Buffs Prepare For Sunday Visit From Arizona
February 16, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Colorado coach Tad Boyle has made sure his Buffaloes are not being lulled into a false sense of security by their next opponent's recent struggles.
Yes, the Arizona Wildcats have lost six in a row — their longest losing streak in 25 seasons. These Wildcats (14-11 overall and 5-7 in Pac-12 play) are obviously not the team the Pac-12 has become accustomed to seeing, the program that has won four league titles and three conference tournament championships in the last five years.
But from the Buffs' perspective, it is still Arizona that will pay a 6 p.m. visit to the CU Events Center on Sunday — and that is enough to earn every ounce of Colorado's respect.
"I say this every time we play them, and it's the truth … you have to beat Arizona. Arizona's not going to beat themselves," Boyle said earlier this week. "They're very disciplined, they're very well prepared. They're going to know which guys can drive right, which guys can drive left, which guys can shoot, which guys are struggling shooting. They'll have a game plan and we have to go out and we have to execute our game plan better than they execute theirs. That's what it comes down to with Arizona. You're not going to necessarily catch them on an off night. They don't have a lot of off nights, in terms of preparation and discipline and toughness. You have to make shots. You have to outplay them to beat them."
The Buffs (15-9, 6-6) enter the game in a rare position — ahead of UA in the conference standings. Colorado also owns a four-game win streak, something the Wildcats haven't seen since seen since late December-early January, when they put together a six-game win streak that included a 4-0 start in Pac-12 play.
But since then, the Wildcats have struggled. Their recent slump includes back-to-back home losses — an unheard-of scenario in the Sean Miller era at UA — as well as an 83-76 loss at Utah on Thursday.
Still, the Buffs know what the 'Cats are capable of doing. CU paid a visit to Tucson early in January and suffered a 64-56 loss. The Buffs trailed by 15 at the half, and while they managed to close the gap to single digits late in the game, they could not overcome a 35.8 shooting percentage (19-for-53) and 17 turnovers that led to 14 UA points.
"Obviously they've had their struggles, but that doesn't mean anything (Sunday) at 6 o'clock," Boyle said. "All that matters is who plays the best, who executes the best, who defends the best, who rebounds the best, who shoot the best. We have to be that team if we want to win because Arizona, they're going to be — I don't want to say a desperate team, but they're going to be a hungry team, no doubt about it. They have competitors, their coach is a competitor."
The Wildcats do have a talented lineup. They have also been hit by the injury bug, with star freshman Brandon Williams — the team's leading scorer in Pac-12 play — missing the last four games with a knee injury. Williams went through warmups Thursday in Utah but did not play, and his status for Sunday is unknown.
"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. ... We prepare like he's going to play; if he doesn't play, he doesn't play."
In Williams' absence, the Wildcats have been leaning on 6-foot-6 sophomore guard Brandon Randolph (13.6 points per game) and 6-10 center Chase Jeter, a transfer from Duke (11.6 points, 7.0 rebounds per game).
The Buffs' goal will be to put together the kind of effort that yielded their four-game win streak — a 40-minute effort on both ends of the floor. In that stretch, they have seen sophomore forward Tyler Bey average 16.7 points and 11 rebounds per game while sophomore point guard McKinley Wright IV has averaged 16.3 points, 5.3 assists and 6.0 rebounds.
"We just have to keep doing what we've been doing — guard, rebound and take care of the ball," Wright said. "That's all there is to it. If we keep doing that, we'll be in good shape."
BATTEY UPDATE: Boyle said freshman forward Evan Battey, who missed the second half of Wednesday's win over Arizona State with back spasms, is improving. Battey practiced Saturday and the Buffs hope to have him available Sunday.
"Hopefully we'll have him ready to go," Boyle said. "Anytime you're dealing with a kid's health, especially with a lower back you have to think long term, you have to think big picture. But at the end of the day Evan has to make the call. It's not one of those injuries where even a trainer or doctor — it's his back. He knows how it feels, he knows what it feels like normally, he knows where it's at."
THE SERIES: Sunday's game will be the 33rd meeting all-time between the two programs, with Arizona holding a 19-13 series edge. The 'Cats have won three in a row and five of the last six, including the conference opener in Tucson this year. Colorado is 9-4 against UA in Boulder, including wins in the last two.
BROADCAST: The game will be televised by ESPNU with Roxy Bernstein and Caron Butler. KOA will carry the radio broadcast with Mark Johnson and Scott Wilke.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
