Buffs Head To New Mexico For Road Test In The Pit

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — When the Colorado Buffaloes hit Pac-12 play, they know they will see some raucous crowds and hostile environments on the road.

Tuesday night's matchup with 4-3 New Mexico at the The Pit — the Lobos' famed home area — will be a perfect warmup for those contests, as the 7-1 Buffs are expected to play in front of the largest crowd they have seen thus far this season.

In three home games this year, New Mexico has averaged nearly 12,000 fans per game at Dreamstyle Arena (the facility's official name), including a gathering of 14,393 for a matchup with in-state rival New Mexico State. Even the Lobos' smallest crowd thus far, 10,188 for the home opener against Iona, was substantially larger than CU's biggest crowd this season, a gathering of 7,887 for the Dec. 1 Colorado-Colorado State game at the CU Events Center.

"I'm looking forward to it," CU sophomore point guard McKinley Wright said. "It's going to be fun and it's a great test for us, to go into a road environment like this. I think we're ready for it because it will tell us where we really are right now."

Indeed, the game should serve as a great barometer. After posting a 6-0 record at home thus far and a 1-1 mark on the road, the atmosphere in The Pit should present just the kind of challenge the Buffs need as they begin a stretch of six games away from the comfort of the Events Center.

"That environment for us, we haven't quite seen that yet," associate head coach Mike Rohn said after Monday morning's practice. "We're going to have to have some poise. They're going to press us and trap us for 40 minutes."

Mike Weir's Lobos do indeed like to play a full-court style, as they employ a variety of presses and traps that are producing nearly 15 turnovers and and more than seven steals per game.

But that style also lends itself to some easy baskets for the opposition. While the Lobos are averaging 80.7 points per game, they are giving up an average of 86.1 per contest.

"We're going to have to handle the crowd, we're going to have to handle the presses and not turn it over," Rohn said. "If we do that and we can do a good job defensively, I feel confident about it. We're going to get their best shot, no doubt. It's a huge game for them."

New Mexico has had an up-and-down season thus far. The Lobos jumped out to a 4-1 start that included wins over UTEP and Bradley, but have lost their last two by substantial margins — 100-65 to New Mexico State in Las Cruces and 85-60 at Loyola Marymount.

But they are no doubt dangerous at home, averaging nearly 89 points per game on their home floor.

"The fans aren't something that gets to me," said Wright, who leads the Buffs in scoring (15.1 points per game) and assists (6.4 apg). "I just have to go out and play my game and do what I do. A big part of this game for me will be taking care of the ball. I know how much they pressure and how much they trap in the full court. I'm looking forward to it. It's a good game for us."

Wright has done a solid job of taking care of the ball this year — he is averaging just 3.7 turnovers per game — but even that is a number head coach Tad Boyle wants Wright to reduce. The Buffs are averaging more than 13 turnovers per game, and their goal is to get that number down to no more than 11 on a regular basis.

In that vein, Wright wants to make sure he and his teammates get off to a good start at New Mexico. The Buffs don't want to fall behind early and have the crowd add to that momentum because of some early turnovers and UNM buckets.

"The games last year when I didn't have energy and we lost, it seems like the whole team was dead," Wright said. "In order for this team to have high energy out of the gate, it starts with me. I want to come out with high energy and set the tone early for my guys. High energy from the get-go will be important."

If Wright can do that, the Buffs have a chance of returning to Boulder with a road win, something they accomplished just once all of last season. With their next six away from home — including three in the Diamond Head Invitational in Hawaii and their first two Pac-12 contests (at Arizona and Arizona State) — learning how to win in an unfriendly environment will be key to their NCAA Tournament hopes.

" We have to not be satisfied with competing," head coach Tad Boyle said last week. "We have to finish the game and come out with victories. At the end of the day, that's what we're judged on."

ON THE ROAD AGAIN … AND AGAIN: Tuesday's game is the first of six in a row and nine of 11 away from home for the Buffs.

The six-game stretch away from home is the longest for Colorado since a 25-day road stretch in 1986. The two home game in an 11-game span will be the fewest for the Buffs since the 1974-75 season, when they played seven straight and nine of 10 outside of Boulder in December-January of that season.

The Buffs don't play at the Events Center again until Jan. 10, when they play host to Washington State.

RETURN TO THE PIT: CU's Boyle is no stranger to The Pit — in fact, it holds fond memories for him.

The last time Boyle took a team to Albuquerque was the 2012 NCAA Tournament. Colorado, a No. 11 seed, knocked off UNLV in the first round before falling to No. 3 Baylor in the second round.

THE SERIES: This will be the 15th meeting between the two programs, with the ledger knotted at 7-7. The Buffs won the last meeting, a 75-57 decision in Boulder last year. New Mexico has a 3-2 edge in Albuquerque, with the last meeting there a 106-65 UNM win in 2006.

BROADCAST: The game will be televised on ESPN2 with Roxy Bernstein and Bill Walton. KOA radio will carry the broadcast with Mark Johnson and Scott Wilke.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu

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