Colorado University Athletics
Boyle's Buffs Set To Open Season, Host Drake
November 12, 2018 | Men's Basketball, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — In the world of college basketball, it's easy to discount the non-conference portion of a team's schedule, particularly when conference play rolls around.
But as the Colorado Buffaloes prepare to open their season Tuesday with a 6 p.m. home game against Drake at the CU Events Center (Pac-12 Networks), head coach Tad Boyle has made sure to remind his players of one important fact as he enters his ninth season in Boulder:
These early games in November and December carry plenty of weight in March, especially when it comes time for the NCAA Selection Committee to begin making its decisions.
"Every game in college basketball counts," Boyle said Monday morning. "It does. November games are just as important as February games. You don't get the attention maybe from the national media. People are still talking about college football, and I understand that. But that doesn't mean these games are any less important."
Boyle's Buffs have learned that lesson the hard way the last couple of years.
Two years ago, non-conference losses to Notre Dame, Colorado State and BYU may have spelled the difference between an NCAA bid and Colorado's NIT appearance. Last year, losses to Colorado State, San Diego and Iowa were no doubt a deciding factor in the Buffs staying home for the postseason.
Now, Boyle wants his players to understand that these games in November and December are indeed remembered in March by people who matter.
"I shouldn't have to remind the guys who were here last year," Boyle said. "They know. It's something we've talked about."
While the Buffs played the Bulldogs just a year ago, the team Colorado beat 86-81 in the Paradise Jam last November is a much different squad, beginning with new head coach Darian Devries. The Bulldogs also added a number of transfers in the offseason, including starting guard Nick Norton (from UAB) and three junior college standouts. Now, Boyle said, Drake is a team that can do damage from long range.
"These guys could come in here and hit 12 or 15 3s on us and beat us if we're not ready," Boyle warned. "We'd better be ready to guard the 3-point line and have our heads screwed on right."
Over the last month, the Buffs had 26 practices and scrimmages, along with one exhibition game. They were hit with some bad news early in the preseason when they lost 7-footer Dallas Walton to a season-ending knee injury, but have since adjusted and are now anxious to face their first test that counts.
"I think they're ready," Boyle said. "The bottom line is the only time you find out if they're ready is when they step out and play the game. It's like preparing for that test in class. You don't know if you're ready for the test until you take the test. You feel like you're ready, you feel like you're prepared, but the only time we find out is tomorrow night. Tomorrow night about 8 o'clock we'll know if we were ready for this test or not."
Boyle will put a relatively young but experienced group on the floor. CU's starting lineup in last week's 66-57 exhibition win over Colorado Mines included freshman Evan Battey, sophomores Tyler Bey, D'Shawn Schwartz and McKinley Wright, and junior JC transfer Shane Gatling. But there were nine players in that game who had double-digit minutes, and it's likely Boyle will use a similar rotation against the Bulldogs.
What he wants to see most is what he always expects from his team: energy, effort and an adherence to the program's fundamentals of rebounding and defense.
"If we have to coach effort, we're going to have problems," he said. "If we have to coach execution, we have a chance. Execution is something you can get better at. Execution is something you can learn from as the season unfolds, even from one possession to the next or one half to the next. (But) there's no coaching dust to sprinkle on these guys to play hard. That's what I fully expect is for us to play with unbelievable emotion and energy."
For his part, Boyle said he hasn't lost his pre-game jitters, even as he enters his ninth year with the Buffs.
"Oh yes, I have butterflies," Boyle said. "I have the excitement, there's no doubt. This is not just another opener. This is an important basketball game for our team, our program. I feel the edge. I hope our players feel the edge."
SOLID AT HOME: Colorado has won 33 of its last 40 and 43 of its last 51 games at the Events Center. In the Boyle era, CU is 113-22 at home.
THE SERIES: Drake actually holds a 3-2 edge all-time, with Colorado winning the last two, including last season's 86-81 win in the Paradise Jam. The previous meeting came in 1996, when CU took an 82-80 overtime win in the season opener.
BROADCAST: The game will be televised on Pac-12 Network with JB Long and Matt Muehlebach. KOA 850 AM radio will carry the radio broadcast with Mark Johnson and Scott Wilke.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
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