Not all that long ago, the Colorado Buffaloes Men's Basketball program was the mostly forgotten little brother to the mighty CU Football program. Over the years, heck, over the decades, the CU hoopsters were a model of mediocrity. Not that they were lacking in excitement, mind you. On occasion they played top 20 teams very tough when they cam to Boulder. On the road, though, especially in conference play, the Buffs were frequently a guaranteed a big fat L in the loss column.
Those who are new to rooting for the Buffs have been spoiled by the excellence of head coach Tad Boyle. In his four years at the helm in Boulder, the Buffs have won 92 games. For you non-math people, that's an average of 23 wins per year. To put that number in the proper perspective, remember that in the more than 100 years that Colorado played basketball before Boyle arrived, they had exactly FOUR twenty win seasons. Boyle has had the same number in only 4 years.
The most dominant team in the Pac-12 for the last 30 years has been the University of Arizona. Indeed, most younger people seem to think that Arizona's basketball excellence goes back a LONG, LONG time like Kansas, Kentucky, or North Carolina. But it is not true. It was the arrival of Lute Olson in 1983 who turned Arizona into a basketball powerhouse.
Like Colorado, the University of Arizona had a long history of mediocrity in college basketball. Before the arrival of Lute Olson, the Wildcats were one of the worst teams in the entire country. Arizona did not make it to the Big Dance in Olson's first season in Tucson. The same can be said for Tad Boyle's first team at Colorado.
The next three years, Arizona and Colorado have in common three trips to March Madness and three early losses in the tournament (only the 2012 CU team got past the first game). For Arizona, they were the first three of 23 CONSECUTIVE trips to the Big Dance. Included in that 23 year run were a national championship, a runner-up, 4 trips to the Final Four, 7 spots in the Elite Eight, and 11 appearances in the Sweet 16.
The last team that won fewer than 20 games for Lute Olson was the 1986-7 team which finished only 18-12, but still made it to the NCAA tournament. The next year the Wildcats went 35-3 and made it to the Final Four.
Why the history lesson? Many fans of Colorado took the 3rd straight defeat in the opening round (Round of 64, maybe? I refuse to call it the 2nd round) as a sign that bad things are ahead for the Buff basketball program.
The truth is that this is the early stages of the the Golden Era for Colorado basketball. Earlier this year we were ranked in the top 15 in the country! A couple of injuries changed everything, and the Buffs limped into postseason play with one of the youngest teams in the country.
Next year the Buffs youngsters will be a year older and a year stronger. New blood is coming in as well. Count on 20 wins again, and maybe considerably more. Also count on the Buffs to be in the NCAA tournament once again. And if the University of Colorado knows what is in the best interest of the school and fans, they will do what is necessary to keep Tad Boyle the head coach at Colorado for a long, long time.
Showing posts with label Tad Boyle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tad Boyle. Show all posts
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Colorado Buffs Embarrass Themselves at the Big Dance in Orlando
Although it is only halftime as this is written, it is perfectly safe to say that the CU Buffs are "one and done" at this year's Big Dance. Now, getting to March Madness for the third year in a row is something for the Buffs to celebrate. More importantly, right now, the Buffs should be celebrating that most fans back home in Colorado DID NOT see their atrocious performance against Pittsburgh because the game was started at 11:40 in the morning Colorado time.
HALFTIME SCORE: PITT 46, COLORADO 18
No, that is not a typo. The Buffs were behind by 28 points in the first 20 minutes of the game to a team seeded lower than Colorado. Boyle should send 5 guys (or maybe 4 guys and a girl) from the C-Unit out to finish the game in the second half, because they couldn't do any worse than his scholarship players.
I don't know if Colorado planned any extra-curricular activities in Orlando, but if they did they should cancel them. Or, at the very least, make sure that none of the players wears CU apparel out in public. That way they might be able to avoid the finger pointing and laughter that might be hurled their way. No worries, though, since they would not be able to catch anything hurled their way anyway... not if their play today was any indication.
For those of us fans who were unfortunate enough to be able to watch the first half, it was like going back in time to watching the 2012 CU football team. The game against Fresno State springs to mind.
Thank goodness we can now focus our attention on the Spring practices of Mike MacIntyre's Buff football team. After winning four games last year, hopes are high that the Buffs will win at least six games this year and become bowl eligible for the first time since 2007. In any case, after today, CU football and men's basketball fans can't face another defeat until at least September.
And, hopefully, it will be much longer before either team gets destroyed as badly as the Buff got today.
Happy Vernal Equinox! It's a beautiful time of year to be doing something besides watching sports on TV.
HALFTIME SCORE: PITT 46, COLORADO 18
No, that is not a typo. The Buffs were behind by 28 points in the first 20 minutes of the game to a team seeded lower than Colorado. Boyle should send 5 guys (or maybe 4 guys and a girl) from the C-Unit out to finish the game in the second half, because they couldn't do any worse than his scholarship players.
I don't know if Colorado planned any extra-curricular activities in Orlando, but if they did they should cancel them. Or, at the very least, make sure that none of the players wears CU apparel out in public. That way they might be able to avoid the finger pointing and laughter that might be hurled their way. No worries, though, since they would not be able to catch anything hurled their way anyway... not if their play today was any indication.
For those of us fans who were unfortunate enough to be able to watch the first half, it was like going back in time to watching the 2012 CU football team. The game against Fresno State springs to mind.
Thank goodness we can now focus our attention on the Spring practices of Mike MacIntyre's Buff football team. After winning four games last year, hopes are high that the Buffs will win at least six games this year and become bowl eligible for the first time since 2007. In any case, after today, CU football and men's basketball fans can't face another defeat until at least September.
And, hopefully, it will be much longer before either team gets destroyed as badly as the Buff got today.
Happy Vernal Equinox! It's a beautiful time of year to be doing something besides watching sports on TV.
Sunday, March 16, 2014
CU Buffs Draw Pitt Panthers for the Big Dance of March Madness
Colorado basketball fans did not have to wait long to find out where and who they would be playing in the Big Dance. Right after it was announced that the Florida Gators were overall #1 seed in the tournament and #1 in the South bracket, the CU Buffs were announced as a #8 seed, and the potential next victim to the mighty Gators.
Florida must first face the stronger of two sacrificial lambs -- the winner between Albany and Mt. St. Mary's. In case anyone thinks an upset might be in the making, history is certainly not on their side. A #16 seed has NEVER beaten a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
For Colorado to get a crack at the Gators (who will be playing a mere 112 miles from home), the Buffs must first defeat the Pitt Panthers. CU and Pitt will face off Thursday (March 20th) at the Amway Center at 11:40 AM Mountain Time (1:40 PM Eastern Time) on TBS.
Fortunately for the fans of both CU and Pitt, the games will be played in Orlando, Florida, which has the widest array of densely packed tourist attractions in the world.
Fans can look forward to Disney World, EPCOT Center, SeaWorld, Universal Studios, Wet 'n Wild, Gatorland, Aquatica, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, and Ripley's Believe it Not. If Florida DOES manage to lose their first game, they will most likely become a permanent addition at Ripley's.
Tad Boyle has done an amazing job of turning Colorado into a bonafide basketball school. Indeed, if Spencer Dinwiddie had not had his season ended by injury, Colorado might very well be entering the tournament with a #3 or #4 seed instead of a #8. This will be the third straight trip to the tournament for Colorado, who was snubbed in 2011 and relegated to the NIT.
The Pac-12 has now moved into the upper echelon of basketball conferences. Their 6 selections were only bettered by the 7 of the Big 12. Two years ago, the Pac-12 had only two teams named to the tournament.
The Buffs will be led into the tournament by All Pac-12 center Josh Scott and playmaking fireball Askia Booker. With Dinwiddie out, Booker is the ONLY upperclassman on the team who gets significant playing time.
The youth of the Buff team bodes well for the future of the program. For this year, many fans would be happy with one win in Orlando. The Buffs, however, are looking for more. Playing top-10 teams is nothing new to them, and their RPI going into the tournament is among the top 10% in the country. They may go down, but they will go down swinging. Now that they have become a team that is expected to make the tournament, they know it is time to move past the point where they are just happy to be there. They are there to compete and to win.
Florida must first face the stronger of two sacrificial lambs -- the winner between Albany and Mt. St. Mary's. In case anyone thinks an upset might be in the making, history is certainly not on their side. A #16 seed has NEVER beaten a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
For Colorado to get a crack at the Gators (who will be playing a mere 112 miles from home), the Buffs must first defeat the Pitt Panthers. CU and Pitt will face off Thursday (March 20th) at the Amway Center at 11:40 AM Mountain Time (1:40 PM Eastern Time) on TBS.
Fortunately for the fans of both CU and Pitt, the games will be played in Orlando, Florida, which has the widest array of densely packed tourist attractions in the world.
Fans can look forward to Disney World, EPCOT Center, SeaWorld, Universal Studios, Wet 'n Wild, Gatorland, Aquatica, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, and Ripley's Believe it Not. If Florida DOES manage to lose their first game, they will most likely become a permanent addition at Ripley's.
Tad Boyle has done an amazing job of turning Colorado into a bonafide basketball school. Indeed, if Spencer Dinwiddie had not had his season ended by injury, Colorado might very well be entering the tournament with a #3 or #4 seed instead of a #8. This will be the third straight trip to the tournament for Colorado, who was snubbed in 2011 and relegated to the NIT.
The Pac-12 has now moved into the upper echelon of basketball conferences. Their 6 selections were only bettered by the 7 of the Big 12. Two years ago, the Pac-12 had only two teams named to the tournament.
The Buffs will be led into the tournament by All Pac-12 center Josh Scott and playmaking fireball Askia Booker. With Dinwiddie out, Booker is the ONLY upperclassman on the team who gets significant playing time.
The youth of the Buff team bodes well for the future of the program. For this year, many fans would be happy with one win in Orlando. The Buffs, however, are looking for more. Playing top-10 teams is nothing new to them, and their RPI going into the tournament is among the top 10% in the country. They may go down, but they will go down swinging. Now that they have become a team that is expected to make the tournament, they know it is time to move past the point where they are just happy to be there. They are there to compete and to win.
Saturday, January 25, 2014
CU Basketball: Buffs Thrashed by ASU -- Time to Take a Cold Hard Look at the Future
One of the great things about having a ranked team when most of your players are underclassmen is that the future looks bright for your program. One of the bad things about having a team dominated by youngsters is the risk that they will wander aimlessly without a true leader.
Such is the case with Tad Boyle's Colorado Buffaloes, who have looked lost and clueless as to which way to turn since projected first round NBA pick Spencer Dinwiddie blew out his knee and was lost for the season. Add in that Tre'Shaun Fletcher hurt his knee and is lost for the next couple months, and the Buffs' psyche just added insult to injury.
After Dinwiddie went down with CU enjoying a lead on the road at Washington, the Buffs proceeded to fall apart and lose that game. The shocking loss of one of the best players in the country gave a viable excuse to the Buff faithful. Even the next game, a loss at home to a ranked UCLA team, seemed reasonable as the Buffs looked to retool their game without Dinwiddie.
Thankfully, a bad to mediocre USC team came into town and the Buffs jumped on them early before coasting to a 21 point win. Unfortunately, what the Trojans gave the Buffs may very well have been bad medicine.
Their next game was on the road at the #1 team in the country, the University of Arizona. The Wildcats did to CU what the Buffs had done to USC. Arizona raced out to an 18-4 lead before coasting to a 12 point win in which they were never challenged.
Buff fans held out high hopes that the loss to Arizona was to be expected even WITH Dinwiddie in the lineup, and that the 69-57 loss was MUCH better than the 90-65 shellacking the Buffs took last year in Kansas. Fans said the only game the Buffs could expect to win on this trip was against Arizona State in Tempe.
Unfortunately, the Sun Devils exposed the Colorado team to be a rudderless team without a captain to lead them. ASU destroyed the Buffs 72-51. Colorado fell out of the top 25 last week and after the game at ASU, the chances they make it back this year are slim and none.
After starting the season 14-2, Colorado has lost four of the last five. The Buffs now own a record of 15-6 and have ten games remaining in the regular season to see if they can win five and salvage a 20 win season. Two of those games come against Washington State and USC, who are the the only weak basketball links in the Pac-12. (Some might argue that Oregon State belongs in that list, but the Buffs don't play them again anyway).
The rest of the Buffs schedule is much tougher. They can look forward to their next three games being played here in Boulder at the Foam Dome, where they have been very tough to beat since Boyle became the coach. Then it's off to Los Angeles for two games, back to Boulder for two, then they play their last three on the road in Utah and the Bay Area.
Can the Buffs win five of the last ten? Not if they continue to play like they did tonight. Earlier this year, the Buffs set a team record by making ALL 27 free throws in game. Tonight, CU tossed brick after brick from the line and made only 9 of 24. Sadly to say, even if they had made the other 15, they still would have lost.
The next three games will be key for Colorado. If they win all three (and they should be winnable at home), the team has a chance to right the course. Winning even two of the three will be a good sign. If they win one or none, the season is effectively over. Even the NIT will look the other way.
Boyle really needs to evaluate the best and most efficient way to use this team. Maybe they need to run on offense and pressure on defense to take advantage of their athleticism. The problem with the young guys is that if you give them too much time to think, they end up thinking too much and forgetting to play the game.
NOTE: The Buffs have been slipping all over the floor the last several games, going back to the Dinwiddie injury. Maybe CU should be taking a hard look at what shoes they are choosing to wear.
Such is the case with Tad Boyle's Colorado Buffaloes, who have looked lost and clueless as to which way to turn since projected first round NBA pick Spencer Dinwiddie blew out his knee and was lost for the season. Add in that Tre'Shaun Fletcher hurt his knee and is lost for the next couple months, and the Buffs' psyche just added insult to injury.
After Dinwiddie went down with CU enjoying a lead on the road at Washington, the Buffs proceeded to fall apart and lose that game. The shocking loss of one of the best players in the country gave a viable excuse to the Buff faithful. Even the next game, a loss at home to a ranked UCLA team, seemed reasonable as the Buffs looked to retool their game without Dinwiddie.
Thankfully, a bad to mediocre USC team came into town and the Buffs jumped on them early before coasting to a 21 point win. Unfortunately, what the Trojans gave the Buffs may very well have been bad medicine.
Their next game was on the road at the #1 team in the country, the University of Arizona. The Wildcats did to CU what the Buffs had done to USC. Arizona raced out to an 18-4 lead before coasting to a 12 point win in which they were never challenged.
Buff fans held out high hopes that the loss to Arizona was to be expected even WITH Dinwiddie in the lineup, and that the 69-57 loss was MUCH better than the 90-65 shellacking the Buffs took last year in Kansas. Fans said the only game the Buffs could expect to win on this trip was against Arizona State in Tempe.
Unfortunately, the Sun Devils exposed the Colorado team to be a rudderless team without a captain to lead them. ASU destroyed the Buffs 72-51. Colorado fell out of the top 25 last week and after the game at ASU, the chances they make it back this year are slim and none.
After starting the season 14-2, Colorado has lost four of the last five. The Buffs now own a record of 15-6 and have ten games remaining in the regular season to see if they can win five and salvage a 20 win season. Two of those games come against Washington State and USC, who are the the only weak basketball links in the Pac-12. (Some might argue that Oregon State belongs in that list, but the Buffs don't play them again anyway).
The rest of the Buffs schedule is much tougher. They can look forward to their next three games being played here in Boulder at the Foam Dome, where they have been very tough to beat since Boyle became the coach. Then it's off to Los Angeles for two games, back to Boulder for two, then they play their last three on the road in Utah and the Bay Area.
Can the Buffs win five of the last ten? Not if they continue to play like they did tonight. Earlier this year, the Buffs set a team record by making ALL 27 free throws in game. Tonight, CU tossed brick after brick from the line and made only 9 of 24. Sadly to say, even if they had made the other 15, they still would have lost.
The next three games will be key for Colorado. If they win all three (and they should be winnable at home), the team has a chance to right the course. Winning even two of the three will be a good sign. If they win one or none, the season is effectively over. Even the NIT will look the other way.
Boyle really needs to evaluate the best and most efficient way to use this team. Maybe they need to run on offense and pressure on defense to take advantage of their athleticism. The problem with the young guys is that if you give them too much time to think, they end up thinking too much and forgetting to play the game.
NOTE: The Buffs have been slipping all over the floor the last several games, going back to the Dinwiddie injury. Maybe CU should be taking a hard look at what shoes they are choosing to wear.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Buffs Drop 100 on Oregon Ducks, Jump to 15th in AP Top 25
The Oregon Ducks came to Boulder with a perfect 13-0 record and close to the lead for the highest scoring team in Division 1 at 89.4 points per game. After giving up 100 points to the Tad Boyle's Buffaloes (2nd time this year OU has given up 100), the Ducks left Boulder with their first loss of the season.
The AP Top 25 for Men's Basketball came out this morning and Buffs leaped all the way to #15 from their prior ranking of #20. Strangely, San Diego State was ranked #21 last week and leapfrogged the Buffs all the way to #13 after defeating #16 Kansas while the Buffs were taking down the #10 team in Oregon.
What makes it stranger still is that the Buffs defeated Kansas when they were a top 10 team, and that win barely moved them up the polls in comparison. For now, though, the Buffs can bask in the glow of being the second highest rated team in the Pac-12 behind overall #1 Arizona. Oregon dropped to 17th in the latest poll.
It's been a down year for many of the traditional basketball powers. Indiana, North Carolina, Connecticut, and UCLA are out of the Top 25. Duke and Kansas are behind the Buffs in the rankings, and preseason #1 Kentucky is only a single place above Colorado in the latest poll. It's the first time that Boyle's Buffs have been ranked higher than his alma mater Kansas.
The Buffs play the Cougars of Washington State on Wednesday before taking on the Huskies of Washington on Saturday.
The AP Top 25 for Men's Basketball came out this morning and Buffs leaped all the way to #15 from their prior ranking of #20. Strangely, San Diego State was ranked #21 last week and leapfrogged the Buffs all the way to #13 after defeating #16 Kansas while the Buffs were taking down the #10 team in Oregon.
What makes it stranger still is that the Buffs defeated Kansas when they were a top 10 team, and that win barely moved them up the polls in comparison. For now, though, the Buffs can bask in the glow of being the second highest rated team in the Pac-12 behind overall #1 Arizona. Oregon dropped to 17th in the latest poll.
It's been a down year for many of the traditional basketball powers. Indiana, North Carolina, Connecticut, and UCLA are out of the Top 25. Duke and Kansas are behind the Buffs in the rankings, and preseason #1 Kentucky is only a single place above Colorado in the latest poll. It's the first time that Boyle's Buffs have been ranked higher than his alma mater Kansas.
The Buffs play the Cougars of Washington State on Wednesday before taking on the Huskies of Washington on Saturday.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Boyle's Buffs Take 11-2 Record and National Ranking Into Pac-12 Play
2014 and Pac-12 play has arrived for Tad Boyle's Colorado Buffaloes. The Buffs open conference play tonight at 8 p.m. (MT) against Oregon State at the Coors Events Center in Boulder. The Buffs enter Pac-12 play with a #20 national ranking after going 11-2 in non-conference play.
CU has one of the most difficult schedules in the country, and now has an RPI that is 8th highest in the country. The Buffs' RPI is the highest in the Pac-12, with #1 Arizona's coming in at 10th best, and #10 Oregon holding onto the 12th highest RPI.
Oregon State comes to the Foam Dome with eight wins in twelve games so far this season. None of the games were against teams ranked in the AP top 25. The road to conference play was more rigorous for the Buffs. Their season has already included games against #7 Oklahoma State, # 9 Baylor (both losses), and a win against a then-ranked #6 Kansas.
Since Boyle took over as head coach for the CU program, the Buffs have a stellar 53-7 record at home. One of those losses, however, came last year when the OSU Beavers came to Boulder last March and handed the Buffs a stunning upset loss just two days after Colorado had destroyed a highly regarded Oregon team by 23 points.
Heading into tonight's game, Boyle hopes the memory of that game prevents the Buffs from taking the Beavers lightly. The Buffs hope to be 1-0 in Pac-12 play when the #10 Oregon Ducks take the court on Sunday.
Junior Spencer Dinwiddie leads the Buffs in scoring (15.8) and assists (3.8). Sophomore center Josh Scott leads the Buffs in rebounding (9.2) and is 2nd in scoring (13.1).
Roberto Nelson leads the Beavers with 21.4 points and 4.1 assists per game. Devon Collier averages 18 points per game and also leads the Beavers with 8 rebounds per game.
Oregon State looks to be boosted by the return of star center/forward Eric Moreland, who is returning from a suspension that has kept him off the court all season. Last year, Moreland was one of the top rebounders in the country with 10.6 per game. He also set an Oregon State record for blocked shots with 73 and scored nearly 10 points per game.
Moreland was supposed to be suspended for several more games, but coach Craig Robinson decided that Moreland should come back now after "fulfilling" all the requirements of the suspension. Some pundits point out that political rationalizations run deep in the Beaver coach's life as brother in law to President Barack Obama. After all, they say, isn't sitting out 14 games the only way to truly "fulfill" a 14 game suspension?
CU has one of the most difficult schedules in the country, and now has an RPI that is 8th highest in the country. The Buffs' RPI is the highest in the Pac-12, with #1 Arizona's coming in at 10th best, and #10 Oregon holding onto the 12th highest RPI.
Oregon State comes to the Foam Dome with eight wins in twelve games so far this season. None of the games were against teams ranked in the AP top 25. The road to conference play was more rigorous for the Buffs. Their season has already included games against #7 Oklahoma State, # 9 Baylor (both losses), and a win against a then-ranked #6 Kansas.
Since Boyle took over as head coach for the CU program, the Buffs have a stellar 53-7 record at home. One of those losses, however, came last year when the OSU Beavers came to Boulder last March and handed the Buffs a stunning upset loss just two days after Colorado had destroyed a highly regarded Oregon team by 23 points.
Heading into tonight's game, Boyle hopes the memory of that game prevents the Buffs from taking the Beavers lightly. The Buffs hope to be 1-0 in Pac-12 play when the #10 Oregon Ducks take the court on Sunday.
Junior Spencer Dinwiddie leads the Buffs in scoring (15.8) and assists (3.8). Sophomore center Josh Scott leads the Buffs in rebounding (9.2) and is 2nd in scoring (13.1).
Roberto Nelson leads the Beavers with 21.4 points and 4.1 assists per game. Devon Collier averages 18 points per game and also leads the Beavers with 8 rebounds per game.
Oregon State looks to be boosted by the return of star center/forward Eric Moreland, who is returning from a suspension that has kept him off the court all season. Last year, Moreland was one of the top rebounders in the country with 10.6 per game. He also set an Oregon State record for blocked shots with 73 and scored nearly 10 points per game.
Moreland was supposed to be suspended for several more games, but coach Craig Robinson decided that Moreland should come back now after "fulfilling" all the requirements of the suspension. Some pundits point out that political rationalizations run deep in the Beaver coach's life as brother in law to President Barack Obama. After all, they say, isn't sitting out 14 games the only way to truly "fulfill" a 14 game suspension?
Friday, December 20, 2013
Colorado Buffs Head to Vegas With Longest Winning Streak in 52 Years
Before the basketball season started, head coach Tad Boyle was feeling a little trepidation. Based on the difficulty of their non-conference schedule, Boyle had to be wondering if Colorado had bitten off a little more than they could chew. The concern was compounded by the fact that Colorado lost one of the best rebounders in the nation when Andre Roberson left school early and became a first round NBA draft pick. On top of that, Colorado entered the season with one of the youngest teams in the country.
After the unranked Buffs lost on the road to then ranked #20 Baylor to start the season, the ghosts of scheduling choices started rattling their chains and moaning out warnings. Eleven games into the season now, those warnings are apparently for Buffaloes opponents. Baylor is even better than everyone thought to begin the season. They have moved up to #12 in the latest polls, and have a victory over preseason #1 Kentucky on their resume.
As for the Buffaloes, they have now reeled off 10 straight wins, including a win over #6 Kansas. The 10 game winning streak is the longest for Colorado since 1961. That's NINE presidents ago. It was even before Tad Boyle was born. So what does one do when on an epic winning streak? Head to Las Vegas baby and put your cards the table.
At 9:30 pm Mountain Time tomorrow, the Buffs will take to the court against #7 Oklahoma State in Sin City. The Buffs and Cowboys have identical 10-1 records. CU and Oklahoma State are former Big 12 foes who have not played since Colorado jumped to the Pac-12 several years ago. The last time the teams played was in January of 2011, and the Buffs prevailed in Boulder by a score of 75-71.
The Cowboys are led by guard Marcus Smart, who is averaging 21.1 points per game. He has scored 30 or more points twice this season, including a season high 39 against Memphis.
Spencer Dinwiddie is the main man for the Buffaloes. He leads the team in scoring (15.3 ppg), assists (3.7 apg), three point percentage (37.8%), and free throw percentage (86.3%). Sophomore Josh Scott leads the Buffs in rebounding with 8.7 per game.
After the unranked Buffs lost on the road to then ranked #20 Baylor to start the season, the ghosts of scheduling choices started rattling their chains and moaning out warnings. Eleven games into the season now, those warnings are apparently for Buffaloes opponents. Baylor is even better than everyone thought to begin the season. They have moved up to #12 in the latest polls, and have a victory over preseason #1 Kentucky on their resume.
As for the Buffaloes, they have now reeled off 10 straight wins, including a win over #6 Kansas. The 10 game winning streak is the longest for Colorado since 1961. That's NINE presidents ago. It was even before Tad Boyle was born. So what does one do when on an epic winning streak? Head to Las Vegas baby and put your cards the table.
At 9:30 pm Mountain Time tomorrow, the Buffs will take to the court against #7 Oklahoma State in Sin City. The Buffs and Cowboys have identical 10-1 records. CU and Oklahoma State are former Big 12 foes who have not played since Colorado jumped to the Pac-12 several years ago. The last time the teams played was in January of 2011, and the Buffs prevailed in Boulder by a score of 75-71.
The Cowboys are led by guard Marcus Smart, who is averaging 21.1 points per game. He has scored 30 or more points twice this season, including a season high 39 against Memphis.
Spencer Dinwiddie is the main man for the Buffaloes. He leads the team in scoring (15.3 ppg), assists (3.7 apg), three point percentage (37.8%), and free throw percentage (86.3%). Sophomore Josh Scott leads the Buffs in rebounding with 8.7 per game.
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Video: Colorado Buffaloes Win 9th Straight, Defeat Kansas Jayhawks 75-72
Things are starting to look pretty damn good for Tad Boyle's Colorado basketball team. The only team they have lost to this year, Baylor, took down #3 Kentucky last night. And today, the Buffaloes showed why they deserve to be well into the Top 20 in the country with a 75-72 win over #6 Kansas as the Coors Events Center in Boulder. The win was the 9th straight for the Buffs.
On a bitter cold day in Boulder, with outside temperatures hovering just a bit over zero, Buff fans and the famed C-Unit made the interior of the Foam Dome a pressure cooker at just the right temperature for roasting Jayhawks. With the game tied at 72 and three seconds on the clock, Colorado inbounded the ball to Askia Booker. 'Ski took the ball across midcourt and launched a long three point shot with half a second to go... and the three-point shot was all net as time expired. Colorado students and fans flooded the court after the shot and the victory.
Check out the video of Booker's incredible shot to win the game.
The win ended a 19-game losing streak to Kansas that went back to January 22, 2003. Like that game, Kansas entered the game as the #6 team in the country. And like that game as well, Kansas heads back home to the land that denies evolution with a loss.
Considering that Colorado was a mediocre basketball team for most of the years that they played in the same conference as Kansas, the KU fans and players must be awful happy now that Colorado has moved on to the Pac-12. Indeed, Kansas fans used to refer to the Coors Events Center as "Allen Fieldhouse West" because their games against CU in Boulder usually featured at least half the arena filled with Jayhawk fans.
That is no longer the case as head coach Tad Boyle has turned Boulder into a basketball hotbed. The Foam Dome has an official seating capacity of 11,064, but several hundred more were in attendance today. Truly, the crowd was "standing room only." According CU records, the record attendance at the Events Center was 11,363 in 2001 (also against Kansas). Today's final tally may surpass that.
Colorado was led in scoring by Spencer Dinwiddie and Askia Booker, each with 15 points. Xavier Johnson and Josh Scott added 14 apiece for the Buffs. Kansas was led by Super-Frosh Andrew Wiggins, who scored 22 points. Many analysts predict that Wiggins will be the NBA's #1 draft pick next April.
The Buffs do not play again until next Friday, when they host Elon. On December 21st, they will play #9 Oklahoma State in Las Vegas.
On a bitter cold day in Boulder, with outside temperatures hovering just a bit over zero, Buff fans and the famed C-Unit made the interior of the Foam Dome a pressure cooker at just the right temperature for roasting Jayhawks. With the game tied at 72 and three seconds on the clock, Colorado inbounded the ball to Askia Booker. 'Ski took the ball across midcourt and launched a long three point shot with half a second to go... and the three-point shot was all net as time expired. Colorado students and fans flooded the court after the shot and the victory.
Check out the video of Booker's incredible shot to win the game.
The win ended a 19-game losing streak to Kansas that went back to January 22, 2003. Like that game, Kansas entered the game as the #6 team in the country. And like that game as well, Kansas heads back home to the land that denies evolution with a loss.
Considering that Colorado was a mediocre basketball team for most of the years that they played in the same conference as Kansas, the KU fans and players must be awful happy now that Colorado has moved on to the Pac-12. Indeed, Kansas fans used to refer to the Coors Events Center as "Allen Fieldhouse West" because their games against CU in Boulder usually featured at least half the arena filled with Jayhawk fans.
That is no longer the case as head coach Tad Boyle has turned Boulder into a basketball hotbed. The Foam Dome has an official seating capacity of 11,064, but several hundred more were in attendance today. Truly, the crowd was "standing room only." According CU records, the record attendance at the Events Center was 11,363 in 2001 (also against Kansas). Today's final tally may surpass that.
Colorado was led in scoring by Spencer Dinwiddie and Askia Booker, each with 15 points. Xavier Johnson and Josh Scott added 14 apiece for the Buffs. Kansas was led by Super-Frosh Andrew Wiggins, who scored 22 points. Many analysts predict that Wiggins will be the NBA's #1 draft pick next April.
The Buffs do not play again until next Friday, when they host Elon. On December 21st, they will play #9 Oklahoma State in Las Vegas.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Colorado Wins 8th Straight Against CSU, Braces for Kansas
Following a season opening loss in Texas to #20 Baylor, Tad Boyle's Colorado Buffaloes have reeled off eight straight wins. Six of those wins came within the cozy confines of CU's Coors Events Center, but the last two have come on the road. As road warriors, first they took down Air Force in Colorado Springs, and last night they came back in Fort Collins behind 28 points from Spencer Dinwiddie to defeat Colorado State at Moby Arena 67-62.
The Buffs hope to invoke memories of the Wizard of Oz this weekend by chanting to themselves "there's no place like home." And when the Jayhawks of #6 Kansas come calling in their next game, the Buffs hope they have KU fans muttering "I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."
Of course, the next line is "We must be over the rainbow!" Indeed, to the fanatics from Kansas, where evil lies in evolution and science, the bright world of tolerance and education that epitomizes Boulder must seem as foreign and odd as Oz.
Last year, the Jayhawks smoked the Buffs by the nasty score of 90-54 at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence. Kansas is a perennial top 10 team, and has been a long-time foe of the Buffaloes. They were in the same conference until Colorado moved to the Pac-12 several years ago. That means the Buffs had to face them twice a year, every year.
The last time that Colorado defeated Kansas was January 22, 2003, when the #6 ranked Jayhawks visited Oz/Boulder and left with a 60-59 defeat. Boyle's Buffs hope to put 10 years of frustration behind them with a win in front of the loud and crazy C-Unit at the "Foam Dome" this weekend.
The Buffs have sold out all season tickets this year for the first time ever, and that should provide a great environment for the Buffaloes. Until Tad Boyle arrived on the scene, the Buffs were not consistently good in basketball for a LONG time. And when KU came to town, the Events Center was usually filled with Jayhawk fans who flocked to Boulder to experience life in Kodachrome.
Win or lose, however, Buff fans have a long history of sending Kansas and their fans packing with the derisive chant "We don't live in Kansas!" Thank God! Or just to upset them even more, Thank Goddess!
The Buffs hope to invoke memories of the Wizard of Oz this weekend by chanting to themselves "there's no place like home." And when the Jayhawks of #6 Kansas come calling in their next game, the Buffs hope they have KU fans muttering "I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."
Of course, the next line is "We must be over the rainbow!" Indeed, to the fanatics from Kansas, where evil lies in evolution and science, the bright world of tolerance and education that epitomizes Boulder must seem as foreign and odd as Oz.
Last year, the Jayhawks smoked the Buffs by the nasty score of 90-54 at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence. Kansas is a perennial top 10 team, and has been a long-time foe of the Buffaloes. They were in the same conference until Colorado moved to the Pac-12 several years ago. That means the Buffs had to face them twice a year, every year.
The last time that Colorado defeated Kansas was January 22, 2003, when the #6 ranked Jayhawks visited Oz/Boulder and left with a 60-59 defeat. Boyle's Buffs hope to put 10 years of frustration behind them with a win in front of the loud and crazy C-Unit at the "Foam Dome" this weekend.
The Buffs have sold out all season tickets this year for the first time ever, and that should provide a great environment for the Buffaloes. Until Tad Boyle arrived on the scene, the Buffs were not consistently good in basketball for a LONG time. And when KU came to town, the Events Center was usually filled with Jayhawk fans who flocked to Boulder to experience life in Kodachrome.
Win or lose, however, Buff fans have a long history of sending Kansas and their fans packing with the derisive chant "We don't live in Kansas!" Thank God! Or just to upset them even more, Thank Goddess!
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Boyle's Colorado Buffaloes Run Win Streak to Four Games with 23 Point Win Against Arkansas State
Following an opening game loss on the road to #20 Baylor, the Colorado Buffaloes basketball team has taken four straight games at home to bring their record to 4-1. Colorado defeated Arkansas State 93-70 at the Coors Events Center Monday night. The Gauchos of UC Santa Barbara visit Boulder this Thursday.
Coach Tad Boyle knew he had a talented but young team coming into the season, and after five games he has four players averaging double figures in scoring. Sophomore Josh Scott leads the team at 14.6 points per game, followed by Spencer Dinwiddie (Jr.) at 12.4, Xavier Johnson (So.) at 11.0, and Askia Booker (Jr.) at 10.4 points per contest. Just below double figures is redshirt freshman Wesley Gordon at 9.4 ppg.
The 93 points scored by the Buffaloes against Arkansas State represented the third time in four games that CU has scored more than 90 points in a game. During the entire 2012-13 season, the Buffs scored more than 90 points only one time. For the season, the Buffs are averaging 80.2 points per game while only giving up 67. The 80.2 points per game represents an almost 13 point increase from last year.
The Buffaloes have collectively made up for the loss of Andre Roberson, one of the top rebounders in the country the last several years. A first round NBA draft pick, Roberson left Colorado following his junior year. The Buffs are averaging 39.6 boards this season, which is an additional 2.4 rebounds per game over last year.
Coach Tad Boyle knew he had a talented but young team coming into the season, and after five games he has four players averaging double figures in scoring. Sophomore Josh Scott leads the team at 14.6 points per game, followed by Spencer Dinwiddie (Jr.) at 12.4, Xavier Johnson (So.) at 11.0, and Askia Booker (Jr.) at 10.4 points per contest. Just below double figures is redshirt freshman Wesley Gordon at 9.4 ppg.
The 93 points scored by the Buffaloes against Arkansas State represented the third time in four games that CU has scored more than 90 points in a game. During the entire 2012-13 season, the Buffs scored more than 90 points only one time. For the season, the Buffs are averaging 80.2 points per game while only giving up 67. The 80.2 points per game represents an almost 13 point increase from last year.
The Buffaloes have collectively made up for the loss of Andre Roberson, one of the top rebounders in the country the last several years. A first round NBA draft pick, Roberson left Colorado following his junior year. The Buffs are averaging 39.6 boards this season, which is an additional 2.4 rebounds per game over last year.
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Colorado Hoopsters' 72-60 Loss in Opener to Baylor Raises Questions About Leadership
Coming into the opening game of the season, head coach Tad Boyle had expressed some reservations. He knew his team had talent, but he wasn't sure the team was mature enough to put that talent to good use. At one point, when asked to describe his team in one word as they got ready for the season opener, the verb "overrated" was the one he chose. Turns out that Boyle has a pretty good reading of his team.
Colorado does indeed have a lot of talent, but they really need to dial that talent in if they expect to win on the road against a Top-25 opponent. Baylor entered the game as the #25 team in the country, and they did what was necessary to take care of business against a Colorado team with high expectations.
Many people around the country and the Pac-12 conference expect the CU backcourt tandem of Askia Booker and Spencer Dinwiddie to be the strength of the Buffaloes. After all, Dinwiddie is expected to be a first round draft pick next summer and Booker is one of the best streak shooters in the country when he is on fire.
When they fail to deliver, however, the Buffs are in for a tough road. Booker and Dinwiddie each played 36 minutes in the opening game to lead the Buffs. Unfortunately, they were a combined 7 for 28 from the field. To add insult to injury, the Buffs were a paltry 2 for 19 from three-point circle. All in all, it was testament to the athleticism of the Buffs that the final score was as close as it was.
For those who recorded the game but do not really have time to watch the entire thing, you can save yourself lots of anxiety and heartbreak by watching just the last 2 minutes and change. It is an effective microcosm of the game for the Buffs.
Colorado was down by 12 with around 4 minutes left, and had cut the lead to 6 and had the ball with two minutes on the clock. Then, to Boyle's and Buffs fan's chagrin, the team ran the clock down as if they were ahead. With less than 5 seconds left on the shot clock, Colorado heaved up a horrible shot without a prayer. It missed, of course, and Baylor got the rebound before promptly moving down the court to score and put the Buffs away.
Later, after the lead had been rebuilt to 12, the Buff's final shot was taken by Booker as the clock expired. It was supposed to be a slam dunk, but instead it ricocheted off the rim high into the air. It was a fitting end to a bad game, and one that the coaching staff hopes will inspire the Buffaloes to play smarter. If not, one of the toughest schedules in the country looks to be a lot tougher.
Colorado does indeed have a lot of talent, but they really need to dial that talent in if they expect to win on the road against a Top-25 opponent. Baylor entered the game as the #25 team in the country, and they did what was necessary to take care of business against a Colorado team with high expectations.
Many people around the country and the Pac-12 conference expect the CU backcourt tandem of Askia Booker and Spencer Dinwiddie to be the strength of the Buffaloes. After all, Dinwiddie is expected to be a first round draft pick next summer and Booker is one of the best streak shooters in the country when he is on fire.
When they fail to deliver, however, the Buffs are in for a tough road. Booker and Dinwiddie each played 36 minutes in the opening game to lead the Buffs. Unfortunately, they were a combined 7 for 28 from the field. To add insult to injury, the Buffs were a paltry 2 for 19 from three-point circle. All in all, it was testament to the athleticism of the Buffs that the final score was as close as it was.
For those who recorded the game but do not really have time to watch the entire thing, you can save yourself lots of anxiety and heartbreak by watching just the last 2 minutes and change. It is an effective microcosm of the game for the Buffs.
Colorado was down by 12 with around 4 minutes left, and had cut the lead to 6 and had the ball with two minutes on the clock. Then, to Boyle's and Buffs fan's chagrin, the team ran the clock down as if they were ahead. With less than 5 seconds left on the shot clock, Colorado heaved up a horrible shot without a prayer. It missed, of course, and Baylor got the rebound before promptly moving down the court to score and put the Buffs away.
Later, after the lead had been rebuilt to 12, the Buff's final shot was taken by Booker as the clock expired. It was supposed to be a slam dunk, but instead it ricocheted off the rim high into the air. It was a fitting end to a bad game, and one that the coaching staff hopes will inspire the Buffaloes to play smarter. If not, one of the toughest schedules in the country looks to be a lot tougher.
Friday, November 8, 2013
Colorado Buffs Open Basketball Season Against Baylor in Dallas
Tad Boyle's Colorado Buffaloes basketball team opens one of the toughest schedules in the country tonight in Dallas against Scott Drew's Baylor Bears. Although highly praised in the off-season, the Buffs enter the game unranked but just outside the Top-25. The Bears, however, scratched their way to the final spot (#25) in the preseason rankings.
The Bears enter this season with the bizarre distinction of being, perhaps, the first ranked team in NCAA basketball history that might not score as many points per game as their school's football team. That is not a putdown to the offense of the Bear hoopsters, but more an acknowledgement of the amazing amount of points being scored by the undefeated and soon to be ranked in the Top 5 Baylor football team. The gridiron Bears have churned out points at the rate of almost 65 points per game this year. If that holds up, Baylor would demolish the NCAA record for points in a season.
One reason that Boyle's Buffaloes might not be ranked as highly as some thought following last season is that they lost star forward Andre Roberson as a first round pick to the NBA over the summer. Despite that, Tad Boyle has built perhaps his best team that is well stocked with the kinds of players he likes (ones with lots of length and athleticism who can run, shoot, and defend).
The Buffaloes return All Pac-12 performer Spencer Dinwiddie, who is considered a likely first round pick in next summer's NBA draft. They also return Askia Booker and All Pac-12 Freshman big man Josh Scott, who has added 20 pounds of muscle to his frame during the off-season.
Joining center Scott and guards Dinwiddie and Booker as likely starters for the Buffs will be sophomore Xavier Johnson and redshirt freshman Wesley Gordon. Johnson and Gordon represent five freshmen and five sophomores on Boyle's young team.
Right now, Boyle and Buffs know they have a young and talented team. What they don't know is which of the youngsters will step to the fore and become featured performers for the Buffaloes. It's a long season with a difficult schedule, but it should have the Buffs battle ready for conference play when it comes around.
The 8 p.m. game will be broadcast on the radio (850 KOA) and televised by Root Sports.
The Bears enter this season with the bizarre distinction of being, perhaps, the first ranked team in NCAA basketball history that might not score as many points per game as their school's football team. That is not a putdown to the offense of the Bear hoopsters, but more an acknowledgement of the amazing amount of points being scored by the undefeated and soon to be ranked in the Top 5 Baylor football team. The gridiron Bears have churned out points at the rate of almost 65 points per game this year. If that holds up, Baylor would demolish the NCAA record for points in a season.
One reason that Boyle's Buffaloes might not be ranked as highly as some thought following last season is that they lost star forward Andre Roberson as a first round pick to the NBA over the summer. Despite that, Tad Boyle has built perhaps his best team that is well stocked with the kinds of players he likes (ones with lots of length and athleticism who can run, shoot, and defend).
The Buffaloes return All Pac-12 performer Spencer Dinwiddie, who is considered a likely first round pick in next summer's NBA draft. They also return Askia Booker and All Pac-12 Freshman big man Josh Scott, who has added 20 pounds of muscle to his frame during the off-season.
Joining center Scott and guards Dinwiddie and Booker as likely starters for the Buffs will be sophomore Xavier Johnson and redshirt freshman Wesley Gordon. Johnson and Gordon represent five freshmen and five sophomores on Boyle's young team.
Right now, Boyle and Buffs know they have a young and talented team. What they don't know is which of the youngsters will step to the fore and become featured performers for the Buffaloes. It's a long season with a difficult schedule, but it should have the Buffs battle ready for conference play when it comes around.
The 8 p.m. game will be broadcast on the radio (850 KOA) and televised by Root Sports.
Friday, October 18, 2013
Colorado Basketball 2013: Tad Boyle's Buffs Poised to Become Elite Program
There are 351 NCAA Division 1 basketball programs getting ready for the 2013-14 season, and they all have one thing in mind: Getting chosen for March Madness and a shot at an NCAA championship.
For most of the University of Colorado's history, basketball was an afterthought to football. The glory days of Buff basketball were way back in the 1950's and 1960's. Colorado made it to the NCAA tournament 5 times in the 15 years from 1953-54 to 1968-69.
Then came NOTHING for 28 years!
The next time the Buffs made it to the NCAA tournament was when Chauncey Billups led them into a top 25 ranking and a trip to March Madness in 1997. Billups left early for the NBA and was the #3 pick in the 1997 draft.
It took another 6 years for the Buffs to get back in the hunt for postseason glory. Head coach Ricardo Patton led Colorado to only their 3rd 20-win season ever and a spot in the NCAA tournament in March 2003.
Then... Nothing... Until the Arrival of Tad Boyle in 2010.
Colorado basketball was once again in a state of flux until the arrival of head coach Tad Boyle. A Colorado native, Boyle led Greeley Central to the Colorado State Championship before going on to play his college basketball at Kansas under legendary coach Larry Brown.
After college, Boyle moved into the real world and had a successful career as a commodities broker who dabbled on the side as an assistant coach for several Colorado high schools. A traumatic car accident on South Boulder Road in 1994 became a turning point in his life, and he gave up his well paying job to follow his true love of basketball.
Starting at the University of Oregon, Boyle had stints with Tennessee and Jacksonville State before ending back in the state of Kansas at Wichita State. In six years as an assistant with the Shockers, Boyle helped build a down program into one of the better programs in the country. Wichita State was 9-19 his first year and 26-9 with a trip to the Sweet 16 and a national ranking six years later in 2006.
Boyle used the success at Wichita State as a springboard to his first head coaching gig, at the University of Northern Colorado in Loveland. His first year at UNC, Boyle's team won only 4 out of 28 games. Three years later, his final UNC team went 25-8.
That success propelled him to the University of Colorado, where he hit the floor running and hasn't slowed down yet. His first CU team went 24-14 and made to the semi-finals of the postseason NIT tournament after his Buffs were snubbed by the NCAA selection committee.
At the end of the 2011-12 season, Colorado's first in the Pac-12, Boyle and his Buffaloes kicked down the door to the NCAA tournament by winning four games in four days to earn the Pac-12's automatic tourney berth. In 2012-13, the Buffs hovered near the top 25 for much of the season and played one of the more difficult schedules in the country. They were rewarded with another trip to March Madness.
Colorado Students and Fans "Get-In" on the Madness
Colorado long played in the Big 8 (then Big 12) with the likes of Kansas and Oklahoma State. Lots of top 10 teams made their way to the Coors Events Center in Boulder. For the most part, however, unless a top team was playing in Boulder, seats to the games were pretty easy to come by. It was pretty much accepted by the local media that Colorado was just "not a basketball school."
The arrival of Boyle changed that thinking. The student section became much more vocal and numerous and came to be known as the C-Unit. It has become one the best and most vocal student sections in the country. Former Colorado Athletic Director Mike Bohn decided to reward the most avid members of the C-Unit by having the university fly them out to Los Angeles for the first Pac-12 tournament in 2012 and the vocal group cheered the Buffs to the tournament title.
Earlier this month, the University of Colorado announced that for the first time in school history that season tickets to the Buffs' 2013-14 season was SOLD OUT. On top of that, the Buffs get ready to enter the season with a top 25 ranking and are picked 3rd in the Pac-12 behind fellow top 25 teams Arizona and UCLA.
Entering this season, Colorado has had two consecutive seasons in which one of their players was chosen in the first round of the NBA draft (Alec Burks, Andre Roberson). Spencer Dinwiddie looks to continue the first round trend this year. With Boyle at the helm, the Buffs are finding the doors to some of the top high school talent in the country are open to playing their college basketball in Boulder.
Boyle is considered one of the best coaches in the country, and high school players with dreams of playing in the NBA know first round draft picks now come out of Boulder. Another thing these young men want is to play in front of a large and vocal crowd to help inspire them to victory. These are the things that make a program elite in the eyes of players and fans around the country.
And these are the things that now reside in Boulder under the leadership of Tad Boyle.
Note: Historical information about Tad Boyle from Wikipedia.
For most of the University of Colorado's history, basketball was an afterthought to football. The glory days of Buff basketball were way back in the 1950's and 1960's. Colorado made it to the NCAA tournament 5 times in the 15 years from 1953-54 to 1968-69.
Then came NOTHING for 28 years!
The next time the Buffs made it to the NCAA tournament was when Chauncey Billups led them into a top 25 ranking and a trip to March Madness in 1997. Billups left early for the NBA and was the #3 pick in the 1997 draft.
It took another 6 years for the Buffs to get back in the hunt for postseason glory. Head coach Ricardo Patton led Colorado to only their 3rd 20-win season ever and a spot in the NCAA tournament in March 2003.
Then... Nothing... Until the Arrival of Tad Boyle in 2010.
Colorado basketball was once again in a state of flux until the arrival of head coach Tad Boyle. A Colorado native, Boyle led Greeley Central to the Colorado State Championship before going on to play his college basketball at Kansas under legendary coach Larry Brown.
After college, Boyle moved into the real world and had a successful career as a commodities broker who dabbled on the side as an assistant coach for several Colorado high schools. A traumatic car accident on South Boulder Road in 1994 became a turning point in his life, and he gave up his well paying job to follow his true love of basketball.
Starting at the University of Oregon, Boyle had stints with Tennessee and Jacksonville State before ending back in the state of Kansas at Wichita State. In six years as an assistant with the Shockers, Boyle helped build a down program into one of the better programs in the country. Wichita State was 9-19 his first year and 26-9 with a trip to the Sweet 16 and a national ranking six years later in 2006.
Boyle used the success at Wichita State as a springboard to his first head coaching gig, at the University of Northern Colorado in Loveland. His first year at UNC, Boyle's team won only 4 out of 28 games. Three years later, his final UNC team went 25-8.
That success propelled him to the University of Colorado, where he hit the floor running and hasn't slowed down yet. His first CU team went 24-14 and made to the semi-finals of the postseason NIT tournament after his Buffs were snubbed by the NCAA selection committee.
At the end of the 2011-12 season, Colorado's first in the Pac-12, Boyle and his Buffaloes kicked down the door to the NCAA tournament by winning four games in four days to earn the Pac-12's automatic tourney berth. In 2012-13, the Buffs hovered near the top 25 for much of the season and played one of the more difficult schedules in the country. They were rewarded with another trip to March Madness.
Colorado Students and Fans "Get-In" on the Madness
Colorado long played in the Big 8 (then Big 12) with the likes of Kansas and Oklahoma State. Lots of top 10 teams made their way to the Coors Events Center in Boulder. For the most part, however, unless a top team was playing in Boulder, seats to the games were pretty easy to come by. It was pretty much accepted by the local media that Colorado was just "not a basketball school."
The arrival of Boyle changed that thinking. The student section became much more vocal and numerous and came to be known as the C-Unit. It has become one the best and most vocal student sections in the country. Former Colorado Athletic Director Mike Bohn decided to reward the most avid members of the C-Unit by having the university fly them out to Los Angeles for the first Pac-12 tournament in 2012 and the vocal group cheered the Buffs to the tournament title.
Earlier this month, the University of Colorado announced that for the first time in school history that season tickets to the Buffs' 2013-14 season was SOLD OUT. On top of that, the Buffs get ready to enter the season with a top 25 ranking and are picked 3rd in the Pac-12 behind fellow top 25 teams Arizona and UCLA.
Entering this season, Colorado has had two consecutive seasons in which one of their players was chosen in the first round of the NBA draft (Alec Burks, Andre Roberson). Spencer Dinwiddie looks to continue the first round trend this year. With Boyle at the helm, the Buffs are finding the doors to some of the top high school talent in the country are open to playing their college basketball in Boulder.
Boyle is considered one of the best coaches in the country, and high school players with dreams of playing in the NBA know first round draft picks now come out of Boulder. Another thing these young men want is to play in front of a large and vocal crowd to help inspire them to victory. These are the things that make a program elite in the eyes of players and fans around the country.
And these are the things that now reside in Boulder under the leadership of Tad Boyle.
Note: Historical information about Tad Boyle from Wikipedia.
Monday, June 3, 2013
In Defense of Mike Bohn -- CU's Leadership is Lacking at the Very Top
Like a lot of people, it was easy for me to think that Mike Bohn was doing a horrible job as the Athletic Director for the University of Colorado. After considerable research, I can freely admit that I was wrong. Mike Bohn has been devoted to the university he loves and did as well as could be expected despite the lack of commitment from CU.
When one digs deep enough to find the true power structure behind CU athletics, the facts are that Mike Bohn was the best fundraiser that CU has ever had in the position and that the true bosses at CU (President Bruce Benson and Chancellor Phil DiStefano) want all the benefits of having a top notch athletic program while making none of the investments needed to achieve that goal.
Case in point: Mike Bohn had a salary of $310,000 per year. Some folks might say that 310k is a lot of money. However, those who hire athletic directors at major universities would say that Colorado was trying to get off cheap. Real cheap.
The true bosses at CU have been quoted as of late saying that CU needs someone in the AD position who can help us compete with the BIG BOYS of college athletics. Really? Are they willing to make the financial commitment to hire one of those people? Mike Bohn was the lowest paid athletic director in the Pac 12. And before that he was the lowest paid AD in the Big 12.
The average AD in the Pac-12 at the public schools is $534,000. Stanford and USC most likely pay much more than average, but as private schools they do not have to divulge their AD pay. Compared to CU's old conference, however, the typical Pac-12 school is certainly not among the big boys when it comes to AD pay. CU's old rivals in the Big 12 pay their Athletic Directors an average of $837,000 per year, which is closing in on 3 TIMES the amount that CU invests.
Jon Embree was paid $725,000 a year to be CU's head football coach. Compare that salary with the average Pac-12 rival coach of $2.29 MILLION or the pay enjoyed by Big 12 coaches of $2.76 MILLION. Embree's pay was less than the coaches of nationally renowned football powerhouses like Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette. Up in Fort Collins, their head coach pulled in almost double what Embree earned.
Not only did CU pay the head of the team for CU's traditionally only revenue generating sport less than a third of what other schools were paying their head coaches, Embree also had to foot the bill for bottled water for his staff. CU's illustrious leaders would not even pay for water? That made CU a much bigger joke around the country than lack of wins on the football field.
It has been said that Benson is a master of getting big donors to give to CU. If that is the case, why the hell is tuition going up at so many times the rate of inflation? Not only that, but CU has a long proud history of treating their students like an unwelcome burden. You guys ought to try being nice to students. Don't you idiots realize that it is the students of today who are the potential donors of tomorrow? If you want dividends in the way of donations in the future, you need to invest in students today. If you want your football program to fund all of your other sports, you need to invest in the program.
Everyone seems to know that the football program lost money this past year. Does that really surprise anyone? It shouldn't. The switch to the Pac-12 cost CU money. They had to pay to get out of the Big 12 and as a new member of the Pac-12 they only got ONE FOURTH of the television money that the other schools got, same as Utah. Next year, that goes up and CU's athletic program will once again be flush with money.
Mike Bohn worked tirelessly to get Colorado into the Pac-12. This was a very good thing, Most of CU's out of state students come from the west. The TV revenue that comes from the new conference is more than double what CU used to make in the Big 12.
Thanks to Mike Bohn and his hiring of Tad Boyle, Colorado now has another revenue generating sport in basketball. Not only do the B-Ball Buffs sell out the Events Center, they also earn big dollars by making it to the NCAA's Big Dance. Based on Boyle's coaching and the quality of his recruits, that will not change anytime soon. Under Bohn, Linda Lappe has rebuilt the Women's Basketball program almost to the point of its former glory under Acting AD Ceal Barry. Stories like this abound in CU athletics. A lot of the thanks for those successes rest with Mike Bohn.
Many forget that Mike Bohn came into his job as AD to rescue CU from a bad situation. The real and fabricated scandals around Gary Barnett were causing CU a great deal of embarrassment. Bohn did his best to mitigate the situation and fired Barnett. It needed to be done. Then, Bohn went out and hired the hottest coaching candidate in the country. When Dan Hawkins was hired away from Boise State, he was considered to be a great hire. His teams as head coach before CU were 93-22. Nobody predicted that Hawkins would go 19-39 at Colorado.
Then came the Embree hire. Following the dismissal of Hawkins, Bohn took the meager funds available to him from the Big Bosses at CU and hired an ex-Buff to revitalize the program. The commitment that CU showed Embree was as small as his pay, and Colorado dropped further and further away from their former glory. Two years in to an untenable position with little support from the university, Mike Bohn was forced to fire Jon Embree. Mike Bohn's handling of the firing of his third head coach gave everybody the impression that Bohn was to blame for all the woes of the football program. And the puppet masters pulling the strings behind the scenes, who also held the purse strings, did nothing to change that view.
Finally, Benson and DiStefano, with Bohn as the fall guy, decided to fire the guy who did more with less money than just about any AD in the country. How delusional are these folks? They sat quietly by and spoke of a "national search" for the new AD. More comically, they mentioned as possible candidates guys who already make significantly more money than Bohn. One guy mentioned makes more in interest on his investments every year than Bohn earned in eight years on the job. As he eloquently stated in letter to the Denver Post, he is NOT a candidate.
Well, the ball is now in the court of two guys who have never shown a commitment to CU athletics. Let's see how much money they are willing to spend on a new AD. One thing is certain, no matter who they hire, they will not have the same love and devotion to the Buffs as Mike Bohn did. At least they had the good sense to let Bohn hire Mike MacIntyre and actually pay him commensurate with his peers.
When one digs deep enough to find the true power structure behind CU athletics, the facts are that Mike Bohn was the best fundraiser that CU has ever had in the position and that the true bosses at CU (President Bruce Benson and Chancellor Phil DiStefano) want all the benefits of having a top notch athletic program while making none of the investments needed to achieve that goal.
Case in point: Mike Bohn had a salary of $310,000 per year. Some folks might say that 310k is a lot of money. However, those who hire athletic directors at major universities would say that Colorado was trying to get off cheap. Real cheap.
The true bosses at CU have been quoted as of late saying that CU needs someone in the AD position who can help us compete with the BIG BOYS of college athletics. Really? Are they willing to make the financial commitment to hire one of those people? Mike Bohn was the lowest paid athletic director in the Pac 12. And before that he was the lowest paid AD in the Big 12.
The average AD in the Pac-12 at the public schools is $534,000. Stanford and USC most likely pay much more than average, but as private schools they do not have to divulge their AD pay. Compared to CU's old conference, however, the typical Pac-12 school is certainly not among the big boys when it comes to AD pay. CU's old rivals in the Big 12 pay their Athletic Directors an average of $837,000 per year, which is closing in on 3 TIMES the amount that CU invests.
Jon Embree was paid $725,000 a year to be CU's head football coach. Compare that salary with the average Pac-12 rival coach of $2.29 MILLION or the pay enjoyed by Big 12 coaches of $2.76 MILLION. Embree's pay was less than the coaches of nationally renowned football powerhouses like Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette. Up in Fort Collins, their head coach pulled in almost double what Embree earned.
Not only did CU pay the head of the team for CU's traditionally only revenue generating sport less than a third of what other schools were paying their head coaches, Embree also had to foot the bill for bottled water for his staff. CU's illustrious leaders would not even pay for water? That made CU a much bigger joke around the country than lack of wins on the football field.
It has been said that Benson is a master of getting big donors to give to CU. If that is the case, why the hell is tuition going up at so many times the rate of inflation? Not only that, but CU has a long proud history of treating their students like an unwelcome burden. You guys ought to try being nice to students. Don't you idiots realize that it is the students of today who are the potential donors of tomorrow? If you want dividends in the way of donations in the future, you need to invest in students today. If you want your football program to fund all of your other sports, you need to invest in the program.
Everyone seems to know that the football program lost money this past year. Does that really surprise anyone? It shouldn't. The switch to the Pac-12 cost CU money. They had to pay to get out of the Big 12 and as a new member of the Pac-12 they only got ONE FOURTH of the television money that the other schools got, same as Utah. Next year, that goes up and CU's athletic program will once again be flush with money.
Mike Bohn worked tirelessly to get Colorado into the Pac-12. This was a very good thing, Most of CU's out of state students come from the west. The TV revenue that comes from the new conference is more than double what CU used to make in the Big 12.
Thanks to Mike Bohn and his hiring of Tad Boyle, Colorado now has another revenue generating sport in basketball. Not only do the B-Ball Buffs sell out the Events Center, they also earn big dollars by making it to the NCAA's Big Dance. Based on Boyle's coaching and the quality of his recruits, that will not change anytime soon. Under Bohn, Linda Lappe has rebuilt the Women's Basketball program almost to the point of its former glory under Acting AD Ceal Barry. Stories like this abound in CU athletics. A lot of the thanks for those successes rest with Mike Bohn.
Many forget that Mike Bohn came into his job as AD to rescue CU from a bad situation. The real and fabricated scandals around Gary Barnett were causing CU a great deal of embarrassment. Bohn did his best to mitigate the situation and fired Barnett. It needed to be done. Then, Bohn went out and hired the hottest coaching candidate in the country. When Dan Hawkins was hired away from Boise State, he was considered to be a great hire. His teams as head coach before CU were 93-22. Nobody predicted that Hawkins would go 19-39 at Colorado.
Then came the Embree hire. Following the dismissal of Hawkins, Bohn took the meager funds available to him from the Big Bosses at CU and hired an ex-Buff to revitalize the program. The commitment that CU showed Embree was as small as his pay, and Colorado dropped further and further away from their former glory. Two years in to an untenable position with little support from the university, Mike Bohn was forced to fire Jon Embree. Mike Bohn's handling of the firing of his third head coach gave everybody the impression that Bohn was to blame for all the woes of the football program. And the puppet masters pulling the strings behind the scenes, who also held the purse strings, did nothing to change that view.
Finally, Benson and DiStefano, with Bohn as the fall guy, decided to fire the guy who did more with less money than just about any AD in the country. How delusional are these folks? They sat quietly by and spoke of a "national search" for the new AD. More comically, they mentioned as possible candidates guys who already make significantly more money than Bohn. One guy mentioned makes more in interest on his investments every year than Bohn earned in eight years on the job. As he eloquently stated in letter to the Denver Post, he is NOT a candidate.
Well, the ball is now in the court of two guys who have never shown a commitment to CU athletics. Let's see how much money they are willing to spend on a new AD. One thing is certain, no matter who they hire, they will not have the same love and devotion to the Buffs as Mike Bohn did. At least they had the good sense to let Bohn hire Mike MacIntyre and actually pay him commensurate with his peers.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Andre Roberson's Next Challenge the NBA
Colorado basketball star Andre Roberson has decided to forego his senior season in Boulder for the challenge of the NBA. He notified coach Tad Boyle of his decision on Sunday. The 2013 NBA draft is comprised of two rounds and will be held on Thursday, June 27th.
Roberson is generally regarded as a mid 2nd round pick, but that may change as teams get the opportunity to work him out in person over the next two months. Roberson has been one of the top rebounders in the country each of the last two years, and was also named the Pac-12's Defensive Player of the Year this past season. In addition to taking the ball off the glass, steals and blocked shots have also been mainstays of Roberson's game.
He is known as a fierce competitor, and that mindset will make him a valuable addition to most NBA rosters. While his offensive skill set is still developing, his intense defense and nose for the ball will keep Andre in the mix come draft time. On top of that, Andre has shown himself to be a TEAM player who is dedicated to the success of the team much more than personal glory or statistics.
The NBA will offer a great challenge to Roberson, but as the first notable recruit for head coach Tad Boyle, Roberson knows all about challenges. Prior to his arrival in Boulder, Colorado had only been to the NCAA Tournament two times in over 40 years. Since Andre took the court for the Buffs, Colorado has been to March Madness twice and made it to the NIT championship game in the other year. To put it bluntly, Roberson has helped head coach Tad Boyle turn Colorado into a basketball school with some of the most vocal fans in the Pac-12. Indeed, every team in the league knows about the C-Unit.
Colorado is considered to be loaded with talent going into next season, with some prognosticators having the Buffs penciled in as a top 15 team. The loss of Roberson may temper expectations a bit, but he has blazed a trail that other recruits are following to Boulder. I want to join all Colorado fans in thanking Andre for his time and dedication to the university. Although CU has had other players over the last 20 years that moved on to NBA careers, Roberson has arguably done the most to lift his team into the realm of teams that need to be reckoned with on an annual basis when it comes time for the Big Dance.
Thanks for the memories and good luck Andre!
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Friday Night CU Buff Musings: Hirschman, Bakhtiari, and Roberson
It's a beautiful late April Friday night/Saturday morning in Boulder...
Normally, this time of year is pretty slow on the news for Colorado Buff fans of hoops and pigskin, but 2013 has offered some interesting tidbits. Here are the subjects, the pertinent details, and my humble opinions on each.
Nick Hirschman:
-- Nick entered the spring practices under new coach Mike MacIntyre with five other QB's all starting from scratch.
-- After the first half of the practices, he was one of four named as still competing for number one QB.
-- By the end of spring he had elevated himself to co-starter with Connor Wood after last year's starter Jordan Webb injured his knee and Shane Dillon was moved down the depth chart.
-- He was identified by the coaches as one of the leaders of the team being counted on to help lead the team through summer workouts.
-- Then, he surprised everyone by announcing via Twitter that he would transfer to another school. Since he is graduating next month, he can transfer to another school without having to sit out a year. He has two years of football left before he runs out of eligibility.
-- MacIntyre released him from his scholarship with a few restrictions on where he could transfer.
-- Then, Hirschman gave an interview saying that he left because he was not named the starter at the end of spring.
Opinion:
First, I want to congratulate Nick on his impending graduation and wish him all the luck and success that life has to offer. That said, I think that Nick leaving the Buff football program is probably for the best. As the backup QB for the worst FBS team in the country last year, methinks that Nick was in no position to be demanding as far as a starter position goes this fall. He was offered the opportunity to compete and he was doing well, but then he decided to walk away. This was not the sign of a leader that Colorado needs right now. Fortunately, Connor Wood really seems to be coming into his own at this time, and is showing signs of why he was one of the most highly sought after QB's in the country coming out of high school. It's possible the development of Wood and the impending arrival of Sefo Liufau this summer provided too much of a challenge and Nick wanted to head somewhere that he might be guaranteed a starting spot. Good luck with that.
David Bakhtiari:
-- David was one of the bright spots for the Buff football team the last several years.
-- He opted not to go through another head coaching change at Colorado and decided to enter himself in the NFL Draft.
-- He became the 7th Buff ever to declare for the NFL. The first six were all drafted.
-- Somebody convinced him that he would go in the first or second round of the draft, which would come with a pretty good payday.
-- Someone convinced him that he was the 6th best offensive tackle in the draft.
-- After the first three rounds of the 2013 NFL draft, David has not heard his name called. A total of NINE offensive tackles have already been chosen in the first three rounds.
Opinion:
I really hope that David hears his name called soon when the draft resumes with round four. He is a talented guy who might very well have a NFL future. I commented early on when David declared for the draft that he could use another year of development before he was truly ready. The NFL is a hard club to get into, as David should know. His older brother has been cut something like 14 times trying for a career in the NFL. The best of luck to David, although I really wish he was going to be back in Boulder this fall as the Buffs try to get things turned around.
Andre Roberson:
-- Andre has been one of the stalwarts of the resurgence of Colorado Basketball under Tad Boyle.
-- Over the last two seasons, Andre has been one of the best rebounders in all of college basketball, and is one of the reasons why CU has been to the Big Dance two years in a row.
-- Andre was named the Pac 12 Defensive Player of the Year for this past season.
-- Andre is currently deciding on whether to end his Colorado career early and try to get into the NBA. He scheduled a press conference on Friday to announce his decision... and then cancelled the press conference at the last minute.
Opinion:
Like his head coach has stated in interviews, it seems that someone is pressuring Andre to declare for the NBA draft. As good as Andre is on the court, the fact is that his offensive game is not yet at an NBA level. There is a great chance that if Andre declares for the draft that he faces the very real chance of not being drafted. Unlike the NFL, the NBA draft has only TWO rounds. While there a few undrafted free agents doing well in the league, such as Jeremy Lin, the fact is that having his game ready at all levels will help Andre make it to the next level. The Buffs look to be loaded with talent next year and having that kind of support can only help Andre grow his game. If he does decide to leave, I wish him all the luck in the world... which he might need because the next stop if the NBA turns you down is usually Europe. Good luck whatever you decide to do, Andre.
Saturday, March 9, 2013
CU's Basket Buffs Lay a Big Fat Egg against Oregon State
After Tad Boyle's team put a whipping on the 19th ranked Oregon Ducks on Thursday, the volume of the music accompanying the Buffs' victory parade to March Madness got turned way up. Someone apparently forgot to tell them there was one more game to play before the end of the regular season. The result of this oversight was the Pac-12's last place Beavers strolled into the Coors Events Center and took down the Buffs 64-58.
Although Tad Boyle has done an excellent job of building the Buffs into a consistent 20 win team, which is a remarkable accomplishment considering that the history of CU basketball is that of a .500 team over the 110 years of the program, the fact remains that Colorado is viewed around the country as primarily a football school. And over the last half dozen years, CU has been looked at as a mediocre football school at best and the worst in the NCAA in football this past season.
What's the point? The point is that Colorado does not yet have a history of basketball excellence to fall back on when they stumble into the end of the season. Last year, the Pac-12 only had TWO representatives out of the 68 teams in March Madness. Colorado earned one of those by winning four games in four days to claim the conference tournament championship. Arizona earned the other one because, quite simply, they have been to the tournament every single year except one since 1984. Those on the NCAA Selection Committee have Arizona penciled in every year because they have been a top tier school for almost 30 years.
Outside of the Pac-12, little thought is given to the Buffs as a basketball school. Most college basketball fans around the country equate the Pac-12 with TWO schools, Arizona and UCLA. The Bruins have 18 Final Four appearances and 11 NCAA championship banners. Arizona has 13 Sweet 16 appearances in the last 25 yeas and one National Championship. By comparison, while Colorado has 3 tournament appearnces in the last 16 years, it was another 28 years, all the way back in 1969, to get to the Buffs' prior appearance. To make the math simple, that's four trips to March Madness in 44 years.
Since joining the Pac-12, Colorado has done a remarkable job against the top teams in the conference. Their downfall is when they follow victory over top 20 programs with losses to teams at the bottom of the standings. Those losses say as much to the tournament selection committee as the big wins. Until Colorado establishes the reputation of being a good basketball program year in and year out, they are going to have to scratch and claw to keep their name in the running when it comes time for the tournament.
These Buffs need to decide what they really want. When it comes time for Spring Break, do they want to hang out on the beach? Or do they want to DANCE? They Pac-12 tournament starts this week in Las Vegas, and the Buffs' first round foe is this very same Oregon State team. Which Buff team will show up for that game? We will see. But one thing is certain, CU fans and the NCAA Selection Committee will all be watching.
Friday, March 8, 2013
CU Buff Hoopsters Fight Back, Demolish Oregon Ducks
Deep inside, Tad Boyle must be smiling this morning. Following the 16 point loss to Cal this past weekend, and the news that Andre Roberson (the number one rebounder in the NCAA) would not be able to play, CU found itself facing the daunting task of hosting the the Pac-12's first place team, the Oregon Ducks. In danger of slipping onto the dreaded "Bubble" of teams hoping to get into the NCAA's postseason showcase, how did Boyle's Buffs respond to the challenge? They handed the Ducks their tail feathers with a 76-53 drubbing at the Coors Events Center.
The win was important for several reasons as they get ready to end the regular season by hosting Oregon State this weekend. It puts the Buffs in the position to be on a roll when the Pac-12 tournament gets started in Las Vegas next week. Boyle's team swept through the tournament last year with four wins in four days to earn the conference's automatic tourney berth. The Buffs would love nothing more than to stretch that streak to eight games and secure the best possible seeding to the Big Dance.
The big win also allowed the Buffs to avoid the prolonged malaise that engulfed the team following the overtime loss at Arizona to begin the year. That game was notable for having a game winning three-pointer by Sabatino Chen waived off by officials despite video showing time on the clock when the ball left his hands. Arizona went on to win the game in overtime. The emotional loss put the Buffs into a tailspin which saw them lose four of five games to dig themselves into a big hole at the beginning of conference play.
The Buffs have fought back to now hold the number five position in the conference heading into the final game of the regular season. Following the blowout of the Ducks, CU has to hold serve against Oregon State, who is tied for last place in the Pac-12 with Washington State. A win against the Beavers and a couple of wins in Vegas will give the Buffs the chance to continue their string of 24 win seasons under coach Boyle. March Madness indeed!
The good news for the Buffs heading to Las Vegas is that they hold a 4-3 record against the top four teams in the conference, and they also tend to play very well at neutral venues. Another positive for the Buffs is that their fans, led by the famed C-Unit, travel very well and have the reputation as the loudest and rowdiest fans in the conference. As the saying goes, "VEGAS BABY!"
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Buffs' Chance to Dance Takes a Smack to the Face at Cal
Colorado marched off to the Bay Area with the chance to cement their place in the field for March Madness. They took care of business at Stanford on Wednesday, but once again to fell prey to physical play like that suffered by standout freshman Josh Scott at the hands of Arizona State. The Buffs responded to Cal's smothering defense by shooting a mere 23% from the floor. The were also outrebounded by 13 and fell by 16 points to the tenacious Bears, 62-46. It was the second largest loss by the Buffs this season, trailing only the 36 point shellacking by Kansas early in the season.
Unless Tad Boyle's team can pull off another four wins in four days at the Pac-12 tournament in Las Vegas next week, CU's presumed spot at the NCAA's Big Dance seems to be slipping away. The Buffs get to finish the regular season at home this week, but one of those games will be against Oregon, the Pac-12's number one team right now. And to make that challenge even greater, those Oregon Ducks are hell bent on revenge after CU pulled off a one point upset last month in Eugene.
Although fans in Colorado seem convinced that CU will get an at-large selection to the NCAA's, the facts about their record are beginning to loom large. Since the Buffs completed the 2012 portion of the season with a 10-2 record, they have only gone 9-7 in 2013. Unless they successfully hold off the Oregon schools this week, chances are that Boyle's team will be heading to Las Vegas as the Pac-12's #6 seed. Some people might be impressed with that, but none of them are on the NCAA Selection Committee.
Just like last year, the Buffs only chance to get in to the Big Dance might very well be predicated on winning four games in four days to earn the Pac-12's automatic tourney spot. It was only two years ago when the Buffs gathered at their coach's house to watch their presumed selection, only to have the entire field announced without hearing their name called. Unless this year's team goes on a serious winning streak to end the season, the Buffs may have to settle on a consolation trip to the NIT. This is not to say that the Buffs don't deserve a trip to the Big Dance no matter how they end the season, but the selection committee makes wallflowers out of hopefuls every year.
Some point out that Colorado's RPI of 29 is good enough to ensure their selection, but others challenge the relevance of the tool. After all, CU's RPI is 16 points higher than Cal's, yet the final score of yesterday's game showed Cal 16 points better on the court. And last year, the only two Pac-12 teams to get in were Colorado (with the automatic berth) and Arizona, with an at-large berth. With the NCAA's obvious bias against teams west of Kansas, how many teams can the Pac-12 really hope to get into March Madness? The clock is ticking until we all find out.
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