Buffs Head To WSU In Search Of Fourth Straight Win
February 14, 2018 | Men's Basketball, Neill Woelk
PULLMAN, Wash. — Sooner or later, the logjam in the Pac-12 standings will begin to loosen up.
The Colorado Buffaloes want to make sure they are at the front of the pack, not the rear, when that happens.
Heading into this week's games, the eight teams currently occupying the second through ninth positions in the standings are separated by just one game, with four of the teams sporting five conference losses and the remaining four with six.
It means every game down the stretch could be the difference maker in the chase for a top-four finish and first-round Pac-12 tournament bye.
Thursday, the 15-10 Buffs (7-6 Pac-12) will try to remain in the thick of that chase when they play a 9 p.m. game at Washington State (Pac-12 Networks).
Strictly in terms of records and recent performance, the Buffs should be the favorite. Colorado takes a three-game win streak into the game while the Cougars (9-15, 1-11) have dropped seven in a row.
But given Colorado's struggles last week to beat a Cal team that had lost nine of its previous 10, as well as CU's difficulties in recent years in Pullman, CU head coach Tad Boyle is doing his best to make sure the Buffs are taking nothing for granted.
"We've had some knockdown, drag-out, a lot of overtime games with these guys in Pullman," Boyle said. "It seems to always be close. They're a very capable team that relies on the three and when they start getting hot it's a great equalizer in college basketball."
The Buffs have won six of their last seven against the Cougars, including an 82-73 win in Boulder in mid-January. But they have lost two of their last three in Pullman, including a 91-89 overtime decision last year.
Ernie Kent's Cougars have struggled for much of the Pac-12 season, thanks in large part to a defense that is giving up more than 83 points per game in conference play. But WSU does have capable shooters — four Cougars rank in the league's top 15 in 3-point field goals made — and the Buffs know those players can cause problems.
In their first meeting this year, the Buffs led by 15 points at intermission and pushed that cushion to 26 early in the second half. But the Cougars fired up their 3-point machine and went on a 26-5 run to cut Colorado's lead to just five with eight minutes still to play.
The Buffs did finally regain control, but it was a scare Boyle hopes his players haven't forgotten.
"We know they're capable of getting hot," Boyle said. "We have to guard the 3-point line."
WSU's Carter Skaggs, Robert Franks, Malachi Flynn and Viont'e Daniels are all averaging at least two 3-pointers per game. In their first meeting, Daniels (6-for-9) and Skaggs (5-for-11) combined for 11 3-pointers, with the Cougars shooting 10-for-18 from beyond the arc in the second half.
Last year, Daniels had four 3-pointers in WSU's win in Pullman.
"They have multiple guys that can make multiple threes," Boyle said. "Daniels wishes he could play against Colorado every game. ... We bring out the best in that kid. We have to all be ready, dialed in and ready to go."
The Buffs are just 1-7 on the road this year, with their win at UCLA the only victory on an opponent's floor. But after three stellar defensive efforts at home — CU held its last three opponents to under 37 percent shooting — they know what they can produce if they concentrate on Boyle's fundamental tenets of defense and rebounding.
"We have to guard the 3-point line, get out in transition, communicate and play with toughness, energy and effort," said freshman Tyler Bey, who had a solid nine-point, six-rebound effort in CU's win over Stanford, as well as an excellent defensive effort up front. "Now we know we can't take any team lightly. There has to be a no-mercy attitude. When we have energy and confidence, we play well."
Bey has improved steadily as the season has progressed, and will be a key figure for the Buffs as they make their stretch run.
"When Tyler is engaged mentally and when he's focused, he is as good as there is," Boyle said. "He's gained a lot of confidence. Tyler knows and believes that he belongs on a Pac-12 floor now. He's proven that he does. Now with Tyler it's all between the ears in terms of focus and concentration. When he's focused and his concentration is at a high level, he is terrific."
The Buffs will also need the balanced effort they have received on both ends of the floor recently, with a variety of players contributing at key moments.
"When this team is at our best, everybody is contributing," Boyle said. "We have four, five guys in double figures, four or five guys with possible assist-to-turnover ratios, four or five guys with multiple rebounds. This is not a team that one guy can carry. As good as McKinley (Wright) is, as good as George (King) is, as talented as we are, we need great contributions from everybody to be at our best."
FOUR-GAME WIN STREAK? If the Buffs can beat WSU, it will be Colorado's first regular-season four-game win streak in conference play since 2006, when the Buffs beat five straight Big 12 opponents.
SERIES: Colorado leads the all-time series 12-3, including three in a row. CU is 11-2 against the Cougars since joining the Pac-12 in 2011-12, but just 3-2 at WSU. Boyle is 11-2 all-time against WSU while Cougars coach Ernie Kent is 3-7 against CU as a head coach.
BROADCAST: The game will be televised by the Pac-12 Network with JB Long and Matt Muehlebach. KOA 850 AM radio will broadcast the game with Mark Johnson and Scott Wilke.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
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