Posts tagged Sun Devils
Buffs Get Payback and Revenge Over Sun Devils
Feb 20th
Story By B.G. Brooks, CUBuffs.com Contributing Editor
BOULDER – Tad Boyle cringes at the mention of revenge as a motivator, but he probably doesn’t object to pay-back. His Colorado Buffaloes got that (and maybe just a little revenge) Wednesday night at the Coors Events Center, out-gutting and out-grinding Arizona State, 61-52.
CU’s win broke a three-game Pac-12 Conference losing streak to ASU and gave Boyle’s fourth Buffs team its fourth 20-win season – a school-record. The Buffs (20-7, 9-5) now have back-to-back 20-win regular seasons and improved to 60-8 at the CEC under Boyle, including 16-1 this season with only No. 4 Arizona remaining on the home schedule.
Boyle was noticeably dialed in and demonstrative in front of his bench.
“I’m tired of losing to these guys, number one, and number two, I knew what was at stake,” he said. “They’re a physical team and you’d better buck up and be physical back, otherwise they’ll punk you. I wanted to make sure I was dialed in. I feel that way every game. I may not show it every game, but I wanted our fans to know and our players to know how important this game was – and I think they really fed off it.”
Boyle was “dialed in” to letting the fans and players know how important this game was
He called the grueling win “great for our program and it came at a very instrumental time in our season . . . our guys stepped up and our crowd was fantastic for a 9 p.m. tipoff. I can’t be more thankful and my hat goes off to them . . . now we need them one more time – Saturday.”
If pay-back was on someone else’s mind beside Boyle, it was Josh Scott. In a low-post entanglement last season with ASU’s 7-2 Jordan Bachynski, CU’s 6-10 Scott was flung to the court and suffered a concussion. The Buffs lost 63-62 in overtime.
Wednesday night was day-and-night different. The energized Scott was the banger, Bachynski the bangee. Scott got his 11th double-double of the season – 13 points, 13 rebounds as CU out-boarded ASU 48-27 – and held Bachynski to four points and three rebounds.
“Josh takes this matchup personal,” Boyle said. “What went on here last year in this building, we didn’t like it, we didn’t appreciate it and he hadn’t forgotten about it. Neither had I. And I don’t think our fans had either. I’m proud of Josh, he’s a battler; I’ll take that guy any day of the week.”
Boyle also called Scott “such an underrated post defender,” and except for losing track of ASU sharpshooter Jonathan Gilling, all the Buffs were fairly solid on defense. Gilling, a 6-7 junior, scored nine of his 10 points on consecutive 3-pointers in the second half and brought the Sun Devils (19-7, 8-5) back from a nine-point deficit.
But ASU finished shooting 31.5 percent from the field (17-of-54) while CU was at 37.0 percent from the field (20-of-54). The Buffs committed 14 turnovers to the Sun Devils’ 11, but got 12 points off of the ASU miscues to seven for the visitors. Maybe the night’s most telling number: CU scored 12 second-chance points to zero by ASU.
Boyle called the win grittier and gutsier than it was pretty, adding, “Sometimes Arizona State has a lot to do with that . . . Arizona State makes you earn your shots.”
CU’s Askia Booker and ASU’s Jahii Carson each scored 18 points, and Xavier Johnson contributed 11 for the Buffs. Booker scored 16 of his total in the second half. He got the Buffs’ first six points of the half, then closed out the Sun Devils by making six consecutive free throws in the final 39 seconds.
And the last of Booker’s three assists – CU finished with 11 – was a bullet pass to Dustin Thomas underneath for a layup that made the score 53-48. “In my mind,” said Boyle, “that was the play of the game.”
The importance of the game, said Booker, registered with him and his teammates four minutes into the game “at the first media timeout . . . You could tell how intense coach was in the huddle. This may be the most emotion I’ve seen out of him this year. You could tell he really wanted to win and I think that translated to the players.”
CU ran at every opportunity, and Boyle theorized that ASU “got tired some, I could see some heavy legs and burning lungs out there.”
The Buffs led 27-26 at the end of an intensely physical first half. If you craved defense, the CEC was your kind of venue.
Booker, averaging 19.6 points in February’s five previous games, didn’t get his first basket until the 5:23 mark, converting a steal into a layup and a 21-19 Buffs lead. Johnson, averaging 18.4 points in February, didn’t score until the 2:04 mark with a put-back.
Boyle was forced deep into his bench as Booker, Xavier Talton and Dustin Thomas – all starters – had picked up two fouls each with just over 6 minutes left before the break.
Nonetheless, the Buffs took a one-point lead to their locker room. But once back on the court, it quickly disappeared. ASU scored the second half’s first six points, getting two layups from Carson and a jumper from Jermaine Marshall to go up 32-27 – the largest lead by either team to that point.
But after a timeout, it was Booker time. He scored CU’s first six points of the half – two layups and a short jumper – to give the Buffs a 33-32 lead, then smoothly fed Scott for a fast-break dunk and a 35-32 lead.
CU got a tip dunk and one of two free throws by Johnson to go up 38-34 with 12:31 to play. Two minutes later, Johnson hit consecutive free throws and the Buffs were up 40-35.
It went to nine points — 45-36 – before Gilling connected on three consecutive treys to pull ASU to within 47-45 with 5:28 remaining. The Sun Devils got no closer and the Buffs closed out their 20th win on Booker’s free throws.
Boyle said winning 20 games for a fourth consecutive season “means we’ve recruited good players (and) we’ve coached good players. It takes good players to win games and our staff’s done a great job, our fans have really taken the homecourt advantage to heart. They’ve shown up through thick and thin. It’s a great feeling; we want that to be the standard.”
BLACKOUT SATURDAY: With College GameDay here on Saturday to see the Buffs play No. 4/4 Arizona on ESPN at 7 p.m., fans are encouraged to wear black and make it the Coors Events Center’s best BLACKOUT ever. In addition, Saturday is Senior Night, honoring fan favorites Beau Gamble and Ben Mills. The doors will open Saturday at 6 a.m. (no admission charge) for the morning broadcast hosted by ESPN analysts Rece Davis, Digger Phelps, Jalen Rose and Jay Williams. Live look-ins during the SportsCenter broadcast will start at approximately 7 a.m. Need a reason to get up early? Take your choice:
• Free breakfast food, coffee, Kickstart, and other giveaways for students;
• Free Illegal Pete’s burrito cards to first 250 students;
• Make your own poster at the CEC for the broadcast;
• Show off your CU Pride and Passion on National TV;
• A chance to win CU vs. Arizona tickets;
• One lucky student will win $1,000 and get the chance to make a half-court shot worth $18,000.
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
Team
• Colorado wins its 20th game of the season, the fourth time in history the Buffaloes have won that many in the regular season (1968-69, 1996-97, 2012-13, 2013-14).
• The 20 wins in a season is the eighth team in school history (113 years) that feat has been accomplished (Boyle owns four of them).
• It’s also the fourth-straight season CU has won 20-games in a season – all under head coach Tad Boyle .
• CU breaks a three-game skid to ASU, evening the all-time series at 5-5 and evening its record to 3-3 in Pac-12 games against the Sun Devils.
• CU improves to 4-1 at the Coors Events Center against Arizona State (the lone loss coming last season).
• The Buffs improve to an impressive 60-8 (.882) record at the Coors Events Center under the Boyle-coaching staff.
• Colorado is now 16-1 at home this season, the second-most wins at home in school history.
• CU improves to 37-21 (.638) against Pac-12 teams in the Boyle era.
• The Buffs end their three-game streak of scoring at least 40 points in the first half (27 tonight). CU didn’t break in to the 40’s until 10:34 left in the second half.
• ASU went on a 6-0 run to start the second half (20:00-15:52). This gave the Sun Devils their largest lead of the game (5).
• CU has held the opponent to below 39 percent shooting 11 times this season, six times in Pac-12 play (Arizona State, Washington, USC, UCLA, Oregon State, at USC). ASU shot 31% tonight.
• Just the fourth time CU has 8 or more league games four years in a row: Once in the RMAC, once in the RMAC/MSC, once in the Big 8 (1962-65), so nearly 50 years.
• Arizona State’s 52 points is the lowest scoring performance by an opponent this season.
• Colorado’s 61 points is the lowest points scored in a win by the Buffs since their 60-50 win over Utah Feb. 21, 2013.
• Six Buffs had five or more rebounds (Johnson-6, Thomas-6, Scott-13, Booker-6, Gordon-5, Hopkins-5).
• CU is an incredible 27-0 at home when out-rebounding the opponent AND holding the opponent under 40 FG% (CU outrebounded ASU 48-27 and held ASU to 31.5% from the field).
• Under the Boyle staff at the Events Center, the Buffs are 50-1 when outrebounding the opponent (last year outrebounded Arizona State, 41-26, OT loss).
Dustin Thomas
· His eight points tonight is the most he has scored in Pac-12 play (previous high was 7 vs. USC).
· Career-high six rebounds.
Askia Booker
- 13th time this season with over 15 points (18 tonight).
- Perfect 8-for-8 at the free throw line.
- Season-high 17 field goal attempts.
Josh Scott
- 11th double-double this season with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
- 11th time this season with 10 or more rebounds.
- Fourth time this season with 13 rebounds (ties season-high).
Xavier Talton
• Handed out a career-best 5 assists.
Andrew Green | Assistant Director Sports Information
Department of Intercollegiate Athletics | University of Colorado Boulder | 357 UCB | Fieldhouse Annex 50
WBB: Buffs hang tough until final minute, lose by 2
Jan 26th
Jen Reese has another big game
By: B.G. Brooks, Contributing Editor
BOULDER – Colorado stayed with No. 14 Arizona State for the better part of 40 minutes Sunday at the Coors Events Center. Unfortunately for the Buffaloes, the final half minute was no time to come undone.
Getting a pair of free throws from Adrienne Thomas with 4.4 seconds to play, the Sun Devils edged the Buffs 68-66. CU (12-7, 2-6) had hoped to sweep the Pac-12 Conference’s desert entries after a 68-47 win against Arizona on Friday night that broke a four-game Buffs losing streak.
But it wasn’t to be against the opportunistic Sun Devils (17-3, 6-2).
With the score tied at 66-66, CU coach Linda Lappe called timeout with 21 seconds to play to set her final strategy. It didn’t go as planned; Brittany Wilson lost her dribble, ASU got the loose ball and Thomas was fouled with 4.4 seconds to play.
Jen Reese kept the Buffs in the game with her second 22 point output in a row.
After Thomas hit both free throws, Wilson lost the ball coming up court, recovered, but could manage only a three-quarter court heave that only added to CU’s afternoon of frustration.
Of CU’s 12 turnovers, none were more costly than the final two. Said Wilson of the miscue coming out of the timeout: “I felt I got tripped, it was a no call. . . nothing much more to say.”
Added Lappe: “Just about everything bad that could have happened did at the end of the game . . . we have to learn how to finish. We’ve got to get a shot off, no matter what happens. (The officials) were calling fouls (23 on each team); we can’t make excuses.”
Lappe declined comment on Wilson’s alleged un-called trip: “I’m not going to comment on that . . . bottom line, we have to make plays.”
Jen Reese, who matched her career high with 22 points for a second straight game, said she believed the Buffs were focused coming of their timeout when the score was tied at 66. “But we should have gotten a shot up,” she added. “We didn’t finish . . . they were fouled and hit their free throws.”
Aiding Reese in the scoring column were Brittany and Ashley Wilson with 12 points each and Jamee Swan with 10. Deja Mann scored a team-high 17 points and was one of three Sun Devils in double figures, and ASU got 25 points from its bench.
CU outrebounded ASU 42-35 and hit 20-of-23 free throws – including 11-of-11 in the first half. Lappe said those two numbers were among positives to be taken away from the loss, the others being a “toughness level” that is becoming what she wants, overall execution in the final 8 minutes, and her team’s turnover total (10) before the final minute.
“We’re obviously disappointed,” Lappe said. “ASU is tough, well-coached. They find ways to win games this year; they make plays down the stretch. Give them credit, they’ve done this to a lot of teams. Tonight we were the victim.”
ASU led by 10 points in the first half before CU regained its shooting touch and made the afternoon competitive in the second half. The Buffs hit six of their first eight shots, took a 12-9 lead – their largest of the half – then went mountain stream cold.
From the 15:05 mark until 7:23 before intermission, they dropped from 75 percent shooting to 35 percent – going one for 12 and watching the Sun Devils launch a 12-0 run. That surge enabled ASU to take a double-digit lead – 24-14 –and appear to be in control.
But CU wasn’t ready to roll. If their shooting touches from the field occasionally went icy, it was a different story at the free throw line. For only the second time this season, the Buffs were perfect at the foul line, hitting all of 11 of their attempts – which kept them in the game. By halftime their field goal percentage was a humbling 30.3 (10-of-33), while the Sun Devils checked in at 42.9 percent (12-of-28). CU finished the afternoon shooting 38.3 percent from the field, ASU 41.5.
Free throw perfection in the first half’s final 5 minutes – all of CU’s fouls shots came in that span – kept the Buffs within three points (34-31) at intermission. Yet to catch and pass ASU in the second half, CU couldn’t count on doing it with free throws – their shooting had to improve, and the opening 4 minutes of the second half showed signs of that happening.
After Mann scored consecutive baskets to open the scoring and push ASU ahead 38-31, Reese – her nine field goals were a career high – hit a put-back to open a 6-0 run that pulled the Buffs to within 38-37. It was the closest CU had been since 13-12.
The Buffs got their first lead since 12-11 on a layup by Roberson that sent them up 39-38 with 15:16 remaining. CU matched its largest lead to that point – three points at 43-40 – on back-to-back baskets by Reese.
But Promise Amukamara matched Reese’s two buckets, giving ASU a 44-43 advantage and promising a back-and-forth final 10 minutes – if the Buffs didn’t encounter another Ice Age. They didn’t, and even a five-point ASU lead (52-47) didn’t deter them.
The Buffs lost their perfection from the foul line when Ashley Wilson finally missed the first of two with 8:58 to play. But “A-Wil” hit the second attempt, followed with two more on the next possession and tied the score at 52-52.
Neither team led by more than two points over the final 8 minutes, with CU taking a two-point advantage (66-64) on a three-point play by Ashley Wilson with 2:51 left.
With the Buffs leading 66-65, Reese missed a foul line jumper with 45 seconds left and ASU coach Charli Turner Thorne called a time out with 41.9 seconds to play. Fouled by Brittany Wilson on a loose ball battle, Kelsey Moos hit one of two free throws to tie the score at 66-66 at the 28.5-second mark.
Reese controlled the rebound on Moos’ miss and it was CU’s turn for a timeout to set its final strategy in the last 21.1 seconds. If both of the Buffs’ final possessions went bust, the Sun Devils have been there and conquered that.
“A majority of our games have come down to one possession,” Turner Thorne said. “We have a lot of experience in these situations. This team has a lot of confidence, and because of that, we’ve been able to out on top of every single one of these close games.”
The Buffs travel to Utah on Wednesday night (7 p.m.) before returning to the CEC to face the Utes again on Sunday, Feb. 2 (noon).
WAHL HONORED: CU’s first women’s athletic director, Jane Wahl, received the inaugural Jane Wahl Legacy Award Sunday, at both a pregame reunion luncheon with dozens of former players in attendance and again at halftime. The award will be presented annually to a member of the women’s basketball community who through their achievements brings honor and recognition to the program.
Wahl accepted the award from Ceal Barry, CU’s associate athletic director for student services and former women’s basketball coach. Barry noted that the first decade of women’s athletics set the table for future success, and in the case of basketball, began several traditions, including making the Coors Events Center the tough place it has become for opponents to play.
“I view this like a relay race,” Wahl said. “I worked the first leg and then handed the baton to others who went on to bring women’s athletics at CU to where it is today. The work I did at CU was some of the most meaningful of my life. To help create opportunities for women to participate in varsity athletics that didn’t exist before 1974. It was rewarding to do work that empowered women, life-changing work that served them well for the rest of their lives.”
Missing Dinwiddie, the Buffs fall apart against Sun Devils
Jan 26th
Buffs’ Offense Sputters Again, Sun Devils Win Easily
By Anthony Lepine, CU Sports Information Student Assistant
TEMPE, Ariz. – After struggling early in a Thursday night loss at No. 1 Arizona, Colorado’s difficulties in the desert continued here Saturday night as Arizona State rolled to a 72-51 Pac-12 Conference win.
Minus point guard Spender Dinwiddie and wing Tre’Shaun Fletcher now for four complete games, the Buffaloes were held to season-low point totals in Tucson and Tempe. Their 57 points against Arizona – the Wildcats had 69 – had been their lowest output of the season until Saturday night.
“This was just a bad game overall,” head coach Tad Boyle said. “There was nothing we can point to that we can even look at as a positive. The message to the team after the game was that it’s never as good as it seems when things are going well, and it’s never as bad as it seems after days like this.”
The loss was the Buffs’ (15-6, 4-4) fourth in their past five games, dropping them to 15-6 overall and 4-4 in the conference. The Sun Devils (15-5, 4-3) led 34-23 at halftime and put the game away with a 17-6 run to open the second half.
ASU beat CU for the third consecutive time and now lead the overall series 5-4. The Sun Devils were the only Pac-12 team to sweep the Buffs last season – winning 65-56 in Tempe and 63-62 in overtime in Boulder.
Xavier Johnson, who led the Buffs with 21 points at Arizona, paced CU with 12 points Saturday. Josh Scott added 11 points and seven rebounds, and Askia Booker contributed 10 and went over 1,000 points for his career.
ASU guard Jahii Carson joined Booker in the 1,000 point club – surpassing the milestone in only his second season – after leading the Sun Devils with 18 points on Saturday night. Jonathan Gilling added 12 points, shooting a perfect 4-for-4 from 3-point range.
7-foot-2 center Jordan Bachinski finished with three blocks (15 in three games vs. CU) and is now only 10 blocks away from breaking the Pac-12 record held by Anthony Cook (Arizona 1985-89).
CU endured a rough first half in the Wells Fargo Arena and trailed by 11 points at the break. The Buffs allowed the Sun Devils to shoot 52 percent from the field and committed a season-high 12 turnovers. CU’s last lead was 8-7 following a three-point play by Booker with 14:38 before intermission.
An 8-0 Sun Devils run produced a 15-8 lead, but the Buffs pulled to within two – 15-13 – on a 3-pointer by Johnson and two free throws by “XJ” on the next trip down court.
But from there, it was all ASU for the remainder of the half and the game. The Sun Devils led by as many as 13 points (32-19) as the Buffs’ turnovers continued to mount, pulling their total closer to the 16 they committed in Tucson.
They finished with 19, and the Sun Devils capitalized with 28 points off turnovers. In addition to their errors, the Buffs managed to hit only six of its 12 first-half free throw attempts and finished nine of 24.
The Buffs needed to regroup, rediscover an offensive rhythm and start the second half more efficiently. It didn’t happen. The Sun Devils outscored them 17-6 in the half’s first 8 minutes and rolled to a 19-point lead (51-29).
“We let our frustrations (on offense) leak over to the other end of the floor and we’re not good enough to do that,” Boyle said. “You put that together with our turnovers, with our lack of defense, and with getting out-rebounded and you have a recipe for disaster.”
ASU increased its lead to 25 points in the final 5 minutes.
The Buffs now have a week to correct their mistakes from the winless trip to the desert. With no mid-week game, they are off until they play host to Utah on Saturday, Feb. 1 (1 p.m.) at the Coors Events Center.
“We have some work to do,” Boyle said. “It’s never as bad as it seems, and right now it’s not good, but we have a bunch of competitive guys and talented guys and we’re going to get better.”
