RR Ralphie Report: Colorado vs. Boise State Preview: JUST WIN, BABY

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Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

CU is going for the school record

For the first time since 2021, The Colorado Buffaloes are in the NCAA Tournament. The team this year has had its ups and downs, but now it is playing better than it has all year before the matchup with Boise State.

The Boise State Broncos played well in the toughest Mountain West in years. They went 13-5 in conference after a pretty tough non-conference, leading to a 22-10 record this year. Their best win was probably their last, an OT win against San Diego State AT San Diego State, which is a tough place to play.

Much has been made of Tad Boyle’s and Leon Rice’s relationship, but it’s for a reason. They are very similar coaches. Both of them have been at their schools for 14 years and both have traditionally preferred to win with defense. Tad Boyle has changed that up in recent years, but Rice’s BSU squads are always defensively-minded and physically gigantic. These two pieces led to a CU loss against Boise State in late 2022 in the Myrtle Beach Classic last season.

While some of the main pieces remain from last year’s team, this year’s squads are obviously different in some big ways. Here is a quick pull from KenPom regarding the two teams profiles (don’t tell him):

These two teams are almost mirrors of each other. CU has an elite offense, and BSU an elite defense. Meanwhile, BSU’s offense is just alright, which is exactly where CU’s defense slots in. Riveting. I think the key here will be in the shooting. The Buffs are one of the best shooting teams in the country, and if they can get hot early, Boise State’s pace makes it hard for them to catch up. KJ Simpson has been on fire this year, as has Cody Williams, and both will need to make a huge impact tonight. The more CU runs and shoots, the harder it will be for BSU to play their game.

The two players to watch for the Broncos are O’mar Stanley and Tyson Degenhart. Stanley, a St. Johns transfer, has blossomed at the “big forward” spot. He’s not a shooter, but he works hard on the boards and shoots very well from inside the arc. At 6’8 and 250, he will be a load for Hadley or Lampkin, whoever gets the matchup. The other player is Tyson Degenhart, who beat CU last year. Degenhart does a little bit of everything from the wing spot, but he excels at getting fouls and tough buckets near the rim. He can also distribute and is absolutely the leader of this team.

I don’t think Boise State has any guards that can keep up with Simpson, though they have great team size and strength. Currently, CU is a 3.5 point favorite, but in March, this is everyone’s game. The Buffs play BSU at 7:10 MT on TruTv tonight, on Wednesday.

Go Buffs.

by Jack Barsch
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