Colorado Looks to Hand Oregon First PAC12 Loss of The Season
It’s time to turn back the clock as it’s throwback night for the 12-5 Colorado Buffaloes as they host the red-hot 13-3 Oregon Ducks. The Buffaloes just came off an impressive defeat against the USC Trojans. The Buffs were down at half, and when the second half started, it was all Colorado from there. The team held Bronny James, son of Lebron James, to 0 points.
Colorado, who started as a dominant team, has hit a bump in the road from PAC-12 play. The buffs are 3-3 in PAC12 play while they are 9-2 out of conference. Their games against PAC12 opponents have been closely contested as well. The Buffs have scored just under 70 points a game in the PAC while allowing just under 75 points a game. The Buffs need to return to their defensive ways and contain big-time players on each team which they have done better against out of conference teams.
A bright spot for Colorado so far has been Eddie Lampkin Jr. Lampkin has been dominating the boards and getting the crowd into the game. Lampkin is a spark plug for the team and has created a lot of energy. During the game against USC, the fans even started chanting his name. Tristan Da Silva, averaging 16 points a game and five rebounds, looks to improve his gameplay and be a key factor for the Buffs. Finally, it’s KJ Simpson. The potential All-American this year should be a considerable factor for this Buffalo offense as he looks to dominate the Ducks.
Oregon has an impressive 13-3 record, and they show no signs of slowing down. They played a number 17 Alabama team and lost by only 8 points and they are 5-0 in PAC-12 play so far. Every conference game they have played has been kept within 10 points, so it looks to be a game that will go down to the wire. The Ducks average 78 points a game while giving up almost 73 points and are led by freshman guard Jackson Shelstad, averaging 14.6 points a game, and senior guard Jermaine Couisnard, averaging just under 14 points a game. Those guys have been significant in the Oregon play, and they both could lead the Ducks to a March Madness bid. Keeshawn Barthelemy is returning to the CUEC, as he was on the Buffs a few years ago. Barthelemy averages 7.7 points a game with the Ducks as a solid role player.
Keys for the Buffaloes. The Colorado Buffaloes played well in the second half of the USC game. They accomplished a 16-point comeback by keeping the turnovers to a minimum. In a game that will come down to potentially the last shot, the Buffaloes need to take their time on offense and find a high-quality shot. Getting consistent looks in the paint is also a key compenent of this matchup. Lampkin has been tearing it down low, finishing contested shots, and finding his way to the free-throw line. The Ducks’ center, Mahamadou Diawara, has been quiet for the Ducks, so expect Lampkin to eat. Lastly is offensive movement. The Colorado Buffaloes play a very standstill offense and expect each player to move toward the basket. If the buffs can play at a high pace and have multiple players cutting and setting screens, many more high-quality shots will be created.
The game tonight is late, starting at 8:30 pm at the CUEC, airing on Fox Sports 1.