Colorado Weekly

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Colorado Weekly

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August 6th

CU to face DePaul in first round of Hawai’i Christmas tournament

From cubuffs.com … The University of Colorado men’s basketball team will take on the DePaul Blue Demons in the first round of the 2014 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, announced Tuesday.

Entering its sixth year, the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic will be Monday, Tuesday and Thursday (Dec. 22, 23, & 25) in Honolulu, and again be played at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, where it has become a holiday tradition on the island of O’ahu.

The eight competing teams include CU, DePaul, George Washington, Loyola Marymount, Ohio, Nebraska, Wichita State and host Hawai‘i (CU won’t play either Nebraska or Wichita State until the finals … or in the consolation bracket).

CU’s first round match up with DePaul will be on Monday, Dec. 22 (2:30 p.m., MST) and be televised on ESPNU.

The Blue Demons, member of the BIG EAST Conference went 12-21 overall last season, and was 3-15 in conference play (10th overall).  The Buffaloes were 23-12 overall in 2013-14, advancing to its third straight NCAA Tournament. The Buffaloes finished in a five-way tie for third place in the Pac-12 at 10-8.

It will only be the second match up between CU and DePaul in the series, and first in 74 years (1939-40).

The last meeting was the NIT semifinal in New York City with the Buffs taking a 50-37 victory.

That was the season the Buffs became the first collegiate team to play in both the NIT and NCAA Tournaments in the same season.  CU would go on to win the NIT title defeating Duquesne in the final.  A week later in Kansas City at the NCAA Tournament, CU lost to USC (38-32), then fell to Rice in the consolation game (60-56, ot).

The Diamond Head Classic is a multi-day, destination event featuring 12 games over three days. Each team will compete in one game per day, advancing through a bracketed-tournament format.
Three of the 12 matchups, including the championship game, will be showcased on ESPN2.

ESPNU will carry seven games, and one will be exclusive to ESPN3.

The tournament tips off Monday with four games on ESPNU. Ohio (Mid-American) pitted against George Washington (Atlantic 10) at 12:30 p.m. MT, immediately followed by DePaul (BIG EAST) versus Colorado (Pac-12) at 2:30 p.m.

Monday’s evening session will feature Loyola Marymount (West Coast) versus Wichita State (Missouri Valley) at 9:00 p.m. and wrap with a battle between Nebraska (Big Ten) and tournament host Hawai’i (Big West) at 11 p.m.

Five of the participating teams appeared in the 2013-14 postseason with CU, George Washington, Nebraska, and Wichita State making the NCAA Tournament; Ohio advanced through the quarterfinals of the Collegeinsider.com Postseason Tournament.

Since 2008, this will be CU’s third trip to the Hawaiian Islands and first for a Boyle-coached team. In November 2009, the Buffaloes competed at the EA Sports Maui Invitational, and in 2008, participated at the Rainbow Classic in Honolulu. Both tournaments saw the Buffs achieve 1-2 records.

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August 4th

Are you ready for some … sleep deprivation?

ESPN has announced its scheduled for its “Tip-off marathon”.

The good news? The Colorado/Auburn game will be a part of the marathon, and will be televised nationally by ESPN2.

The bad news? The game will tip-off at 11:00 p.m. on Monday, November 17th (or, if you live in Alabama, at 1:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 18th).

Bring your jammies to the Coors Events Center … it’s going to be a long night!

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July 30th

Tad Boyle confirms signing of Providence transfer

What was first reported by CBS Sports four weeks ago (see July 2nd entry, below) has now been confirmed by Colorado head coach Tad Boyle –  Providence transfer Josh Fortune has become a CU Buff.

From cubuffs.com … University of Colorado men’s basketball head coach Tad Boyle announced Wednesday he has signed transfer Josh Fortune to a Financial Aid Agreement (FAA) and will be added to the 2014-15 roster.

Fortune, who played the last two years at Providence College will sit out the 2014-15 season per NCAA transfer rules. He will have two years of eligibility remaining with the Buffaloes.

“We’re extremely excited about Josh and what he brings to our program,” Boyle said.  “He’s a guy who is battled tested in the BIG EAST for two years, played a lot minutes and played in a lot of big games. To bring a player like that into your program, only helps us.”

Fortune, a 6’5, 205-pound guard from Hampton, Va., started all 35 games during the 2013-14 season for Providence and was fifth in scoring with an 8.4 points per game average.  He was second in assists (72, 2.1 apg.) and three-pointers made (56); and fourth in steals (33, 0.9 spg.).  Fortune also shot 35 percent from the three-point arc (56-of-160).

In conference play, Fortune helped the Friars to a 10-8 conference record averaging 9.1 points and 2.6 assists a game.  He made 34 of his 59 field goals from three-point range (37 percent).  Fortune scored in double digits 14 times, including nine of the final 13 contests of the season averaging 11.9 ppg., 3.7 rpg., 2.1 apg., 1.2 spg.

Fortune was a key player in Providence’s BIG EAST Conference Tournament championship run last season, winning three games in three days.  He averaged 14.3 points and shot 54.5 percent from the field (12-of-22), including a team-high six treys, in addition was 13-of-14 at the free throw line (.929).

Fortune scored a career-high 24 points against St. John’s in the quarterfinal round of the conference tournament.  It was the Friars (23-12) second conference tournament championship and first since 1994.  They also made the NCAA Tournament second round falling to North Carolina.

““The fact that Josh sits out a year, I think is a good thing … it will allow him time to grow and develop parts of his game that he needs to work on, and it will give him a year to get use to our system what we expect and what we’re all about,” Boyle added.

“He can shoot the ball, shoot it from deep, which is something our team needs. Three-point shooting is one of the areas we probably under-performed last year, so Josh really helps us.”

Fortune intended CU major is communication.

At Kecoughtan High School in Hampton, Va., Fortune averaged 13.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game as a senior, was a two-time team captain, and helped the Warriors reach the state semifinals in 2012.

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July 22nd

Spencer Dinwiddie signs a three-year deal (two years guaranteed) with the Detroit Pistons

From the Detroit Free Press … Spencer Dinwiddie announced it via Twitter and Instagram on Monday night.

“Uh oh, I guess it’s real now (stunned smiley face) #8,” he tweeted.

The Tweet had a link to his Instagram account which showed the date and his name signed to a contract.

Dinwiddie and the Pistons agreed to three-year deal with the first two seasons guaranteed.

The Pistons weren’t ready to make a formal announcement because a physical is still pending.

But the contract details have been reached with their second-round pick (38th overall). He was the team’s only draft pick.

The point guard, who left Colorado after his junior season, is rehabbing a knee injury that forced him to miss a significant portion of last season.

There has been an air of mystery surrounding Dinwiddie, 21, and whether he will be able to play next season.

But the team doesn’t want the young player hung up on meeting deadlines.

“I don’t have any expectation for this season because it’s not just a matter of when he’s physically cleared to play,” Pistons president and head coach Stan Van Gundy said. “When he is cleared to play, it’s gaining confidence and he also hasn’t played basketball in a long time and he will have missed summer league and probably miss training camp. So it’s a slow process back, and so I just want to take all the expectations out of it — not just for us or the fans but also for him.”

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July 17th

Dominique Collier looking to continue tradition of great CU players from Denver

From Slamonline.com … On June 1, Dominique Collier headed out along US-36 West from his Denver home. Some 40 miles later, he arrived at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He was three days removed from his high school graduation. Now he was, in his new home.

Twenty-five days later, Spencer Dinwiddie was selected by the Detroit Pistons with the 35th selection in the NBA Draft. One of the best players in recent Pac-12 history, Dinwiddie had announced this past spring his intention to forego his senior season at Colorado.

It seemed only natural, then, that Collier, who at 6-1 is widely considered to be one of the best floor generals in this incoming freshman class, found himself immediately thrust into the departed Dinwiddie’s shoes.

Don’t we have a habit of building up hype.

But let’s hold up a moment before we go crashing into that ever-growing realm of unnecessary proclamations and outsized expectations.

That being said, Collier has the skill to back up the hype. He’s a two-time Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year with a prep legend that could make Chauncey Billups, perhaps the greatest basketball name ever to emanate from Denver, blush. This past season, Collier averaged 21.6 points for Denver East, whom he helped lead to the 5-A state championship. He first began hearing from Colorado before high school—in eighth grade, actually—right around the time that Tad Boyle took over the head coaching position. As Collier progressed through high school, becoming a Buff became an increasingly appealing option. “When I saw what coach Boyle was doing at Colorado, and the way he was developing players, that really opened my eyes,” he says.

… The rest of the article can be found here …

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July 12th

Walk-on Josh Repine a teammate of Tory Miller in New Hampshire, but grew up in Denver

From the Daily Camera … Growing up in Denver, Josh Repine got a close look at the Colorado men’s basketball program.

“I always followed Colorado basketball,” the former Kent Denver High School star said. “Initially, when I was younger they weren’t very good. My dad and I would always buy tickets at the top row and always move down and could sit courtside for a couple dollars.”

It’s tougher to get a good seat for a CU game these days, but Repine will have a better seat than ever this year. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard joined the Buffs as a walk-on player this summer.

Repine graduated from Kent Denver in 2013, but spent this past year at New Hampton Prep in New Hampshire. At New Hampton, he was a teammate of Tory Miller, a scholarship freshman for the Buffs.

“Because I wanted top play D-I basketball, I decided to take a prep school year,” said Repine, who led Kent Denver to the Class 3A state title game in 2013. “I did an extra year there to give me more opportunities to play at the highest level. I’ve always wanted to play D-I, because it’s the most excitement.”

Repine said he had interest from several Division II and Division III schools coming out of high school, but declined those options.

This spring, as he looked for a college team to play for, he said he narrowed his choices to CU and Notre Dame. Then, he spoke extensively with CU assistant Mike Rohn.

“Colorado became No. 1, by a large margin, after that point,” Repine said. “It was the perfect fit.”

Repine certainly doesn’t come into CU with the hype that surrounds his fellow freshmen — Miller and Dominique Collier. Still, head coach Tad Boyle has said that Repine “will be a good addition to our team on a lot of different fronts. He’s going to help us in practice, no doubt.”

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July 8th

Dinwiddie charms Detroit press corps – “I can do anything”

From the Detroit Free Press … Detroit Pistons second-round pick Spencer Dinwiddie said he has no limitations.

Nada.

Zilch.

But the rookie wouldn’t offer a timetable for when he would be able to get on the floor. He is under strict orders not to answer questions about when he might return from knee surgery.

“They told me I can’t answer any of those questions,” Dinwiddie, the No. 38 overall pick out of Colorado, said with a smile this morning after the Pistons’ summer-league roster concluded a short workout. “I can’t give you no material.

I’m a rookie, man. Now’s the time not to make any waves. Maybe when I’m a max player or something like that, maybe I’ll say what I want, but not now.”

The comment was met with laughter from media members as Dinwiddie, 21, provided the first glimpse into his personality.

Dinwiddie is in good spirits despite watching the first two days of summer league games. The Pistons are off today, but return to the floor Tuesday.

Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy has emphasized the team isn’t in any rush to see Dinwiddie on the floor. He hurt his ACL in January as a junior point guard. That’s typically a nine-month injury, so it’s understandable why he is skipping summer league.

But he hinted that he could play if necessary.

“I don’t have any movement pattern restrictions,” he said. “Obviously, they ain’t letting me play, but there’s nothing I can’t do as far as running and jumping and all that stuff. I can do anything.”

And he admits he would love to play — only if the Pistons would let him.

“There’s two ways you can look at it,” he said. “I could be hurt by it, but I like the fact that he’s showing me love and he thinks my talent is something to wait on, if we have to. I love that approach, but obviously I want to compete and try to play.”

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July 2nd

Buffs picking up Providence transfer

CBSSports broke the story that Providence transfer Josh Fortune has committed to Colorado, choosing CU over Valparaiso and LSU.

Who is Josh Fortune?

Fortune was a three-star prospect from Hampton, Virginia, who committed to Providence as part of the Recruiting Class of 2010. (Rivals bio).

A 6’5″, 205-pound guard, Fortune started every game last season for the 23-12 Friars, averaging 8.4 ppg. while averaging 33 minutes per contest. Fortune was a starter for much of his freshman season as well, and would have two seasons of eligibility remaining after sitting out the 2014-15 season as a transfer.

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Here is a May 23rd article on Fortune’s decision to transfer from the Providence Journal … In what can only be termed a puzzling development Josh Fortune, a two-year starter on the Providence College basketball team, has decided to transfer.

Fortune, who played 33 minutes a game as a sophomore this past season, must sit out the 2014-15 season and would have two years of eligibility remaining. Reached at his home in Hampton, Va., Fortune declined comment on the reasoning for his transfer Friday. His mother, Angela, said her son didn’t want to talk to the Journal until he was free to speak with other colleges.

“Josh doesn’t want to talk until he is allowed to talk to other schools,” Angela Fortune said.

By all indications PC will give Fortune a full release and he’ll be free to contact prospective schools. Providence coach Ed Cooley was in no mood to expound on the news either. When reached Friday, Cooley declined comment. There also were no quotes from the coach given in a terse, two sentence release on Fortune’s transfer issued by the school.

One person close to the situation said Fortune had expressed an interest in playing closer to his home and perhaps in the Atlantic Coast Conference. What’s interesting is that the 6-foot-5, 200-pounder was fortunate to see as much playing time and take as many shots as he had in his time at Providence. As a freshman, Fortune averaged 5.5 points over 23 minutes a game. He started 18 games despite shooting just 32 percent, 29 percent from the 3-point line.

This past season Fortune’s role grew as his shot became more dependable. He started every game and scored 8.4 points a night. He hit 35 percent of his 3-pointers and finished second on the team to star guard Bryce Cotton with 56 threes. His forte seemed to be the clutch 3-pointer, some of which were followed by fouls from a charging defender. He converted vital four-point plays in a double overtime loss to Villanova and a big late-season win over Marquette.

His season-high scoring game came in a Big East Tournament win over St. John’s when he drained four 3-pointers and finished with 24 points. He played 37 minutes in that game and saw 40 (or more) minutes in six of the team’s final nine games. Somewhat revealingly, however, in the NCAA Tournament game against North Carolina, the Tar Heels made sure to limit Fortune’s open looks. The strategy worked wonders as Fortune made just one of his five shots.

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June 30th

Detroit coach not expecting Dinwiddie to play this season

From SportsInjuryAlert.com … The Detroit Pistons had a disappointing 29-win season in 2013-2014, matching their record from the previous season.  The biggest issue with the Pistons is a porous defense that allowed 104.7 points per game, 27th in the NBA.  Although relatively healthy with seven players playing in at least 70 games, the Pistons already have a player lost for the 2014-2015 season, months before training camp begins. Spencer Dinwiddie, the Pistons second round draft pick this year, is expected to miss the season due to a torn ACL he suffered in January.

Keith Langlois, editor at Pistons.com, tweeted the following on Dinwiddle: “SVG (new Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy) also says he has no expectations for Spencer Dinwiddie to play in 2014-15. If he does, it’s a bonus”.

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June 27th

Regents extend contracts of Boyle and Lappe to 2019

From the Daily Camera … The University of Colorado Board of Regents voted to extend contracts for men’s and women’s basketball coaches Tad Boyle and Linda Lappe on Friday.

At a meeting in Denver, the board voted to extend both contracts by one year through April 30, 2019. However, there will be no increase in compensation for either coach.

In 2013, both coaches received extensions that included merit raises to their base salaries from $165,830 to $170,805. Boyle received a raise of more than $700,000 per year when factoring in supplemental salary for things like radio and television appearances, and non-basketball related incentives, to make his annual salary $1,490,020.

Boyle’s Buffs finished the 2013-14 season with a 23-12 record and reached the Pac-12 Tournament semifinals for the third time in Boyle’s four years at the helm. CU also earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament, but for the second year in a row, fell in the round of 64.

Meanwhile, Lappe’s team struggled after a fast start to the season. The CU women started 9-0 and were ranked No. 11 nationally in December. After entering Pac-12 play with a 10-1 mark, the only loss being to Louisville, the Buffs fell on hard times and lost 11 of their next 15 games. The women earned a spot in the WNIT and won two home games before falling at UTEP. The Buffs finished the season with a 19-15 record.

Campus officials wrote to the board that Friday’s contract extensions are necessary for retaining the two coaches “in light of the prevailing market conditions and competitive employment agreement practices.”

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June 25th

Spencer Dinwiddie’s parents ready for their son to take the next step

From SportsOnEarth.com … Spencer Dinwiddie can’t even tell you how long he has been waiting for Thursday night’s NBA draft.

“I honestly don’t remember life without [basketball],” the 21-year-old former Colorado Buffaloes point guard said.

After watching their 18-month-old son crumple up napkins to toss into a wastebasket, his parents, Malcolm and Stephanie, bought him an over-the-door basketball hoop that made a ringing noise each time the ball sailed cleanly through the net. All of these years later, that ringing sound still echoes in their minds.

In addition to being the most important night of Dinwiddie’s basketball career thus far, Thursday will also mark less than six months since one of his worst.

On Jan. 12, 2014, Stephanie and Malcolm Dinwiddie were watching along with their younger son, Taylor, as the 6-foot-6 Dinwiddie crumbled to the ground in a game against Washington.

They waited for him to get up. It didn’t happen. More than 30 minutes later, the Dinwiddies still hadn’t received an update. Stephanie tried calling his phone. On the other end, Dinwiddie’s incoherent response after learning he had torn his ACL was all she needed to hear to know her presence was needed in Colorado when he returned with the team from Washington.

“By the time Spencer came in [the hotel room] on the crutches, it was a tough moment, but I needed to be positive,” Stephanie said. “I needed at that point to be able to embody for him our faith. That it’s going to be okay. We don’t know how quite yet, but it’s going to be okay.

“I remember he asked me, it was about 3 o’clock in the morning and he said, ‘Mom, why did this happen?’ That’s a really tough question. Again, I attributed it to God. I said to him, ‘Why not you? Why not you? These things happen to people that don’t deserve it. You don’t deserve it, but things happen. What matters now is how you respond. That’s all that matters now, so this is done.'”

Dinwiddie credits his mother’s strength in the immediate aftermath for his ability to continue chasing his draft dream despite his injury and the subsequent rehabilitation process.

“When I first got hurt she was probably the strongest out of all of us,” Dinwiddie said. “It was just the next step with her and we continued to buy into that and we just worked like nothing had changed. If something had changed and I went back to school I would be fine, but we decided as a unit that we were going to continue to work and let the chips fall where they may. If I was ahead of schedule and the opportunity presented itself we’d take advantage of it.”

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Dinwiddie’s parents both felt his game was ready a year ago, but that he could use another year at Colorado to help him mature and be ready to make the jump to the pros.

“I wanted him to actually enjoy being a young man for a little longer because of course we know the NBA is a business and once you cross that line you can’t go back,” Malcolm said. “Once you’re grown, you’re grown. We wanted him to enjoy the process just a little more. Not that we didn’t think he wasn’t physically ready to handle it, because he was, but this year he was more than ready mentally, physically, emotionally. He was definitely ready. Even when he went down, we felt like he was still capable of handling whatever was put in front of him.”

In the days and weeks after Dinwiddie’s ACL surgery, his family was there. Taking weeklong shifts, his mother and father switched off spending time in Los Angeles with his younger brother and in Colorado with Dinwiddie. He remained in the same hotel room until the day he officially declared for the draft, the thought being to control as much as possible, establish normalcy and block out distractions.

“The [hotel staff] there were incredible,” Stephanie said. “Thoughtful, kind, compassionate. Always had nice big smiles, hellos and goodbyes when we were making our trips out.”

It was through Dinwiddie’s commitment to the grueling rehab that Malcolm was able to observe how much his son had matured over his last year with head coach Tad Boyle at Colorado.

“I tell everybody that I’ve never been more proud of Spencer than now,” Malcolm said. “Like my wife said, in a situation like that you can do a number of things. You can quit, or you can fight. My mother, when I was young, told me there is only one thing you can’t do in life and that’s quit. Once you quit, you automatically lose. Spencer didn’t even think about it. His mother was there, he dusted himself off and the next day he said, ‘I’m going to do everything I need to do to get back going as fast as I can,’ and that’s exactly what he did.”

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June 24th

Spencer Dinwiddie mock draft update

The NBA draft is this – Thursday, June 27th. Here is a final update on how Spencer Dinwiddie is looking in NBA mock drafts:

At NBA Draft Insider, Dinwiddie is going to be picked as the No. 26 pick overall, going to the Miami Heat (same spot as June 15th);

At FoxSports.com, Dinwiddie is the final pick of the first round, going to the San Antonio Spurs (same spot as on June 15th);

At HoopsHype.com, Dinwiddie is now out of the first round, after previously being listed as going to Oklahoma City with the 29th pick of the first round;

At NBA Draft Net, Dinwiddie is going now in the second round, as the 33rd pick to Philadelphia (same spot as on June 15th);

At NBADraftRoom, Dinwiddie is ninth pick in the second round, going 39th overall to the Philadelphia 76ers (up 15 spots since June 15th);

At DraftExpress, Dinwiddie is the tenth pick of the second round (40th overall), going to Minnesota (down one spot);

At CBSSports.com, Dinwiddie is seventeenth pick in the second round (47th overall), going to the Philadelphia (up four spots since June 15th).

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Tory Miller to add a “wide presence” to CU lineup; Josh Scott has added nine pounds … so far

From cubuffs.com … Upon landing Tory Miller last November, Tad Boyle gleefully yanked the sheet from the “Wide Load” signage. It was the natural reaction for a University of Colorado basketball program that needed a big, broad, imposing frontcourt body – or as Boyle noted on signing day, Miller offered “a wide presence that we haven’t had since I’ve been here.”

That “wide presence” has been on campus since early June, attending summer school and acclimating to his new teammates and surroundings. The big body label is one he can’t ignore – after all, he’s 6-9 (in shoes) and 254 pounds – but it’s also one that he’s downplaying for the time being.

“To be honest, I don’t know my role yet,” he said. “It’s too early. It’s only June; we’ve got, what, almost six months until the season starts? It’s yet to be decided. What I’m here to do is make an early impact if I can. Whether it’s on the floor, off the floor, in practice, in the classroom, wherever. I only want to help the team succeed in whatever we do and win championships.”

Miller’s specified role will become apparent soon enough. In fact, I suspect he already has more than a general idea of what Boyle and the Buffs will expect from him. But he’s a humble, unassuming guy with a quick smile, infectious laugh and a handshake that might make dust out of a fist-sized chunk of granite.

Early low post prediction: The basketball won’t be poked away too often when he’s clutching it with both hands.

In the Kansas City area (Lee’s Summit, Mo.) as a kid, Miller played soccer, baseball and most everything else that kids do before they start growing and target a specific sport. One of eight siblings, Miller was over 6-feet as an eighth grader and says he grew three inches and “about two shoes sizes” that summer. His parents weren’t super-sized, both in the 5-10 range, with his dad playing football at Cal Poly Tech. Miller played freshman football (tight end, defensive end) at Lee’s Summit North before basketball began calling him.

“I just knew it was what I liked,” he said. “I don’t want to say I was destined to play it, but it was what I gravitated to . . . it was what I kept going back to. And I didn’t like the other practices.”

So what was the big draw in hoops?

“Honestly, I just kept winning,” he said, laughing. “I mean, I wasn’t the best but I kept the attitude of ‘now I’ve got to go beat him.’ Then it was, ‘now I’ve got to go beat him’ . . . until I felt like I was the best in Kansas City.”

The rest of the story on Miller can be found here.

Other summer basketball notes … Josh Scott says the benefits of summer conditioning work are immeasurable: “I always enjoy summer; if you want to be good, summer should be your second-favorite time of the year. You can’t play any games but you can get really good in the summer.” . . . . Hardy said one of the returning Buffs who has committed to remaining on campus for the remainder of the summer is Wesley Gordon, a 6-9 redshirt sophomore. Gordon, said Hardy, has made noticeable weight-room strides . . . . Little touches make big impacts on newcomers. Miller has been touched by the Buffs’ habit of breaking team huddles with the “one-two-three, family” refrain. “When you’ve got guys who do that, who care about each other not just on the court, you know they support you,” he said. “If you need something they’re right there for you. Even if we didn’t say that (family on three) you could still feel it in the locker room. You could be fighting on the court, then five minutes later you’re back together and feel like brothers.” . . . . In pickup games and practices that Hardy has watched, he said Miller has “held his own so far. I don’t know how he’ll do when he gets tired; that’s what we’ll try to work on later on in the summer during the preseason work. That’s when we start trying to work on that mental training.” . . . . The 6-10 Scott is hoping to push to 250 pounds or beyond before the season starts. He says he’s put on 9 pounds since the end of the 2013-14 season and is now weighing just under 245. “I’m on track, lifting and getting stronger,” he said. “I’m probably one of the most checked-out bodies on campus. Guys are always wanting to know how much weight I’ve put on. I’m doing well.”

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June 23rd

Boyle impressed with incoming freshmen

From Brian Howell at the Daily Camera … On freshman forward Tory Miller: “He’s made a very good impression, not only on our coaching staff, but probably more important with our players, in terms of the pick up games and in the locker room. He’s a good addition.”

On freshman guard Dominique Collier: “Dom is going to be great. He’s stronger than he was three or four months ago, but he’s still got a long way to go in terms of his physical strength. But his skill set is terrific. With his ability to handle the ball and pass the ball, Dom’s going to be fine.”

On summer workouts: “The summer access is great, but it’s almost a tease from a coaches’ standpoint. You get them for 2 hours a week on the court, and that’s just enough to tease you. It’s not enough to really get the work done that you would like to get done as a coach with your team, but it gives you some insight and it gives you a feel for where your guys are at. I like our team going forward.”

On the rest of the summer, after players go home in July: “The real question is what do these guys do in July and the first few weeks of August (on their own), and what kind of improvements are made then? If they work over the coming weeks and months like they have over the last two to three weeks, they’ll all be fine and we’ll consider this a very, very good offseason.”

On sophomore forward Wesley Gordon: “One of the things I’m probably most excited about is the fact that Wesley Gordon is going to spend the month of July taking a class and working with (strength coach James) Hardy on a regular basis through July. He’s a guy who can make major improvements (by spending July in Boulder).”

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June 20th

CU to host Auburn in ESPN Tip-Off Marathon

From the Daily Camera … The Colorado men’s basketball team will get an early opportunity to play on national television next season.

CU head coach Tad Boyle confirmed Thursday that the Buffaloes will host Auburn as part of ESPN’s Tip-Off Marathon.

“Our game with Auburn will be a part of that event, we just don’t know exactly what time slot we’re going to be in,” Boyle said.

During the Tip-Off Marathon, ESPN provides more than 24 consecutive hours of basketball coverage, starting Monday, Nov. 17 and going through Tuesday, Nov. 18.

Last year’s lineup included 18 games, broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU. The event began with a 5 p.m. (MDT) game on Monday and featured at least one game every two hours through Tuesday night.

This will be the seventh year of the Tip-Off Marathon.

Figuring out the time slot for the Auburn (9-23 in 2013) game is the last remaining piece to the puzzle of CU’s 2014-15 non-conference schedule. Once that is determined, the Buffs plan to announce their schedule.

Although details have not been released, the Buffs’ schedule will include home games with Air Force, Colorado State and Northern Colorado, as well as road games at Wyoming and Georgia (20-14 in 2013). In addition, the Buffs will play three games at the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu from Dec. 22-25.

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June 17th

CU women to open preseason WNIT at home against North Dakota

From cubuffs.com … The University of Colorado will open the 2014-15 basketball season by hosting North Dakota in the first round of the Preseason Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 6 p.m. MT at the Coors Events Center.

North Dakota was 22-10 in 2013-14, sharing the Big Sky Conference regular season title and winning the conference tournament to earn an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.  Colorado and North Dakota have met on one other occasion, a 67-56 Buffaloes win in Boulder on Jan. 4, 2011.

The Buffaloes, led by fifth-year head coach Linda Lappe, will be guaranteed three games in the event which opens with first round games Nov. 14-15. Round two will be played Nov. 16-17; semifinals will be Nov. 19-20; and the championship, televised live on the CBS Sports Network, is set for Sunday, Nov. 23, at 1 p.m. MT.

If Colorado wins its first round game it would play the winner of Western Kentucky and Central Arkansas in the second round. Teams that lose in the first two rounds will play consolation games, in a redrawn bracket, on Nov. 21-22. All games are hosted by participating schools.

Colorado finished the 2013-14 season with a 19-15 record, logging its fourth-straight winning season and postseason tournament trip.  The Buffaloes survived a bumpy Pac-12 Conference schedule, tying for ninth at 6-12, to make a run to the third round of the Postseason WNIT.  Colorado returns 10 letterwinners including its top two scorers and rebounders in junior forward Arielle Roberson (12.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg) and senior forward Jen Reese (12.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg), who both earned honorable mention to the All-Pac-12 team a year ago.

Colorado makes its third trip to the Preseason WNIT, and first since 2001. The Buffaloes won the title in 1995.

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June 15th

Spencer Dinwiddie update

The NBA draft is now officially “next week” – Thursday, June 27th. Here is an update on how Spencer Dinwiddie is looking in NBA mock drafts:

At NBA Draft Insider, Dinwiddie is going to be picked as the No. 26 pick overall, going to the Miami Heat (up two spots from June 7th);

At HoopsHype.com, Dinwiddie is going to Oklahoma City with the 29th pick of the first round (same spot as on June 7th);

At FoxSports.com, Dinwiddie is the final pick of the first round, going to the San Antonio Spurs (same spot as on June 7th);

At NBA Draft Net, Dinwiddie is going now in the second round, as the 32nd pick to Philadelphia (down three spots);

At DraftExpress, Dinwiddie is the ninth pick of the second round (39th overall), going to Philadelphia (down one spot);

At CBSSports.com, Dinwiddie is projected to fall to the 21st pick in the second round (51st overall), going to the Utah Jazz (same spot as on June 7th);

At NBADraftRoom, Dinwiddie falls to the No. 24 pick in the second round, going 54th overall to the Philadelphia 76ers (same spot as on June 7th).

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June 13th

Pac-12 conference schedule outline announced

From cubuffs.com … The Pac-12 Conference office has provided approximate windows for the 2015 league schedule, offering a glimpse at how the Colorado men’s basketball team’s conference slate shapes up for the coming season.

While the home/away designations have been set for each week, the exact dates of games, and order of opponents, have yet to be determined. Conference game dates, times, and television broadcasts will be announced by September 1.

Colorado was 23-12 overall in 2013-14, advancing to its third straight NCAA Tournament. The Buffaloes finished in a five-way tie for third place in the Pac-12 at 10-8.

Pac-12 Conference Play

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June 7th

Spencer Dinwiddie moves into the first round in at least four mock drafts

Spencer Dinwiddie continues to move up in mock draft boards. The NBA draft will take place on Thursday, June 26th, and Buff fans will be interested as to where the former Buff captain will be taken.

Here is a sampling of some of the mock drafts which have been posted:

At NBA Draft Insider, Dinwiddie is going to be picked as the No. 28 pick overall, going to the Los Angeles Clippers.

At NBA Draft Net, Dinwiddie is also going in the first round, as the 29th pick of the first round, going to Oklahoma City.

At HoopsHype.com, Dinwiddie is also going to Oklahoma City with the 29th pick of the first round.

At FoxSports.com, Dinwiddie is the final pick of the first round, going to the San Antonio Spurs.

At DraftExpress, Dinwiddie is the eighth pick of the second round (38th overall), going to the Detroit Pistons.

At CBSSports.com, Dinwiddie is projected to fall to the 21st pick in the second round (51st overall), going to the Utah Jazz.

At NBADraftRoom, Dinwiddie falls to the No. 24 pick in the second round, going 54th overall to the Philadelphia 76ers.

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June 2nd

Tad Boyle ranked in the top 50 of college coaches

ESPN is ranking its top 50 collegiate basketball coaches, and has posted Nos. 50-26 here. Colorado’s Tad Boyle is ranked No. 34, and while some Buff fans might argue that Boyle should be in the top 25 based upon his first four years in Boulder, we should also just be grateful that the University of Colorado basketball program is even in the top 50 – a far cry from what we have endured for decades.

The only other Pac-12 coach ranked in the 50-26 range was Steve Alford at UCLA, who came in at No. 36 (the top 25 has not yet been posted).

Here is what ESPN had to say about Tad Boyle:

No. 34: Tad Boyle, Colorado

Boyle took over for former Colorado coach Jeff Bzdelik (whose three sub-.500 seasons were so enticing Wake Forest just had to hire him), and that swap may go down as one of the best coaching upgrades in Colorado hoops history. Boyle has been comprehensively good in Boulder, Colorado, both on the court (where he’s 92-49) and off it, where CU fans are now deeply engaged with a program that spent most of the past two decades awash in Chauncey Billups nostalgia.

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May 29th

CU women invited to play in the preseason WNIT

From cubuffs.com … The University of Colorado will tip-off the 2014-15 basketball season by participating in the 16-team Preseason Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).

The Buffaloes, led by fifth-year head coach Linda Lappe, will be guaranteed three games in the event which opens with the first round, Nov. 14-15. Round two will be played Nov. 16-17; semifinals will be Nov. 19-20; and the championship, televised live on the CBS Sports Network, is set for Sunday, Nov. 23, at 1 p.m. MT.

Teams that lose in the first two rounds will play consolation games on Nov. 21-22. All games are hosted by participating schools.  The official tournament bracket with first round opponents, game dates and times will be announced in June.

Five NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago along with four Postseason WNIT participants, including Colorado, highlight the field. Notable potential opponents include perennial national power and 2014 NCAA Region semifinalist Penn State, Big 12 Conference regular season champion West Virginia, Mississippi State out of the SEC, and tradition-rich Western Kentucky out of the Sun Belt.

“The Preseason WNIT has been known for including some of the best teams in the nation and this year is no exception,” Lappe said. “We will be tested early which will be exciting for our team and our fans.”

Rounding out the field, in alphabetical order is, Albany, Arkansas State, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, Jackson State, Mercer, North Dakota, Rider, Seton Hall, St. Francis Brooklyn and Towson.

Colorado makes its third trip to the Preseason WNIT, and first since 2001. The Buffaloes won the title in 1995.

Last year, No. 5 Louisville claimed the Preseason WNIT title knocking off Oklahoma 97-92 in overtime in Norman, Okla.

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May 26th

Oregon supplements depleted roster with former Cal commit

From SportsIllustrated.com … Oregon added a new player on Thursday, when point guard Ahmaad Rorie, ranked No. 116 in 2014 by Rivals, announced at his high school that he was joining the Ducks. Rorie committed to Cal in March 2012, but was granted his release in April after Cuonzo Martin took over following Mike Montgomery’s decision to retire.

Rorie, who chose Oregon over several other Pac-12 programs, discussed his college decision on Thursday. From the Seattle Times:

“The main thing that sold me was the coaches,” he said. “Every coach on the staff I liked and I feel like I can have a really good relationship with going forward. Then I wanted to stay close to home, but I didn’t want to be in Washington. So I was like, maybe Oregon. Then I liked all the gear. I liked all the facilities. I like how they make the tournament every year and I feel like I can help them win a national title. That was the main thing that sold me about Oregon.”

The 6-foot, 175-pound guard is one of seven newcomers for the Ducks. Given Oregon’s lack of guard depth, Rorie should compete for backcourt minutes right away, along with fellow freshmen Casey Benson and JaQuan Lyle, the No. 24 player in 2014. Oregon’s backcourt will also feature leading scorer Joseph Young and senior Jalil Abul-Bassit.

With the addition of Rorie, Oregon now has three open scholarships.

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May 23rd

Xavier Johnson chosen for Pac-12 traveling team

From the Pac-12 … The Pac-12 will send 13 men’s basketball student-athletes on a four-game all-star tour of China this summer as part of its Globalization Initiative, the Conference announced today. The aim of the initiative is to help support Pac-12 member universities’ international outreach efforts, build their brands in an important market, and provide quality educational and cultural exchange experiences for student-athletes.

Utah head coach Larry Krystkowiak will guide a roster of players representing 10 of the Conference’s 12 members.

“It’s an honor to have the chance to represent the University of Utah and the Pac-12 in China this summer,” said Krystkowiak. “This is a great educational experience for everyone involved and I can’t wait to work with this select group of outstanding student-athletes.”

Utah forward Jordan Loveridge (14.7 ppg/7.0 rpg), Colorado forward Xavier Johnson (12.0 ppg/5.9 rpg), Washington guard Andrew Andrews (12.3 ppg/3.9 rpg), and Washington State guard DaVonté Lacy (19.4 ppg/4.2 rpg) highlight a squad that will face a Chinese university all-star team and play three games against teams from the Chinese Basketball Association, including the Shanghai Sharks. Eight-time NBA All-Star Yao Ming owns the Sharks. Max Zhang, a former California student-athlete, has been the center for the Sharks since his return to China in 2010.

The Pac-12 all-star team will also play the Guangdong Southern Tigers, the 2013-14 Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) regular season champion. The Tigers’ leading Chinese scorer is Yi Jianlian, who played for the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks under Krystkowiak during the 2007-08 season before returning to the CBA in 2012.

Here is the roster of players who will be making the trip:

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May 21st

Spencer Dinwiddie to Detroit?

According to a mock draft by DraftExpress.com, Spencer Dinwiddie should be the 8th pick of the 2nd round, going to the Detroit Pistons with the 38th pick overall.

The mock draft can be found here.

Complete bio and predictions concerning Dinwiddie can be found here.

Meanwhile, Dinwiddie could be going to one of these teams …

From NetsDaily.com … Spencer Dinwiddie is a 6’6″ guard out of Colorado is the latest draft prospect to say he’s been interviewed by the Nets. Asked at last week’s Pre-Draft Combine, what teams talked to him, Dinwiddie replied, “Golden State, Memphis, Washington, Brooklyn and Toronto.”

In addition to Dinwiddie, UCONN’s Shabazz Napier, D-Leaguer Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Nevada’s Deonte Burton have said the Nets interviewed them. That’s by no means the complete list. Teams don’t say who they’ve spoken with.

Dinwiddie is currently listed at #38 in the Draft Express mock draft and #35 by NBADraft.net. That’s about the high end of what $2 million would buy you in this draft. Dinwiddie would likely have been higher, almost certainly first round, if he hadn’t torn his ACL this season, his third at Boulder.

The Los Angeles native, who Draft Express lists as a shooting guard, says he’s more a point guard … who can shoot.
“I’m a 6’6″ point guard who IS a point guard,” said Dinwiddie when asked to describe his game. “Not a shooting guard who’s trying to be a point guard. Not a guy who scores but passes at the last second, a guy who understands controlling pace and getting the ball to the right place and plays a self-less brand of basketball.”

Who does he model his game after? “Maybe Shaun Livingston, Penny Hardaway, those type of combo, 6’6″ – 6’7″ long, athletic, rangy, versatile guys,” said Dinwiddie.

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May 20th

Cal transfer signs with Creighton

From CBSSports.com … Cal transfer Ricky Kreklow has committed to Creighton, CBSSports.com has confirmed. ESPN.com first reported the news.

The 6-6 wing will be eligible to play immediately next season since he’s already graduated.

Kreklow, who averaged 5.5 points last season, has battled injuries throughout his career and was looking for a fresh start after the retirement of Mike Montgomery this past spring.

Kreklow will attend Creighton next season as a walk-on.

—–

Oregon State hires Montana coach Wayne Tinkle

… Side Note … Tinkle becomes the second former Montana player and coach to move into the Pac-12 coaching ranks (a third former Montana coach to make it to the Pac-12 was Mike Montgomery, who coached at Stanford and Cal). Larry Krystkowiak, the head coach at Utah, is also a Montana alumnus and former head coach.

Living in Big Sky Country, I can tell you that Tinkle and Krystowiak are of the same mold – large men with large voices and animated coaching styles. Tinkle is Krystkowiak 2.0, so if you have a dislike for the Utah head coach and his antics on the sidelines, be warned that Tinkle is exactly the same sort of coach.

—

Oregon State press release … Wayne Tinkle, who led Montana to three NCAA Tournament appearances, has been named the head coach of the Oregon State men’s basketball team, Director of Athletics Bob De Carolis announced Monday.

Tinkle, 48, was the head coach at Montana for eight seasons and won 158 games, the second most in school history. He led the Grizzlies to Big Sky regular-season titles in 2010, 2012 and 2013 and Big Sky Tournament championships in 2012 and 2013. His 97 conference wins are the most by any Montana coach.

“Today, with the hiring of Coach Wayne Tinkle, Oregon State University begins a new era in Beaver men’s basketball of regularly competing within the top echelon of the Pac-12 for the conference championship and for postseason NCAA competition,” De Carolis said.

“The more I went through the process, the more recommendations I received about Coach Tinkle,” De Carolis added. “I met with Coach Tinkle for several hours last week and came away very impressed with him. His success on the basketball court as a coach and player is well documented, but even more so, I was impressed with his demeanor, family and philosophy. I think he is a perfect fit for our basketball program, Oregon State University, the community and this state.”

Tinkle led Montana to four consecutive postseason trips from 2010-13, including the NCAA Tournament in 2010, 2012 and 2013. He also went to the “Big Dance” three times during his five years as an assistant with the Grizzlies. He was named the Big Sky Coach of the Year after the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons and the NABC Division I All-District 6 Coach of the Year in 2012.

His Montana teams went 25-7 in both 2011-12 and 2012-13, the second most wins in a season in school history. The Grizzlies had a stretch with 25 consecutive Big Sky victories and set a conference record with 19 league wins in 2012-13.

Montana had winning records in seven of Tinkle’s eight years as head coach and won 20 or more games in four consecutive seasons (2010-13). He is the only coach in Montana history to lead his teams to the NCAA Tournament three times and be named the Big Sky Coach of the Year twice.

He served as an assistant coach for Don Holst, Pat Kennedy and Larry Krystkowiak, who is currently the head coach at the University of Utah. Other coaches who worked at Montana that went on to outstanding college coaching careers include Jud Heathcote and Mike Montgomery.

Tinkle was a standout forward for the Grizzlies from 1986-89 and a three-time All-Big Sky pick his sophomore, junior and senior seasons. He is fourth all-time at Montana in rebounds (836) and sixth in points (1,500). He was Montana’s Carl Dragstedt Award (MVP) winner in 1988 and 1989, and led the team in rebounding in 1987, 1988 and 1989, and in scoring in 1988 and 1989.

He played professionally for 12 years with stints in the CBA and in Sweden, Spain, Italy and Greece.

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May 18th

USC’s leading scorer transfers to Gonzaga

From ESPN … Former USC guard Byron Wesley is heading to Gonzaga for his final season and will be able to play immediately.

The 6-foot-5 transfer, who led the Trojans in scoring last season, told ESPN that he has opted to play for Mark Few and Gonzaga over Oklahoma State and Pittsburgh.

“It starts with the winning culture,” Wesley told ESPN on Sunday of his decision to pick Gonzaga. “They’ve been to the NCAA tournament 16 straight times, and it’s an opportunity for me to play in the tournament in my last year.”

Wesley will take advantage of the NCAA’s graduate transfer rule in which players are able to play their final year of eligibility immediately if they have graduated and want to pursue a degree that isn’t offered at their current school.

Wesley averaged a team-high 17.8 points and 6.4 rebounds last season for a USC team that finished 11-21 overall and 2-16 in Pac-12 play.

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May 17th

Buffs stumble in final round, fail to make the NCAA Finals

The Colorado men’s golf team was bidding to become only the second squad in CU history to make it to the NCAA finals, but fell short, falling to 12th place in the Auburn regional.

The Buffs were in fourth place after the first round, and would have been one of the five qualifiers had the tournament ended on Thursday. After Friday’s round, Colorado was in 8th place, but within three shots of the top five. On Saturday, however, the Buffs stumbled badly, posting an overall score of 306, the worst score of the day by any of the 14 teams participating.

CU’s final score of 37 over dropped the Buffs, ranked 48th in the nation coming into the event, back to 12th in the Auburn regional.

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May 16th

Dinwiddie at NBA Combine – confident words

From the Arizona Star … Better than ever?

Of all the sales jobs NBA prospects have to do this week, ex-Colorado guard Spencer Dinwiddie might have one of the toughest.

Not only is he a borderline first-round prospect, but he also has to get somebody to invest some blind faith in him after he blew out his knee last season. Dinwiddie is still unable to participate in combine drills.

But, as he was at Colorado, Dinwiddie remains supremely confident.

“They gotta watch tape, interview me and see if they like my personality and things like that,” Dinwiddie said. “They have to understand they’re going to be getting a player that’s leaner, stronger, and quicker than he was before the injury.

“If they liked who I was before the injury, then they’re going to be getting that, 2.0.”

….. Here is a link to the NBA website with the “measurables” of those at the Combine. Dinwiddie – Body Fat: 5.35%; Hand Length: 8.25 inches; Hand Width: 9.00 inches; Height without shoes: 6’4.5″; Height with shoes: 6’6″; Standing reach: 8’7″; Weight: 204.9 pounds; Wing-span: 6’8.25″.

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Buffs fall to 8th in NCAA golf regionals … but only two strokes out of 5th

Colorado’s men’s golf team slid back from 4th to 8th after the second round of the NCAA regional golf championships in Auburn, Alabama. The Buffs shot a cumulative 11-over par 299 on day two, for a total score of 595.

The top five teams advance to the NCAA finals, and, with one day of competition remaining, the Buffs are in a dogfight with four other schools for the final two spots. Colorado is +19 overall, but the No. 4 team, Virginia Tech, is +16 … so the Buffs still have a fighting chance to make the NCAA finals for only the second time in school history.

May 15th

CU men’s golf in 4th at NCAA regionals (top five teams advance)

From cubuffs.com … The University of Colorado men’s golf team recorded its best opening round performance in an NCAA regional in 20 years here Thursday, with the Buffaloes standing in fourth place after day one of the Southeast/Auburn Regional.

No. 1 and defending national champion Alabama was the only team to record a round under par, and barely at that, as the Crimson Tide finished the first round with a 1-under par score of 287.  That’s good for a healthy six-stroke lead over No. 13 and 2012 champion Texas, in with a 5-over 293 score, with No. 21 Auburn third (294).

Colorado, ranked No. 48, closed the first round at 8-over 296, spending much of the day in the top five.  The Buffs got off to a good start, and early on were at one point tied for the lead with Alabama at 3-under par, when all CU players had completed five holes and the Crimson Tide’s eight.  Colorado then took over the top spot for a short time, but in a span of just a few minutes, three double bogeys, along with two bogeys that were countered with two birdies, sent CU’s team score from minus-3 to plus-3 and the Buffs fell from first to seventh.

The last time a CU team opened with a better standing in a regional was in 1994, when the Buffs were tied for third after the first round of the Central Regional in Oklahoma City; Colorado went on to finish second, it’s best ever regional effort.

The top five teams and top two individuals who are not members of those squads will advance to the NCAA Championship Finals, which are scheduled for May 23-28 in Hutchinson, Kan.

“We got off to a pretty good start, then hit a rough patch in the middle of the round and for the most part finished fairly well,” CU head coach Roy Edwards said.  “On the negative side, we made too many big numbers, but I’m proud of the way the guys battled through it.  It was a pretty tough day out there, the wind was swirling.  It was tough to score, the conditions weren’t the best and the course is very hilly and tree lined.  We probably hit a few too many off line, but likely fewer than most (teams) did.  We didn’t play our best, but we’re pleased with where we’re at.”

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Oregon State head coaching job no closer to being filled

From the Oregonian … Oregon State can legally hire its next men’s basketball coach late Wednesday afternoon. After all, the state-mandated seven days will have passed since athletic director Bob De Carolis posted the job listing on the university’s official web site.

Yet a hiring doesn’t necessarily appear imminent. At this point, Arizona assistant Damon Stoudamire is the only remaining candidate known to have discussed the vacancy with De Carolis this week. And though they talked both Monday and Tuesday, according to a source, the conversations remain preliminary. Stoudamire has expressed his interest in the vacancy, and outlined how he would approach the job. Contract terms were not discussed.

OSU plans to speak with Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Terry Porter before hiring anyone, according to a Sporting News report published Tuesday afternoon. Porter later told The Oregonian that he hadn’t heard from De Carolis since a brief conversation after Craig Robinson’s dismissal early last week.

“I don’t really know what the process is,” he said.

Should De Carolis want to interview more people, he will have no problem finding credible candidates. Eric Musselman, a former NBA headman who left Arizona State last month after two seasons as an assistant, is interested in the job, according to sources. Indiana head coach Tom Crean has reached out to De Carolis to promote Hoosiers assistant and former Wyoming head coach Steve McClain for the position, according to another source.

Other interested coaches include Denver Nuggets assistant Lester Conner, Montana’s Wayne Tinkle, Seattle Pacific’s Ryan Looney and UCLA assistant David Grace.

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May 12th

Firing of Craig Robinson costs Oregon State a game at the White House; OSU summer camps cancelled

From the Oregonian … Forget aircraft carriers and military bases.

There was almost college basketball on the White House lawn.

Michigan State and Oregon State had preliminary plans in place to play a game under a canopy on the grounds of the nation’s most iconic building in the fall of 2016.

However, those plans got scrapped when Oregon State head coach (and Barack Obama’s brother-in-law) Craig Robinson was fired on Monday.

“You’re always looking to explore unique opportunities for student-athletes, and that was one we were looking at,” MSU athletic director Mark Hollis told the Detroit Free Press. “It wasn’t a done deal, but it was one of the dreams. And it was very doable, in terms of logistics.”

The dream isn’t totally dead yet, though.

“If somebody hires (Robinson), maybe it can still be on,” Hollis said.

—

Meanwhile … Camps are cancelled … Little more than a week after announcing the dismissal of head coach Craig Robinson, the Oregon State men’s basketball program issued a news release Tuesday morning canceling this summer’s men’s basketball camps:

Dear valued Campers, Parents and Guardians,

Due to the recent changes in the Oregon State University Men’s Basketball coaching staff, we regret to inform you that all of the currently scheduled Craig Robinson / Oregon State Boys’ Basketball camps for Summer 2014 have been cancelled. 

We are currently working through the process of issuing full refunds to all of our patrons via the method of payment that was received.  

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and we hope to have your campers back next year when the Oregon State University Boys’ Basketball camps return.

Thank you for your understanding during this transition.

Sincerely,

-OSU Athletics

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May 9th

Oregon dismisses three from basketball team … but Altman to return as head coach

From the Oregonian … Dana Altman will return next season as Oregon’s men’s basketball coach but three of his players will not in the wake of allegations of rape against Damyean Dotson, Brandon Austin and Dominic Artis, despite none of the three being charged with a crime.

Athletic director Rob Mullens said Friday in a news conference with university president Michael Gottfredson and vice president of student affairs Robin Holmes that he first read the graphic report of an off-campus incident on April 30, along with Altman. Within 24 hours, Mullens and Gottfredson made the decision to suspend the three players.

Though the local district attorney chose not to file charges against any of the players April 14, Mullens said the alleged actions in the report by the players was not “conduct befitting” an Oregon athlete, and thus was grounds for dismissal.

“The three student-athletes were suspended,” Gottfredson said. “They will not be playing basketball at Oregon again.”

Asked if Altman would be the head coach next season, however, Mullens confirmed that Altman will return for a fifth season.

Gottfredson said he knew the identities of the players before Oregon played in the NCAA Tournament but that neither Mullens nor Altman knew the specific names of the players involved, even though they were notified an unspecified investigation was under way against three basketball players. However, Mullens said he and Altman held discussions one day before leaving for the NCAA Tournament about whether UO should leave any players home.

The alleged incident happened March 8, hours after Oregon defeated No. 3 Arizona to finish the regular season on a high note in front of a national audience. In the report, a female victim alleges she was forced to have sex with the players at several different times at a house party and apartment. When interviewed by police, the players claimed the sex was consensual.

—-

Arizona assistant Damon Stoudamire amongst those being considered for Oregon State post

From the Oregonian … Oregon State will move quickly in its search to replace Craig Robinson as men’s basketball coach but, according to a source close to the process on Wednesday evening, the Beavers are not expected to make a hire until late next week.

An athletic department source tells The Oregonian that there has been enthusiastic interest from candidates such as Terry Porter and Lionel Hollins, who have contacted the Beavers directly, as well as a push from boosters to consider others including Eric Musselman and Damon Stoudamire.

Porter, the former Portland Trail Blazers guard, was an assistant with the Minnesota Timberwolves last season. Hollins, another former Trail Blazer, was head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies until being let go last summer. Musselman resigned from an assistant head coach position at Arizona State last month and was recently a finalist for the head job at South Florida. Stoudamire, yet another former Trail Blazers guard, is an assistant at Arizona.

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May 8th

Oregon basketball – 18 transfers in; 23 transfers out in four years under Dana Altman

From CBSSports.com … The past half-decade has taken on a motif in college basketball that’s brought about plenty of debate and even some concern: the rise in transfers. This offseason is on pace for the most transfers on record (it could break 500), breaking the record from last year, which broke the record from the year prior, which broke the record from the year prior to that.

All such stats/records are largely unofficial, but the NCAA has started to take notice and pretty much any veteran coach will vouch for the fact that players are swapping schools more frequently now than anything that happened 10, 15, 30 years ago.

Few, if any, programs have mirrored the increased pattern of transient students like Dana Altman at Oregon. A few schools — Iowa State, Maryland — have either benefited or fallen victim to the transfer trend, but I can’t find any major program that’s seen the good and bad in such stark ways from both ends.

In four years, Altman’s been relatively successful. He’s taken the Ducks to the past two NCAA Tournaments and has posted a 97-47 mark — winning more than 67 percent of his games since arriving from Creighton in 2010. But he’s lost boatloads to transfers. Not one player in his 2011 class stayed beyond two years. Ten players from the Ernie Kent era eventually left Eugene prematurely.

Oregon is consistent in the win column but not on the roster. And the former is mostly all fans care about.

But now the Ducks are swimming in mud, currently wading through a dicey situation that’s led to suspensions for the three players (Brandon Austin, Damyean Dotson and Dominic Artis) named in an ugly alleged rape case — that has since been closed and brought no charges.

ESPN.com reports Austin, Dotson and Artis “are not expected to return to the team.” When you factor in a presumed, inevitable departure for those three (and it’s hard to imagine how Oregon/Altman could justify bringing any of the players back, from a PR standpoint alone), it tallies up to 41 roster transactions — either in or out — for Oregon since the school opted to hire a new coach in the spring of 2010.

And if/when the aforementioned three leave, Altman will almost certainly have to pick up a few new guys off the transfer market yet again. In four years, Oregon is easily averaging more than 10 transfer transactions per. Astoundingly high.

In that time, the Ducks have had just one player drafted: Arsalan Kazemi, a Rice transfer who was taken 54th in 2013. But Kazemi is currently in his birth country, Iran.

It’s been an interesting experiment for Altman at Oregon. Has it been worth it? That’s probably still to be determined. Here are the names of the guys who left town, came aboard — or sometimes did both. Note that junior college acquisitions are not counted as “transfers,” so with that, we’re at 41 roster transactions: players who came to Oregon from another college or left the team prior to graduating.

OUT

1. Matthew Humphrey (sophomore, 2010, to Boston College) 2. Jamil Wilson (freshman, 2010, to Marquette) 3. Drew Wiley (sophomore, 2010, to Boise State) 4. LeKendric Longmire (senior, 2010, academically ineligible, went overseas) 5. Martin Seiferth (freshman, 2011, to Eastern Washington) 6. Teondre Williams (junior, 2011, to Clayton State) 7. Nicholas Fearn (junior, 2011, left team) 8. Matt Losli (sophomore, 2011, left team) 9. John Elorriaga (junior, 2011, left team) 10. Malcolm Armstead (sophomore, 2011, to Wichita State) 11. Jabari Brown (freshman, 2011, to Missouri) 12. Bruce Barron (freshman, 2011, left team) 13. Brett Kingma (2012, to Washington State) 14. Chris Larson (2012, to St. Cloud State) 15. Austin Kuemper (2013, to Northwest Christian University) 16. Coleton Baker (2013, to Northwest Christian University) 17. Willie Moore (2013, to Miami University) 18. Fred Richardson III (2013, to Houston Baptist) 19. Ben Carter (2014, to UNLV) 20. A.J. Lapray (2014, to Pepperdine) 21. Dominic Artis (2014, TBD) 22. Brandon Austin (2014, TBD) 23. Damyean Dotson (2014, TBD)

IN

24. Tyrone Nared (2010, via Monroe College) 25. Jay-R Strowbridge (2010, via Jacksonville State) 26. Olu Ashaolu (2011, via Lousiana Tech) 27. Carlos Emory (2011, via Howard College) 28. Chris Larson (2011, via Black Hawk Community College) 29. Tony Woods (2011, via Wake Forest) 30. Devoe Joseph (2011, via Minnesota) 31. Waverly Austin (2012, via Palm Beach State College) 32. Coleton Baker (2012, via Umpqua Community College) 33. Arsalan Kazemi (2012, via Rice) 34. Mike Moser (2013, via UNLV) 35. Joseph Young (2013, via Houston) 36. Jason Calliste (2013, via Detroit) 37. Richard Amardi (2013, via Indian Hills Community College) 38. Jalil Abdul-Bassit (2013, via North Idaho College) 39. Elgin Cook (2013, via Northwest Florida State) 40. Brian Crow (2013, via Sonoma State) 41. Brandon Austin (2014, via Providence)

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May 7th

Q&A with Oregon vice-president over rape allegations

From the Oregonian … Oregon vice president of student affairs Robin Holmes was interviewed Wednesday by The Oregonian about the university’s response to allegations of rape against three University of Oregon basketball players — Damyean Dotson, Dominic Artis and Brandon Austin.

As of Monday, all three are not currently participating in team activities. None has been charged with a crime after the district attorney’s office declined to prosecute in mid-April. The incident occurred on March 8, and the district attorney handling the case acknowledged “While there is no doubt the incidents occurred, the conflicting statements and actions by the victim make this case unprovable as a criminal case.”

Here is a story written Wednesday about the case and who was notified after interviews with Holmes and university spokespersons Julie Brown and Tobin Klinger. In those interviews, the spokespersons said they could not disclose who at the UO was notified of the allegations when the UO first knew on March 9. And here is an editorial from The Oregonian about the accusations.

Not all of Holmes’ interview could fit into a story, but for readers interested in knowing more about how the UO described its response, here is an edited transcript of the interview, which took place in Johnson Hall.

The Oregonian: I was hoping for some definitions, to start. Tobin (Klinger) and Julie (Brown) had mentioned you take immediate action when you learn of something like a sexual assault. How would you define “immediate action” when you learn of an accusation?

Holmes: There are several things that surround this, one of which is federal law and state laws and then you have university policies and expectations. There’s a concept of when the university is put on notice. And so as soon as we find out any information about anything regarding prohibited discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual abuse, sexual assault, any of those types of prohibited behaviors, then we are put on notice that that has potentially occurred and we have to respond immediately. Right away means immediate, right away. In a process that happens all of the time at the university for one of those things occurring the information is taken in. Depending on whether it’s an incident that happens between a staff member and faculty member or faculty member and a student or a student and a student that will go on a particular direction depending on the groups that are involved. But the investigation of that will happen immediately and you’re trying to gather enough information to see if you have probable cause. It doesn’t have to be clear and convincing, no doubt that it happened, you just need probable cause that some type of prohibited behavior has potentially occurred and once you have that probable cause the rest of the process would kick in. Although that would happen immediately, it does take quite a bit of time. This is a very, very difficult, convoluted, long, comprehensively difficult thing to look into and we have to be very careful, very deliberate and we have to pay attention to due process for everyone that’s involved as well as the rights of the survivor. They never go very fast because of it. And they shouldn’t, this is really important stuff.

Q: Eugene police requested the university take no action because it might jeopardize their investigation until it was closed. So, in a case like that where the police department says to not take administrative review while we investigate, how does the university then take immediate action?

Holmes: One of the difficult things about discussing cases in general is that every case is different and because of that you’re almost always working on a case-by-case basis. And that’s what I see all the time is there might be similarities in cases but for the most part you have to look at that case and that set of circumstances and you have to make decisions and follow your own processes. As you know there are federal laws that dictate and give us guidance about how we act.

One part of the federal law talks about the importance of the institution not delaying their own internal investigation — which is different oftentimes than a law enforcement investigation — not delaying their own investigation just because of that and it also says — and this is the difficulty of any federal law — is it also says if investigators getting involved with the school would interfere with the police report or police action then you should wait. So it says both those things. So just like you would on a case-by-case basis you would weigh all of those things and you should always be checking in and be deliberate and following through on our responsibilities but if we’re going to interfere with the police gathering of information in an investigation then we’d be working very closely with the police department to make sure that did not happen and then readying ourselves to make our investigation as soon as we all agreed that it was clear to do so.

Q: If these players aren’t charged there’s always the code of conduct route for any action, too, of course. From my reading of the student conduct code it appeared it takes a written complaint to start that process, is that right?

Holmes: Not necessarily. If we get credible information that there’s been probably sexual assault by law we have to investigate that immediately. It doesn’t have to come in written form, it can come in whatever form, you can hear it from somebody else and, you know, decide to investigate it or you can hear it directly from the person and decide to investigate that. The first thing to do is find out what happened and the second thing to do after you find out what happened is to follow your process and that is what we would always do in any case.

Q: Can sexual assault in the student code of conduct be punished by expulsion? How far can the conduct code be taken for punishment, regardless of what a law enforcement body decides?

Holmes: “… The way our code of conduct is written is that there are examples of things that would violate the code of conduct but there isn’t an, ‘if you do this, you get that,’ that’s not the way it happens. We’re looking to see is, ‘Did this behavior disrupt the opportunity that another person had for their educational opportunity?’ ‘Did it disrupt it in some way and what was the nature of that disruption and what needs to be the remedy of that disruption?’ Whereas in a legal proceeding it’s ‘Did you break a law?’ you’d get a certain punishment with years and those kinds of things. That doesn’t happen with conduct process. What does happen is some activities if they are egregious enough and really disrupt someone’s opportunity enough then we could decide to expel the student.

Q: Do you know when UO coach Dana Altman will speak about this situation? I think that’s what people want most is kind of a, we know he can’t talk about much but why hasn’t he said anything?

Holmes: In general for all of us, it’s been obvious because we’re getting criticism, we’re respecting the process and we will do that in any case. That makes it hard for some people to not know what is going on and to speculate what is going on but in any case at any time you really do have to respect the process. I can’t speak for when or if the coach will be available but I imagine whatever decisions he is making he’s making those because he’s respecting that process.

Holmes: There was one other thing I wanted to say was in terms of the support we provide to survivors that that is something that we obviously are very interested in. We have a lot of resources in that area. We reach out to survivors right away and make sure that they have what they need in terms of accomodations and any other type of emotional support they would need. We have counseling center staff who has speciality in regard to sexual assault, we have folks in the dean of students office who have that specialty, as well. so that’s something that is very, very important to us and we would at any time if we hear of something like this we would have been offering that kind of support as well to survivors and anyone else who would be involved in this situation.

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May 6th

Updates on allegations involving Oregon basketball players (including graphic police report)

From The Oregonian … Monday’s announcement that Oregon basketball junior guard Damyean Dotson is not currently participating in team activities follows a forcible rape investigation from March that the Lane County District Attorney’s office has since declined to prosecute due to a lack of evidence.

Oregon announced Monday morning that Dotson, Artis and Austin were “not currently participating in any team activities.”

The district attorney’s office listed only Dotson as a suspect when it wrote April 14 that due to insufficient evidence it would not pursue prosecution. It also did not list any of the charges Dotson had been accused of. However, it added, “While there is no doubt the incidents occurred, the conflicting statements and actions by the victim make this case unprovable as a criminal case.”

Artis and Dotson were contacted by law enforcement after the incident and told investigators the sex was consensual. Austin was also contacted by police but asked that any inquiries be handled by his lawyer.

In the case of Austin, it is the second sexual assault case he has been linked to since November, after a Wall Street Journal article in March reported he and a teammate were under investigation while at Providence. He never played a game for the Friars after being suspended twice, and transferred to Oregon in January.

In the report, the victim alleged that she had been drinking alcohol on the night of March 8 — the weekend before the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament — prior to attending a party with two friends at the home of former Oregon point guard Johnathan Loyd. Over the course of the night, the victim told officers she was sexually assaulted in three separate instances, each time by all three Duck players.

When asked how she identified the men, the victim told the reporting officer that, “They look like they do on the basketball cards they hand out at games” and that the players had identified each other by name several times.

The alleged assaults involving Austin, Artis and Dotson took place in a bathroom at the party, twice — the first incident was interrupted by someone walking into the bathroom — and also later at an apartment.

After the incident spread to the apartment, the victim told police: “I think I gave up. I let them do whatever they wanted. I just wanted it to be over and to go to sleep.”

Reaction to the allegations spread quickly at Oregon.

“We are deeply concerned about information contained in the police report recently released by the Eugene Police Department,” Oregon president Michael Gottfredson said in a statement Monday night. “Federal laws that protect the privacy of all students preclude the university from commenting about students. However, the university takes allegations of misconduct very seriously. In addition, a full range of services and support are offered to students, including those required by Title IX and others beyond the requirements of Title IX. The university has established internal conduct processes for handling misconduct allegations. At this point, we ask that you please respect these processes and student privacy.”

Sam Dotters-Katz, the student body president, added: “As ASUO President, I believe it’s essential that the student body focuses on standing on the side of the survivor and all survivors of sexual violence, not on how this affects our team’s competitiveness next year. These deeply disturbing allegations undermine the hard work and emphasis that our community has made on sexual assault prevention.”

No athletic department officials would comment Monday night after the police report was released.

It was not Dotson’s only legal run-in from the season. Just before 1 a.m. on Feb. 22, the Houston native was cited for using a false identification to enter a campus bar. He was suspended for the next game. On April 11 that case closed when he received a deferred prosecution and was ordered to pay $300 and attend a class for eight hours.

Last season Artis, a San Francisco native, averaged 4.1 points and 2.2 assists in primarily a backup role after being suspended, along with teammate Ben Carter, for the season’s first nine games after selling team-issued gear.

Dotson averaged 9.4 points, two points per game fewer than his freshman season, but became a defensive stopper by often guarding an opponent’s best player.

Austin was not eligible to play after transferring from Providence in January, where the Philadelphia native did not play a game for the Friars after being suspended, along with a teammate, Dec. 23 for “not upholding their responsibilities as student-athletes.”

Austin chose to transfer to Oregon over Providence’s wishes to keep him. The school countered Austin’s request for a release from his National Letter of Intent by writing that it “truly wanted Mr. Austin to return to Providence College for the Spring 2014 semester and beyond. We supported him in every way possible during the on-campus disciplinary process and would have continued to support him in any way possible.”

Upon Austin’s arrival in January, Oregon head coach Dana Altman said UO felt comfortable with Austin joining the team after doing its due diligence. In March, after the Wall Street Journal report linked Austin to the sexual assault accusation in Rhode Island, Altman reaffirmed his confidence in Austin.

“I’m sure Providence was very careful with what they told us because of the laws but we took some comfort in knowing they wanted him to stay,” Altman said in Milwaukee in March, before the second round of the NCAA Tournament. “We knew they’d done the investigation and felt very comfortable because they wanted him to stay.”

If Austin, Artis and Dotson leave the team, they would be the third, fourth and fifth Ducks to leave the roster since the season-ending loss to Wisconsin on March 22. Carter and freshman guard A.J. Lapray left the team in April; Lapray has since joined the team at Pepperdine.

Of the 16 players on Oregon’s roster following its season-ending NCAA Tournament loss to Wisconsin on March 22, four remain in good standing: guards Joseph Young, Jalil Abdul-Bassit, forward Elgin Cook and walk-on guard Theo Friedman.

——

Oregon linebacker arrested for DUI

From the Daily Emerald … Oregon linebacker Rahim Cassell was arrested by Eugene Police Sunday morning around 1 a.m. for driving under the influence, Eugene Police spokeswoman Melinda McLaughlin confirmed Monday morning. McLaughlin said Cassell’s vehicle was impounded and he was likely cited and released.

The arrest occurred on E. 13th Ave. and Hilyard St. A party patrol officer saw Cassell’s car speeding and changing lanes without using its signal, prompting the officer to pull Cassell over and cite him.

Cassell, a redshirt junior from Lakewood, California, played in all 13 games during the 2013 season as a backup linebacker. He finished the year with 32 total tackles, included 13 unassisted, while also forcing and recovering a fumble. His best game so far as a Duck came against Stanford, when he recorded six tackles (two solo) in Oregon’s 26-20 loss.

During the 2014 spring game, Cassell recorded four tackles, including two solo. He made the first defensive play of the game by forcing running back Thomas Tyner out of bounds in the first quarter of play.

He recorded the first sack of his career in the 2013 Civil War against Oregon State while also forcing a fumble. Additionally, he recovered his first fumble against Nicholls State in 2013.

UPDATE: Mark Helfrich’s released a statement regarding the incident:

“We are aware of the situation and continue to gather information. We have a high standard of accepted behavior for our student-athletes that will not be compromised. Once we have a complete determination of the facts, we will take appropriate steps,” Helfrich said in the statement.

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May 5th

Oregon losing star players; down to four players in good standing on the remaining roster

From the Oregonian … Oregon basketball junior point guard Dominic Artis, junior guard Damyean Dotson and sophomore forward Brandon Austin are not currently participating in team activities, the school announced Monday morning, leaving each player’s status with the Ducks in limbo.

Previously Monday morning, Artis was said to be seeking a transfer from the Ducks, as reported by ESPN’s Jeff Goodman.

Artis averaged 8.5 points and 3.2 assists per game as a freshman in 2012-13 but missed the first nine games of his sophomore season due to a suspension for selling team-issued gear along with teammate Ben Carter. Once Artis returned from the suspension he averaged 4.1 points and 2.2 assists per game in largely a backup role.

Austin has been under scrutiny since his arrival in January from Providence. A high-profile recruit from Philadelphia, Austin didn’t play a game for the Friars after being suspended indefinitely on Nov. 6. On Dec. 23, he and a teammate were suspended for the season for “not upholding their responsibilities as student-athletes.” In March, the Wall Street Journal reported Austin and the teammate were linked to a sexual assault investigation in Rhode Island.

Austin chose to transfer to Oregon over Providence’s protests. The school countered Austin’s request for a release from his National Letter of Intent by writing that it “truly wanted Mr. Austin to return to Providence College for the Spring 2014 semester and beyond. We supported him in every way possible during the on-campus disciplinary process and would have continued to support him in any way possible.”

Austin was expected to become eligible to play for Oregon in December.

Dotson averaged 9.4 points per game last season, two fewer points per game than as a freshman, but played a valuable role as a defensive stopper by usually guarding the opponent’s best player. He was cited for attempting to use a false identification at a campus bar in Eugene in February and was suspended for one game.

If the players eventually leave the team, they would be the third, fourth and fifth Ducks to leave from the 2014 roster with eligibility remaining.

Carter was released from his scholarship in April on the condition he only speak with UNLV about a transfer. Previously, A.J. Lapray left the team to transfer to Pepperdine.

Those previous moves, coupled with the announcement of Artis, Dotson and Austin’s non-participation, leaves the Ducks’ roster in limbo once again. Of the 16 players on Oregon’s roster following its season-ending NCAA Tournament loss to Wisconsin on March 22, four remain in good standing: guards Joseph Young, Jalil Abdul-Bassit, Theo Friedman and forward Elgin Cook.

Oregon State fires its head basketball coach

From ESPN … Oregon State has fired coach Craig Robinson, sources confirmed to ESPN.com on Monday.

Robinson, the brother-in-law of President Barack Obama, had three years remaining on his contract. He was just 93-104 in six seasons in Corvallis, and the Beavers failed to go to the NCAA tournament or even an NIT in his tenure.

The Oregonian reported in March that Robinson would receive a buyout of $4 million, which is 10 times the annual salary of President Obama, who makes $400,000 per year.

The news was earlier reported by SI.com.

The Beavers were 16-16 and 8-10 in the Pac-12 this past season, and the program was set to lose its top five scorers.

The top three — Roberto Nelson, Devon Collier and Angus Brandt — all graduated. Eric Moreland declared early for the NBA draft, and Hallice Cooke decided to transfer. Starting point guard Challe Barton, who hails from Sweden, decided to play overseas instead of returning to the program.

Robinson came to Oregon State from Brown, where he was 30-28 in two seasons.

May 3rd

CU Lacrosse closes out first season with a semifinal loss to Stanford

From CUBuffs.com … As it had done throughout its inaugural season, the University of Colorado lacrosse team had a strong presence in the second half, but this time it wouldn’t be enough as the Buffaloes fell 15-6 to No. 18 Stanford in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation semifinals.

“Stanford, they’re a great team in our conference, and they’re competing at the national level to be in the NCAA Tournament,” CU head coach Ann Elliott said. “We knew it was going to be a battle and a tough challenge for us. We were excited about the opportunity. We wanted to come out and compete, but they looked good tonight. They looked fast; they have a lot of weapons. It was tough for us the first 30 minutes. I though our last 30, our kids started playing with a little more confidence. That was good to end on that note.”

The conference tournament concludes here Sunday with the championship game between the reigning MPSF tournament champion No. 18 Stanford and 2014 regular season champ No. 20 Denver. First draw is at 11 a.m.

——

May 1st

CU Lacrosse team wins first ever playoff game

Colorado, in its first season with a lacrosse team, continues to impress.

From cubuffs.com … Colorado versus San Diego State: take two. Though the journey was different, the outcome was the same, with the CU lacrosse team taking down SDSU in overtime. This time, Johnna Fusco netted the sudden victory game-winner to give the Buffaloes a 9-8 win in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation quarterfinals.

CU has a growing knack for overtime play. The Buffs have gone into extra minutes in four of their last five games. In fact, all the teams playing in Thursday’s MPSF quarterfinals (SDSU, USC and Oregon) have lost to CU in overtime during the regular season. CU is now a perfect 4-0 in overtime, picking up two wins over SDSU. In its inaugural season, the Buffs improve to 11-7 overall.

“It’s not a trend we’re promoting but we’ve been fighting hard and there’s good teams in our conference,” CU head coach Ann Elliott said of her team’s recent inclination for extra minutes. “It’s taken us longer than 60 minutes to win and we’re very fortunate for every opportunity. We’re fortunate to be on the winning side of these games. It’s tough to win in overtime.”

…. “I’m obviously very proud of this team and what they’ve accomplished,” Elliott said. “To be able to have the fight they have, to be able to be down and come back and pull it out in overtime is exciting. We’ve done that a few times this year and to have another opportunity to extend our season for them to play together one more time at least is exciting.”

The MPSF Tournament continues Friday, with Oregon and No. 20 Denver facing off at 4 p.m. CU and No. 18 Stanford will take each other on in the late game, which will start no earlier than 7 p.m.

“I expect it to be just like this one,” Fusco said of the Buffs’ second matchup against Stanford. “Just as hard, even more competitive. We’re going to come out just as hard. We don’t want it to be our last game so, we’re in it!”

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This post, about the Colorado Basketball game, from the 2013 Season, is filed under Article.
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