No. 20 Buffs Prepare For Visit From LMU
December 03, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — "Respect everybody, fear nobody."
It is a fundamental tenet of Colorado coach Tad Boyle, and one the Buffaloes will exercise on both ends of the spectrum this week.
Wednesday night, Boyle's 20th-ranked and unbeaten Buffs (6-0) play host to Loyola Marymount in an 8 p.m. contest at the CU Events Center (Pac-12 Network). The 3-4 Lions will bring their best to Boulder in hopes of recording an upset while the Buffaloes will play the role of the team with the target on its back.
Saturday, the script will be flipped when Colorado travels to Lawrence, Kan., for a 5 p.m. meeting with second-ranked Kansas in storied Allen Fieldhouse. There, the Buffs will be to the hunters, aiming for a head-turning upset of their own.
But first things first. As the Buffs wrapped up practice Tuesday morning, there was no discussion of their upcoming road trip. Rather, all of their attention was focused on LMU, a team Boyle described as "a dangerous opponent that we have to take seriously."
CU's coach wasn't blowing smoke. Upsets have been plentiful this year. Unranked Evansville won at No. 1 Kentucky. Unranked Stephen F. Austin won at No. 1 Duke.
"There's no doubt, we've got a target on our back," Boyle said. "Our guys are starting to understand that. We have to be able to handle other people's best shots. I expect to get Loyola Marymount's best shot. We have to be able to handle it and impose our will and execute and do the things we're capable of doing. If we do that, I'll live with the results."
The Lions, coached by former Metro State head coach Mike Dunlap, have experienced an up-and-down season thus far that includes a win over Air Force and a loss to Colorado State. They are led by 6-foot-8 sophomore forward Ivan Alipiev (13.0 points, 4.6 rebounds per game) and 6-6 guard/forward Eli Scott (12.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg).
"This Scott kid is a special player," Boyle said. "He's kind of a point forward. He'll bring the ball up the floor, he's got 41 assists. He can put the ball on the floor, he can pass it really well, he can score at the rim, he's got a nice mid-range game."
Scott and Alipiev are the only two players to have started every game this year for LMU.
"They've started nine different guys, they've had nine different guys make threes," Boyle said. "We have to be aware of (Alipiev and Scott) at all times, but we also have to be aware of guys coming off the bench because they can play up to 11 guys."
The Buffs' goal will be to produce better offensive consistency than they showed in their most-recent outing, a 59-45 win over Sacramento State.
"Offensively, the biggest thing for us is we have to get the ball moved," Boyle said. "We have to have great movement after we pass the ball. We can't pass and stand against these guys because they're going to mix up their defenses. They're going to press some, they're going to trap some, they're going to run some zone, they're going to run some man — they just try to keep you off-balance offensively."
 The Buffs would no doubt like to get a few more shots for junior forward Tyler Bey, who had just three field goal attempts against Sacramento State but still finished with 11 points thanks to a 6-for-9 night from the free throw line.
Bey is leading the Buffs in scoring (14.2 ppg) and rebounding (12.5 ppg), and he has five double-doubles in six games.
But defenses are beginning to turn their attention more and more toward Bey in the post — and he has responded by handing out 17 assists this season, second on the team to McKinley Wright IV's 21.
"He's getting so much attention when he's got the ball because he's a good scorer and wants to score," Boyle said. "Defenses now are collapsing on him, whether it's on the post or on his drives. He's gotten better at finding the open man."
And that's a lesson Boyle wants his entire team to absorb.
"Basketball's a simple game," he said. "Two guys are guarding you, somebody's open. That's as simple as it sounds. That's what we have to do, we have to simplify the game and make easy baskets and not make home runs. Some guys are trying to make home run plays every time they touch it."
Boyle has addressed the "looking ahead" factor with his team, but he doesn't get the feeling the Buffs aren't concentrating on LMU.
"I'm trying the best I can with our players to send a message that Loyola Marymount is a dangerous opponent that we have to take seriously," Boyle said. "If we take that approach, if we respect Loyola Marymount and come out and play like it, I can live with the results … I think our players have done a good job (of staying focused). I don't feel like we've taken anybody lightly this year. From San Diego to Irvine to Wyoming — anybody — nor should we."
THE SERIES: This will be the fourth meeting between the two programs, with Colorado holding a 2-1 edge. The home team has won all three games, with the Buffs winning the last matchup, a 94-79 decision in Boulder in November 2000.
BROADCAST: The game will be televised by the Pac-12 Network with Guy Haberman and Don MacLean. KOA 850 will provide the radio coverage with Voice of the Buffs Mark Johnson on play-by-play and Scott Wilke on color commentary.
UP NEXT: The Buffs travel to Lawrence, Kan., on Saturday for a 5 p.m. matchup with second-ranked Kansas.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
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