Buffs Aim To Give Seniors Siewert, Gatling A Win In Their Last Home Game

BOULDER — Thursday night's 70-66 Colorado win over Southern California provided an excellent snapshot of the contributions Buffaloes seniors Lucas Siewert and Shane Gatling have provided in their careers in Boulder.

When the Buffs needed a play, both delivered in clutch moments. Both had three 3-pointers to help fuel a second-half comeback, both delivered some critical defensive help — and perhaps most importantly, both continued to fill the crucial roles they have taken on in their final year in a CU uniform.

Saturday, Siewert and Gatling will play the final home game of their careers when the No. 18/17 Buffs (21-6 overall, 10-4 Pac-12) play host to UCLA (16-11, 9-5) in a 2 p.m. game at the CU Events Center (CBS).

Siewert, in his fourth year in Boulder, has adapted to his role as an offensive spark off the bench, as well as a capable post defender and rebounder. After starting 26 games as a junior, he is now averaging more than 20 minutes per game as a reserve (he has just one start this year) and is a strong candidate for the league's Sixth Man of the Year award, averaging 8.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

"In the beginning, (the sixth man role) was a little bit of an adjustment," Siewert said recently. "But as the year went on, I realized it was something that was better for our team and if I accepted the role and did my best, I could be a big help."

Thursday night's win was a perfect example. After the Buffs trailed by as much as 14 in the first half and still by three at halftime, Siewert helped spark a second-half rally that put the Buffs in control. He had two 3-pointers in a 12-4 run that gave the Buffs a 12-point lead midway through the half, and defensively helped limit USC big man Nick Rakocevic to just two points and three rebounds after halftime.

"He's critical," Boyle said earlier this month about Siewert's part in the Buffs' plan. "He's given us probably the most consistent minutes off the bench of anybody all year. And he's been really, really good in terms of being ready, understanding his role, accepting his role, and knowing that his role is critical for this team."

Gatling, meanwhile, began the year as a reserve after starting 33 of 36 games last year. But after Daylen Kountz and Eli Parquet shared the starting duties at off guard for the first 12 games, Gatling stepped back into a starting spot, and has been there for the last 15 games.

Gatling arrived as a junior college transfer two years ago with a reputation as a 3-point shooter, and he has filled that bill on more than one occasion. But he has also become a playmaker and defender, something that has kept him in the starting lineup. In 14 conference games, he is averaging nearly 8 points per game, and has 22 assists and 16 turnovers, while also adding some solid defense.

"Both of those guys are the good examples of not only accepting the role but playing it to the hilt," Boyle said. "Shane has been a guy that could have four or five assists, one turnover. On certain nights we want him to score the ball, but he's also become a better defender."

Gatling filled the bill of shooter against the Trojans. After scoring two points in the first half, he had 11 in the second, including a trio of 3-pointers early in the period, along with a short jumper that gave CU its first lead of the game.

"I just had to come out and be more confident, be more aggressive," Gatling said. "My teammates were struggling to score a little bit so I decided to pick it up on offense and defense and get more energy from doing that."

Thursday's game was no doubt one to remember for both seniors.

"Those memories stay with us for the rest of our lives," Siewert said. "The crowd was into it. It's something we have to remember."

Now, the two CU seniors have one more game in front of their home crowd, and Saturday's Events Center gathering is expected to be near capacity. CU enters the game in sole possession of the Pac-12 lead, and the Buffs would like nothing better than to earn a win over the Bruins, who dealt the Buffs a loss in Los Angeles earlier this season.

"I always say, 'Seniors are great if they play like seniors,'" Boyle said. "Lucas and Shane, for the most part this year, have done that. They have played great minutes. They deserve, on Saturday, to be sent out the right way — which is with a win."

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu