Colorado Looks to Strengthen March Madness Resume Against Arizona
Rob Gray/USA Sports
The Colorado Buffaloes are currently on the cusp of making March Madness, positioned in the first four out. A big boost could come in their next game as they try to defend home court and improve to 14-0 at the CUEC this season. Their next challenge is against the No. 8 Arizona Wildcats. Both the Wildcats and Buffs are entering the game following victories. Arizona's recent visit to Utah concluded in a triple-overtime thriller, whereas the Buffs won against Arizona State.
Arizona has has an incredible season, led by transfer Caleb Love. Love secured a double-double against Utah, tallying 19 points and 10 rebounds. Presently, four of Arizona's starters are averaging over 10 points per game. Senior forward Keshan Johnson averages just below 12 points per game, senior center Oumar Ballo is just under 13 points, and senior guard Pelle Larsson averages slightly over 13 points. This is a rare feat in college basketball and something you don’t see so often. Arizona's head coach, Tommy Lloyd, a celebrated coach, effectively utilizes his starting lineup, with nearly every starter contributing to an average of 40 points per game.
In their previous encounter this season, Colorado visited Arizona and it's was a blood bath, losing 50-97. Arizona's shooting was exceptional, with a 55% success rate from three-point range and 56% from the field, leading them to victory. The Buffs were without potential first-round draft picks Tristian Da Silva and Cody Williams for that game, which greatly impacted their performance. The Buffs shot 36% from the field and were outrebounded by Arizona by 20. They also had 16 turnovers compared to Arizona’s 11.
Colorado has had an up-and-down season. A win today would will help their case for March Madness. In their last outing against Arizona State, Senior J’Vonne Hadley achieved a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. KJ Simpson also delivered a strong performance, scoring 17 points, with 6 rebounds and 8 assists. Simpson has emerged as a standout this season, warranting consideration for the Wooden Award for his contributions. Coach Tad Boyle expressed his focus on Simpson's performance rather than awards, highlighting Simpson's importance to the team.
“I don’t get into that stuff. I just know how good he is. I know what kind of year he’s having, what kind of player he is, what he’s done for our team. You can make an argument that there’s not 10 players more important to their team in college basketball than he is.”
Today, Colorado faces a pivotal game against the eighth-ranked Arizona. To succeed, they must adapt their defensive strategies, alternating between a 2-3 formation and man-to-man, to challenge Arizona's gameplay. Recognizing Arizona's strength and the coaching acumen of Tommy Lloyd, Colorado aims to disrupt their rhythm with varied offensive and defensive schemes. The Buffs need to maintain intensity throughout the game and enhance their offensive movement, utilizing strategies like the pick-and-roll and off-ball screens to outpace the opposition.
Tonight's game at the CUEC promises to be eventful, with an 8 pm MST tip-off, broadcasted on ESPN. The Buffs will don their throwback uniforms, complemented by a whiteout theme in the student section and throughout the arena.