Colorado University Athletics
Brooks: Dufault Takes His Game Up A Notch
January 11, 2011 | Men's Basketball, B.G. Brooks
The speed of the pickup games with his teammates that first summer dazzled him, but Dufault figured in time he would adjust to that and any other surprises the game might have in store. But really, he said Tuesday morning, he might have arrived at this level confident because he might not have known any better.
"In my freshman year (2008-09), I actually had a better year than my sophomore year would be," he said. "I guess I might have been kind of na+»ve thinking it was just basketball and I could step in and play. But I always knew I had the ability to play and, coming from a small town, I wanted to prove it."
Dufault's transition from a blink-and-you'll-miss-it burg whose population (772) is dwarfed by most of the arenas he now plays in wasn't nearly as complete as it's become. Oh, he's not as polished a college player as he and his Colorado coaches believe he will be, but the overall improvement during his junior season is among the reasons the Buffaloes have won 11 of their past 13 games.
"He's playing with a high level of confidence right now," CU Coach Tad Boyle said, perhaps unaware that Dufault felt pretty confident about his game a couple of seasons back.
"He's been great for us this season," teammate Cory Higgins added. "His hustle has been amazing so far . . . he never gives up."
If you've seen Dufault and the Buffs this season - particularly last weekend's 89-76 win against No. 8/9 Missouri - you know what Higgins means. It's become commonplace to see Dufault get at least a couple of baskets a game as a "trailer" - following a fast break and being there if a put-back is required. That's the hustle Higgins is talking about, adding, "He's consistently beating other big men up and down the floor, offensively and defensively . . . he's getting easy tip-ins trailing the play."
"He got some easy put-backs against Missouri just because he was in the right place," Boyle added. "He's been really good in transition."
Some of that comes from the 6-foot-9 Dufault being almost 10 pounds lighter (225) than he was last season. "Last year, I was kind of heavy and out of shape," he said. "Over the summer, I lost five to ten pounds and really focused on working on my conditioning, doing more aerobic work. I was bulked up last year and not able to get up and down."
The weight loss and aerobic upgrade meshed perfectly with the "up-and-down" style Boyle would introduce. It also helped Dufault's rebounding and defense - the two areas Boyle wants to see improvement from all of his players as CU plays its first Big 12 Conference road trip Wednesday at No. 21/20 Kansas State (7 p.m., ESPNU).
As a freshman, Dufault averaged 3.7 rebounds, a total that dipped to 3.1 last season. This season, he's at 5.1 boards a game to go along with a career-high 9.2 scoring average and 1.1 steals a game. But over the past five games, he's averaged 11.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and is shooting 62.5 percent (25-of-40) from the field.
But the stat line Boyle emphasizes with Dufault is rebounding: "When he gets six, seven, eight rebounds, that really helps. He's playing with a lot of confidence and going to the boards consistently."
Though he's undersized in some match-ups, Dufault usually guards opposing centers. He's a more natural "four" than a "five," but Boyle said inside work with Assistant Coach Mike Rohn has paid dividends in improving Dufault's ability to front, get better position, and in relying on his teammates for help.
Also, Dufault has discovered the added bulk he carried last season isn't as beneficial as the faster footwork is now.
"I feel quicker guarding guys in the post," he said. "I'm not trying to get into as many fights with them this year and trying to push them around. I'm trying to use my feet to stay in front of them and make them make tough shots. That's pretty much all you can do against some of these players . . . I'm just trying to move my feet quicker than guys I'm playing against and make them shoot a tough shot over a hand."
On the offensive end, Dufault, noted Boyle, is "a tough guard for other 'fives' because he can step out and shoot the ball from the perimeter. And his low block scoring has improved. He's just improved in a lot of areas."
Dufault's 15 points against the Tigers were a career-best in conference play. That output was a bonus for a team that averages 85.1 points (sixth nationally) and is stocked with scorers. Still, if Dufault's offensive production holds up, Boyle won't complain.
Dufault feels "a lot more aggressive in attacking the glass," but acknowledges, "We've got guys on our team who can really score. They're going to put up a lot of shots and that means opportunities to get misses and put them back in. That's something we really didn't have before this year. I'm working on that every day in practice, and having the coaches constantly remind me to go the boards has helped."
But that's something Boyle and his staff remind all players every day - and it will be key to competing at K-State. CU's first Big 12 road trip is against an opponent it has lost to nine consecutive times. Plus, K-State is coming off a loss at Oklahoma State in its conference opener.
Nonetheless, Dufault believes the Buffs' road mindset is better than he can ever remember. A win in Las Vegas against Indiana, followed by a victory at Cal State Bakersfield, instilled confidence of "knowing what it takes to win in somebody else's building," he said. "I know it's different in the Big 12, but we've gained confidence from the past month. We've got guys wanting to prove we can win on the road . . . I see the right mindset for our team."
CU's weekend win against Mizzou was its first against a Top 10 opponent in its last 20 tries. If it provided a shot of confidence for his players and served as a reward for their hard work, Boyle also put it in perspective for his team a couple of days later.
"He told us it was a good win, but it was one win," Dufault said. "We've got 15 more (Big 12) games. One won't help us more than any of the others."
In other words, defeating Mizzou was a good start - but it won't mean much without a matching finish. If it becomes one of many, the Buffs will have strung together a memorable season.
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
