Colorado Basketball – January, 2017

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Colorado Basketball

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January 29th 

… CU in the Arena …

You Tube highlights of CU’s upset of No. 10 Oregon

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CU Pac-12 student challenge at Oregon game

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January 28th – Boulder          Colorado 74, No. 10 Oregon 65

“That’s the Colorado basketball team we all know and love” … CU 7-0 all-time at home v. Oregon

… Related … “White Produces Down Stretch In Buffs’ Win Over Ducks” … from CUBuffs.com

… Related … “Long-awaited defensive spark sends CU Buffs past No. 10 Oregon” … from the Daily Camera

From CUBuffs.com … It took longer than expected, but when the Colorado Buffaloes most folks expected to see all season finally showed up, it was a game to remember.

Derrick White scored 23 points — 17 in the second half — and a tenacious Colorado defense forced 16 Oregon turnovers to propel the Buffs to a 74-65 win over the No. 10 Ducks on Saturday at the Coors Events Center.

The win, Colorado’s second straight, improved the Buffs to 12-10 and 2-7 in Pac-12 play. The Ducks, who saw their 17-game win streak come to an end, fell to 19-3 and suffered their first conference loss to fall to 8-1.

“That’s the Colorado basketball team we all know and love,” CU head coach Tad Boyle said. “I couldn’t be more proud of the guys.”

The win was CU’s third in six games against ranked teams this year and the highest-ranked team the Buffs have beaten since they knocked off No. 9 Arizona last February.

“It’s a great feeling,” White said. “It was a team effort all the way. We all made big plays and we all guarded. That’s the main reason we won this game. That’s the main reason you come to Colorado in the first place, to win on your home court.”

It was indeed a team effort on both ends of the floor. Boyle returned to his “regular” starters, as George King added 13 points to White’s 23 and Xavier Johnson scored 10. Johnson also led the Buffs in rebounding with nine, King nabbed eight and Wesley Gordon had an eight-point, six-rebound, four-assist night.

… Continue reading story here …

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NOTEWORTHY: Oregon’s 17-game win streak was the longest in program history. … Colorado is now 9-0 when holding an opponent under 70 points this year. …. Tad Boyle has 15 wins over ranked teams at Colorado, more than 25 percent of the 59 total in CU history. … CU is now 10-6 all-time vs. Oregon and 7-0 in Boulder. … Oregon is now 1-3 when trailing at the half. … The 16 turnovers forced by Colorado are the most by a CU opponent in Pac-12 play this year.

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January 27th

… CU in the Arena … 

Getting to Know: No. 10 Oregon

Game … Saturday, January 28th, 7:30 p.m., Pac-12 Network, 850 AM radio; Sirius 93; XM 197

Game Notes … From CUBuffs.com

Colorado is 11-10 overall and 1-7 in the Pac-12 after defeating Oregon State 85-78 on Jan. 26, snapping a seven-game losing streak, the program’s longest since 2008-09. The Buffaloes had been coming off back-to-back overtime losses at Washington (85-83) and Washington State (91-89). The last time the Buffaloes played back-to-back overtime games was the first two games of the 1996-97 season, an 82-80 home win over Drake on Nov. 24, 1996, and a 78-72 win over Auburn in Hawai’i on Nov. 29.

The Buffaloes endured a treacherous stretch, playing 5-of-7 on the road to begin conference play. During that span, Colorado faced three straight ranked teams for just the fourth time in team history and began conference play with three road games for the first time in 85 years, when the 1931-32 Buffaloes had their first three Rocky Mountain Conference games away from Boulder.

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Related …

… “Buffs Play Host To No. 10 Oregon” … From CUBuffs.com

… “Tory Miller, Bryce Peters look to continue recent spark against No. 10 Oregon” … From the Daily Camera

… Ticket deal for Oregon game … Come join your fellow young alums as CUYA heads to Boulder to watch the Buffs men’s basketball team take on Oregon!  Grab a drink (or two) at Chip’s Corral and cheer on our Buffs from the stands in general admission. We also heard that CUnit has something big in store to greet our new rivals…so don’t miss out on an epic Saturday evening.

Plus we have a special deal: Buy one ticket for $17 or two for $25.  Everyone that hangs out with us gets their photo taken on the court, so don’t miss out … Details can be found here … 

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Quotable Tad Boyle … “I don’t know who’s going to start (against Oregon), to be honest with you,” Boyle said. “It doesn’t matter who starts, it’s about who plays and who plays well. We’ve got 11 guys that are in our rotation and we’ve got to be ready to go.”

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Oregon 2016-17 Season:  Oregon is 19-2 overall and a perfect 8-0 in the Pac-12. The Ducks, ranked No. 10 in the latest Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Polls, have won their last 17, including a 73-67 decision at Utah on Jan. 26. Oregon is averaging just under 80 points per game while shooting 48 percent from the field. Defensively, the Ducks allow just 62.9 points per game while holding opponents to 37 percent shooting.

Oregon features five players who average double-digits in scoring led by junior forward Dillon Brooks at 13.7 points per game. Senior forward Chris Boucher leads the Ducks in blocked shots (2.9 bpg) while ranking second in scoring (13.0 ppg), rebounding (6.9 rpg) and fi eld goal percentage (.549). Sophomore guard Tyler Dorsey tops Oregon with 40 3-point field goals while averaging 12.3 points and 3.6 rebounds an outing. Senior guard Dylan Ennis is pitches in 11.6 points while shooting 45 percent. Junior forward Jordan Bell tops the Ducks in shooting at 64 percent while averaging 11.2 points per game.

Series:  This will be the 16th meeting between Colorado and Oregon with the Buffaloes holding a 9-6 series lead. The teams split their meetings in 2015-16, each winning at home. Oregon has won three of the last four overall, but the Buffaloes lead the series 6-4 since joining the Pac-12 for the 2011-12 season. Colorado has won all six meetings in Boulder.

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January 26th – Boulder         Colorado 85, Oregon State 78

Buffs hold off Beavers despite making only 15 of 31 free throw attempts

… Related … “Buffs Freshman Peters Makes Most Of First Collegiate Start” … from CUBuffs.com

… Related … “Reserves help end winless Pac-12 start as CU Buffs hold off OSU” … from the Daily Camera 

From CUBuffs.com … The Colorado Buffaloes finally found a way to finish what they started Thursday night.

After losing a lead four times in the final minute of regulation or overtime in their seven-game skid, the Buffs instead put a game away, collecting an 85-78 win over Oregon State at the Coors Events Center to finally break into the Pac-12 win column.

CU improved to 11-10 overall and 1-7 in Pac-12 play while OSU dropped to 4-17, 0-8.

George King led the Buffs with a season-high 24 points and freshman Bryce Peters, who got his first career start, celebrated with a career-high 15 points, including a perfect 3-for-3 night from 3-point range.

The win didn’t come easily and it didn’t start in conventional fashion. CU head coach Tad Boyle shook up his starting lineup, putting three freshmen — Deleon Brown, Peters and Lucas Siewert — on the floor with junior Tory Miller and sophomore Thomas Akyazili. It was the first start of the season for Peters, Akyazili, Siewert and Miller, and just the third start for Brown.

“That move was more a way to honor and to reward the guys who come to practice every day and who don’t get the minutes or haven’t gotten the starts,” Boyle said. “Four of the five guys tonight hadn’t started yet this year, and we threw Deleon (Brown) in there because he’s such a team-oriented defender and he gives you everything he’s got every single day. Other guys have had their opportunities and I thought it was time for those guys who hadn’t to get their chance.”

… Continue reading story here …

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January 25th 

… CU in the Arena … 

Getting to Know: Oregon State

Game … Thursday, January 26th, 6:30 p.m., Fox Sports 1, 760 AM radio; Sirius 145; XM 383

Game Notes … From CUBuffs.com

Colorado’s losses the last three games have come by a grand total of seven points combined – three to USC and two each at Washington and Washington State in overtime. Four of Colorado’s seven Pac-12 losses have been by a single possession – three points or less.

Colorado is 10-10 overall and 0-7 in the Pac-12 coming off back-to-back overtime losses at Washington (85-83) and Washington State (91-89). The last time the Buffaloes played back-to-back overtime games was the first two games of the 1996-97 season, an 82-80 home win over Drake on Nov. 24, 1996, and a 78-72 win over Auburn in Hawai’i on Nov. 29. The Buffaloes have dropped seven in a row, their longest losing streak since 2008-09 and it’s the first time Colorado has fell in its first seven league games since the 1992-93 Big Eight season (0-8). The Buffaloes endured a treacherous stretch, playing 5-of-7 on the road to begin conference play. During that span, Colorado faced three straight ranked teams for just the fourth time in team history and began conference play with three road games for the first time in 85 years, when the 1931-32 Buffaloes had their first three Rocky Mountain Conference games away from Boulder.

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Related …

… “Buffs Return To Basics With Beavers, Ducks On Horizon” … From CUBuffs.com

… “CU Buffs set to host OSU, Oregon teams dealing with injuries” … From the Daily Camera

… “Reeling Oregon State could offer remedy for CU Buffs hoops” … From the Daily Camera

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Quotable Tad Boyle … “This group, if anything, should be playing with a chip on our shoulder and a little bit of nasty to us,” Boyle said. “The one thing I’m not going to let happen is, I’m not going to let these guys feel sorry for themselves. I’m not going to feel sorry for myself as a coach. I’ve coached teams that have not had winning records before. We’re still a .500 team. For right now we’re 10-10. But we’re on a slide and the only people that can bring us out of it is ourselves.”

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Oregon State 2016-17 Season:  Oregon State is 4-16 overall and 0-7 in the Pac-12 Conference. The Beavers have lost their last seven, looking for their fi rst win since defeating Kent State 69-50 on Dec. 21. Oregon State ranks last in the Pac-12 Conference in scoring at 63.2 points per game. The Beavers shoot 43 percent from the field and 34 percent from 3-point range. Defensively, Oregon State allows just under 70 points per game while opponents shoot 42 percent from the floor.

Series:  This will be the 19th meeting between Colorado and Oregon State with the Buffaloes holding a 12-6 series lead. The teams split their series in 2015-16, each winning at home. Colorado has won 6-of-10 since joining the Pac-12 for the 2011-12 season. The Buffaloes have won 8-of-9 all-time meetings in Boulder.

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January 23rd

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs trying to pick up the pieces after back-to-back overtime road losses

… Related … “Fighting through downward spiral a challenge for CU Buffs men’s basketball” … from the Daily Camera

From CUBuffs.com … A basketball season that many thought would involve the next level for the Colorado Buffaloes has instead produced a hard-to-fathom step back.

Guaranteed, nobody saw an 0-7 Pac-12 start coming from Tad Boyle‘s Buffs — beginning with Boyle. It’s been a painful, gut-wrenching stretch for a senior-laden team that entered the year with high hopes.

But if anything, the Buffs’ recent woes are an indication of just how narrow the margin is between success and failure at high-level Division I hoops.

Of CU’s seven losses in Pac-12 play, four have come in games in which Colorado held the lead in the final minute of regulation or overtime. It means that the Buffs are literally four possessions away from being 4-3 in league play, a situation that has no doubt led to some agonizing “what if” moments in the film room.

… Continue reading story here …

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January 21st – at Washington State             Washington State 91, Colorado 89 OT

Buffs’ losing streak reaches seven with another road loss … again in overtime

From CUBuffs.com … The script changed slightly but the result was the same for the Colorado Buffaloes on Saturday, as they dropped their seventh straight game, a 91-89 overtime loss to Washington State.

The Buffs overcame a 10-point deficit in the final four minutes to force overtime, but were outscored 4-0 in the final minute of the extra period to leave them winless in Pac-12 play.

The loss, coming on the heels of an OT defeat at Washington on Wednesday, dropped the Buffs to 10-10 overall and 0-7 in Pac-12 play. WSU improved to 10-9, 3-4.

“Same old story,” CU head coach Tad Boyle said. “We let a team that’s been struggling to score, that scored 47 points in this building two nights ago against Utah, hang 91 on us.  … They made some tough shots, don’t get me wrong. But our defense right now is not good enough to beat anybody in this league. It doesn’t matter who we play, it doesn’t matter where we play them.”

Indeed, the Cougars looked nothing like the team that came into the game as the second-lowest scoring team in the Pac-12 and the second-worst 3-point shooting team. The Cougars shot 54 percent from the field for the game (35-for-65), including 50 percent from 3-point range (13-for-26). WSU’s Charles Callison had a career-high 30 points on 12-for-16 shooting, including 6-for-9 from 3-point range and Viont’e Daniels was 4-for-5 from long distance.

The Buffs shot a respectable 47 percent from the floor (32-for-67) but were just 6-for-21 from beyond the arc. Derrick White led the Buffs with 25 points, Xavier Johnson scored 17, George King had 16 and Wesley Gordon chipped in 15.

“We play well enough offensively, we rebound the ball well enough,” Boyle said. “But it’s always something with this team. When you can’t rely on your defense and you can’t rely on your rebounding night in and night out, you’re going to be in these kinds of games and then you can’t finish them off because you can’t get stops.”

… Continue reading story here …

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January 20th

CU in the Arena … 

Getting to Know: Washington State

Game … Saturday, January 21st, 2:00 p.m., Pac-12 Network, 850 AM radio; Sirius: 93; XM 197

Game Notes … From CUBuffs.com

Colorado, which has lost its last nine road Pac-12 games, returns to the spot of its last league road win, a 75-70 decision at Washington State on Jan. 23, 2016.

ABOUT THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 10-9 overall and 0-6 in the Pac-12 coming off an 85-83 overtime loss at Washington. The Buffaloes have dropped six in a row, their longest losing streak since 2008-09 and it’s the first time Colorado has fell in its first six league games since the 1992-93 Big Eight season. The Buffaloes have endured a treacherous stretch, playing 5-of-7 on the road to begin conference play. During that stretch, Colorado faced three straight ranked teams for just the fourth time in team history and began conference play with three road games for the first time in 85 years, when the 1931-32 Buffaloes had their first three Rocky Mountain Conference games away from Boulder.

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Related …

… “Sometimes team’ CU Buffs hoops struggling to fix holes” … From the Daily Camera

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Quotable Tad Boyle … “We’re a sometimes team. Sometimes we do it, sometimes we don’t,” Boyle said. “Sometimes we box out, sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we take care of the ball, sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we make free throws, sometimes we don’t. That’s just who we are. They’re frustrating ones to play on, they’re frustrating ones to coach, they’re frustrating ones to cheer for. There’s frustration in the air, there’s no question.”

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Washington State 2016-17 Season:  Washington State is 9-9 overall and 2-4 in the Pac-12. The Cougars started out conference play with a pair of wins, but have lost their last four including an 88-47 setback to Utah on Jan. 18. Washington State averages 68.9 points on 44 percent from the field. The Cougars lead the Pac-12 in free throw accuracy at 78.3 percent. Defensively, the Cougars allow 74.0 points per game while opponents shoot 44 percent from the field.

Senior forward Josh Hawkinson leads Washington State at 15.4 points and 10.6 rebounds per game while shooting 50 percent from the field. He is second in the Pac-12 in rebounds while ranking 10th in scoring. Freshman guard Malachi Flynn is second on the team in scoring at 11.6 points per game while leading the Cougars in 3-pointers with 35. Junior guard Ike Iroegbu averages 10.5 points and a team-best 2.8 assists per game.

Series:  This will be the  12th meeting between Colorado and Washington State with the Buffaloes holding a 9-2 series edge. Colorado has won 8-of-9 since joining the Pac-12 for the 2011-12 season. The Buffaloes won all three meetings last year, including an 80-56 decision in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament. Washington State’s last win in the series was in Pullman, 96-91 in overtime on March 7, 2015.

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January 19th

… CU in the Arena … 

Chauncey Billups elected to the Pac-12 Hall of Fame

From CUBuffs.com … University of Colorado and NBA great Chauncey Billups will be one of 12 former student-athletes inducted into the Pac-12 Conference Men’s Basketball Hall of Honor, Friday, March 10, during the Pac-12 Tournament.

Billups is a member of the 16th annual Hall of Honor class joining: Bob Elliott (Arizona), Tarence Wheeler (Arizona State), Jerome Randle (California), Stu Jackson (Oregon), Ray Blume (Oregon State), Mike Montgomery (Stanford), David Greenwood (UCLA), Ralph Vaughn (USC), Andre Miller (Utah), Quincy Pondexter (Washington) and Carlos Daniel (Washington State).

The induction will occur during a ceremony prior to the semifinals of the 2017 Tournament and the inductees will also be recognized on court during Friday night’s semifinal session.

One of the most talented players in Colorado basketball history, Billups helped transform the Buffaloes into an NCAA Tournament contender in the two years he played in Boulder. He was a first-team All-American (Basketball News) and unanimous All-Big 12 performer (Associated Press and Coaches) as a sophomore in 1996-97, leading the Buffaloes to a second-place finish in the inaugural season of the Big 12 and CU’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in 28 years.

He set a Colorado freshman record for points in 1995-96 with 465 and still holds the first-year mark for assists at 143. He is one of two players in school history to score 1,000 points in just two seasons.

Following his sophomore year, he declared for the 1997 NBA Draft, where he was the highest Buffalo ever drafted; third overall by the Boston Celtics. Billups went on to play 17 seasons in the league for seven different teams. A five-time NBA All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection, he led Detroit to the 2004 NBA Championship and was named Finals MVP averaging 21 points and 5.2 assists in the five-game series win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Billups retired in 2014, ranking among the league’s top 10 in free throw percentage (.894) and three-pointers made (1,830) and attempted (4,725). In April 2015, Billups was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame and he joined the CU Athletic Hall of Fame in November 2015.

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January 18th – at Seattle           Washington 85, Colorado 83 OT

Buffs blow double-digit lead in falling to Huskies in overtime

… Related … “Late defensive lapses lead to heartbreak for CU Buffs hoops” … from the Daily Camera 

From CUBuffs.com … Once again, the Colorado Buffaloes couldn’t protect a lead in the final minute — but Wednesday night, it happened twice in the same game.

The result was an 85-83 overtime loss at Washington in a game the Buffs led by 17 early in the second half. The loss, CU’s sixth straight, dropped Colorado to 10-9 overall and 0-6 in Pac-12 play while the Huskies improved to 9-9, 2-4.

Xavier Johnson had 24 points and 11 rebounds for the Buffs while Derrick White added 23 points and eight assists. UW star freshman Markelle Fultz led all scorers with 37.

HOW IT HAPPENED: Wednesday’s game was the third time in six conference games CU has held the lead with less than a minute to play.

“We’re finding ways to lose, we’re not finding ways to win,” CU head coach Tad Boyle said. “We had our chances. This team’s got fight, it’s got resolve, we just don’t have that killer instinct that you need to have.”

The Buffs did indeed have their chances, even after allowing Washington to completely erase a 41-24 lead the Buffs held early in the second half. Colorado still led by 12 at the midway point of the half, and by one, 65-64, with 57 seconds remaining after the Huskies had tied the game at 64-64.

But Fultz hit two free throws with 43 seconds left to give Washington its first lead since early in the game and Noah Dickerson extended the lead to two with one of two free throws after CU missed on its next possession.

Colorado did tie the game at 67-67 with 10 seconds remaining, enough to send the game into overtime when Fultz missed a last-gasp 3-point attempt at the buzzer.

But it was the same story in overtime. Colorado fell behind by four, 73-69, but battled back to take the lead four different times in the final minutes, the last on a Johnson offensive rebound and bucket with 33 seconds remaining.

The Huskies, though, had one more answer, getting a wide-open David Crisp 3-pointer in transition after Johnson’s basket. The Buffs missed on their next possession, Crisp added two free throws with 12 seconds left for an 85-81 UW lead and all that was left was a meaningless Colorado basket with two seconds remaining.

… Continue reading story here …

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January 17th

CU in the Arena … 

Getting to Know: Washington

Game … Wednesday, January 18th, 9:00 p.m., ESPNU, 760 AM radio; Sirius: 84; Internet: 84

Game Notes … From CUBuffs.com

How tough was Colorado’s opening Pac-12 stretch? Despite an 0-5 conference record, the Buffaloes remain in the top 100 in the latest NCAA RPI (97). Colorado is one of only two schools in the RPI top 100 without a conference win. Oklahoma State, 0-5 in the Big 12, checks in at 58. The opponents Colorado has played so far have combined to win a fraction under 60 percent of their games (160-108), ranking 38th in the nation. The Buffaloes also have some recent history of finishing strong after a slow conference start. Colorado was 1-4 through five games of the 2012-13 Pac-12 season – Xavier Johnson’s freshman year – before rallying to finish 9-4 down the stretch and advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year.

Colorado is 10-8 overall and 0-5 in the Pac-12 coming off home losses to No. 4 ranked UCLA and No. 25 USC. The Buffaloes have dropped five in a row, their longest losing streak since 2008-09 and it’s the first time Colorado has fell in its first five league games since the final year of the Big Eight in 1995-96. The Buffaloes have endured a treacherous stretch, playing three straight ranked teams for just the fourth time in team history and beginning conference play with three road games for the first time in 85 years, when the 1931-32 Buffaloes had their first three Rocky Mountain Conference games away from Boulder.

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Related …

… “Now In Underdog Role, Buffs Set For Road Tilt At Washington” … from CUBuffs.com

… “Desperate CU Buffs hoops faces unfriendly venue at Washington” … From the Daily Camera

… “Buffs To Hit Road In Search Of Pac-12 Win” … from CUBuffs.com

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Quotable Tad Boyle … We had a really good, spirited practice today, we were competing, we were getting after each other,” Boyle said after Tuesday’s workout. “Tempers were a little short. To me that’s a good sign based on where we’re at. I think a chip on the shoulder is sorely needed right now. … They picked us fifth (in the preseason poll). We’re tied for 12th. We should have a chip on our shoulder.”

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Washington 2016-17 Season:  Washington is 8-9 overall and 1-4 in the Pac-12. The Huskies were swept in the Bay Area last week, falling 69-59 to California and 76-69 to Stanford. Offensively, Washington sports the Pac-12’s third best scoring attack at 81.5 points per game while shooting 47 percent from the field. The Huskies also give up the second most points in the league at 78.2 points per game. Washington ranks second in the Pac-12 in both 3-point percentage (.403) and blocked shots (6.4 bpg).

Freshman guard Markelle Fultz is the Pac-12’s leading scorer at 22.2 points per game. He also ranks second in assists (6.1 apg) and fourth in steals on the conference leaderboard. Sophomore guard David Crisp is second on the team in scoring at 13.9 points per game and tops the Huskies with 46 3-pointers made. Sophomore forward Noah Dickerson leads Washington and ranks ninth in the Pac-12 in rebounding at 8.4 per game while pitching in 11.2 points an outing. Sophomore guard Matisse Thybulle leads the Pac-12 in steals (2.1 spg) while pitching in just under 10 points a contest.

Series:  This will be the 22nd meeting between Colorado and Washington with the Huskies holding a slight 11-10 edge. The two teams split last season, each winning at home. In fact, the series is an even 4-4 since Colorado joined the Pac-12 in 2011-12 with the teams splitting each of the last three seasons. Washington has won 8-of-10 meetings in Seattle.

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January 16th

… CU in the Arena … 

Tad Boyle: “We have to find ways to win. It’s all in the little details of what we do”

From CUBuffs.com … Mired in a five-game skid and still searching for their first Pac-12 win, the 10-8 Colorado Buffaloes hit the road this week for a pair of games, hoping to discover a cure for what has ailed them in conference play.

The Buffs’ problems since opening the Pac-12 portion of their schedule have not been limited to one particular area. They’ve been beset, at various junctures, by poor shooting from the floor, rebounding issues, turnover difficulties and defensive lapses. Not all have come at once, but in each loss, one or two of those areas has proven to be the difference.

In two of those games, the difference has been razor-thin. In losses to Arizona State and USC, one possession in the final minute made the difference between a win and a loss.

The task for the Buffs as they head to Washington this week for games at UW (Wednesday, 9 p.m.) and Washington State (Saturday, 2 p.m.) will be figuring out not only how to get to crunch time, but make the play that makes the difference when they get there.

“The bottom line is we are finding ways to lose instead of finding ways to win,” said CU coach Tad Boyle, who is in the midst of his first five-game losing streak in seven years in Boulder. “We have to find ways to win. It’s all in the little details of what we do.”

… Continue reading story here …

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January 15th – Boulder           No. 25 USC 71, Colorado 68

Buffs can’t put together a full 40 minutes … again … 

… Related … “No. 25 USC takes advantage of CU Buffs miscues” … from the Daily Camera

From CUBuffs.com … For the second time in 10 days, the Colorado Buffaloes held the lead over a Pac-12 foe in the final minute of a game.

But for the fifth game in a row, the Buffs came up short Sunday, falling 71-68 to visiting USC at the Coors Events Center. The loss dropped Colorado to 10-8 on the year and 0-5 in Pac-12 play. The five straight losses make up the longest losing streak in Boyle’s tenure in Boulder.

“We’re a little bit snakebit right now,” Boyle said. “I look at the Arizona State game and I look at tonight’s game and we’re right there — we just come up a little short.”

At ASU, it was two Sun Devils free throws with 1.6 seconds left on the clock that sank the Buffs, 78-77.

Sunday, it was a bucket by USC’s Chimezie Metu with 29 seconds remaining that erased a 68-67 Colorado lead.  That was followed by two empty CU possessions and two Trojan free throws to produce the final score.

The Buffs had battled back from a 67-60 deficit with 2:44 remaining by scoring eight straight points. A George King bucket followed by two Xavier Johnson 3-pointers, the last with 43 seconds on the clock, gave Colorado a 68-67 lead.

But the Buffs couldn’t come up with one more defensive stop, then missed a chance to regain the lead and another chance to tie at the buzzer.

“Very disappointing,” Boyle said. “Our team is hurting right now. This is a time when we’re being tested and we have to believe in ourselves, believe in the process and believe in what we’re trying to get done.”

… Continue reading story here …

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January 14th

CU in the Arena … 

Getting to Know: No. 25 USC 

Game … Sunday, January 15th, 6:30 p.m., ESPNU, 850 KOA radio, Sirius: 81 XM: 81 Internet: 81

Game Notes … From CUBuffs.com

Colorado is playing its third straight game against a ranked opponent. It’s just the fourth time the Buffaloes have played three straight games against ranked opponents and first since the 2009-10 season. No. 4/4 UCLA is the highest ranked opponent since Arizona held the same ranking on Feb. 22, 2014 in an 88-61 Wildcats win at the Coors Events Center. Colorado is 2-2 against ranked opponents this season.

Colorado is 10-7 overall and 0-4 in the Pac-12 coming off its 104-89 loss to No. 4 ranked UCLA on Jan. 12. The Buffaloes have dropped four in a row, their longest losing streak in two years and it’s the first time Colorado has fell in its first four league games since the 2008-09 Big 12 Conference schedule. The Buffaloes have endured a treacherous stretch, beginning conference play with three road games for the first time in 85 years, when the 1931-32 Buffaloes had their first three Rocky Mountain Conference games away from Boulder.

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Related …

… “Buffs Seek To End Slump Vs. No. 25 USC” … from CUBuffs.com

… “Freshmen Peters, Brown Give Buffs Defensive Spark” … From CUBuffs.com

… “CU Buffs’ Brown, Peters see extended minutes against UCLA” … From the Daily Camera

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Quotable Tad Boyle … “It’s something I’ve got to be concerned with (a possible loss of confidence by his players). It’s why I’m trying to be positive with these guys. Let’s learn from our mistakes and understand you guys are capable basketball players. I think they all know that. We’ve definitely lost some swagger — it’s hard to have swagger when you’re 0-4. But you can’t lose your heart, you can’t lose your determination, you can’t lose your fight. We haven’t lost that, I promise you. We may have been humbled. Let’s put it that way.”

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USC 2016-17 Season:  USC sports a 15-3 record (2-3 in the Pac-12) and currently ranks No. 25 in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Polls. After a 13-0 start with nonconference wins over Texas A&M, SMU, BYU, and Wyoming (in overtime), the Trojans have lost three of their past four games. USC averages 79 points per game while shooting 45 percent from the field. USC boasts a defense that takes advantage of opponent mistakes. The Trojans rank eighth in the country in blocks per game at 6.1 with three players averaging more than one per game. USC also leads the Pac-12 in steals averaging north of seven per game with three players averaging more than one per contest.

Series:  This will be the 14th meeting between Colorado and USC with the Buffaloes holding a 9-4 lead. Colorado had a seven-game win streak in the series snapped with a 79-72 USC win in Los Angeles in last year’s only meeting. The Buffaloes are 7-1 against USC since joining the Pac-12 for the 2011-12 season. Colorado is a perfect 5-0 against USC in Boulder. Tad Boyle is 7-1 against USC as a head coach. Andy Enfield is 1-5 against Colorado as a head coach.

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12th – Boulder          No. 4 UCLA 104, Colorado 89

Bruins make over 60% of their three-point attempts in running away from Buffs

… Related … “UCLA’s 3-point barrage buries CU Buffs” … from the Daily Camera 

From CUBuffs.com … For 20 minutes Thursday night, the Colorado Buffaloes came close to matching fourth-ranked UCLA bucket for bucket.

But Colorado had no answer for the hot-shooting Bruins in the second half, as UCLA carved out a 104-89 win at the Coors Events Center to hand the Buffs their fourth straight loss.

Sparked by three 3-pointers from Bryce Alford in the first three minutes of the half, UCLA quickly turned a six-point halftime lead into a 20-point margin with 11 minutes to go and the Buffs never made a serious run at closing the gap after that.

The Bruins finished the game shooting 56.5 percent from the field (35-for-62), including a sparkling 19-for-31 night from 3-point range (61.3 percent). Alford, who hit 9 of his 14 3-point tries, finished with a game-high 37 points.

“Tip my hat to UCLA,” CU head coach Tad Boyle said. “They’re a terrific offensive basketball team, as good of an offensive team as I’ve coached against at the collegiate level in 23 years. My hat goes off to Steve Alford and obviously his son Bryce, who had a heck of a night. They just move the ball and share the ball, they’re very very difficult to guard in transition and halfcourt.”

The loss, CU’s fourth in a row, dropped the Buffs to 10-7 overall and 0-4 in Pac-12 play while the Bruins improved to 16-1, 3-1.

… Continue reading story here …

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January 11th

… CU in the Arena … 

Getting to Know: No. 4 UCLA 

Game … Thursday, January 12th, 9:00 p.m., Fox Sports 1, 760 radio, Sirius: 84 XM: 84 Internet: 84

Game Notes … From CUBuffs.com

Colorado is playing its second of three straight games against ranked opponents; No. 25 USC comes to Boulder Sunday. It’s just the fourth time the Buffaloes have played three straight games against ranked opponents and first since the 2009-10 season. No. 4/4 UCLA is the highest ranked opponent since Arizona held the same ranking on Feb. 22, 2014 in an 88-61 Wildcats win at the Coors Events Center. Colorado is 2-1 against ranked opponents this season and has won three of its last six.

Colorado is 10-6 overall and 0-3 in the Pac-12 beginning conference play with three road games for the first time in 85 years, when the 1931-32 Buffaloes had their fi rst three Rocky Mountain Conference games away from Boulder.

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Related …

… “Buffs Prep For Visit From Bruins As Tough Stretch Continues” … From CUBuffs.com

… “CU Buffs bracing for young talent, reliable experience from No. 4 UCLA” … From the Daily Camera

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Quotable Tad Boyle … “No question we need a sense of urgency,” Colorado head coach Tad Boyle said after Tuesday’s practice. “It’s time. All you can ask for in life is an opportunity. What an opportunity we have on Thursday night with UCLA coming to town. A heck of a challenge, too, but a great opportunity. That’s how we have to look at it.”

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UCLA 2016-17 Season:  UCLA, ranked No. 4 in the latest Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Polls, is 16-1 overall and 3-1 in the Pac-12. The Bruins swept their nonconference schedule at a perfect 13-0 which included a 97-92 win at Kentucky. UCLA dropped an 89- 87 thriller at Oregon, on a last-second 3-pointer, but has bounced back nicely to win its last three. UCLA sports the third-best scoring offense in the country at 92.8 points per game while ranking second in the nation in shooting at 53.4 percent. Defensively the Bruins give up 74.1 points while opponents shoot 41 percent.

Series:  This will be the 13th meeting between Colorado and UCLA with the Bruins holding a 10-2 edge. The Bruins have won the last two and 6-of-7 since Colorado joined the Pac-12 for the 2011-12 season. Both of Colorado’s wins in the series have come in Boulder, most recently a 62-57 decision on Jan. 2, 2015.

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January 9th

… CU in the Arena … 

CU returns home with 0-3 Pac-12 record … to face No. 4 UCLA

… Related … “CU Buffs men’s basketball has work to do after rough road trip” … from the Daily Camera

From CUBuffs.com … Finding positives in an 0-3 road trip isn’t exactly an exercise in which the Colorado Buffaloes wanted to engage.

It definitely doesn’t fit the demeanor of head coach Tad Boyle, who has never been one to even consider moral victories.

But Boyle’s 10-6 Buffs (0-3 Pac-12) are in no position to look back and feel sorry for themselves. Thus, Colorado is in the position of finding some bright spots from which to draw upon after the just-completed trek through Utah and Arizona — then building on those positives in the coming weeks.

While an 0-3 hole in conference play is no doubt substantial, it is by no means a death knell. The Buffs have 15 Pac-12 games remaining, and nine of those are home affairs, beginning with Thursday’s 9 p.m. encounter with fourth-ranked UCLA at the Coors Events Center (FS1).

The Buffs can also draw some encouragement from the way they played after a disappointing loss at Utah to open their trip. They went down to the last possession before falling at Arizona State, then cut a 20-point deficit to five in the final minutes against No. 17 Arizona.

… Continue reading story here …

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January 7th – at Arizona        No. 17 Arizona 82, Colorado 73

Buffs’ muster comeback, but can’t overcome huge deficit in 82-73 loss

… Related … “No. 17 Arizona holds off CU Buffs men’s basketball” … from the Daily Camera

From CUBuffs.com … The Colorado Buffaloes cut a 20-point second-half deficit down to five Saturday but could never completely close the gap and fell, 82-73, to No. 17 Arizona at the McKale Center.

The Buffs, who dropped their third straight to fall to 10-6 overall and 0-3 in Pac-12 play, ended up with more field goals (27-24), more 3-pointers (9-8) and more rebounds (38-32) than the hosts. But the Wildcats ended up with a 33-14 edge in free throw attempts and outscored the Buffs 26-10 from the stripe.

“I applaud our guys’ fight and effort,” Buffs head coach Tad Boyle said. “We cut it to five (but) we couldn’t get over the hump. The difference in the game was free throws. They could get to the free throw line, we couldn’t get to the free throw line.”

Xavier Johnson led the Buffs with 26 points and six rebounds, George King had a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double and Wesley Gordon added 16 points and nine rebounds.

… Continue reading story here …

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January 6th

… CU in the Arena … 

Getting to Know: Arizona

Game … Saturday, January 7th, 7:30 p.m., Pac-12 Networks, 850 KOA radio, Sirius: 84 XM: 84 Internet: 84

Game Notes … From CUBuffs.com

Colorado is 10-5 overall and 0-2 in the Pac-12 after dropping a heart-breaking 78-77 decision at Arizona State on Jan. 5th.

The Buffaloes finished off the non conference schedule at 10-3, the fifth time in seven seasons under head coach Tad Boyle CU has finished with at least 10 wins prior to the tip-off of the conference slate. Colorado has dropped two straight, but has won 5-of-8 and 7-of-11, a span that includes wins over ranked Xavier and Texas squads.

Colorado is averaging 74.3 points per game while shooting 44 percent from the field. Defensively, Colorado has held the opposition to 68.1 points per game and just under 40 percent shooting. The Buffaloes are fourth in the Pac-12 in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.309) and offensive rebounds (11.6 orpg) while ranking fifth in scoring defense.

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Related …

… “Colorado Concludes Road Swing At No. 17 Arizona Saturday” … From CUBuffs.com

… “Ending slide at No. 17 Arizona a tall order for CU Buffs men’s basketball” … From the Daily Camera

… “Tory Miller making most of minutes for CU Buffs men’s basketball” … From the Daily Camera

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Quotable Tad Boyle … “This is where you’re tested,” Boyle said. “We’ve lost two in a row here on the road and we knew it wasn’t going to be easy. We’ve got to bounce back. You don’t get these opportunities often. We had one shot against Arizona State, and now we’ve got one shot at Arizona and that’s all we get this year based on the schedule. All you can ask for in life is an opportunity and we’ve got a great one and a great challenge because Arizona is a terrific program, and obviously with great players and a great coach. We just have to go let it all hang out.”

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Arizona 2016-17 Season:  Arizona, ranked No. 17 in the latest Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Polls, is 14-2 overall and 3-0 in the Pac-12. The Wildcats have won eight in a row, including their 66-56 home win over Utah on Jan. 5. Arizona averages 73.8 points on 48 percent shooting. The Wildcats sport the Pac-12’s top scoring defense at 60.1 points per game while opponents shoot 39 percent. Arizona also tops the Pac-12 in rebounds allowed (30.1 rpg) and 3-point defense (.287).

A trio of freshman have paved the way for Arizona’s fast start. Seven-foot forward Lauri Markkanen leads Arizona at 15.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while hitting 49 percent from the field. Guard Rawle Alkins is second on the team in scoring (12.4 ppg) and steals (1.1 spg). Back court mate Kobi Simmons is averaging 12.2 points and 2.3 assists per game.

Series:  This will be the 27th meeting between Colorado and Arizona with the Wildcats holding a 14-12 series edge. The teams split their two meetings last year. Colorado won the only regular season meeting, 75-72 in Boulder while the Wildcats edged the Buffaloes 82-78 in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Pac-12 Tournament. Arizona has won the last six and 9-of-13 since the Buffaloes joined the Pac-12 in 2011-12. .

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January 5th – at Arizona State           Arizona State 78, Colorado 77

Buffs lose heart-breaker to Sun Devils

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado’s Derrick White scored 35 points, including a go-ahead bucket with 19.6 seconds left in the game, but Arizona State’s Tra Holder hit two free throws with 1.6 seconds remaining to hand the Buffs a 78-77 loss Thursday night.

The Buffs, who lost forward Xavier Johnson to a double-ejection after an incident with ASU’s Jethro Tshisumpa in the first half, had battled back from a pair of nine-point deficits early in the second half. A 10-0 run gave Colorado a 56-55 lead with 10:47 left in the game, and there were a dozen lead changes down the stretch.

White scored 15 of Colorado’s final 19 points, including two field goals and a pair of free throws in the final 3:20 that gave the Buffs the lead each time. His final basket of the night, coming on a drive to the rim, gave CU a 77-76 lead with just under 20 seconds to play.

Colorado then forced a miss from ASU’s Torian Graham, but Holder squeezed in to grab the rebound and attempt to tip it back in and was fouled by White. Holder hit both free throws and a last-second desperation heave by George King was blocked by ASU.

… Continue reading story here …

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January 4th

… CU in the Arena … 

Getting to Know: Arizona State

Game … Thursday, January 5th, 7:00 p.m., MT, Pac-12 Network … 760 AM … Sirius: 93 XM: 197 Internet: 959

Game Notes … From CUBuffs.com

Colorado opened the conference season with a 76-60 setback at Utah on Jan. 1, snapping a three game winning streak. The Buffaloes finished off the non-conference schedule at 10-3, the fifth time in seven seasons under head coach Tad Boyle CU has finished with at least 10 wins prior to the tip-off of the conference slate. Colorado has won 5-of-7 and 7-of-10, a span that includes wins over ranked Xavier and Texas squads. Colorado is averaging 74.1 points per game while shooting 44 percent from the field. Defensively, Colorado has held the opposition to 67.4 points per game and 39.3 percent shooting. The Buffaloes are fourth in the Pac-12 in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.303) and offensive rebounds (11.5 orpg) while ranking fifth in scoring defense and defensive rebounds (28.3 drpg).

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Related …

… “Buffs Head To ASU Searching For Consistency, Road Win” … From CUBuffs.com

… “Derrick White taking control of CU Buffs men’s basketball attack” … From the Daily Camera

… “Bobby Hurley seeking ways to keep thin ASU roster fresh” … From the Arizona Republic

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Quotable Tad Boyle … “When you got open shots and you can’t make them, you put pressure on your defense, and if your defense isn’t good enough, then you’re going to lose games,” Boyle said. “That’s the bottom line.”

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Arizona State 2016-17 Season:  Arizona State is 8-7 overall and 1-1 in the Pac-12 after splitting at the Bay Area schools to open league play. The Sun Devils started with a solid 98-93 win at Stanford on Dec. 30 before falling at California, 81-65, two days later. ASU sports the third ranked scoring offense in the Pac-12 at 82.3 points per game, but also give up a league-worst 82.4 points per contest. Five times this season, Arizona State has given up at least 90 points and twice opponents have hit the century mark. The Sun Devils average just under 10 3-pointers made per game, ranking second in the Pac-12 and 14th in the nation

Series:  This will be the 14th meeting between Colorado and Arizona State with the Buffaloes holding a 7-6 edge. The Buffaloes have won the last two, including last year’s only meeting, a 79-69 decision on Feb. 28, 2016, in Boulder. Colorado holds a 5-4 edge since joining the Pac-12 for the 2011-12 season. Arizona State has won 5-of-6 meetings in Tempe, including the last three.

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Three Colorado State players ruled ineligible for second semester due to grades 

… Won’t help the Buffs strength of schedule to see the Rams go down … can’t win for losing …

From ESPN … Three key members of Colorado State’s men’s basketball team have been ruled ineligible for the second semester because of grades.

Juniors Che Bob, Devocio Butler and Kimani Jackson did not meet the minimum grade-point requirements for their fall classes and won’t be eligible when the spring semester begins on Jan. 17.

Bob is the fourth-leading scorer for the Rams (9-6, 1-1 Mountain West), averaging 9.1 points. His 4.9 rebounds per game are third highest on the team. Butler averages 6.4 points and 2.7 boards and Jackson averages 4.5 points and 3.1 rebounds.

Coach Larry Eustachy said in a statement, “our top priority is to educate, and we will continue to emphasize this in all that we do. It is a hard lesson, but we will continue to support these young men and provide access to the resources needed to excel in the classroom and graduate.”

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Arizona State may be CU’s best chance at an early season Pac-12 win

From the Daily Camera … Arizona State, which hosts the Colorado Buffaloes Thursday night, has been a difficult team to figure out during the first half of the college basketball schedule.

Unfortunately for the Buffs, though, the Sun Devils are showing signs of rounding into form.

Arizona State didn’t skimp on its nonconference schedule, and in turn took its lumps along the way. The Sun Devils were blasted by 46 points against Kentucky and 33 points against Purdue while also suffering an 11-point loss against a Creighton team now ranked 10th. The Sun Devils went on the road to defeat a solid San Diego State squad yet lost at home against New Mexico State.

However, a Buffs defense that on Sunday allowed Utah to connect at a .525 clip from the field — the best mark by a CU opponent in almost two full years — will be challenged by an Arizona State attack that is averaging 82.3 points a game and has eclipsed 90 points in two of its previous three games.

The Sun Devils opened Pac-12 play with a win 98-93 win at Stanford before getting held to 65 points in a loss at Cal Sunday.

… Continue reading story here …

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January 3rd

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs stay on the road in preparation for Arizona games 

From the Daily Camera … The business trip continues for the University of Colorado men’s basketball team. And the Buffaloes are hoping the shift of scenery from wintry Salt Lake City to the Phoenix desert helps warm up their game.

With school still on semester break at CU, head coach Tad Boyle opted to keep his team on the road this week instead of returning to Boulder, as the Buffs traveled to Arizona in the wake of Sunday’s loss at Utah in their Pac-12 Conference opener.

The Buffs will have two full practices at Arizona State in Tempe ahead of Thursday night’s battle against the Sun Devils.

“We’re going to watch film. We’ll watch it with the team (Monday),” Boyle said. “We’ve got a lot of time to get in the gym. We’ve got a lot of time to practice. We’ve got a lot of time to get better. We have to use these next three or four days to get better. Whether we’re back in Boulder or down in Arizona, it doesn’t matter.

“We have a court to practice on, and we have to understand what we didn’t do well enough (at Utah) and we have to correct those mistakes and we have to be read for Arizona State. Because nobody is going to feel sorry for us. We’re not going to feel sorry for ourselves, Disappointing loss, but it’s not the end of the world and we have to bounce back.”

… Continue reading story here …

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January 1st – at Utah            Utah 76, Colorado 60

… Related … “This was a collapse on all fronts” … from the Daily Camera 

From CUBuffs.com … With a three-game road trip to start Pac-12 play, the Colorado Buffaloes were aiming for a hot start in their conference opener Sunday at Utah.

The Utes threw some ice on those hopes in a hurry. Colorado let an early 20-14 lead melt away by the end of the first half, then watched the Utes pour it on in a 76-60 runaway win at the Huntsman Center.

Colorado was outscored 22-9 over the last 11 minutes of the first half to enter halftime trailing 36-29, and the Utes continued the run in the second. Utah’s lead hit the 20-point mark just eight minutes into the half and the Buffs never really threatened to close the gap the rest of the way.

CU dropped to 10-4 overall (0-1 Pac-12 play) while Utah improved to  10-3, 1-0.

… Continue reading story here …

NEXT UP: The Buffs continue a three-game road stretch to start Pac-12 play with a 7 p.m. Thursday game at Arizona State, followed by a 7:30 p.m. game Saturday at Arizona. The Buffs play their Pac-12 home opener Jan. 12 with a 9 p.m. game vs. UCLA at the Coors Events Center.

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December 31st  

… CU in the Arena … 

Getting to Know: Utah

Game … Sunday, January 1st, 4:30 p.m., MT, ESPNU

Game Notes … From CUBuffs.com

Colorado will begin conference play with three straight and five of its first seven on the road. It will be the first time the Buffaloes have started a conference season with three straight road games since the 1931-32 Rocky Mountain Conference schedule, and just the fourth overall (1926-27; 1912-13). Colorado has played three in a row on the road in league action numerous times, the last to end the 2013-14 season (at Utah, Stanford and California)

Colorado finished off the non-conference schedule at 10-3, the fifth time in seven seasons under head coach Tad Boyle the Buffaloes have finished with at least 10 wins prior to the tip-off of the conference schedule. Colorado has won three-straight, 5-of-6 and 7-of-9, a span that includes wins over ranked Xavier and Texas squads.

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Related …

… “Buffs Hope To Count On ‘Good Fortune’ As Pac-12 Play Opens” …. From CUBuffs.com

… “Dom Collier hopes working holiday pays off as CU Buffs men’s hoops begins Pac-12 play” … From the Daily Camera

… “Runnin’ Utes gear up for Colorado as Pac-12 play begins” … from the Salt Lake City Tribune

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Quotable Tad Boyle … “Every game is a new game, every possession a new possession. I just want us to play with the maturity level it’s going to take to understand that. It’s about the next possession, the next play – not the last one, not last game, not next game . . . it’s about the possession we’re in right now. Having that mindset is critical for any team to be successful.”

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Utah 2016-17 Season:  Utah is 9-3 overall, coming off a 2-1 showing at the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic. The Utes are 7-1 at home, with their lone loss coming to Butler, 68-59, on Nov. 28. Utah is averaging 81.8 points per game while shooting an impressive 50.2 percent from the field, a figure ranking second in the Pac-12 and 13th in the nation. Utah is holding opponents to 65.3 points per game and holds the Pac-12’s best rebounding margin at plus-10.9.

Series:  This will be the 46th meeting between Colorado and Utah with the Buffaloes holding a 26-19 series lead. Utah has won the last five in the series and six of the last eight. The Utes swept last season’s meetings, taking two low-scoring affairs by just two points each – 57-55 in Salt Lake City on Mar. 5, and 56-54 in Boulder on Jan. 8. Utah has a 6-5 edge since the two teams joined the Pac-12 for the 2011-12 season. Utah has won the last four in Salt Lake City and owns a 13-8 edge in its home arena.

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Tags: Bryce Peters, Deleon Brown, Derrick White, Dom Collier, George King, Josh Fotune, Lucas Siewert, Tad Boyle, Thomas Akyazili, Tory Miller, Wesley Gordon, Xavier Johnson
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