington State) would move the Buffs up to the third seed.
— A Colorado win plus a loss by either Utah or Oregon State would give CU the No. 4 seed.
— A Colorado win plus wins by Utah and Oregon State would put the Buffs in the No. 5 spot.
As for the possibilities involving a Colorado loss, they are myriad, with anywhere from a No. 5 to a No. 8 seed a possibility, depending on the outcome of other games around the conference.
Earning a top-four seed in the tournament is important because it means an extra day of rest. The fifth through 12th teams open play Wednesday at T-Mobile Arena while the top four seeds don’t play until Thursday. It also means a tournament run would require only three wins instead of four (a feat CU accomplished in 2012).
But for Colorado coach Tad Boyle, chatter about all the possibilities is more a distraction than anything else. As he said after Thursday night’s win over UCLA, “It’s time to focus on USC and not worry about seeding in the Pac-12 tournament, not worry about next week. Let’s get better tomorrow, let’s have a great effort on Saturday, and then we’ll see who and when we play in Vegas.”
… Continue reading story here …
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March 8th
… CU in the Arena …
NIT Bracketology … CU a No. 6 seed
From DRatings.com … For the hardcore college basketball fan, we have now introduced bracketology for the NIT tournament (otherwise known as NITology). The NIT takes the next 32 best teams that did not make the NCAA tournament.
All regular season champions that did not win their conference tournament automatically qualify for the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). It is important to note that early predictions will be flawed because of this rule. Typically, there are about seven to nine teams that win their conference in the regular season but don’t win their conference tournament and end up in the NIT. So, in early predictions, if your team is a seven or eight seed, then it is likely they won’t make the tournament because of these auto qualifiers.
From the Pac-12 ...
NCAA bids … No. 9 seed: Washington … No. 12 seed: Arizona State
NIT bids … No. 5 seed: Oregon … No. 6 seed: Colorado
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March 7th
… CU in the Arena …
Buffs keep Pac-12 tournament bye hopes alive with 93-68 rout of UCLA
From CUBuffs.com … Tyler Bey notched his fourth straight double-double with 27 points and 13 rebounds and Colorado’s recent dominance of UCLA continued Thursday night as the Buffs routed the Bruins, 93-68, at the CU Events Center.
The win was Colorado’s fourth in a row over the Bruins, completing back-to-back regular season sweeps. CU improved to 18-11 overall and 9-8 in Pac-12 play while the Bruins, who saw a three-game win streak come to an end, fell to 16-14, 9-8.
The win also kept the Buffs in contention for a top-four Pac-12 finish while UCLA’s hopes of the same dimmed with the loss. Following Utah’s win over USC on Thursday, Colorado was in a four-way tie for fourth place with one game left to play.
Bey’s 27 points — 17 in the second half — tied a career high, and the Buffs added two other players in double figures, with Shane Gatling scoring 26 and D’Shawn Schwartz adding 15 points and six rebounds. McKinley Wright IV, meanwhile, had nine points, nine rebounds and five assists while also playing excellent defense all night on UCLA’s Jaylen Hands.
Colorado held the Bruins — the Pac-12’s highest scoring team — to under 36 percent shooting for the night and 10 points under their season scoring average. Colorado, meanwhile, shot nearly 50 percent from the floor (34-for-69) while also holding a commanding 47-35 edge on the boards.
“I think we took these matchups personally,” Wright said of CU’s defensive effort. “We got tired of hearing certain guys’ names over and over. Before the tip I told my gus to take their matchup personally and everybody did. When we come together and take our matchups personally, we’re a really good defensive team.”
Kris Wilkes led UCLA with 19 points, but shot just 6-for-16 from the field while Jaylen Hands had 18 points on 5-for-12 shooting.
Colorado coach Tad Boyle, who moved into a tie for second on CU’s all-time victory list with his 184th win, called it a complete team effort.
“We’ve got some guys that are taking (defense) personally and taking it upon themselves,” Boyle said. “That’s how you’re going to win games, especially this time of year, because some nights the shots are going to go and sometimes they aren’t. Tonight I thought it was a pretty good effort on both sides of the ball. Anytime you have 18 assists and nine turnovers, you’re doing something right. Especially the second half, we got things going offensively.”
… Continue reading story here …
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Plenty on the line tonight – CU v. UCLA (7:00 p.m., MT, ESPN2)
From CUBuffs.com … Safe to say, Thursday’s 7 p.m. Colorado-UCLA matchup at the CU Events Center will have a little extra juice.
Technically, the game won’t count any more — or any less — than any other Pac-12 game for both squads.
But with both teams playing their best basketball of the season, both still squarely in the hunt for a top-four conference finish — and both needing a win to keep those hopes alive — Thursday’s game has all the makings of an entertaining March matchup.
“This is what college basketball is all about,” said CU coach Tad Boyle, whose team enters the game with a 17-11 overall mark and an 8-8 Pac-12 record. “It’s fun to be playing when it means something, and they’re a game ahead of us in the standings. They’re playing for the same thing we’re playing for — that’s what’s great about this time of year.”
Indeed, the Bruins (16-13, 9-7) have plenty on the line this week. UCLA can clinch at least a top-four finish with a win Thursday and a victory Saturday in Utah.
For the Buffs to get a top-four spot, and the first-round conference tournament bye that comes with it, will require two CU victories this week (USC visits Saturday), along with a little help from some other teams around the conference.
But two wins would guarantee the Buffs no worse than the fifth seed and send them to Las Vegas next week with plenty of momentum. To accomplish the first part of that equation, they will have to stop a high-scoring UCLA team that has won three in a row and four of its last five.
Colorado has won three in a row against UCLA, including an 84-73 win at Pauley Pavilion in early February. But the Bruins have upped their game since then, and are now the Pac-12’s highest scoring team, averaging 78.6 points per game.
UCLA is led in scoring by sophomore guard Kris Wilkes, who is scoring at a 17.1 clip. But over the last month, the Bruins’ hottest scorer has been sophomore guard Jaylen Hands, who is averaging more than 20 points per game over UCLA’s last seven outings.
… Continue reading story here …
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March 6th
… CU in the Arena …
Three-bid scenarios for Pac-12 … CU No. 6 in Pac-12 Power Rankings
From the San Jose Mercury News … Our scenarios …
One bid: Washington wins the conference tournament and ASU, in contrast to the theory laid out above, gets left out due to a shrinking bubble.
Two bids: ASU wins the conference tournament and Washington makes the field as an at-large, or vice verse.
Three bids: Washington loses in Las Vegas but makes the at-large field (No. 9-11 seed), ASU loses in Las Vegas but makes the at-large field (No. 10-11-12 seed) and a third team claims the automatic bid.
The three-bid scenario might have been more realistic had the Sun Devils finished with the No. 4 seed at T-Mobile Arenas, thereby allowing them to collect a resume-boosting Quadrant 1 victory over Washington in the semifinals.
As things stand, ASU is not in Washington’s bracket — the teams can’t meet until the finals. And in order for the conference to grab three bids, the Sun Devils and Huskies can’t meet in the finals.
So we’re left with this potential path to three bids:
* Washington loses in the semifinals to the No. 4/5 winner
* ASU advances to the finals from the other bracket
* The No. 4/5 winner beats the Sun Devils for the title.
Pac-12 Power Rankings …
6. Colorado (17-11/8-8, NET: 75)
Last week: 6
Results: Beat Utah 71-63
Next up: vs. UCLA (Thursday)
Comment: Third place is well within range, and who figured that would be the case after the Buffaloes lost four of their first five.
… Read full story here …
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Tyler Bey “starting to understand who he is”
From CUBuffs.com … Over the last month, Colorado’s Tyler Bey has been one of the Pac-12’s most dominant and dependable players.
In his last eight games, a stretch in which the Buffs have gone 6-2, Bey has recorded six double-doubles, including in each of CU’s last three games. He has averaged 15.6 points and 10.9 rebounds in that stretch, and is still within reach of pushing his season averages — 12.8 points and 9.5 rebounds — to a season double-double.
That hasn’t been accomplished by a Buff since Andre Roberson did it in back-to-back seasons at Colorado, averaging 11.6 points and 11.1 rebounds in 2011-12, then following that with 10.9 and 11.2 season a year later.
“Tyler is starting to understand who he is when he is successful and why he is successful,” CU head coach Tad Boyle said after the Buffs’ 71-63 win over Utah last weekend. “A few games ago we were really on him. When he would set a screen, he wouldn’t roll hard to the rim. He would roll to the middle of the paint or to the free throw line. He wouldn’t put any pressure on the defense. He has done a much better job of that since we really challenged him. … As a player, you have to have self-awareness to what you do well and what you don’t do well. Tyler is starting to figure that out. I think the results have shown.”
While his numbers have been good throughout the season, Bey has no doubt taken his game to the next level over the last eight games. Had it not been for a missed free throw at the end of Colorado’s win over Arizona — a game that saw him finish with 10 rebounds and nine points — he would have five straight double-doubles to his credit.
… Continue reading story here …
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March 5th
… CU in the Arena …
Pac-12 tournament scenarios: Buffs can still finish anywhere from third to tenth
… Next game: v. UCLA, Thursday, 7:00 p.m., MT, ESPN2 …
From CUBuffs.com …While the possible scenarios for the Colorado Buffaloes are still numerous when it comes to their Pac-12 tournament seeding, the Buffs know this much:
If they don’t win their last two games, they can’t finish in the top four in the final standings.
Thus, if the Buffs have any designs on gaining a first-round bye in the conference tournament — something they have never managed in their time in the Pac-12 — they need to collects home wins this week over UCLA on Thursday (7 p.m.) and USC on Saturday (3 p.m.).
As it stands today, the Buffs could finish anywhere from the third seed to the 10th seed. Currently 17-11 overall and 8-8 in the Pac-12, CU sits in a three-way tie for sixth place with USC and Oregon, but is just one game away from the three teams bunched up in a tie for third (Oregon State, Utah and UCLA).
Washington has clinched the No. 1 tourney seed and Arizona State has nailed down the No. 2 spot.
Given the middle-of-the-pack logjam, there are still myriad scenarios that could unfold over the final week. But the Buffs do know some possible outcomes.
— Colorado could climb as high as the third seed with two wins if Oregon State (9-7) loses two (Washington and Washington State) and Utah (9-7) loses to UCLA or USC. But if Oregon State wins at least one more game, the Buffs can’t catch the Beavers in a two-way tie, as OSU would own the tie-breaker by virtue of a win in their only meeting this year.
— If the Buffs win two games and Utah loses to UCLA, the Buffs would own the tie-breaker over the Utes and Bruins. That would give the Buffs the fourth seed if Oregon State is No. 3. Colorado would also own the two-team tie-breaker over the Utes if they lose to USC.
— If Colorado wins two this week and Oregon wins a pair (Washington State and Washington), the Buffs still own the tie-breaker over the Ducks and would also own the tie-breaker against UCLA if the Bruins beat Utah for a 10th win.
— And, no matter what happens with the rest of the conference, if the Buffs win two this week, the worst they could finish is the fifth seed.
Of course, these are just a handful of the huge number of possible outcomes that could emerge this week. A CU split would probably drop the Buffs into the 6, 7 or 8 spot, and two losses could drop them as far as 10th.
… Continue reading story here …
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March 4th
… CU in the Arena …
CU one of a handful of Pac-12 teams not rated as a “disappointment”
From the San Jose Mercury News … If nothing else, we’ll always have the week of Feb. 25-March 3.
That was the only week in the calendar year 2019 that a Pac-12 team appeared in the top 25.
It was a glorious seven days, even though it included the ranked team, then-No. 25 Washington, losing in embarrassing fashion at Cal.
Soak it up, because the next moment of national relevancy may not occur for many months.
... Here’s what I’m calling the Pac-12 Disappoint-O-Meter:
Exceeded Expectations (2): Washington; Oregon State
Met Expectations: (4): Arizona State; Utah; Stanford; Colorado
Colorado: If you would have told Tad Boyle back in November that McKinley Wright IV would play most of the season with a torn labrum in his shoulder, he might poured a stiff drink.
Yet here the Buffs are at .500 in league play (8-8) entering the final week. They’re 6-2 in their last eight games. A couple more wins could push them into the NIT.
This is … fine.
Disappointments (2): Washington State; Cal
Colossal Disappointments (4): Arizona; Oregon; UCLA; USC.
… Read full story here …
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With injury to Eli Parquet, quest for a first-round bye is all the more important to Buffs
From the Daily Camera … As previously winless (in conference) Cal proved this past week by topping UW, and backing it with a win against Washington State, there will be no consensus favorite in the tournament field next week. All twelve teams harbor legitimate hopes of beating anyone else, with the first-round bye offering a slightly less demanding road to the Pac-12’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament — which may very well turn out to be the league’s only bid.
“If we can get these three wins at home in a row, we can potentially be in fourth in the Pac-12, and maybe even get a bye,” CU forward Evan Battey said. “That means the world to us as well.”
For the Buffs, that possible first-round bye became even more alluring this past week, as freshman Eli Parquet added his name to CU’s growing injury list with a hyper-extended left knee. With Parquet’s status uncertain at the outset of the week, a short rotation nonetheless is looking a little bit shorter, making the challenge of potentially needing to win four games in four days next week even more daunting.
… Continue reading story here …
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March 2nd
… CU in the Arena …
Buffs even Pac-12 record at 8-8 with 71-63 win over Utah
Related … “Bey’s double-double leads Colorado past Utah” … from ESPN
From CUBuffs. com … Colorado produced an outstanding defensive effort and a balanced offensive performance Saturday to carve out a 71-63 win over Utah at the CU Events Center.
The Buffs held the Pac-12’s best 3-point shooting team to a season-low 19.2 percent day from long distance and put four players in double-figure scoring, led by a 17-point, 10-rebound effort from sophomore Tyler Bey.
CU improved to 17-11 overall and 8-8 in Pac-12 play with two games remaining while Utah dropped to 15-13, 9-7. The win moved Colorado into a tie for sixth in the conference standings, just one game out of fourth place and a first-round bye in the Pac-12 tournament.
The Buffs led for much of the game, taking the lead for good midway through the first half and never trailing again. But they could never completely shake the Utes, and it took a pair of 3-pointers in the final two minutes — the first from Lucas Siewert with 1:41 remaining and the second from McKinley Wright IV with 48 seconds on the clock — to salt away the win.
Bey had 15 of his 17 points in the first half, and finished with a 7-for-10 day from the field for his third straight double-double, his 12th of the season and 14th of his career. D’Shawn Schwartz had 16 points and six rebounds for Colorado, Evan Battey added 15 points and four rebounds and Wright had 10 points and three assists.
Wright’s biggest contribution came on the defensive end, where he harassed Utah’s Sedrick Barefield all night. The Utes’ leading scorer did finish with 19 points, but he shot just 7-for-16 from the floor, including 2-for-8 from 3-point range.
“Obviously a great win for our team and our program, especially in March,” CU head coach Tad Boyle said. “It’s so hard to win basketball games this time of year, especially when you’re playing against a quality team and quality program like Utah. I’ve got a lot of respect for their coaches, their players. I say this when we play Arizona a lot — you have to beat them. The same is true for Utah, you have to beat Utah because they’re not going to beat themselves.”
Overall, CU held Utah to 39.3 percent shooting from the floor (24-for-61) and just 5-for-26 from 3-point range. It tied for the Utes’ fewest 3-pointers this year and was their worst shooting percentage from beyond the arc this season.
CU also also forced 12 Utah turnovers and reaped 16 points off the miscues.
“I thought our defensive toughness, our defensive identity tonight, really exhibited itself,” Boyle said. “It has to. That’s something that has to be a constant. It doesn’t guarantee that you’re going to win, but it gives you a chance.”
… Continue reading story here …
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Buffs game against Utah (4:00 p.m., MT, ESPNU) beyond crucial
… Related … “Big game? Larry Krystkowiak is allowing himself to say so” … from the Salt Lake City Tribune
From CUBuffs.com … In a normal year under normal circumstances in the Pac-12, the Colorado Buffaloes would figure to hold a solid home court advantage Saturday when Utah pays a 4 p.m. visit to the CU Events Center.
But this has not been a normal year in the Pac-12. Nothing in the conference is holding to form — witness Thursday night’s Cal upset of 25th-ranked Washington. The Bears had lost 23 straight Pac-12 games, including all 15 this season, while the Huskies entered the game with a sparkling 13-1 conference mark.
Utah is just another example of the topsy-turvy occurrences in the conference this year. Currently sitting in a tie for third in the Pac-12 standings (15-12 overall, 9-6 Pac-12), the Utes have a better record in conference play on the road (6-2) than at home (3-4).
That’s a statistic that no doubt concerns CU head coach Tad Boyle as his Buffs prepare to host the Utes in a 4 p.m. game Saturday.
“A lot of times your team is a reflection of your coach in many cases and (Utah coach) Larry Krystkowiak is a tough-minded guy,” Boyle said after Friday’s practice. “He was a helluva player back in his day. They have great toughness. They have two senior guards, (Sedrick) Barefield and (Parker) Van ****, who have been through the wars and understand what it takes. And they have some young, talented players to go along with them.”
For both teams, Saturday’s encounter is a chance to stay in the hunt for a top-four conference finish, which means a first-round Pac-12 tournament bye. The Buffs (16-11 overall, 7-8 Pac-12) need a win to get back in contention; the Utes need one to solidify their current standing.
… Continue reading story here …
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March 1st
… CU in the Arena …
Tad Boyle looking at balanced scoring as being a key for the Buffs down the stretch
From CUBuffs.com … As the Colorado Buffaloes head down their March stretch run, head coach Tad Boyle would love to see his team produce some balanced scoring.
The Buffs are at their best when they share the ball.
This season, when at least four Buffs have scored in double figures, Colorado is 11-3. When the number is three or less, the record is 5-8.
“What I’d like is I’d like to have a game where we have five guys in double figures,” Boyle said after Thursday’s practice. “That’s what we have the ability to do. D’Shawn (Schwartz) has shown it, Lucas (Siewert) has shown it, Shane (Gatling) has shown it, Daylen Kountz has shown it off the bench, Evan Battey has shown it off the bench. To me we have seven guys capable of scoring double figures. They’ve proven it.”
The key, of course, is getting that production consistently.
The Buffs are fairly certain of what they will get from point guard McKinley Wright IV. The sophomore has scored in double figures in 10 of the 14 Pac-12 games in which he has played this year. Fellow sophomore Tyler Bey has hit the mark nine times in conference play.
But after those two, the only other Buff to hit double figures in at least half of CU’s Pac-12 games is guard Shane Gatling. The junior has scored in double figures eight times against Pac-12 teams, but he has been wildly inconsistent from the field, shooting just 37 percent in conference play.
… Continue reading story here …
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Stuart
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