For the first time in their 15 years in the league, the Buffs have played their way into the Big XII semi-finals, and they got there riding the wave of 3 outstanding individual performances.
Alec Burks was doing his Alec Burks thing again. He filled up nearly every corner of the statsheet, going for 24 points, 6 boards, 5 assists and 2 steals. He was even perfect from the line (8-8) to sweeten the pot. So far this tournament, he's sporting an incredible line of 53/21/11/5. You hear that noise? That's the sound of NBA GM's getting out their checkbooks.
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| Burks has been out of this world awesome in the last two games. From: the BDC |
Even better against KSU was the performance of Cory Higgins. The California native has been the rock that this current CU squad is built upon, and he chose a perfect time to remind everyone how blazingly hot he can get when left open. With Jacob Pullen shifting to guard Burks in the 2nd half, Cory was allowed to score 19 of his game-high 28 in the final frame. Sweet jumpers kept falling, and, as Cory elevated over defender after defender, the Buffs kept putting more and more pressure on the 'Cats until they broke.
Not to be outdone by either Burks or Higgins, Andre Roberson has been becoming a man in front of our eyes. He went 11/14 with 3 blocks against KSU, and for the tournament, hes got an outstanding 20/29 line. With his held, CU has beaten ISU and KSU by a combined 18 on the boards. He's been fantastic, and has gotten better with every minute he's been on the court.
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| 'Dre has been a rock in the paint for the Buffs. From: The BDC |
Because of their combined efforts, and those of their teammates in gritty supporting roles, KSU, which had been one of the hottest teams in the country, will now watch the rest of the Big XII championship from home. Suck it.
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| Always nice to see the bench happy. From: the BDC |
With that out of the way theres only one thing left to do: win the whole fucking thing.
Click below for my third KU preview, and the rest of day 3's action
Let's make this simple; CU can beat KU, it's just a long shot. We all know by now that when CU shoots over 50% (10-0) or out-rebounds their opponent (16-2), it's damn near guaranteed that they'll wind up victorious. Should CU reach either plateau tomorrow, it should end up another happy day for Buff Nation. Also, that OSU game today should give CU fans hope that, even in KC, KU is vulnerable to a hot shooting team.
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| KU and the Morris twins barely snuck by OSU, and now await the Buffs in the semi-finals. |
Now, here's where I calm down and become analytical; Kansas isn't the #2 team in the nation for nothing. They excel at nearly every statistical measure, and the last time CU played them, a 26 point loss last month in Lawrence, CU looked incapable of gaining traction early on. Without a early run by CU to keep pace, it could get out of hand quickly.
Additionally, with damn near all of the crowd sure to be wearing blue and red, it's essentially a road game. How is that difference than playing KSU in front of a near-home KSU crowd? KU is better, and their fanbase is more omnipresent. It's going to be tough (although take a look at the OSU game to see how quickly that large KU crowd can be shut up by a hot shooting team).
Tipoff is set for 5pm MT, and the game can be seen on Altitude 2, or ESPN3 if you're out of market. For reference, my first two previews are here and here.
I'm going to have to pick against the Buffs; 17 straight losses to KU is too daunting to look past. At this point, however, I'm not going to be surprised by anything Burks, Higgins and the gang come up with.
KU 84 - CU 78
GO BUFFS!
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Other third day action in KC
#2 Texas vs #3 Texas A&M - Both teams walked all over their opponents today, winning by a combined 35 points over Mizzou and Oklahoma. It's purely coincidence that the two semi-finals feature divisional matchups, and this Big XII south one is as interesting a matchup as the Big XII north one is. Texas isn't the monolithic force they were before 3 losses in the final week of February stunted their national profile. A&M has had some hiccups along the road, but they keep plodding into victories.
While UT beat A&M both times this season by an average of 20.5 points/game, I think this one will be closer. Something may be wrong with UT, and I think A&M will scare them. In the end, however, Jordan Hamilton pushes the 'Horns to victory.
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