Colorado
9-5, 0-2
Arizona State
10-4,1-1
Buffs Can't Match Hot-Shooting Sun Devils
January 05, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Neill Woelk
TEMPE, Ariz. — A trip to the desert proved to be no cure for the Colorado Buffaloes' recent ills away from home.
Playing their sixth straight game away from the CU Events Center on Saturday, the Buffs fell behind early by double digits to Arizona State and never recovered, dropping an 83-61 decision to the Sun Devils at Wells Fargo Arena.
The loss, the Buffs' second in a row and fourth in their last five games, dropped their record to 9-5 overall and 0-2 in Pac-12 play while ASU improved to 10-4, 1-1.
McKinley Wright IV led Colorado with 12 points and D'Shawn Schwartz and Daylen Kountz each added 10. But the Buffs were cold all afternoon from the field, finishing just 19-for-58 on field goal tries (32.8 percent), including 5-for-26 from 3-point range. CU also lost the rebound battle, 42-28, and committed 15 turnovers, which ASU converted into 18 points.
The Sun Devils, meanwhile, shot a red-hot 57.1 percent from the field (32-for-56). Romello White led five ASU players in double figures with 19 points. ASU's 83 points were the most given up by the Buffs this year.
"We're just not making shots right now," head coach Tad Boyle said. "We just can't throw it in the ocean. When that happens, you have to come back and get stops. But tonight, we weren't good enough in any aspect of the game. We weren't good enough in rebounding, we weren't good enough in taking care of the ball, we weren't good enough offensively, we weren't good enough defensively. It was just a tail whipping. We deserved it and we got it."
HOW IT HAPPENED: Unlike Thursday's loss at Arizona, when the Buffs were able to close a double-digit deficit to seven with just under three minutes to play, Colorado started slowly and the Sun Devils steadily pulled away for much of the game.
The Buffs missed their first seven shots and hit just one of their first 11 in the opening half while the Sun Devils hit seven of their first 13 to take a 16-5 lead less than nine minutes in. ASU then built the margin to as much as 16 before the Buffs finally shaved the margin down to 10, 34-24, with just under three minutes to play in the half.
But the Sun Devils responded to CU's mini-run by putting together a 10-2 burst to close the half to take a 44-26 lead into intermission.
Colorado finished the half just 8-for-27 from the floor (29.7 percent) while ASU was 17-for-30 (56.7 percent).
"We just couldn't get some of our shots to fall," Wright said. "First half we got a ton of good looks. We got a lot of open threes, just unable to hit them."
The second half was basically a repeat of the first. The Sun Devils continued to build on their halftime lead, pushing the cushion to as much as 26. ASU dominated the game on the boards with a 42-28 rebound edge as well as inside, as the Sun Devils outscored the Buffs 50-20 in the paint.
"This is the first time we've gotten our tails kicked," Boyle said. "This was a whipping. We got what we deserved and Arizona State (coming off a home loss to Utah) deserves credit. They played with an edge and desperation. They're a very talented team and we didn't do anything good enough tonight to even warrant being in the game, much less win the game."
The Buffs finally return home next week with a pair of games against the Washington schools, beginning with a Thursday matchup against Washington State.
"I don't want our players to lose their heart," Boyle said. "I don't believe we have. But we can't feel sorry for ourselves. We have to play more desperate in terms of our energy level, our toughness."
TURNING POINT: A 1-for-11 start from the field put the Buffs in a hole from which they could never escape, as ASU never let the Buffs mount anything that resembled a serious rally.
WHAT IT MEANS: Now in an 0-2 Pac-12 hole, the importance of holding serve at home beginning with next week's games becomes even more magnified for Colorado.
KEY STATISTICS: For the second game in a row, the Buffs shot poorly from the field. CU shot 19-for-53 (35 percent) in the loss to Arizona, then followed it up with a 19-for-58 effort Saturday against ASU (32.8 percent). The Buffs were also dominated on the boards, and gave up a 50-20 edge in points in the paint.
QUOTEWORTHY: "Sixteen games left, we're 0-2. In order to separate ourselves and finish in the top half of this league and compete for a championship, you have to learn how to win on the road. … As a home team, we'll see. You have to hold serve at home. It starts with Washington State next Thursday." Head coach Tad Boyle
"We're still a confident team. It's two games. We can't let these two games define who we are. I think we're still capable of becoming Pac-12 champions. We have to get better, obviously." — CU's McKinley Wright
NOTEWORTHY: Arizona State's win ties the all-time series at 9-9. The Sun Devils continue to hold a commanding 8-1 lead in Tempe and have won the last six vs. Colorado at Wells Fargo Arena. ... Colorado switched up its starting lineup for just the third time this season and first since the second game (Omaha). Eli Parquet made his first collegiate start in place of junior guard Shane Gatling. ... Colorado had a season-high 10 steals, its most since recording 12 against Iowa on Dec. 22, 2017, and its most in a true road game since having 12 against these same Sun Devils on Jan. 25, 2014. ... Colorado shot 83 percent from the foul line on the Arizona swing (30 of 36). ... Colorado matched a season-low 19 field goals made (Arizona) and had a season-low 28 rebounds.
NEXT UP: The Buffs finally return home for a pair of games next week, beginning with a Thursday matchup with Washington State (7 p.m.) at the CU Events Center, followed by an 8 p.m. Saturday game with Washington.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
