Colorado University Athletics
Photo by: Joel Broida
Buffs Seek To Reset, Take On Portland Pilots Saturday Night
December 02, 2016 | Men's Basketball
CU must quickly flush CSU loss, focus on second of four pivotal games
BOULDER – Wednesday night's 72-58 loss to Colorado State won't keep the 5-2 Colorado Buffaloes from defeating the University of Portland Pilots on Saturday night – not if Tad Boyle can help it.
But CU's coach made it clear that in the "meat of the nonconference schedule," he has his work cut out for him.
"I knew coming into CSU that the next two weeks would tell us a lot about this team and where we are," Boyle said following the disappointing loss to the Rams.
Focusing on Wednesday's game alone, Boyle must spend time picking his team up from a loss of morale, as players realized the weight of the Rams' upset.
"We've got to regroup, and we can't feel sorry for ourselves, because nobody is going to feel sorry for us," he said.
On a technical level, free throws plagued the Buffaloes the most. Colorado shot 17-of-31 from the line, and against a team as physical as the Rams, inaccuracy almost singlehandedly lost the rivalry game.
But with the 4-2 Pilots in mind, Colorado will need those points, as Portland leads the nation in free throw shooting, averaging 85 percent from the line despite a 29.5 percent field goal average.
"There's going to be nights like that where offense is sub-par, and that's when you have to rely on your defense," said Boyle.
The Pilots have also out-rebounded their opponents 40.2 to 35.8 per game this season and rank 11th nationally in defensive rebounds. Buffs' veteran forward Wesley Gordon averages 9.4 rebounds per game, with George King just behind at seven. Boyle is placing more stock in Gordon's performances at this juncture in the season, with King "struggling at this point."
"We worked in practice on guarding the ball from every position at every point on the floor," said Boyle, but against the Rams the Buffs' defense lacked off the bounce, costing CU in the second half.
Aside from that and turnovers, an inconsistent performance from forward Xavier Johnson hurt Colorado's offense against CSU. The senior is averaging 13.7 points per game, and his 27 points against Wofford University last Sunday fueled expected momentum heading into Wednesday night.
The results were opposite, as Johnson put up only six points, shooting 1-for-7 from the field and missing every shot -- he was 0-for-4, the Buffs were 3-for-19 -- from beyond the arc. Johnson proves to be a difference maker, be it positively or not.
So for now, when Boyle begs for consistency, Derrick White is the first name coming to mind, at least in the stat column. He'll face the most challenging match-up on Saturday in pilot point guard Alec Wintering.
"Portland's got one of the best point guards on the west coast that very (few) people know about," Boyle said of Wintering, a preseason All-West Coast Conference selection.
Saturday night's game tips off at 8 p.m. MST (THEW-TV, KOA Radio 850).
But CU's coach made it clear that in the "meat of the nonconference schedule," he has his work cut out for him.
"I knew coming into CSU that the next two weeks would tell us a lot about this team and where we are," Boyle said following the disappointing loss to the Rams.
Focusing on Wednesday's game alone, Boyle must spend time picking his team up from a loss of morale, as players realized the weight of the Rams' upset.
"We've got to regroup, and we can't feel sorry for ourselves, because nobody is going to feel sorry for us," he said.
On a technical level, free throws plagued the Buffaloes the most. Colorado shot 17-of-31 from the line, and against a team as physical as the Rams, inaccuracy almost singlehandedly lost the rivalry game.
But with the 4-2 Pilots in mind, Colorado will need those points, as Portland leads the nation in free throw shooting, averaging 85 percent from the line despite a 29.5 percent field goal average.
"There's going to be nights like that where offense is sub-par, and that's when you have to rely on your defense," said Boyle.
The Pilots have also out-rebounded their opponents 40.2 to 35.8 per game this season and rank 11th nationally in defensive rebounds. Buffs' veteran forward Wesley Gordon averages 9.4 rebounds per game, with George King just behind at seven. Boyle is placing more stock in Gordon's performances at this juncture in the season, with King "struggling at this point."
"We worked in practice on guarding the ball from every position at every point on the floor," said Boyle, but against the Rams the Buffs' defense lacked off the bounce, costing CU in the second half.
Aside from that and turnovers, an inconsistent performance from forward Xavier Johnson hurt Colorado's offense against CSU. The senior is averaging 13.7 points per game, and his 27 points against Wofford University last Sunday fueled expected momentum heading into Wednesday night.
The results were opposite, as Johnson put up only six points, shooting 1-for-7 from the field and missing every shot -- he was 0-for-4, the Buffs were 3-for-19 -- from beyond the arc. Johnson proves to be a difference maker, be it positively or not.
So for now, when Boyle begs for consistency, Derrick White is the first name coming to mind, at least in the stat column. He'll face the most challenging match-up on Saturday in pilot point guard Alec Wintering.
"Portland's got one of the best point guards on the west coast that very (few) people know about," Boyle said of Wintering, a preseason All-West Coast Conference selection.
Saturday night's game tips off at 8 p.m. MST (THEW-TV, KOA Radio 850).
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