Buffs Head To Oregon State Seeking Key Pac-12 Road Win

CORVALLIS, Ore. — With just two road games remaining this season, it means the Colorado Buffaloes have just two more chances to make sure they do not produce a record for which they would rather not be remembered.

In CU's five previous seasons in the Pac-12, the Buffs have never won fewer than two road conference games. Heading into Thursday's 7 p.m. game at Oregon State, Tad Boyle's Buffs currently sit at 1-6 in Pac-12 road games this year.

Of course, winning on the road is never easy. In the last five years, the best the Buffs have managed in conference play is a 4-5 conference road record in 2012-13. They have also won three road games twice (2011-12 and 2013-14) and just two on the road in the last two seasons.

But now, in a season in which the 15-11 Buffs (5-8 Pac-12) are desperately trying to keep their postseason hopes alive — including the perilously slim chances of an NCAA berth — every game from here on out is magnified in importance.

It begins with Thursday's game at Gill Coliseum.

Reasons for the home-court advantage are many: a familiar setting, a home crowd and no travel are just a few.

But CU's Boyle says there is only one requirement for winning on the road.

"It's really not that hard," Boyle said earlier this week. "It comes down to toughness. Winning on the road is mental toughness, physical toughness."

After dropping their first five Pac-12 road games this season (CU was 2-1 on the road in non-conference play), Colorado finally broke the ice with an 81-74 win at Stanford two weeks ago, then dropped a decision at Cal three days later.

But it's not as if they weren't within striking range several of those six losses. They led in the final minute of regulation or overtime in three of those games — Arizona State, Washington and Washington State — before ultimately losing all three.

"It's the same game, same-sized ball, same height on the rim," Boyle said. "You've got a few people cheering against you and a team that's used to playing on their home floor. But I think it's all about toughness, I really do. Tough teams win on the road. Non-tough teams or soft teams don't."

After an 0-7 start in conference play, the Buffs have won five of their last six. The statistical difference in the two stretches is pronounced.

After allowing nearly 84 points per game in the first seven, CU's defense has cut that number down to 68.2 over the last six. The Buffs have also shot considerably better from the field (.474 to .449) in the stretch, have cut opponents' shooting percentage from 48.1 percent down to 43.5 and have reversed their turnover margin: from a minus 4.0 in the first seven to a plus 3.5.

Both of CU's games this week — Thursday at Oregon State and a 1 p.m. matchup Saturday at Oregon — come against teams Colorado beat at home earlier this season.

But that is where the similarity stops. OSU brings a 4-22 mark into Thursday's game, including an 0-13 mark in Pac-12 play. The Ducks, ranked No. 7 in the nation, are 22-4 overall and 11-2 in the Pac-12.

Boyle, though, has spent the week making sure his players don't look ahead to Oregon. While OSU hasn't won a conference game yet, the Beavers may see the Buffs as perhaps their best chance. In their first meeting, OSU trailed by just two with four minutes to go before the Buffs pulled away down the stretch for an 85-78 win.

A loss in Corvallis, Boyle said, "blows you out of the water."

"I'm sure they're thinking they can get Colorado with our road record and how they played us here," Boyle added. "It's not going to be easy. (Guard) Stevie Thompson is a very good player, (forward) Drew Eubanks is as good a young big guy as there is in this league. They're not as deep maybe and they're not as experienced, but they're plenty talented enough."

To get a win against the Beavers, the Buffs will need the balanced scoring they've produced in their recent successful stretch. In each of the last five wins, Colorado has produced at least three players in double-digit scoring, with three players leading or tying for game-high production.

But what has also become clear down the stretch is that the Buffs need senior Derrick White to take control. White is second in the Pac-12 in scoring in conference games (18.9 ppg) and has scored at least 16 points in CU's last five games. He's also averaging almost five assists per game in conference play.

One big focal point for the Buffs will be OSU's big man Eubanks, who scored a career-high 27 points against Colorado in their first meeting to go with a game-high 11 rebounds. The good news in that department is that along with the recent surge of junior Tory Miller, CU senior big man Wesley Gordon is coming off of one of his better defensive performances of the year against Washington State. Gordon nullified WSU big men Conor Clifford and Josh Hawkinson, helping limit them to a combined 12 points.

And, the Buffs would also like to see juniors George King and Tory Miller continue their recent surges.

King had his sixth double-double of the season in last week's win over Washington (21 points, 12 rebounds), is leading the Buffs in rebounding in conference play (7.1 per game) and has scored in double figures in 10 of CU's 13 conference games.

Miller is second in the conference in shooting percentage in Pac-12 play (40-for-63, 63.5 percent) and he's scored in double figures in the last four games.

"We have to do whatever it takes to go to Corvallis and figure out how to win," Boyle said. "We know we can. We just have to go do it."

THE SERIES: Colorado holds a 13-6 all-time edge in the series, including a 7-4 mark in Pac-12 games. OSU has a 5-2 lead all-time in Corvallis, including last season's 60-56 win. Boyle is 8-6 against Oregon State while OSU coach Wayne Tinkle is 2-3 against the Buffs.

BROADCAST: Thursday's game will be televised by the Pac-12 Network with JB Long and Eldridge Recasner. DenverSports 760 AM will carry the radio broadcast with Mark Johnson and Scott Wilke.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu