Can we play any better?

[Buffs@5345']

Tad Boyle gets an D- in this game. Defense was okay but not great. Offense was mostly stupid.

I'm new around here, and certainly no BBall expert, but that seems a bit harsh for the coach. I counted 5 sloppy turnovers or misses - the missed layup, the failed kickout down low, the deep outlet pass that was too long, the get-doubled giveaway right in front of CU's bench, and the poor shot choice at the end of the first half (among others).

Playing a game against a top tier opponent doesn't allow for those types of missed opportunities. I believe Kansas turned the first four into points of their own, and in the case of the layup and the deep outlet CU had opportunities to capitalize on recoveries of their own. I get that we can't just count those points against the real final, but a potential 18 point swing would have really made things interesting. For CU to knock off giants they have to elliminate slop and play as close to perfect as they can on that night. Last night we as fans watched them come close, but fail.

I feel coach Boyle put the Buffs in a position to challenge one of the top programs in the country. Did he have areas to improve his game just as every Buff on the court did? Sure. Was his gameplan or preparation so poor that the team was unable to compete, leaving us as fans to wonder what direction the program is heading in.....absolutely not.

I think that as a first year coach, facing his toughest competition to date, the guy earned at least a solid "C".

 

[torero]

wow Dufault got absolutely owned last night. I think he got stuffed more times than he had rebounds. I think Nate had his best game of the season last night, but that is not really saying much. I can't believe how well CU shot the ball from the outside. At halftime, they had 2 guys that were 3 of 5 beyond the arc. Crazy night.

I agree wholeheartedly, I don't know what game bisonic was watching. Tomlinson played a hell of a game, minus that one missed layup, by far his best game of the year. He played his tail off. As everyone else has said, rebounding absolutely killed us, Roberson is the only one who consistently cleans the glass. In a game that has that many points and that few stops, those 3 or 4 situations where we had them shut down for an entire shot clock and then didn't clean the glass were huge difference makers in that game. The thing that has me worried is that there are no breaks in the Big XII, you can't take a moral victory out of this one and then drop a stink bomb in the next one. By the way, Kansas is really good.

 

[Daaah]

I only watched the second 1/2, but from what I saw, I really don't think we can play much better than we did last night. There were a few mistakes, but those are bound to happen over the course of a basketball game. To be in position to win the game with less than a minute to play is exactly where we want to be against a legit top 10 team.

So yeah, we got out rebounded, but that is to be expected against a team with serious size like Kansas. Also, they like to run so having 5 men crash the offensive boards can create some serious problems.

 

[tante]

the only moral victory from last night is never having to see a KU fan in the keg again.

 

[tante]

I only watched the second 1/2, but from what I saw, I really don't think we can play much better than we did last night. There were a few mistakes, but those are bound to happen over the course of a basketball game. To be in position to win the game with less than a minute to play is exactly where we want to be against a legit top 10 team.

So yeah, we got out rebounded, but that is to be expected against a team with serious size like Kansas. Also, they like to run so having 5 men crash the offensive boards can create some serious problems.

we have played better defense before, we have boxed out better and we have shot at a higher percentage in other games this season. Kansas played a tight game and had very few mistakes which is why they won.

 

[Tractor]

I'll start a wall of text in with my thoughts as well.

That student who yelled fu@k Kansas during the moment of silence, I hope you're reading this....you're an ass.

I really thought we played great. The thing I love about college sports over the pros is when I see effort. If you guys didn't see us out there competing, I don't know what game you watched. Kids played their hearts out. We have no business playing against a frontcourt of a 7 footer and the two Morris twins. What the hell did you guys think was going to happen?

With that said, there were times when I thought he took a shot and everybody seemed to take off back to their side of the court for defense. It was like watching France at war. I wish we'd have kept some bigs in there and at least competed for some of those offensive rebounds, especially the shooter. I hate when a shooter takes some jump shot and does the 4 step back hold your hand up pose. Follow your shot!

I thought our gameplan was pretty good. We didn't let the Morris twins beat us for the most part. The two of them combined for 20 points. I'll take that. It seemed we said we'd take the inside offensive game away and force them to beat us with 3 pointers. They did. Good for them. Therefore, I think Dufault did ok.

32 on their team was taking shots from almost halfcourt. I remember him taking a step back 3 where he must have been like 7 feet from the 3 point line. You give them that shot all day. He came out limpingto start the second half, but it didn't seem to show during the game. Faker

Second chance points were killer, we sucked at boxing out those bigs on a miss. That 7 footer had a massive dunk on a rebound near the end of the game. Had we gotten that rebound, the crowd would have been electric and maybe the game would have been different.

Burks makes some great plays and some terrible plays. Man, what was he thinking on that lob ahead to Higgins that put him in the 6th row? I agree with whoever said the possession at the end of the first half sucked, but was total NBA style. I blame the trap that Higgins got into on Tomlinson.
Dude used 2 timeouts for us in like the first 3 minutes of the second half. He called a timeout at almost halfcourt when there was 1 guy guarding him. WTF was that?!?! I think that was the most retarded thing I've ever seen. He then called one because he was cramping. That one, what can you do I guess. But damn, it would have been nice to have a timeout to call when Higgins was trapped. I guess I have it out for him (sorry Nate), but that guy has not improved since he got here.

Finally, a shoutout to the band kid that propsed during the Tuba cheer. That was pimp.

 

[Bisonic]

I agree wholeheartedly, I don't know what game bisonic was watching. Tomlinson played a hell of a game, minus that one missed layup, by far his best game of the year. He played his tail off.

Couple things - Dufault is playing out of position. We should not be asking a skinny 6'8 kid to be handling one or both Morris brothers. That's impossible.

On Tomlinson - yes I think he had a good night, in fact his best night of the year. But we still got skinned alive by KU's guards. That's my point.

 

[Lt.Col.FrankSlade]

CU could have won last night's game if they just rebounded.

Kansas had almost as many OFFENSIVE rebounds as Colorado had DEFENSIVE rebounds. FOUR (4) offensive rebounds by Colorado is absolutely terrible.

 

[Tractor]

Couple things - Dufault is playing out of position. We should not be asking a skinny 6'8 kid to be handling one or both Morris brothers. That's impossible.

On Tomlinson - yes I think he had a good night, in fact his best night of the year. But we still got skinned alive by KU's guards. That's my point.

:yeahthat: Agree with both points.

 

[GoBuffs!!]

CU could have won last night's game if they just rebounded.

Kansas had almost as many OFFENSIVE rebounds as Colorado had DEFENSIVE rebounds. FOUR (4) offensive rebounds by Colorado is absolutely terrible.

Morris Brothers + a 7ft. Center = CU is not going to rebound

It sucks, but it has to be accepted, and you have to figure out another way to win the game. Not to say you need to conceed the rebounding game, but just know you wont win it.

 

[Lt.Col.FrankSlade]

Morris Brothers + a 7ft. Center = CU is not going to rebound

It sucks, but it has to be accepted, and you have to figure out another way to win the game. Not to say you need to conceed the rebounding game, but just know you wont win it.

4 offensive rebounds = not even trying.

 

[GoBuffs!!]

4 offensive rebounds = not even trying.

I disagree, one of the biggest things we had to do with KU differently, is we couldnt have 4 or 5 guys pound the offensive boards like we have before. With players like Selby you have to keep at least 1 or 2 players back to prevent the quick cherry picking layup. Lets not forget that KU has some of the top talent in the country year after year, and there are not very many weak points with their game.

 

[Lt.Col.FrankSlade]

I disagree, one of the biggest things we had to do with KU differently, is we couldnt have 4 or 5 guys pound the offensive boards like we have before. With players like Selby you have to keep at least 1 or 2 players back to prevent the quick cherry picking layup. Lets not forget that KU has some of the top talent in the country year after year, and there are not very many weak points with their game.

We will just agree to disagree.

2 more offensive rebounds and CU ties, possibly wins the game. And that's talking about just SIX (6) offensive rebounds in an entire game.

 

[GoBuffs!!]

We will just agree to disagree.

2 more offensive rebounds and CU ties, possibly wins the game. And that's talking about just SIX (6) offensive rebounds in an entire game.

2 more outlet passes for easy buckets, CU isnt in the game at all. It goes both ways.

 

[Bisonic]

Ahh the good ol' days (2 weeks ago) when we were one of the very best rebounding teams in the conference. At one point we were among the tops in the country in rebounding differential.

Funny how high quality teams like KU make you say, "why can't we do [THIS] better!?!?!"

If I'm not mistaken, their towel guy was a Parade All-American.

 

[torero]

Everybody has mentioned a few plays here, a few plays there we could have won this game, which is true. But that just goes to point out that we have to play pretty much a perfect game against the elite teams to win.

Tractor, the time out Tomlinson got when he was cramping was not a Buff timeout. The ref blew the whistle for that, and that led to the media timeout. It was great we got that timeout, because there hadn't been a whistle in like four minutes, everyone on the floor was gassed, they needed that media timeout.

One big play that definitely could've changed the game was that follow dunk Roberson missed. I feel like he was about 13 feet in the air to get that. If he finishes that, it brings the house down, the place would've gone bonkers.He missed it and then Kansas came back down and scored a bucket... That was a big turning point. I think the Buffs win that game if he finishes it.

 

[Fight CU]

Everybody has mentioned a few plays here, a few plays there we could have won this game, which is true. But that just goes to point out that we have to play pretty much a perfect game against the elite teams to win.

Tractor, the time out Tomlinson got when he was cramping was not a Buff timeout. The ref blew the whistle for that, and that led to the media timeout. It was great we got that timeout, because there hadn't been a whistle in like four minutes, everyone on the floor was gassed, they needed that media timeout.

One big play that definitely could've changed the game was that follow dunk Roberson missed. I feel like he was about 13 feet in the air to get that. If he finishes that, it brings the house down, the place would've gone bonkers.He missed it and then Kansas came back down and scored a bucket... That was a big turning point. I think the Buffs win that game if he finishes it.

+1. this is not the only time Andre has muffed a dunk that could have been BIG only to get run and scored on at the other end. can someone teach him to FINISH? SHEESH

 

[Tractor]

Everybody has mentioned a few plays here, a few plays there we could have won this game, which is true. But that just goes to point out that we have to play pretty much a perfect game against the elite teams to win.

Tractor, the time out Tomlinson got when he was cramping was not a Buff timeout. The ref blew the whistle for that, and that led to the media timeout. It was great we got that timeout, because there hadn't been a whistle in like four minutes, everyone on the floor was gassed, they needed that media timeout.

One big play that definitely could've changed the game was that follow dunk Roberson missed. I feel like he was about 13 feet in the air to get that. If he finishes that, it brings the house down, the place would've gone bonkers.He missed it and then Kansas came back down and scored a bucket... That was a big turning point. I think the Buffs win that game if he finishes it.

Thanks tb, I didn't know that was a media timeout. Good call on that Roberson missed dunk. He looked like his hand was above the backboard when he first touched that. I agree that was a big swing of emotion. That would have been ESPNs #1 play of the day for sure.

As for him not finishing, he did have a sick 1 handed dunk earlier in the game. I thought he played pretty well today all things considered. Man, that follow would have been the highlight of the YEAR!

 

[Scotch]

Only two complaints with Boyle last night:

1. Didn't manage timeouts well. We ran out of timeouts in the 2nd with close to two minutes left which hurt. I believe we took our first one in the first minute of the 2nd half.

2. His rotation of players in the last 3-4 minutes, especially leaving Tomlinson in over Knutson. Other than the missed layup Tomlinson played well, but Knutson is a better shooter, rebounder, defender, moves better without the ball etc. etc. etc. Also too much time in those last minutes when Higgins and Burks weren't out on the floor together.

Boyle's use of the zone was effective, and was something we really hadn't seen this year.