With More To Go, CU Seniors Vow To 'Go Out As Winners'

BOULDER — Before Sunday's regular season home finale vs. Arizona State, Colorado's Josh Scott received a text from fellow senior Xavier Talton.

“XT said it best when he told me we are going to go out as winners,” Scott said. “That is the plan and it has been the goal. We're going to take the mojo and what we have learned from this entire season on a final push.”

Scott, Talton and fellow seniors Eli Stalzer and Brett Brady were honored at Sunday's game, both before and after CU's 79-69 victory. They were met by rousing ovations from the home crowd.

What they'll leave behind them is one of the most successful stretches in CU history. Sunday's win was the 81st in their four years in Boulder, and if they earn an NCAA Tournament berth, it will be their third in four years.

Equally impressive is this: Sunday's win was CU's 21st regular season victory, matching the most in Buffs history. Only two other teams have won 21 regular season games: the 1996-97 squad featuring Chauncey Billups and the 2013-14 Buffs — meaning this group of seniors has played on two of CU's winningest teams.

There is, however, more basketball to be played. The Buffs finish their regular season next Saturday in a 7:30 p.m. game at Utah before heading to the Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas the following week. Then — they hope — will be an NCAA Tournament invitation.

“I think our focus is still locked in and we know that there is more basketball to be played,” said Talton, who finished with three points, two rebounds and two assists in what was likely his Events Center finale. “I think we are just focused on the task at hand.”

Coach Tad Boyle also managed to get Stalzer and Brady in the game on Sunday. With the Buffs leading by 10 in the final minute, CU called a timeout and Brady and Stalzer made their entrance.

ATTENDANCE NUMBERS: Sunday's crowd of 10,325 was the second-largest Events Center crowd of the season. It brought CU's season attendance total to 145,180, an average of 8,530 per game (fourth-best in the Pac-12).

In Boyle's six years in Boulder, the Buffs have compiled an 88-15 record at home and drawn 894,935 fans, an average of 8,689 per game. Colorado will almost certainly play in front of its millionth fan of the Boyle era next season

GORDON STEADY AGAIN: CU junior Wesley Gordon had a game-high 11 rebounds, including six on the offensive boards. He's now had at least 10 rebounds in five of his last seven games and he's now 16th on CU's all-time rebounding list (647). Gordon is also tied with Andre Roberson for fourth in all-time blocks with 150.

FORTUNE SOLID: After a stretch in which he averaged more than four turnovers per game, Josh Fortune has turned the tide. Fortune did not have a turnover against ASU, and has now had just three in his last four games.

Fortune also led CU in scoring with 17 points on 6-for-8 shooting while handing out four assists.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu