Buffs' Boyle Looking For Consistency At Off-Guard Spot

BOULDER — Colorado coach Tad Boyle made it clear earlier this week that there is playing time to be had at the off-guard position for the Buffaloes.

But as Boyle noted, nobody has truly seized the opportunity for the Buffs. Senior Shane Gatling and sophomores Eli Parquet and Daylen Kountz have all had their moments this year, but consistency has not been part of the equation.

"There's some guys coming off the bench that could very easily supplant some guys that are starting," Boyle said. "But the problem is they're not. That's the problem. I was very honest with our players. Shane Gatling is ready to be taken out of the starting lineup the way he's playing. He's ready for it. But nobody's making an argument to make that happen … Eventually as a player you have to step up and say, 'OK, I'm going to do that.'"

Kountz began the season as the starter opposite McKinley Wright IV in the backcourt, drawing the assignment for the first five games. Parquet then stepped into the spot for the next seven games before Gatling was given the role, which he has occupied for the last 18 games.

Now, with the Buffs (21-9 overall, 10-7 Pac-12) heading into Saturday's 12:30 p.m. regular season finale at Utah (15-14, 6-11), Boyle is looking for some consistency there as Colorado tries to end a three-game losing streak.

"With both Daylen and Eli, the message is guard your tail off, take care of the ball, take great shots," Boyle said. "That's all you have to concentrate on. Don't worry about anything else. Guard, take care of the ball and take great shots. If they do that, they're good enough offensive players that they'll get it going."

Of the three, Parquet might be the best defender — but again, consistency hasn't been a strong suit.

"I just have to lock in more on defense," he said after Thursday's practice. "We all do, actually. Individually, I need to lock in more and take it more personal."

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Parquet has had his moments on offense, hitting one 3-pointer in four of CU's last five games. He's also had just two turnovers in that five-game stretch while Kountz has struggled in that department with two turnovers in each of CU's last two games.

But Parquet knows there are minutes on the floor to be had if he can dial up some consistency.

"You can't really teach defense, it's really an effort thing," Parquet said. "Coach Boyle always talks about defense and rebounding. I feel if I do that every game, the rest will take care of itself."

TOP FOUR UPDATE: Thanks to Arizona State's loss to Washington and Stanford's loss to Oregon State on Thursday, the Buffs once again control their fortunes when it comes to a top-four Pac-12 finish and first-round tournament bye next week in Las Vegas. If the Buffs win at Utah on Saturday, they guarantee themselves a top-four finish and what would be their first-ever first-round bye in the Pac-12 tournament.

Colorado is the only team since the league expanded in 2011-12 to win at least one game in every Pac-12 tournament.

BIG DAY FOR RECRUIT: Wednesday night was a first for Boyle, when he watched son Pete play in the state playoffs for Boulder High against Columbine, led by CU signee Luke O'Brien.

"I texted Luke the night before and said I'm officially conflicted," Boyle said. "But I hope you get 50 and Boulder High wins."

That's not quite how it played out, as O'Brien finished with 33 points — including some key 3-pointers down the stretch — to lead Columbine to a come-from-behind win that eliminated Boulder from the playoffs.

"I told him after the game, I said you got 33 and Boulder High lost, that wasn't the deal," Boyle laughed. "(But) I was obviously sick to see my son and his friends and all the guys he's played with all year, their season come to an end. It's never easy."

FIRST LOOK UTAH: In their first meeting this year, Colorado took a 91-52 win in one of CU's best overall efforts of the season.

But Boyle is counting on seeing a different Utes team on their home floor. While Utah is just 1-11 away from home this season — with no Pac-12 road wins — the Utes are a respectable 11-2 at home with wins over USC, Stanford and Cal.

And, as Boyle noted, they also knocked off Kentucky on a neutral floor earlier this season.

"The game here really means nothing," Boyle said. "It wasn't indicative of the Utah team that they are. We played out of our minds, both offensively and defensively and rebounded the ball. Just one of those games. It's going to be a different Utah team, a scrappy one, a hungry one. I always say the most dangerous animal is the one that's wounded. And I think you have two of them playing in this game, Colorado and Utah."

NCAA TOURNAMENT FOR JACK BOYLE: Boyle's older son, Jack, will be playing in the NCAA Division III tournament Friday night in Atlanta when his Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens face off with Centre College.

Pomona-Pitzer, a program that features students from Pomona and Pitzer colleges in California, played CU in an exhibition game to start the season in Boulder. Jack attends Pitzer and Pete Boyle plans on attending Pomona next fall.

Centre is located in Danville, Ky.

"They're in their version of March Madness," Boyle said. "I'm really proud of him. They've been to the tournament two years in a row now and hopefully they can advance. He told me I needed to give them a plug because (Kentucky coach) John Calipari plugged that they're playing from Kentucky. So I said I'm going to plug the Sagehens from Pomona-Pitzer."

Pomona-Pitzer enters the tournament with a 22-5 record while Centre is 24-4.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu