Colorado University Athletics
Win Or Go Home: Buffs Face WSU In Pac-12 Tourney Opener
March 08, 2016 | Men's Basketball, Neill Woelk
LAS VEGAS — Win or go home.
It's a simple, tried and true equation that applies to college basketball teams across the nation this week in conference tournaments from Albany to Anaheim and points in between.
Win and you play another day. Lose and you head back to campus to play the waiting game, hoping to hear your name called Sunday afternoon when the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee announces its choices from New York.
Wednesday afternoon, Tad Boyle's 21-10 Colorado Buffaloes (10-8 Pac-12) will begin their quest for an extended stay in Las Vegas when they open play in the Pac-12 Tournament at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The fifth-seeded Buffs meet 12th seed Washington State (9-21, 1-17) in a 3:30 p.m. (Mountain) game (Pac-12 Networks). If CU wins Wednesday, the Buffs will play Arizona the next day at the same time.
“There's no tomorrows,” Boyle said earlier this week. “If we win we stay, if we lose we start checking flights back to Boulder. It's win or go home. The sense of urgency is much greater.”
As of now, the Buffs are still considered a strong bet to earn an invitation to the NCAA's annual postseason party. CU boasts a strong RPI (30), a strong strength of schedule (31), a winning record in one of the nation's toughest conferences and nine wins against top-100 RPI teams.
But there are no guarantees when it comes to at-large bids, and a loss to the Cougars in the opening round of the tournament would not help the Buffs' cause. The only way the Buffs can guarantee themselves an NCAA bid is to win four games in four days — something Boyle's team did in his second season in Boulder, when CU ran the table to win the first Pac-12 Conference tournament.
Boyle, though, insists such a repeat run isn't on his or his players' minds.
“We went there with the idea that we were going to try to beat Utah and live to see another day,” Boyle said of the 2012 Pac-12 tourney run. “That was the mentality going into that tournament. It's the same here.
“We're not going there to win four games in four days. We're going there to beat Washington State on Wednesday, and that's all we concern ourselves with. It's not any magical formula. We told our guys, play 40 minutes to earn 40 more minutes, and you've got to play those 40 minutes well.”
The Buffs won't be taking the Cougars lightly, despite their dismal 1-17 conference record. While Colorado swept the season series, neither win came easily. CU took a five-point win in Pullman in January; then survived a mighty scare in February in Boulder, collecting a double-overtime victory.
“Washington State's got good players,” Boyle said. “They're a much better team than their record indicates. We know that because we've played them twice in two close games. It's a new season for everybody and I'm sure they're looking at it like, 'Hey, let's let it all go hang out in Vegas.' We've got to be ready.”
Boyle's teams have historically performed well in conference tournaments. CU has never lost a conference tourney opener under Boyle, and the Buffs are 10-4 in conference tourney play under his guidance.
“The teams that go there with that kind of hungry-dog mentality are the ones that usually come out with wins,” Boyle said. “A lot of times it goes to the teams that are tougher and want it more.”
In their last meeting with WSU — one the Buffs played without the services of all-conference big man Josh Scott — CU led by double digits for much of the second half before WSU rallied to tie the game and force overtime. The Cougars then seemed in position to win, only to see CU's George King connect on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to force a second OT. Colorado finally took control in the second extra period and escaped with a win.
“We kept letting them back in because we couldn't put stops together and expand our lead,” Boyle said. “We've got to have a better defensive effort.”
The Cougars are led by 6-10 big man Josh Hawkinson, who is averaging 15.6 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. With Scott out of the lineup in their last meeting, Hawkinson had 18 points and 13 rebounds.
But the Cougars who have done the most damage to CU in the previous games have been guards. In their first meeting, WSU's Ike Iroegbu scored 27 against CU, most coming on slashing drives to the bucket. In the second game, it was guard Que Johnson who hit the Buffs with 25 points.
Scott, though, will be available for this matchup — and the CU senior is determined to make his last postseason as long as possible.
“You realize that every game could be your last, so you play like it,” Scott said. “You play with a different sense of urgency. These games really matter. It's about getting as much basketball as you can.”
While the tournament is technically a neutral floor affair, the Buffs know if they win Wednesday, they'll face a road-game environment the following day against Arizona. The Wildcats bring a huge contingent of fans to the MGM and will no doubt create a raucous atmosphere.
“If we're lucky enough to play Arizona, it will be a road game,” Boyle said.
BROADCAST: The game will be televised by the Pac-12 Networks with Kevin Calabro, Don MacLean and Jill Savage. KDSP 760 AM will carry the radio broadcast with Mark Johnson and Scott Wilke.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
