Buffs Out To Protect Home Floor In Pac-12 Home Opener Vs. Utes

BOULDER — One of the inviolable tenets of college basketball is protecting the home floor, particularly in conference play. Win at home, "steal" a handful on the road and you put yourself in solid position for an NCAA Tournament bid.

Colorado coach Tad Boyle is a firm believer in the philosophy. In Boyle's first five years in Boulder, the Buffs have compiled a 32-12 record at home in conference play, a record that has paved the way for one NIT and three NCAA tournament appearances.

Friday night, the 12-3 Buffs (1-1 Pac-12) have their first opportunity this season in that regard when they play host to Utah (11-4, 0-2) in a 7 p.m. game at the Coors Events Center (Fox Sports 1).

"We've got to make sure we hold serve at home," Boyle said earlier this week, "and it starts Friday night against Utah. The sense of urgency is there."

That urgency is amplified by CU's home conference home record a year ago. CU finished last season with a 5-4 Pac-12 record at at the Events Center, the worst home conference record in Boyle's tenure. As a result, the Buffs also suffered through their first losing conference season in the Boyle era, finishing 7-11.

Boyle has made sure his players are aware of the importance of starting their home conference season on a strong note.

"These guys know," Boyle said "They're smart guys. They know if we want to compete for a championship, we've got to win at home, and that's what we want to do."

The Buffs did a good job of protecting their home floor in non-conference play, posting an 8-0 mark. But they haven't played a game at the Coors Events Center since Dec. 19, and are just 2-2 in their last four contests (two road games, two neutral floor contests).

CU senior forward Josh Scott has seen three seasons of Pac-12 play and is well aware of just how important it is to collect every win possible at home.

"Look around the scores in the league," Scott said. "It's going to be a battle every night. You need to hold your home court, otherwise it's going to be tough to win in this league."

The Utes will be in no mood to meekly roll over for the Buffs. A team that has been ranked in the top 25 in the nation at various junctures this year — as well as a team that owns a win over Duke — will bring an 0-2 Pac-12 record to Boulder. Utah fell in overtime to Stanford last week in the conference opener; then lost to Cal two days later.

"Utah is a top 25 team with top 25 talent and they're 0-2 in our league," Boyle said. "They're like a wounded animal … they've got a lot of life in them and they're a little angry, mad right now. We've got to be ready to handle that."

The Utes are led by 6-foot-10 Jakob Poertl, who is averaging 17.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, but their game doesn't stop with the big sophomore. Senior forward Jordan Loveridge is averaging 12 points and four rebounds per game and sophomore forward Kyle Kuzma is averaging nearly 12 points and six rebounds. In the backcourt, they're led by guard Brandon Taylor, a career 40 percent 3-point shooter. Taylor is struggling from beyond the arc this season, shooting just .256, but as Boyle said, "We know he's a better shooter than his numbers indicate."

The Utes, though, might be without the services of Kuzma, who suffered a bruised tailbone in the loss to Cal. That has led head coach Larry Krystkowiak to speculate that he might pull the redshirt off highly touted freshman Jayce Johnson, a 6-11 forward who signed with the Utes last November and joined the team in December.

"They've got a lot of depth, a lot of guys that can hurt you from a lot of different spot," Boyle said. "They've got good players on the perimeter, a deep group of big guys. Utah I think is a top 25-caliber team; I think we're a top 25-caliber team. That's why I think it will be a hell of a game."

The Buffs lost twice to the Utes last season, with neither game close. CU dropped a 74-49 loss in Utah early in the season; then fell 79-51 a month later in Boulder.

But this year's team is no doubt a different bunch. For starters, Scott is healthy instead of nursing a bad back, as he was in both contests last year. The Buffs also have a more diverse offense, with scoring potential coming from several different players. Along with Scott's 17.9 scoring average, the Buffs are getting nearly 14 points per game from sophomore George King and 11 per game from junior Josh Fortune.

A key for the Buffs will be if they can rediscover their shooting eye. Late in December, they were one of the nation's most accurate 3-point shooting teams. But they hit just 9-of-34 attempts in their two games in California last weekend, and dropped to second in the Pac-12 and 25th in the nation.

"It's been a difference of us being scouted and understanding that's one of our strengths, so people are getting a little closer to us," Boyle said. "And secondly, the (shots) aren't falling. We had some wide open looks against Cal and Stanford that didn't go in that have been going in."

MILLER BACK: Sophomore Tory Miller will be available again Friday after missing last Sunday's Stanford game. The 6-foot-9 Miller suffered a head injury in the conference opener at Cal.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu