Quick post: Fresno wrap

Shrugging off yet another inconsistent offensive performance, the Buffs trudged to a 50-43 win yesterday evening over the Fresno State Bulldogs.  It was a nice bounce back performance from the weekend's disastrous trip to Lawrence.  While not 'pretty,' the team got the job done, overcoming only one point from leading scorer Spencer Dinwiddie, a pair of missed dunks, 18 turnovers, and 57% shooting from the free throw line to claim their first true road win of the season.

Of course, it helps when you have a monster like Andre Roberson patrolling the paint on both ends of the court.  He dropped 17/20 on FSU, notching the first 20-plus rebound performance for CU in over a decade.  If Coach Boyle is to be believed, he even did it all without boxing out once.  'Dre is a special player, and CU needed every ounce of his talent to overcome the feisty Bulldogs away from the CEC.

'Dre had a huge night when his team needed him the most.  From: BuffStampede.com

It's probably best to look away from the CU offense right now, which continues to sputter and stall like an under-serviced engine.  I'm going to choose, instead, to focus on the defensive effort.  Fresno was held to under 30% shooting, and, despite being handed those 18 turnovers, could only turn them into 10 points.  Defense won the day, a fact I'm sure Coach Boyle will be enthused about. 

I'd also like to snidely point out that the 43 points scored by the Fresno State basketball team is 12 points fewer then the FSU football team scored against CU in the first half of their game last September.  Maybe newly minted head football coach Mike MacIntyre should ask Tad to join his still forming staff as the defensive coordinator...

Coach Boyle knows defense.  From: BuffStampede.com

The Buffs will now enjoy eight days of rest before their next game: a home date against Northern Arizona on Dec 21st.  After that, it'll be another eight days before the final non-conference game tips-off against Hartford on the 29th.   It's an expended break the team could really use.  They've played the nation's 4th toughest schedule according to CBS, and look physically and mentally drained by the early slog.  Time for rest, recuperation, studying for finals, and practice.

Onwards, and upwards...

--

The annual CU non-conference road win was brought to you by Dr Andrew Maxwell: the world's first LASIK surgeon/international super-spy.