Colorado University Athletics
Perfect Weekend Ahead For Buffs Fans To Binge On Hoops
January 15, 2024 | Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — This upcoming weekend might just be one of the biggest in Colorado basketball history when all factors are taken into account.
Four home games in four days, with every matchup a critical one, offering CU fans a rare opportunity at back-to-back-to-back-to-back contests at the Events Center.
The marquee matchup is Friday night's 6 p.m. matchup between JR Payne's 15-1 Buffaloes — the only remaining team in the Pac-12 with an unbeaten conference record — and UCLA. The Buffs are ranked No. 3 in the nation and the 14-1 Bruins are right behind at No. 5, making it the first-ever top-five matchup in Buffs history.
Of course, if No. 3 vs. No. 5 isn't enough, there's a No. 3 vs. No. 6 matchup on Sunday, when Payne's Buffs tangle with USC in a 1 p.m. matchup at the Events Center.
It means the Buffs — coming off a 71-59 win over No. 8 Stanford — will play three games in a row against top-10 opponents. That's the kind of stretch that could give some coaches nightmares, but one that Payne and Co. are embracing.
"Every game is going to be huge," Payne said after the Stanford game, which featured the ninth-largest home crowd in program history (9,111). "Every game is going to feel like life or death. We have to win it. This one wasn't any different and Friday will feel the same. We're excited … We just have to keep that energy going from our community."
Meanwhile, Tad Boyle's CU men have a crucial weekend on the horizon as well. After ending a three-game losing streak with a come-from-behind win Saturday over USC in front of 10,000 at the Events Center, the Buffs get two more at home this weekend, where they'll try to improve the 10-0 home record they've built this year.
Thursday, the Buffs (12-5 overall, 3-3 Pac-12) play host to Oregon in an 8:30 p.m. contest. The Ducks (13-3, 5-0) are the lone remaining unbeaten team in Pac-12 play, but Colorado has an 11-1 all-time advantage over Oregon in games played in Boulder.
Then comes a 5 p.m. game Saturday against Oregon State — and the Buffs need to win both to stay within reach of the conference leaders.
It all adds up to an opportunity for Colorado basketball fans to spend a weekend watching two teams capable of making some noise in March when their respective NCAA tournaments tip off.
Payne's CU women's team is clearly in the driver's seat not only for an NCAA bid, but the chance to make a deep run into the tournament on the heels of last year's Sweet 16 appearance.
Anyone who has watched the Buffs this year knows this much: this team has no weaknesses, the kind of team that gives opposing coaches night sweats.
The Buffs can score inside and out. They have the toughness to play bully ball in the paint, they have outstanding shooters from beyond the arc and they have more than enough speed to score in transition. From Aaronette Vonleh to Jaylyn Sherrod to Frida Formann to Quay Miller to Kindyll Wetta, the Buffs are balanced from every angle.
Defensively, they are equally adept. While their numbers in that department aren't among the league leaders, they have still shown a consistent ability to throttle an opponent at key moments — as evidenced by their game-deciding 20-2 run in Sunday's win over Stanford.
Simply, the Buffs have great leadership, and are experienced, versatile and blessed with depth. They are a team built for a tournament run because they can match up well against almost any style of play.
Boyle's Buffs are also a team with excellent tournament potential — if they can get healthy and develop the 40-minute consistency needed to survive a win-or-go-home environment.
KJ Simpson and Tristan da Silva are all-Pac-12 performers. Fab frosh Cody Williams, back from missing seven games with a wrist injury, is a potential game changer. Big man Eddie Lampkin Jr. is a force inside and do-everything guard J'Vonne Hadley might be one of the most under-appreciated players in the league.
But the Buffs have yet to display the ability to put together consistent 40-minute efforts. If they do — and this would be a good week to uncover that quality — they are also the kind of team that can match up with almost any kind of opponent.
Of course, it's far too early to begin dissecting NCAA Tournament chances. Both squads are barely a fourth of the way through their conference schedule, and then comes the final Pac-12 tournament.
But it's not too early for fans to begin thinking about March — and by no means too early to take advantage of an opportunity to binge on some outstanding basketball for four straight days.
