Boyle Says 'Toughness' Has Been Key To Buffs' Four-Game Streak

BOULDER — It was just a couple of weeks ago that Colorado fans were wondering if the Buffs could ever snap out of their funk.

Now, two weeks and four games later, the Buffs have their longest-ever regular season Pac-12 win streak in hand and the confidence that goes with it.

The next question is whether the Buffs can maintain the attitude that has changed the direction of their season. Sunday, they will get the answer when they attempt to push their win streak to five when Arizona pays a 6 p.m. visit to the CU Events Center.

It is something CU head coach Tad Boyle has addressed with his team.

"You talk about what went on in January and late December for us," Boyle said. "You say, 'Look, here's where we were, here's where we are. Which one do you guys like better? And why are we here today relative to where we were in January?'"

Boyle said the biggest difference between the Buffs who lost six of their first eight Pac-12 games and the Buffs who have won four in a row is their mental approach.

"A lot of it is between our ears," he said. "A lot of it is with our toughness and our heart, our focus and our concentration. I don't think physically we're a lot different team, but we're a lot different team mentally, and even emotionally. That's the part that we have to really focus on, is that mental preparation, game plans, and then going out and giving it 100 percent."

The Buffs have indeed been a different team through their win streak, especially in the second half. After losing back-to-back games in which they held leads at halftime, the Buffs have since owned the second half over their four-game win streak. Colorado has shot 54.5 percent after halftime in those games while holding the opponent to just 41.7 percent shooting from the floor, including just 29.4 percent shooting from 3-point range. CU has also averaged nearly three rebounds more than the opponent after halftime, has had a better free throw shooting percentage and has outscored the opponent by an average of 4.3 points per game after intermission.

The biggest factors have been rebounding and defense — two of the staples of the program.

"We're digging in and getting stops and playing with great effort defensively," Boyle said. "And, we're really boxing out. ... We're always trying to limit our opponents to one shot. That was a real key against Arizona State. It's going to be another key against Arizona because they guys really offensive rebound the ball well. What I look for in terms of those toughness stats is rebounding and field goal percentage defense, because I know when we're doing those two things, we're playing with toughness."

Sophomore point guard McKinley Wright said the Buffs won't change the approach that has produced success over the last couple of weeks.

"Just keep the end goal in mind," he said. "Keep playing for each other, keep loving each other, not caring about who gets the most points or the most rebounds. Just sharing the ball, playing with one another. That's all there is to it."

BATTEY UPDATE: CU freshman forward Evan Battey, who missed the second half of Wednesday's win over Arizona State because of back spasms, missed practice Friday as he was attending his grandmother's funeral.

But Boyle said the Buffs were hopeful that they would have Battey available against the Wildcats.

"It's better than it was yesterday," Boyle said. "Obviously with lower backs you kind of take it day by day and see how it feels. We're cautiously optimistic on him, but we'll know more (Saturday). … One thing you know about Evan, he's a tough kid. If he can go, he'll go."

Battey's absence against ASU meant some extended playing time for CU's front-court players. Four Buffs — Tyler Bey, Wright, Lucas Siewert and D'Shawn Schwartz — all played at least 33 minutes against the Sun Devils.

Extended time has actually been the norm for several Buffs in Pac-12 play, as CU's depth has taken a hit. CU's five starters are all averaging at least 25 minutes per game in conference games. In Colorado's win at UCLA, all five starters played at least 30 minutes — the third time in conference play that at least four CU players saw 30 minutes on the floor. The last time Colorado had even two games with four players playing that much came two years ago — and both of those occasions were overtime games.

Boyle said the key is to make sure players utilize their off days by getting plenty of rest, as well as to make sure practices are shorter.

"We're not going for 2 1/2 hours, but the time we're out here, we have to make it productive, we have to make it where we're getting better," Boyle said. "We're doing a lot of shooting, kind of fine-tuning things if you will, and putting in a game plan. That's really what practice is about for us this time of year."

ARIZONA UPDATE: The Wildcats, who arrived in Boulder on Friday, bring with them a rare losing streak. Thursday's 83-76 loss at Utah was Arizona's sixth straight defeat — the longest losing streak for the Wildcats since the 1983-84 season, when the 'Cats lost six in a row in the first year of legendary head coach Lute Olson's tenure; and the longest conference losing streak since the prior season, when Arizona lost 14 consecutive Pac-10 games.

Boyle, however, expects Arizona's best shot, especially if guard Brandon Williams is able to play. The UA freshman — the team's leading scorer in Pac-12 play — has missed Arizona's last four games with a knee injury, but went through warmups Thursday in Salt Lake City and could be ready to play Sunday.

"We prepare like he's going to play," Boyle said. "He makes them a better team because he can score the ball and he can create for others. Brandon Williams was highly recruited for a reason. He's a very good offensive player. He hurt us down there (14 points in a 64-56 Arizona win in Tucson in early January). We prepare like he's going to play. If he doesn't play, he doesn't play."

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu