Men's team laments another tough loss

[Buffnik]

Reading through the below quotes, there is no doubt that this team is hearing Coach Bzdelik's message and buying into it. No excuses with this bunch. They expect to win and know what they have to improve in order to get there against good competition.

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"We can`t have certain guys go without defensive rebounds the entire game," Bzdelik lamented.

"It`s real simple: We need to rebound and defend," Relphorde admitted. "We gave them a lot of free points off offensive rebounds. I know I did a terrible job on the defensive glass. We`re scoring the ball. We need to rebound."

"There`s no reason why we shouldn`t be a good defensive team," Higgins said. "It`s completely mental."

"It can change if they want it to change," Bzdelik said. "I can`t rebound for them. We`ve taught them how to defend. We only took one charge against a team that put their head down and drove. Our post players have to move their feet and get in front of people and not play behind people. Ninety-percent of fouls are defensive mistakes, and we had a lot of defensive mistakes out there."

"We threw that one away. It was real disappointing," said point guard Nate Tomlinson, who missed two free throws with 46.9 seconds remaining that could have given the Buffs the lead. "We need to realize there`s a way to win by rebounding and playing defense without fouling. That`s why the good teams win, they do those things. When we do them we will win."

Full story: Thorburn - Buffzone

 

[KingPants]

We only took one charge against a team that put their head down and drove. Our post players have to move their feet and get in front of people and not play behind people. Ninety-percent of fouls are defensive mistakes, and we had a lot of defensive mistakes out there."

What the hell is with the NBA style charge rule in college. They don't even have the under the basket circle painted on the court. How are the players supposed to know when it is ok to take a charge and when it isn't? There were at least 3 times when CU took what looked like a fine charge, and then it was called a block.

Whats the rule now? Refs discretion on where the charge is allowed?

 

[sackman]

What the hell is with the NBA style charge rule in college. They don't even have the under the basket circle painted on the court. How are the players supposed to know when it is ok to take a charge and when it isn't? There were at least 3 times when CU took what looked like a fine charge, and then it was called a block.

Whats the rule now? Refs discretion on where the charge is allowed?

The entire game of basketball is one big refs discretion. It's sad.

 

[pwbuffan]

The more things change the more they stay the same is all I can say. When is this team going to learn how to win on the road?

 

[Buffnik]

The more things change the more they stay the same is all I can say. When is this team going to learn how to win on the road?

CSU this week would be a good start. That is really a must win for the program. Need to get that road losing streak against D1 competition monkey off our back before Big 12 play. And if we can't do it at CSU, it's probably not gonna happen at Tulsa.

 

[Scotch]

CSU this week would be a good start. That is really a must win for the program. Need to get that road losing streak against D1 competition monkey off our back before Big 12 play. And if we can't do it at CSU, it's probably not gonna happen at Tulsa.

:nod:

As frustrating as Friday night's loss was, there are plenty of signs this team has taken some big steps forward. So far they've beaten the teams they should've beaten, blown them out really. The only close games they've played are the ones they've lost, against teams that would have run them off the floor last season.

 

[BuffaloChuck]

I'm still not quite sure about CSU's 800-lb gorilla status in basketball history, or their historic ability to run the Buffs off the floor - last year, years before, much less last night. But they did.

 

[staxman]

:nod:

As frustrating as Friday night's loss was, there are plenty of signs this team has taken some big steps forward. So far they've beaten the teams they should've beaten, blown them out really. The only close games they've played are the ones they've lost, against teams that would have run them off the floor last season.

Last night vs CSU was a big step backward. That was an extremely disappointing display of basketball put on by the Buffs. There was so much wrong with that performance I don't even know where to start. They were completely outplayed by a lesser team.

The most unfortunate thing may be that right when fans are starting to get excited and believe in the team they lay an egg at CSU. Fans now may a little slower to come out and support the team than they would have been with a win last night. That's just the way it is with CU hoops. They needed a win last night to keep the momentum moving forward. :sad1:

 

[CarolinaBuff]

Yea, the previous 3 losses before last night were excusable given the teams and that the OSU loss was on the road, but last night was just a bad, bad loss.

 

[Mick Ronson]

Last night vs CSU was a big step backward. That was an extremely disappointing display of basketball put on by the Buffs. There was so much wrong with that performance I don't even know where to start. They were completely outplayed by a lesser team.

The most unfortunate thing may be that right when fans are starting to get excited and believe in the team they lay an egg at CSU. Fans now may a little slower to come out and support the team than they would have been with a win last night. That's just the way it is with CU hoops. They needed a win last night to keep the momentum moving forward. :sad1:

i agree 100%. the exacerbating factor to the second paragraph is most potential fans (who might have been tempted to the CEC by earlier play--especially students) will snooze on the Buffs over the holidays. Finals start tomorrow and most students won't be back until Jan 11 or so....and this loss will be something to either try and forget (last impressions of the program) or ditch it altogether. on the other hand, a win on the road at CSU sends everyone off with optimism and renewed fan vigor.

 

[tante]

this is our third bad game in a row.

 

[Scotch]

Last night vs CSU was a big step backward. That was an extremely disappointing display of basketball put on by the Buffs. There was so much wrong with that performance I don't even know where to start. They were completely outplayed by a lesser team.

The most unfortunate thing may be that right when fans are starting to get excited and believe in the team they lay an egg at CSU. Fans now may a little slower to come out and support the team than they would have been with a win last night. That's just the way it is with CU hoops. They needed a win last night to keep the momentum moving forward. :sad1:

:nod: Yup

 

[absinthe]

we do too much lamenting at CU.

 

[coereg]

I was there the other night ... this was a disappointing loss and perhaps the worst I've seen them play under Bzdelik's leadership.

How CU continues, both with football and basketball, to negate and overlook CSU is completely beyond me.

Although CSU doesn't match the talent of CU or the Big 12, for either sport, they're jacked for the moment and so are their fans, this is their A-#1 Game and they love to bring it hard. Most of the time, when people get so jacked, players/coaches/fans, it doesn't matter what kind of talent they have, they find a way to get after you.

I felt the younger fans at CSU went overboard. Their consistant cussing-chants and rants, and throwing stuff all over the arena was a bit disturbing to say the least. It reminded me somewhat of the CU-NEB footbal game in '05, where CU's student section erupted in agony during the 2nd half of that game. ​

That's TWO disappointing losses this season (Oregon State and CSU) for Colorado. It's damaging because when you lose these types of games, where the majority of people feel you should win, you lose an inch of that extra fan support, and some of your Denver based media support, that can make such a difference. That all contributes to those EXTRA fans that start to pile on as your season get's better.

The reason that's important is because it fills your arena. I remember back in '02-'03, when CU started the season with their typical little to no support in the stands. But after some big wins and some decent stretches of wins, people started piling in like crazy, to the point where by seasons end, there was a consistent 9k to 10k fans in the seats.​

CU must strive to be better and start to turn the corner a bit here. They need to start showing their fans, and the local based media (which can make or break your season from a fan following perspective) some confidence that they can be competitive wherever they play, especially on the road against teams like Colorado State. CU has another ONE of those games coming (@ Tulsa) in just a few weeks. That's a game that they can either decide to go play hard and be in it down to the wire, maybe pull out a win, or they can play sloppy, fail to rebound, not play hard, and get blown out again.

The way they played at CSU the other night, they owe themselves and their immediate boosters and fans a hard effort and good showing the restof the way.

 

[coereg]

What the hell is with the NBA style charge rule in college. They don't even have the under the basket circle painted on the court. How are the players supposed to know when it is ok to take a charge and when it isn't? There were at least 3 times when CU took what looked like a fine charge, and then it was called a block.

Whats the rule now? Refs discretion on where the charge is allowed?

Yeah, I hate to say it, and this is never an excuse (obviously) as to why you play hard, or go for rebounds, etc., but CU was hosed for much of that game on calls in the lane.
CSU got so "elementary-ridiculous" with this that there were stretches, late in the first half, where they simply drove the lane (every time) and just threw up junk - and on most ocassions the whistle would tweet and we'd have another foul.

It was so bad that CSU tried to go back to it late in the 2nd half, when CU was making a slight run and threatening things, where a CSU player jumped into the lane once again and threw up a junk shot that went high up and over the back of the rim, and nothing was called but you could see what the plan was on that play. ​

My father, who is not even a hardline CU fan (he graduated from Arkansas), but is a basketball purist, gave some disgusting looks as to how the officiating was carrying on.

On the other end of the spectrum, CU drove the lane often but it didn't appear to be called the same that direction. CSU would suddenly converge and have 4-5-6 hands/arms slapping at CU players, with seemingly nothing called for most of the night.

You can't tell me that there was never any contact made on those players, particularly when they were in the act of shooting, as they often were.

CSU was fired up and won that ballgame. Not sure what the outcome would have been otherwise, but they did have some help.