Hot-shooting Siewert, Buffs Host Portland On Wednesday
November 27, 2018 | Men's Basketball, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Anyone surprised by the red-hot shooting thus far from Colorado's Lucas Siewert didn't pay close attention a year ago.
The 6-foot-10 junior not only led the Buffs last season in 3-point percentage, he was second in the Pac-12, connecting on 44.8 percent of his shots from beyond the arc (30-for-67). He also finished second on the team in overall shooting percentage (48.5).
This year, he has simply picked up where he left off last season. After four games, Siewert is hitting 65.5 percent of his field goal attempts (19-for-29), which includes a blistering 10-for-14 from 3-point range (71.4 percent). That 3-point accuracy is currently the best in the Pac-12 and second-best in the nation, and his overall shooting percentage is sixth-best in the conference.
Siewert will try to keep that trend going Wednesday, when he and his Buffs teammates host Portland in a 7 p.m. game at the CU Events Center (Pac-12 Networks).
"I'm shooting with confidence," said Siewert, who is coming off of a perfect 6-for-6, 17-point effort in Colorado's 93-56 win over Air Force last Saturday. "I'm just letting it go and it's going my way right now. I've been putting a lot of work into my shot every day, and I'm just trying to make sure it stays that way."
Siewert's 6-foot-10, 230-pound frame presents a matchup problem for defenses. Big defenders are hesitant to leave the lane and follow him outside, while smaller defenders are no match for him in the paint.
"That's why I've worked on my post-up game all summer as well," Siewert said. "Last game I was 3-for-3 from the post and 3-for-3 from outside. When teams are taking away my shot outside, I can go inside. I'm not a one-dimensional player."
Indeed, Siewert has improved his game significantly inside — a role that became even more important when the Buffs lost 7-footer Dallas Walton to a knee injury before the season started. He is averaging a respectable 4.8 rebounds per game — second on the team behind Tyler Bey — and has improved his defense against big men as well.
"We know he can shoot the ball from the perimeter," head coach Tad Boyle said of the native of Brazil. "When he's open from three, we want him to shoot it. But as he goes on and continues to shoot the ball like he's shooting it, people are going to start taking away his threes. He's going to find different ways to score, which is either going to be off the dribble, attacking closeouts, or it's going to be posting up smaller guards who might be switching on to him on the perimeter."
To help his inside game, Siewert also spent plenty of time in the weight room over the offseason with strength coach Steve Englehart. Siewert added about 10 pounds of muscle and has seen the impact already.
"I can tell the difference," Siewert said. "Now I'm just as confident inside as I am on the outside. If they take that outside shot away, I know I can score in the post."
Siewert's improved post presence gives Colorado three solid scorers and defenders up front, joining Bey and Evan Battey, and all three are players who can go outside as well.
"We need to get Lucas more touches," Boyle said. "With Lucas, Tyler and Evan we gave three really capable post players down there offensively. We have to get them touches."
They should get their chance Wednesday against the 5-3 Pilots.
"Transition defense is going to be critical," Boyle said of Portland. "These guys can really get out and run. They've got some big guys that can run, they're good athletes. … They have young big guys, but they're pretty talented. They're active, they're aggressive, they can score on the block. This is going to be a good test."
The Pilots are averaging just more than 77 points per game, with their biggest win thus far an 80-77 win over Cal State Northridge, a game in which they overcame an 18-point deficit in the second half.
But the result that got the attention of the Buffs is a win at San Diego a year ago — a team that beat Colorado last week.
"These guys can play," Boyle said. "We haven't beaten San Diego in two years. I think they've beaten them two out of the last three times. We have to understand it doesn't matter who you're playing, it doesn't matter when you're playing or where you're playing — you'd better be ready to play. We respect everybody and we fear nobody. Portland deserves our respect. They have good players and they're well coached and they've done some things we haven't done."
THE SERIES: This will be the third meeting between the two programs, with the Buffs winning both previous contests. CU beat Portland 85-63 in Boulder in 2015, then won the rematch in Portland the following year, 76-63.
BROADCAST: Drew Goodman and Mike Montgomery will will handle the Pac-12 telecast while Mark Johnson and Scott Wilke be on the KOA radio call.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu.
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