Brooks: Booker, Buffs Eye Redemption vs. No. 7 Arizona

BOULDER - Back in the day (that day really wasn't too far back, but it seems like it) Colorado and Arizona played some fairly heated, highly competitive basketball games. There was a time (again, it seems like long ago but really wasn't) when Buffs-Wildcats games ended with differences of one or two points, or the occasional overtime was required.

But after winning three of their first five meetings with the Wildcats as members of the Pac-12 Conference, the Buffs have lost five straight - with none of the losses closer than 10 points and the average margin a shade under 17 points. From its first Pac-12 season (2012) until now, CU has dipped while Arizona hasn't deviated. The Wildcats have posted 20 or more wins in five straight seasons and in 26 of the last 28.

Of course, Buffs coach Tad Boyle has noticed: "Since we've been in the league, there's no question Arizona is the most consistent team in our league, year in and year out, game in and game out. Home, road it doesn't matter. They're a good basketball team."

Good as in No. 7 nationally, 24-3 overall, 12-2 in the Pac-12 and - if the loud and learned ones who occupy the seats in front of the cameras are to be believed - a serious contender to challenge otherworldly Kentucky if March Madness finally comes to that.

Although his focus is elsewhere - namely on his sub-.500 team - Boyle believes these Wildcats are big enough, athletic enough, talented enough and tenacious enough to hang with those Wildcats. And, he adds, Arizona gets a boost in everything (including most intangibles) from senior guard T.J. McConnell - Boyle's choice for the Pac-12 player-of-the-year.

The Buffs get their second look of the season at McConnell & Crew on Thursday night at the Coors Events Center (7 p.m., ESPN). CU is 0-3 this season against Top 25 opponents and 0-2 against Top 10 foes. But in Boyle's first four seasons, the Buffs defeated at least one nationally ranked team.

CU's fifth straight loss to Arizona (68-54) occurred last month in Tucson at a time when Boyle didn't have his two of his "bigs" - post Josh Scott, wing Xavier Johnson - because of injuries and was forced to use a guard-heavy lineup.

That didn't work, and there's no assurance that having Scott (back) and Johnson (ankle) back and relatively healthy will make a difference in the second meeting. The Buffs' shooting of late has been somewhere south of frigid, and Scott continues to battle the back ailments that cost him January almost in its entirety.

STILL, BOYLE LIKES THIS MONTH'S chance against the Wildcats much better than last month's. He watched the Kansas-Kansas State game in Manhattan the other night and came away buoyed by the arena's electricity and the home team's energy. Boyle hopes the Buffs can identify with the Big 12's strain of Wildcats.

Before upsetting No. 8 KU 70-63, K-State had lost seven of eight games. CU has lost five of six, including two straight. Boyle says whatever. Watching K-State, "You'd have never known that they'd (lost seven of eight) by the way they played," he said. "No matter what happens for us, I want us to play with that kind of passion and energy every single night out . . . that's what I want to see."

Passion and energy would surely benefit the Buffs, but so would some decent shooting. In last weekend's 72-58 loss at Oregon State, they shot 35 percent from the field, including 14 percent in the first half, and have been below 37 percent in their last five games. To compound the shooting nightmare in Corvallis, CU committed a season-high 22 turnovers that fed the Beavers 28 points.

It's been difficult lately to identify almost anything the Buffs have been doing well, but offensive rebounding deserves a check mark. In conference games, CU is No. 1 (37.5 a game), but Arizona is No. 2 (36.8). Moreover, the Wildcats are No. 1 in rebounding defense (26.6) and in rebounding margin (plus 10.2).

As for the Buffs' multitude of offensive boards, Boyle concedes, "Obviously there's been a lot of them with our shooting woes. But hopefully we can make some shots and not have to worry about offensive rebounds. That would be ideal."

It also would be ideal to launch the season's final home stand with a shock-the-sport upset. Beating Arizona wouldn't save CU's season, but it might supply confidence for Sunday's game against Arizona State (6:30 p.m., ESPNU) and for wrap-up road games at Washington (March 5) and Washington State (March 7).

Boyle still believes the Buffs can morph into "the team nobody wants to play" in the Pac-12 Tournament (March 11-14, Las Vegas). But that won't happen with a limp to the finish line.

I asked Boyle how difficult it is in a season (12-14, 5-9) like this, with only one senior playing, not to start thinking about next year. Ever candid, he answered, "A little bit . . . I'd be lying if I said I haven't thought about it. But out of respect to 'Ski' (Askia Booker) and Kevin Nelson and Geoff Bates - our two walk-on (seniors) - it's not something I'm talking to the team about. But I know in my mind, it's starting to already turn.

"That being said, I have not in any way given up on this season and what this team can accomplish. You play it to the end, to that last possession, until that horn blows and it's over with. We've learned with the conference tournament anything can happen. We know there's going to be 12 teams going to Las Vegas and one team winning that thing."

FOR BOOKER, THAT'S THE LAST hope of competing in a fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament. He was a freshman in 2011-12 when CU defeated Arizona 53-51 and won the Pac-12 Tournament, but he sees a huge difference in that team and this one. "There were four seniors on that team," he said, "that knew their time was running out. They were going to play with their backs against the wall, no matter who it was against.

"This year it's not like that. Me (talking) from experience, it's frustrating to be the only one who knows what that feels like. I was told by those guys when I was a freshman that you don't understand it until you're a senior, until you're actually going to be leaving. So yeah, it's just rough, man. You can't put somebody in your shoes with the time running out."

Of Booker's four years, the last has been the least fulfilling. And yes, it will shade the memories of his CU career. "Yeah, of course," he said. "My senior year was crap. That's just reality. (But) I'm so thankful still no matter what. If we lost all our games this season I'd still be thankful for the opportunity that I've had to play for this wonderful school, this wonderful coaching staff.

"And I thank Tad Boyle for giving me the opportunity. We still have four games; I'm not going to say our season is in the hole yet. We're not done. I still have a lot of confidence in this team that they can pull it out. We just have to come together and be willing to fight for one another."

As for Boyle, it's the right thing to say as his most disenchanting season draws to a close, but he says it the right way: "I believe in this team as much today as I did at beginning of the season - I really, truly do. I know what we're capable of. Now, am I disappointed in where we are today? Absolutely.

"But that doesn't mean I've lost my belief . . . for this year or for next year or for the players in the program. The one thing we're not going to do is feel sorry for ourselves and make excuses. Our record is what it is; the only people we can look at or blame is the person in the mirror. That's true for coaches, players. We're all in this thing together."

Togetherness hasn't been a strong suit this season, but Arizona's visit on Thursday night offers a chance for it to surface. Booker and the Buffs know there are not many chances left.

Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU