Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Set For Final Non-Conference Tuneup Vs. Iowa
December 21, 2017 | Men's Basketball, Neill Woelk
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — In terms of a final tuneup before conference play, Friday night's game against Iowa (7 p.m., Big Ten Network) might be just what Tad Boyle's Colorado Buffaloes need.
Technically, the game at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D., is a neutral-site affair.
But, as Boyle noted, that designation is in name only. Sioux Falls is just across the Iowa border, and less than six hours from Iowa City. The 3,250-seat Pentagon is expected to be sold out, with the vast majority of fan cheering for the 7-6 Hawkeyes, giving the game all the atmosphere of a true road contest.
The 8-3 Buffs have been to Sioux Falls before. Two years ago, CU opened the season against Iowa State in the same facility, with Cyclones fans dominating the crowd. Boyle expects the same environment this year.
"It will be a pro-Iowa fan base and we know that," Boyle said. "We're preparing for a road game because it will be a road game. It's neutral in name only."
The Buffs are 0-2 in true road games this year, dropping decisions at Colorado State and at Xavier. They are 3-0 in neutral-court affairs, but all three of those wins came at the Paradise Jam in Lynchburg, Va., in front of sparse crowds.
Friday night presents CU with one last opportunity to get a win in front of a hostile crowd before the Buffs hit Pac-12 play. A win, Boyle said, would go a long way in giving the Buffs a confidence boost.
"It sure would help," he said. "Four of our first six league games are on the road. This would sure help, gain a little confidence from my standpoint and from their standpoint."
The Buff will meet a balanced, big Iowa team that has won its last three games. The Hawkeyes have 12 players who are averaging double-digit minutes in playing time and a roster that boasts three "bigs," including 6-11 forward Jack Nunge (8.8 points, 3.8 rebounds per game), 6-11 forward Luka Garza (team-leading 6.8 rebounds and 9.9 points) and 6-9 center Tyler Cook (13.8 points, 6.6 rebounds).
"It's going to be an interesting matchup," Boyle said. "They've got multiple bigs. … The lineups that we play on Friday night will probably be more dictated on matchups, in terms of who Iowa has on the floor and we'll go from there and kind of get a feel for it."
That could mean the first career start for Colorado freshman Tyler Bey, who is coming off an outstanding effort in CU's double-overtime win over South Dakota State last week. Along with career-highs of 12 points and nine rebounds against the Jackrabbits, Bey also delivered an excellent defensive effort against SDSU's Mike Daum.
"Tyler Bey is going to have to match up with the Cook kid, who's their leading scorer and best player," Boyle said. "He's an athletic, strong big. Lucas (Siewert) and Dallas (Walton) are going to have to match up against Garza kid, another big, strong athletic kid."
More than anything, Boyle wants to see his Buffs show some consistency over a 40-minute stretch. It's something that has escaped CU for much of the season and has been absent since senior big man Tory Miller-Stewart went down with a foot injury in late November.
"We don't have to be perfect," Boyle said. "We do not have to go play perfect basketball. We just have to play really intelligently, and that means taking care of the ball on offense and not turning it over, getting a great shot every time we've got it. Exerting a 15-foot radius to the basket. Sometimes Iowa's best offense is on second shots."
The Hawkeyes have won their last three, including a 90-64 win over Drake — a team CU beat 88-81 in the Paradise Jam. Iowa also lost on a neutral floor earlier this year to South Dakota State.
"They're the deepest team we've played and they're probably the longest and most athletic team we've played," Boyle said. "They have great size inside, even on the perimeter. They're a much improved team. Their record doesn't look great, but relative to where they were three weeks ago they're playing really well. They've scored over 90 points a game in all their wins, so obviously they are potent offensively. … They're not unbeatable but they're playing very well right now and they have some really good players."
BUFFS NOTES: Freshman McKinley Wright IV leads the Buffs in scoring (16.6 ppg), assists (4.5 apg) and steals (1.1 spg), as well as blocked shots (9) and field goal percentage among starters (.504). He is also second in rebounding with 5.5 per game. Wright is coming off a 30-point, 11-assist double-double against SDSU, and he also had nine rebounds in the game. … Senior George King leads CU in rebounding (8.6 rpg) and is second in scoring (14.6 ppg). … Junior Namon Wright is third on the team in scoring (11.7 ppg) and seconds in assists (13) and steals (10).
THE SERIES: Iowa holds a 4-3 all-time edge in the series and has won the last two, including their last meeting, a 100-85 win in Boulder in 1995. Colorado's last win against the Hawkeyes was a 76-68 double-OT victory in 1959. The two teams also met in the 1955 Final Four, with Colorado claiming a 75-54 win in the consolation game, giving CU a third-place NCAA finish.
BROADCAST: The game will be televised by the Big Ten Network with Kevin Kugler and Jon Crispin. KOA 850 AM radio will carry the broadcast with Mark Johnson and Scott Wilke.
UP NEXT: The Buffs begin Pac-12 play next week with a pair of road games. CU plays at Oregon State on Dec. 29 (9 p.m., ESPNU) and at Oregon on Dec. 31 (8 p.m., Pac-12 Network).
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
