Woelk: What We Learned, What's Ahead For Boyle's Buffs

BOULDER — There is no doubt where Colorado coach Tad Boyle expects his team to be a year from now when the 2020 postseason rolls around.

Boyle has made it clear he believes his Buffaloes should be playing in the NCAA Tournament next March.

It's a legitimate expectation with which Colorado fans no doubt agree. Boyle's team went 23-13 this year, including a 10-8 Pac-12 record that was good enough for a tie for fourth in the final standings and a fifth-place seed in the conference tournament. The Buffs had two first-team all-conference selections, played well down the stretch — 12 wins in their last 16 games while advancing to the NIT quarterfinals — and perhaps most importantly, boast a team that is expected to have everyone who finished the year in uniform back for the 2019-20 season.

Overall it was a good season, but one that left Boyle and the Buffs wishing they had another chance at some of the opportunities that slipped away, especially early in the year.

Still, it set the table for what could be breakout year for the program. While Boyle has already led the Buffs to four NCAA Tournament appearances, this is a team that will enter next year toting the expectation of spending more than just one weekend at the NCAA's annual postseason party.

With that in mind, here are five things we learned last year — and five things to look for in 2019-20:

FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED:

1. Point guard McKinley Wright and forward Tyler Bey are legitimate high-level players. While folks who follow the program closely knew what kind of players Wright and Bey are, the rest of the conference found out this season as they both enjoyed outstanding sophomore years.

Wright followed up an outstanding freshman season by taking his game up a notch as a sophomore, ending up as a first-team All-Pac-12 pick. He was CU's second-leading scorer, and was third in the league in assists (167) and fourth in minutes played (1,137), despite missing one full game with a shoulder injury.

But equally important was his leadership from a physical, mental and emotional standpoint. He made big plays in crucial moments, pushed the Buffs through adversity and helped will CU to big wins down the stretch.

Bey, meanwhile, put his athleticism on display, finishing the season with a conference-best 17 double-doubles while averaging 13.6 points and 9.9 rebounds. A fierce rebounder and solid inside scoring threat, he was named the league's Most Improved Player — and those around the program say he has yet to come close to his potential on a consistent basis.

2. Dallas Walton's absence was huge. When Colorado's sophomore 7-footer suffered a season-ending knee injury in preseason practice, CU's coaches knew it was a major blow.

But as the season progressed, the absence of a 7-foot rim protector on defense and a another scoring threat inside on offense became more and more pronounced. It changed the way the Buffs had to play — particularly on the defensive end — and limited what CU could do against bigger opponents.

Walton's absence also left the Buffs perilously shorthanded when foul trouble hit their bigs early in games. Colorado did its best to fill the post with a combination of Bey, Evan Battey and Lucas Siewert, but there were still plenty of instances when Walton's presence no doubt would have made a difference.

Thus far, Walton's recovery has been steady. If he can return healthy and ready to play next fall, he will add a much-needed dimension to CU's game on both ends of the floor.

3. The Buffs wore out down the stretch. This is not something Boyle ever would have used as an excuse. But by season's end, after Colorado had lost three key players — Walton, Namon Wright (injury) and Deleon Brown (academics) — the Buffs were running on fumes. The lack of depth was then exacerbated when freshman guard Eli Parquet missed seven games in March with a knee injury.

The roster depletion meant the Buffs were playing with not only a young lineup — Colorado's starters down the stretch consisted of three sophomores, a freshman and a junior — but one that was logging some heavy minutes because of a short rotation. Wright played at least 30 minutes in each of CU's last 15 games; sophomore wing D'Shawn Schwartz hit the 30-minute mark in 13 of his last 15 games; and Bey put in some heavy minutes inside as well.

(Wright was also playing with an injured shoulder for much of the Pac-12 and postseason, something that also no doubt contributed to his body simply wearing down.)

The fatigue showed at the end. After an emotional, physical Pac-12 tournament — three games in three days — the Buffs were tired for the NIT. They scratched out a win over Dayton and hung on against Norfolk State, but when they had to play on a Monday, travel on Tuesday and play again on Wednesday at Texas, they didn't have much left in the tank and it showed.

The hope is that with a more mature roster and more depth next year, fatigue won't be an issue in March. A particular key will be the development of Parquet and fellow guard Daylen Kountz, both of whom can add defense and explosive offense.

4. D'Shawn Schwartz quietly became a quality Pac-12 player. While Wright and Bey grabbed the headlines during CU's stretch run, Schwartz made a steady contribution. Along with playing dramatically improved defense inside and out, he scored in double figures in eight of the last 10 games while also averaging more than four rebounds per game.

When Namon Wright went out for the season early in Pac-12 play, it left Schwartz as the only "big" wing — and he responded to the challenge. He will be a key part of next year's team.

5. Evan Battey has the potential to be a force. Already a fan favorite because of his exuberant, enthusiastic approach, Battey steadily became more and more of a contributor as he scraped away the rust of a two-year layoff from competitive play.

By season's end, the 6-foot-8, 265-pound forward had become a scoring threat on the block, a capable rebounder and a true playmaker. He is also brings an emotional boost to the Buffs, and his presence next year will be important, especially when he has the chance to play next to Walton down low.

FIVE KEYS FOR NEXT YEAR:

1. Don't waste early season opportunities. While the Buffs let some potential wins slip away in Pac-12 play — at Stanford and at home against Oregon State in particular — there were also three non-conference games that might have been enough to push them at least onto the NCAA bubble if they had won.

Two of those losses came in the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii, no doubt the low point of the season. Colorado lost back-to-back games to inferior opponents in Indiana State and Hawaii, games that haunted CU the rest of the season. Throw in a road loss at San Diego and it adds up to three games the Buffs believe they should have won.

Those are the kinds of opportunities CU can't afford to let slip away next year.

2. Continue to improve on the road. After winning just one road game the entire season in 2017-18, Colorado won five in 2018-19, including three conference games. That included wins at USC and UCLA.

But to get to the next level, Colorado needs to get over the hump at places such as Arizona (where a Boyle-coached team has yet to win), Washington and Washington State.

As for their home mark, the Buffs were solid at the CU Events Center with a 15-2 record — but they also let a pair of Pac-12 games slip away on their home floor, something that makes Boyle cringe.

3. Improve shooting. With the addition of juco transfer Shane Gatling, a 3-point marksman, and the presence of Lucas Siewert, one of the Pac-12's most accurate long-distance shooters a year ago, the Buffs were supposed to be a solid if not outstanding 3-point team.

Instead, they finished 11th in the conference in Pac-12 play, hitting just 31.2 percent of their attempts from beyond the arc. It's an area on which Boyle will place a particular emphasis this spring and summer. The potential for a good-shooting team is there; the Buffs must figure out a way to turn that potential into production.

In that regard, the Buffs will apply the FIBA 3-point line (22.15 feet) in their practice gym. That distance was used in the NIT this year and Boyle said the anticipation is that the NCAA will adopt that longer distance for next season.

4. Take care of the ball. The Buffs did get better in the turnover department down the stretch, but the bug still bit them occasionally — and cost them in crucial moments.

After three games with single-digit turnovers, Colorado hit double digits three times in a row in the Pac-12 tournament, with 18 against Washington too many to overcome.  For the year, CU averaged more than 13 turnovers per game, a number Boyle would like to reduce to at least 11 (and ideally into single digits).

5. Take advantage of their experience and continue to adhere to their foundational principles. Boyle's basic building blocks at Colorado have always been defense and rebounding.

This year, the Buffs improved in both. CU led the Pac-12 in conference games rebounding margin, averaging 4.5 more boards per game than the opponent. Defensively, they were third in conference play in 3-point defense (32.6 percent) and fourth in overall field goal defense (43.5).

They have the players to take the next step. A healthy Walton will be a shot blocker and shot changer in the middle. Wright is an outstanding perimeter defender, Bey's athleticism causes issues inside and out and Schwartz is a versatile defender who can guard bigger or smaller people depending on the matchup.

As for their experience, the Buffs will find themselves in a new environment next fall. They will not only be one of the league's more experienced teams, it is likely they will be seen as one of the league favorites. They will get everyone's best shot every night.

It means they will have to be at their best on a regular basis — from opening night of non-conference play right up through March and the postseason.

But the biggest key of all? The offseason. With the expectations that will come next season comes a responsibility to be prepared. Wright, who has already undergone shoulder surgery, will miss much of the offseason. That will make it even more important for his teammates to take advantage of every opportunity in the gym and in the weightroom between now and October.

If they do that, the 2019-20 season could be a special one indeed.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu