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Official Game Thread: Buffs at Utah (Wednesday, 7pm)

Buffnik

Real name isn't Nik
Club Member
Junta Member
Game is on ESPN2.

Buffs come in at 9-5 (2-0) with Josh Scott practicing today and expected to play.

Utah comes in at 12-2 (2-0), ranked #9 in the nation, and with Loveridge making a healthy return over the weekend.

Huge game in the Pac-12 standings, as a CU win would put the Buffs one up while owning the tiebreaker. If Utah wins, they're holding serve on the home court but will have dodged one of the main bullets on their conference schedule.

Last season, both match ups with Utah were post-Spencer. Buffs won in OT at the Keg, 79-75. Utah won in SLC, 75-64.

Starters match up very well in terms of roles and defensive assignments.

G: Brandon Taylor (5'10" 167 - 9.4 ppg) vs. Askia Booker (6'2" 175 - 15.8 ppg)
G: Delon Wright (6'5" 190 - 15.1 ppg) vs. Jaron Hopkins (6'6" 200 - 6.0 ppg)
G/F: Jordan Loveridge (6'6" 222 - 12.0 ppg) vs. Xavier Johnson (6'7" 230 - 13.8 ppg)
F: Chris Reyes (6'7" 230 - 4.5 ppg) vs. Wesley Gordon (6'9" 225 7.6 ppg)
C: Jakob Poelti (7'0" 235 - 9.8 ppg) vs. Josh Scott (6'10" 245 14.8 ppg)

Starter scoring: Utah - 50.8 / CU 58.0

Big key is the bench. Utah gets over 20 ppg from the trio of Tucker, Chapman and Ogbe, who all play over 15 minutes a night. Bachynski is a veteran 7 footer (and former starter) coming off the bench and giving them about 12 minutes a night. For the Buffs, Thomas-Fletcher-Talton-Collier combine to give about 13 ppg.

Utah can also shoot the rock, averaging over 50% from the field and just short of 40% from 3pt range. Buffs shoot a little over 45% from the field and just under 37% from 3pt range. Advantage for the Buffs at the line where they are just under 75% while Utah is at 66%.

Rebounding is going to be a battle. Utah's a bit better on offensive rebound rate (33.3%) than CU (32.2%). Utah is also giving opponents fewer offensive rebounds per game (8.2 vs 8.9).

Keys to the game:

This is a very good match up. Similar styles and emphasis. CU's got the more explosive starting lineup, but Utah can overwhelm with its bench. If the Utah 5 outscore the CU 5, it's almost certainly a Utah win.

Buffs cannot let Loveridge and/or Taylor get off from 3pt range. CU also needs a monumental defensive effort on Wright to keep him out of the lane and make him settle for jump shots.

Also, whichever team wins the glass is likely to win the game. It's a point of emphasis for both teams and in this one it's kind of like the team that wins the battle of the trenches in football.

Free throw shooting is big. CU needs to get to the line as much as Utah despite the normal home cooking from officials so that CU's better FT shooting can lead to a points advantage. When you take rebounding and FT attempts together, it points to the importance of which team plays the role of aggressor in this one.

Last, CU absolutely must share the ball and value the ball. A/T for Utah is 15/13. A/T for CU is 12/13. If that plays out, it's 3 extra possessions for Utah. Very hard to beat good teams on the road when they get extra possessions. Beyond that, both Utah and CU are too good on defense for the opponent to win without good ball movement. Utah probably has the advantage in a sloppy offensive game, though, due to Wright's ability to create out of the muck for himself and his teammates.

Another way to look at this is: CU has the front court advantage (including bench) while Utah has the back court advantage (including bench). Which team can best neutralize the disadvantage while capitalizing on its advantage?
 
What, no pictures of the team logos? Slacker.

Also, I thought you were waiting till we won this game to get back on the excitement bandwagon? :wink2:

Great preview. Let's go win this sucker. Love seeing that Jhop and XJ are the guys getting the two big threats from Utah. Should be an ugly, #tadball kind of game.

Foul situation will be a big deal in this game. If XJ or Jhop get in trouble, that's a big dropoff to the next best defender. Jhop is going to have be a freaking man beast on D, which he has inconsistently shown he can be.
 
What, no pictures of the team logos? Slacker.

Also, I thought you were waiting till we won this game to get back on the excitement bandwagon? :wink2:

Great preview. Let's go win this sucker.

I said that this game would determine whether I started stressing again. If we win, expectations go way up and I get heartburn. If we lose, I'll be more relaxed since I won't have big expectations of this season. :smile2:
 
This is going to be a battle, and we've never won in SLC as a member of the p12. Looking forward to see how jaron goes up against delon.
 
This is going to be a battle, and we've never won in SLC as a member of the p12. Looking forward to see how jaron goes up against delon.

We beat Utah our first year in the Pac 12, and we haven't done it since.

Going to be tough to beat them in Utah, but they aren't as good as their ranking.

Booker is going to need to do something he has never done: play well on the road. That's the key IMO. Also, we need to take care of the ball. We can't have 18 turnovers and 10 assists and expect to win.
 
We beat Utah our first year in the Pac 12, and we haven't done it since.

Going to be tough to beat them in Utah, but they aren't as good as their ranking.

Booker is going to need to do something he has never done: play well on the road. That's the key IMO. Also, we need to take care of the ball. We can't have 18 turnovers and 10 assists and expect to win.

Their two losses are on the road @ #16 and @#10 and in both of those games they gave the home team all it wanted, they are legit.
 
This is going to be a battle, and we've never won in SLC as a member of the p12. Looking forward to see how jaron goes up against delon.

Incorrect. We won our first year in the league. Utah was pure garbage that year. Really awful team. Think USC type bad.
 
We beat Utah our first year in the Pac 12, and we haven't done it since.

Going to be tough to beat them in Utah, but they aren't as good as their ranking.

Booker is going to need to do something he has never done: play well on the road. That's the key IMO. Also, we need to take care of the ball. We can't have 18 turnovers and 10 assists and expect to win.

We beat Utah at Coors last year. recap
 
I was talking about @ the hunstman center, and I guess I didnt go back far enough on the schedule. I just remember that almost 22 pt comeback from 2 years ago.
 
Game is on ESPN2.

If Utah wins, they're holding serve on the home court but will have dodged one of the main bullets on their conference schedule.

I'm guessing that Utah doesn't consider this one of the main bullets on their conference schedule. Clearly it is a big game for the Buffs.
 
I'm guessing that Utah doesn't consider this one of the main bullets on their conference schedule. Clearly it is a big game for the Buffs.

Wrong. We have under performed thus far. Guarantee Coach K is preaching to not over look us. We are dangerous. They should beat us, but it will not be easy for the utes.
 
I'm kinda thinking that the "rivalry" with Utah that the Pac 12 wanted to foster is already materializing in basketball much more than in football ... not one of hatred (e.g., Nubb) but one of respect and the kind of "we need to beat these guys in order to make the Dance" attitude.

Interesting that the two most recently admitted schools in the Pac 12 are among the top three or four teams in the conference, at least in men's basketball. So much for CU and Utah being a "drag on the conference."
 
I'm kinda thinking that the "rivalry" with Utah that the Pac 12 wanted to foster is already materializing in basketball much more than in football ... not one of hatred (e.g., Nubb) but one of respect and the kind of "we need to beat these guys in order to make the Dance" attitude.

Interesting that the two most recently admitted schools in the Pac 12 are among the top three or four teams in the conference, at least in men's basketball. So much for CU and Utah being a "drag on the conference."

It's a rivalry as soon as the fans decide that it is.

Right now, CSU's our only real rivalry in hoops. We didn't really have a hoops rivalry in the Big 8/12 either.
 
Wrong. We have under performed thus far. Guarantee Coach K is preaching to not over look us. We are dangerous. They should beat us, but it will not be easy for the utes.

Of course Utah needs to take us seriously or they could slip up, I'm just saying Buffs on the road are not a threat to a good team, if Utah plays decent. Now the game in Boulder will be a challenge for Utah.
 
It's a rivalry as soon as the fans decide that it is.

Right now, CSU's our only real rivalry in hoops. We didn't really have a hoops rivalry in the Big 8/12 either.

With about 2 exceptions, we didn't have a team worthy of anyone's attention. Hard to be considered a rival when you are never a threat.

Big difference now that we are a threat. Some team/fan base will point to CU and say, "that's who we really need to beat".
 
Good luck Buffs! You're gonna need it.

[video=youtube;mBBJe9llmA4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBBJe9llmA4[/video]
 
That's neat. Other than distracting XJ, not sure the glow sticks will do much to help you tho.
 
Look who's into hoops for the first time in 5 years! Good to have the Utes back.

You are perceptive, and accurate. Boylen destroyed our program, no joy for several years. I knew we would eventually get back... we still need to get out there and earn it, but I think they have the ability. Beating talented teams like Colorado is going to be the test.
 
You are perceptive, and accurate. Boylen destroyed our program, no joy for several years. I knew we would eventually get back... we still need to get out there and earn it, but I think they have the ability. Beating talented teams like Colorado is going to be the test.

Utes look like the clear #2 in the Pac at this point. Buffs should have a better record than we do (really ****ed up our OOC with blown chances in close losses), but our hope is wins over UCLA and USC without Josh Scott helped our guys find themselves a bit. We showed fire and hunger that had been lacking. Hopefully we salvage the season with a nice Pac12 record. Only hope of Dancing at this point is to find some quality wins and unfortunately the Pac12 will only provide a limited amount of chances. Not optimistic about Wednesday, but I do think we have a good shot to beat you Utes in Boulder.

Glad to have Utah back in business in hoops. This conference needs all the help it can get and a difficult game at Utah on the mountain road swing for other Pac pairs helps CU out. Hell of a job Krystkowiak has done. You've come a long way from our first year in the Pac when we got the 3-sweep over you without remotely exerting ourselves. Just don't be douchebags again by pounding on our locker room door whilst screaming and seemingly trying to break in during our halftimes this season. TIA.
 
"Not a game, but we talking about practice!"

Still impressive!! Maybe he should come in and should a few threes. We could definitely use a zone buster.

Great news on Scott. I'm really looking forward to his matchup with the Austrian guy Poelt.
 
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