Tuesday Grab Bag: Buffs enter the final week of the season with a *sigh*

The seeding picture is a little clearer for the Buffs as they eye next week's Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas, but only just so.  They currently sit in a three-way tie for 8th place, holding individual tie-breakers over Stanford and Washington State should they be needed (thanks to the home win over current conference leader Oregon).  Depending on the results this weekend, the Buffs could finish anywhere from 7th to 10th, with any hope of 6th (or even 5th) dashed by the loss to Utah last week (more on that later).  Regardless of how things work out this week, however, the math will be weird.

The first talking point regards that three-way tie mentioned above and that tie-breaker the Buffs supposedly hold.  That advantage could be imperiled with a loss to Stanford Thursday night at the CEC, with the three teams still remaining tied when all is said and done. The Cardinal would them hold the multi-team tiebreaker advantage, thanks to their 2-1 record against the Buffs and Cougars (CU would be just 2-2).  If Colorado is alone in a tie with either, however, the Oregon win plays, and CU takes a step up the seep sheet. A win against Stanford on Thursday avoids that mess completely, guaranteeing the Buffs no worse than 8th place.

Past that, CU could swing up to 7th with some expected help from Arizona State and a sweep of the Bay Area schools.  ASU holds the tie-breaker over Colorado, thanks to their head-to-head win in Tempe, and a half-game advantage in the standings, but only have a game against Arizona left to play -- an assumed loss.  To that end, if the Buffs get two wins against Stanford and Cal, leaving them with eight overall, 7th place is probably theirs.

Let's say for a minute that all four teams - ASU, Colorado, Stanford, and Washington State - finish with seven wins, what happens then? In a scenario where CU beat Stanford, the Buffs would still get 7th, thanks to much bullshit and that win over Oregon.  In the flip scenario, with the Cardinal winning in Boulder on Thursday, Colorado slides back to 9th.  That underscores the value of the game Thursday night.  If the Buffs beat Stanford, they're 7th or 8th; if they lose to the Cardinal, it's 9th or 10th.  The Cal result would then move them up or down a seed line from there.

What does all of that really mean?  With the stunning result in Tucson Saturday evening (more on that later, as well), the winner of the 8/9 game looks to get Oregon in the quarterfinals, with the 7/10 victor probably getting Arizona.  If you think CU can survive the first day, that's your choice: the Ducks or the Wildcats -- pick your poison.  Me?  I'd favor Arizona, I guess, thinking that a Thursday meeting before the red-clad horde arrives in full wouldn't be as bad as facing the Oregon machine in full post-season mode, but either option is terrible.  In each case, I would consider the Buffs, at best, two-and-done in Las Vegas.

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Today in the bag, I'm talking the loss to the Utes, where the Buffs go from here, and how the rest of the Pac-12 fared over the weekend.

Click below for the bag...

2016-17 CU vs Utah Basketball Preview #2

So, what are the Buffs playing for over the next two weeks?  The simple answer is positioning in the NIT, but many of you don't want to hear that.  Want something more tangible?  With three games to play, Colorado can sweep their way to a 9-9 finish in the Pac-12.  After the team's dreadful start to their conference slate, I'd say crawling back up to parity would be one hell of an accomplishment.

What's more, with three home wins, the Buffs could put themselves in position to finish in the top-half of the league, potentially leap-frogging Utah for 6th (if the Utes, in addition to a loss this evening, also drop a home game next week to one of the NorCal schools).  That might not be ideal for overall Pac-12 Tournament seeding, with 6th place lining things up for a date with UCLA in the quarter finals, but CU isn't really in a position to be choosy.  Best to pile up some wins, hope for the best, and take 'em as they come in Vegas.

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Hype Music for the Evening: "The Music of the Night" by Andrew Lloyd Webber

My mental faculties are skewed by the exceptionally late start time.  In such a state, playing around with the 'nighttime' theme in my mind somehow landed me here, with this tune from the iconic 'Phantom of the Opera.' I'm not a huge show tunes kind of guy, but I've always had a soft sport for this musical.  Enjoy!

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Tip-off from the Coors Events Center is set for 9pm tonight.  Earlier this year, when the Buffs faced off with the UCLA Bruins at a similarly fan-unfriendly start time of 9pm, it at least made some semblance of sense.  For Bruins fans watching back in LA, an 8pm PST tip is not entirely unreasonable. Tonight, however, the Pac-12, in all its wisdom, has allowed TV to push a pair of mountain states teams into the red eye slot.  For everyone watching this with a rooting interest, a conclusion by 11pm is a best-case scenario.  Realistically, it could be round midnight by the time we can leave the stadium tonight.  What the hell are they doing over there in San Francisco?  Wake up, and start scheduling with your heads.

For those with nothing else to do on Friday, and have no issue with staying up late on what is otherwise a work-night, you can catch televised coverage on ESPNU.  The radio call can be found on AM 760.

For reference, my preview from the first game against Utah this season can be found here.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: Ducked in Eugene

The shortened holiday week has me scrambling, so straight to the action this afternoon. Today in the bag, I'm talking the blowout in Oregon, the situation with Bryce Peters, and how the rest of the Pac-12 is shaping up as they head into the home stretch.

Click below for the bag...

2016-17 CU vs Oregon Basketball Preview #2

Ugly, messy, fought with unnecessary difficulty.  These are the ideas that spring to my mind when considering Colorado's 60-52 win over Oregon State on Thursday.  Similar to the first meeting in Boulder, the Beavers were allowed to stick with the Buffs, who possessed far more talent and depth than OSU could possibly bring to bear, for far too long.  However, in the final minutes of regulation, with the Beavs sniffing out the possibility of their first Pac-12 win of the season, CU slammed the door on their over-sized tails.  Clinging to a one point lead, Derrick White knifed into the action, and nailed a jumper.  On the ensuing possession, he then extended for a miraculous block of Beaver forward Gligorije Rakocevic, which turned into a crippling blow when Xavier Johnson swished a corner three with some 30 seconds to play.  Boom, just like that, a six point lead materialized on the scoreboard, and the game was effectively over.  Thanks for coming, don't forget to tip your waitress.

That's what makes this effort against lowly Oregon State so befuddling.  There's no reason Colorado should've let the hosts hang on, even going so far as to let them pull even with under two minutes to play.  But the finishing touches shown by the Buffs in sealing the win were, none-the-less, impressive. CU was hungry for victory in this one; you could see it even as OSU was sticking close. The defense was tenacious, and the late-game offense was exquisite.  This was the killer mentality that the team was missing earlier in the year, the desperate energy that so often separates the winners from the losers with post-season positioning on the line.  It's a mentality that has been with the team since the Oregon game a few weeks ago, and one that could serve them well as the calendar starts to look a whole lot like March.

Beavs made it ugly, but the Buffs prevailed.  From: the Press-Democrat

The star of the game is easy to pick out here.  As much for his late-game heroics as his 20/1/4/2/3 overall line, Derrick White stands above the rest.  Far from an isolated incident, either.  The fifth-year senior transfer has earned KenPom's game-MVP honors in five of the last six evenings, a run that includes some of the best basketball he's played all year.  The mercurial point guard is really coming into his own at the perfect time, carrying the Buffs and their fortunes on his shoulders as they race down the back-nine of their Pac-12 schedule.  Let's not forget, though, the 17/4 efforts of Xavier Johnson.  He hit the game sealing bucket, after all, and was aggressive in finding scoring opportunities all night long.

Overall, this was a rough night for Colorado, at least offensively.  The Beavers almost completely disrupted the offensive rhythm that the Buffs had shown against Washington State last weekend, eliminating backcuts and interior penetration, while holding Colorado to just 42% shooting from the field.  The big issue here was in the paint, where OSU clogged things up enough to limit the Buffs to just 28 points under the rim after they had claimed 44 against the Cougars.  For as difficult as CU found it to score, however, they made up for it on the defensive end.  While State was able to play them to near-parity on the glass (33-31), Colorado held the hosts to 38% shooting from the floor, 30% from deep, and squelched them in the paint to the tune of just 18 total points.  CU was showing extremely hard on screens and giving OSU's point guards fits.  The team as a whole managed just seven assists all night and committed 18 turnovers.  Whereas the Beavers had shook off the CU defense in Boulder, the Buffs were able to hold them to just 0.83 ppp in Corvallis -- a night and day turnaround.

Colorado found a way.  From: FOX Sports

So, as always, a win is a win, and this one pushed Colorado's winning blitz to six in seven games.  It's impossible, at this point, to not look back to early January and wonder about 'what if?' All those close losses, all those calamitous final possessions and fumbled leads that helped fuel the 0-7 start to league play are now unavoidable thorns in the side of the team and their flagging Tournament resume.  As friend of the blog Ted Chalfen pointed out after the game, CU is, in essence, eight points shy of sitting here today at 20-7 (10-4).  When I say 'a win is a win', this is exactly what I mean.  In all of the early season defeats to Arizona State, USC, Washington, and Washington State, the execution on the court wasn't anywhere close to where the Buffs' ceiling was. But, a couple of possessions here or there turn those results into wins, and, as ugly as those games were, all sins would've been forgiven, and Tournament tickets punched.  Instead, we're where we are now, with BuffNation making plans for the NIT.  This is a zero-sum game, basketball, and the win's the thing. Colorado has, of late, found their cut-throat nature, pouncing for wins with the result in the balance. Had they just been at that point five weeks ago, the season is completely different.

Alas, we've yet to find that 'reset button' on the great game of life, so BuffNation must soldier on. The Oregon Ducks are up next, and they're looking for a bit of revenge.  Time to see just how far this CU team has come in their advance back up the ranks in the Pac-12.

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Hype Music for the Evening: "I Love LA" by Randy Newman

Doesn't make much sense, right?  CU is playing Oregon today, why am I picking a song about Los Angeles?  Well, that's because I'm actually in LA right now, in town for a family vacation.  So, you get stuck with this diddy by the great Randy Newman.  Enjoy!

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Tip-off from Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene is set for 1pm MT on Saturday.  Televised coverage can be found on FOX national, with the radio call on 850 KOA.

For reference, my preview from the first game against UO this season can be found here.

Click below for the preview...

2016-17 CU vs Oregon State Basketball Preview #2

While Colorado has largely righted their ship over the past three weeks, wining five of the last six they've played, Oregon State has continued to exist in a rut.  They still haven't won a conference game, and, I would argue, this visit from the Buffs is their last opportunity to snag one before the entire year passes them by.  I would be hard-pressed to bet on them against Utah or Oregon, even at home, or at either of the Bay Area schools next week, after all.  So, expect the hosts to come out with their best punch as they hope to forestall the ignominy of a winless campaign.

What's more, CU has usually struggled in their trips to Corvallis, coming in just 1-3 at Gill Coliseum since the Buffs joined the Pac-12 (6-1 against the Beavs everywhere else).  That one win was far from easy, too -- it took a 'perfect' night from Spencer Dinwiddie to steal away with the victory that day. So, while the team has been playing better as of late, this is not the kind of visit they can take for granted.  Expect some ugly weirdness as this one develops... yeah, but what else is new?

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Hype Music for the Evening: State Anthem of the Soviet Union by Alexander Alexandrov (as performed in Rocky IV)

Russia back, y'all.  Since the great Bear, and its possible infiltration of our executive branch, seems to be dominating the conversation these days, what better way to celebrate than with the old Soviet National Anthem?  Putting aside politics, talk of totalitarian regimes, and bitter Cold War history, this is one hell of a tune.  Perfect for villains and heroes, alike.  Indeed, let them sing. Anyways, enjoy!

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Tip-off from Gill Coliseum in Corvallis is set for 7pm MT on Thursday.  Televised coverage can be found on Pac-12 Network, with the radio call on 760AM.

For reference, my preview from the first game against OSU this season can be found here.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: Riding that #TadBall wave

So, given the current run of positive play emanating from the Colorado Men's Basketball Program, can we reasonably begin to plot extraordinary paths for the team, once lost adrift a sea of losing, to somehow chart their way into the NCAA Tournament?

Simply, no.

I don't mean to undercut the happier vibes of late, but the possibility seems to be popping up every now and then among BuffNation, and I feel it needs to be addressed.  Currently, the Buffs boast a RPI ranking in the low 100s -- depending on where you look, it's usually 107th in the country.  That is a terrible place to be entering middle February, essentially disqualifying in its own right.  Add to it the fact that CU currently has more losses to RPI 100+ teams than they have wins over teams ranked in the top-50, and the peril becomes quite clear.  Colorado simply doesn't have a Tournament-worthy resume, and they're not even particularly close.

'Well,' you might ask, 'what if CU wins out in the regular season, would they have a chance then?' Again, the answer is no. While it is true that they would then boast four wins against the top-50, including two over current top-10 RPI ranked Oregon, the overall picture only brightens slightly. According to RPI Forecast, a 20-11 record would only boost Colorado up into the high 60s.  With the rest of the resume the way it is, with three ugly losses still on the docket, a high-60s RPI wouldn't be enough.  Further wins in the Pac-12 Tournament could help here, especially with a favorable draw, but, by that time, you're asking to hit a point on far too many successive rolls of the dice to make any statistical sense.

Really, the only shot the Buffs have at landing a golden ticket into the field of 68 is a mad-dash sprint in Las Vegas, akin to the magic they pulled off in 2012.  If you want to take those long-shot odds, at least you'll be in the appropriate venue to do so.

Sorry, but the best-case scenario at this point is continued winning, a nice seed in the NIT, and a run for NYC.  After the ups and the downs of the past few months, though, would that be all that bad of a future?

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Today in the bag, I'm talking the win over WSU, the fuel behind the revivification taking place in the CEC, and how the rest of the Pac-12 fared this weekend.

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2016-17 CU vs Washington State Basketball Preview #2

The pregame notes tolled like the mourners' bells ahead of a funeral procession.  Xavier Johnson: out. Wes Gordon: out. Deleon Brown: out.  Bryce Peters: possibly out (though he would eventually suit up).  Over from the Washington locker room, in addition to the continuing absence of Malik Dime (who still found a way to participate), came the most damning bit of news.  Markelle Fultz: out. Before the ball had even been tipped, the two teams were down five key rotational figures and a whole hell of a lot of talent.

For Colorado, they were still trying to play past whatever off-court lunacy the fifth-year seniors had gotten themselves involved in.  While I had previously likened that effort to going into a fight with an arm tied behind your back, for UW to be without the services of the super-freshman Fultz, who sat with a sore knee, it was like entering a fight with an arm tied behind their back, a leg lopped off, and a viscous stab wound already in the gut. They simply did not have the capability, with Markelle out, to seriously challenge even the short-handed version of the Colorado Buffaloes that took the court.  In the end, the Buffs were able to leverage that talent gap, along with good ball movement and balanced play, into a blowout performance.  81-66, CU; now four wins in five games.

Fultz's absence changed the game before it even started.  From: Seattle Times

With all those talents resting on the bench, the resulting discordance in effort was as to be expected. The first half was awash with errors; chaotic play was the rule. There was a stretch at one point that featured four turnovers in 10 seconds, the rock flying back and forth like a ping-pong ball.  You know how in older versions of the 2k series of basketball games you could set the computer to play itself? An interesting simulation, sure, but the visual product was always fraught with janky movement and clipping issues to no end.  That's what it looked like I was watching early Thursday night -- glitchy, poorly-rendered basketball.

Lucky, then, that Washington clearly posed little threat.  What was true of UW with Fultz (they can't play defense) was still true without him, only now they couldn't score.  The Buffs put up 1.25 points per possession, shot 51% from the floor, and produced 48 points in the paint, even with only Tory Miller acting as a classic post presence.  Defensively, Colorado held their opponent to around 43% shooting, forced more turnovers (14) than they allowed assists (10), and stilted UW into long, listless possessions.  The second half was a white-wash. CU would only out-play their opponent by four points in the frame, but they never looked troubled.  Over the final 20 minutes, the Buffs committed just two turnovers, and got essentially whatever shot they wanted. The Huskies simply couldn't do anything that resembled what I would call 'competent basketball,' yet another reminder that, while they have a decent set of talent on the roster, it's a rotten product from the Apple State.

King had a monster game against the Huskies.  From: @CUBuffsMBB

The best individual performances on the night came from Derrick White and George King.  White went for 16/4/3 against zero turnovers, and chipped in this coast-to-coast drive into a dunk that made the Huskies look like runty pups.  King had one of his best single games of his collegiate career, going for 21/12, and playing active defense.  Past them, however, what most caught my eye was the play of two freshmen - Lucas Siewert and Bryce Peters.  With Johnson and Gordon out, they've been getting a number of extra minutes (Siewert, in fact, got 30 against UW).  They took advantage in this one, giving BuffNation a glimpse of seasons-yet-to-come by combining for 22/8/6.  Lucas was looking comfortable in the offense, really for the first time, firing off his jumper, understanding space and positioning, and taking advantage of what was available.  Bryce was similarly incredible, dishing out six assists, and repeatedly playing above the rim.  If Colorado continues to get these kinds of efforts from the pair of frosh, they'll be in great hands next winter.

Moving past the UW game, the Buffs look to continue their roll of late, seeking their fifth win in six games when the Washington State Cougars come to town on Sunday.  It's another good pickup opportunity for the Buffs, who are still behind the eight-ball when it comes to post-season positioning.  If dreams of the NIT are still alive, it's a game the Buffs had better win.

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Hype Music for the Evening: "Mrs Robinson" by Simon & Garfunkel

A little on the nose for the Cougars, don't you think?  The classic folk song from the masters of the art, Simon & Garfunkel, was prominently featured in The Graduate.  Yes, Mrs Robinson is trying to seduce you. Enjoy!

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Tip-off from the CEC is set for 6:30p MT on Sunday.  Televised coverage can be found on ESPNU, with the radio call on 850 KOA.

For reference, my preview from the first game against WSU this season can be found here.

Click below for the preview...

2016-17 CU vs Washington Basketball Preview #2

The first re-match of the season!  I have always loved this aspect of conference play, where you get to see the same team for a second time.  What did you learn from the first meeting?  Who has improved since?  How have the narratives changed?  How big of an advantage is home court, really?  The second time around is always more intriguing than the first.  Can't wait!

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Hype Music for the Evening: "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" by the Temptations

The last great hit from soul titans The Temptations, 'Papa' is an indulgent instrumental excursion interspersed by three lyrcial verses.  The groove is outstanding, the story emotionally powerful, and the composition of the disparate pieces is unparalleled.  Simply incredible.  Enjoy!

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Tip-off from the Coors Events Center is set for 8pm Thursday evening.  Coverage for those unable to make it up to Boulder can be found on FS1.  The radio call is schedule for AM760.

For reference, my preview from the first game against UW this season can be found here.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: Buffs Lose To Bears With One Arm Tied Behind Their Back

So, let's talk about Xavier Johnson and Wes Gordon.  Riding a three game winning streak into Sunday's matinee performance against Cal, Colorado found themselves stuck without the services of either fifth-year senior forward.  The reason?  Both were suspended at least one game for a violation of team rules. The substance behind their suspension is still unknown at this time; all Coach Boyle said after the game was:

"It was one of those situations where two really really good kids made a bad decision so we had to address it. We're going to handle it and we're going to move on from it. That's really all I have to say is they did something they shouldn't have done and we're handling it. Two terrific young men and they'll be back."    - link

That the two veterans would do something dumb enough to earn themselves a suspension is disappointing, both in terms of the example they set for their younger teammates and the bind their absence put the team in against the forecourt-forward Golden Bears (more on that later).  What I want to talk about now, though, has to do with this picture, and the response to it across BuffNation:

From: @Pride_Tradition

That's a pretty bad look from the pair, and it wasn't the only time the cameras caught them looking mirthful despite their situation.  In the midst of a game where your teammates are getting blown apart, in no small part because you aren't available to play, images of smiling jocularity certainly aren't going to play well to the fanbase.  Branding failure.  

That said, XJ and Wes aren't professionals, and they aren't a brand.  They're kids, friends, and, especially in XJ's case, emotionally exuberant to a fault.  What, were you expecting them to be off in the corner, looking morose and self-flagellating every time the camera panned over? They're in their early 20s -- they're going to crack jokes in down time, even in the midst of discipline.   That's just human nature.

Yes, the pair certainly deserve a chunk of the blame for Colorado's 11th loss on the year; the old "DNP -- Coach's Decision" is, and will ever be, ugly.  However, anyone running around using phrases like 'kick them off the team' or 'sit them the rest of the year' for a few laughs on the sideline, not the act they actually performed to earn the discipline, is an idiot. Those two knuckleheads cracking up on the sideline is far from the worst of this team's problems, after all.

Coach Boyle will talk to them.  This will be the bug in their ear for every extra wind sprint thrown their way till the end of the season.  And they'll 'deserve it,' too,  That's part of coaching, and of growing up, generally.  But a smile, a laugh, is not a crime, and we fans should not treat it like one.

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Today in the bag, I've got just two topics for y'all, since I didn't watch any football over the weekend. I'm talking the loss to Cal, and how the rest of the Pac-12 fared in Week 6 of conference play.

Click below for the bag...

2016-17 CU vs Cal Basketball Preview #1

New coach, same result for the Stanford Cardinal against the Colorado Buffaloes: loss.  As has happened every time these two programs have met since February of 2012, the Buffs looked comfortable and composed against their red and white clad foes Thursday evening in Palo Alto. They controlled the glass, shared the basketball, and hit open jumpers, racing out ahead of the hosts at a pace the offensively challenged Cardinal couldn't hope to match.  By the end of the game, Stanford just looked out of gas, giving the Buffs an easy-ish ride to the finish of a solid 81-74 win.

Some weirdness aside, the Buffs were able to deftly slip past Stanford.  From: the AP

This was a different narrative from the Oregon game last weekend.  Colorado didn't show the same defensive intensity they had displayed against the Ducks at home, and were much looser with the basketball (23 turnovers, which... I don't know, man).  From a shot-making perspective, though, they were on their game.  CU was hitting 53% from the field, helped by 19 assists on 26 baskets.  It wasn't perfect offense, but it was effective.

The primary fuel for the performance, on both ends of the court, was provided in the form of Derrick White.  The D-II transfer was at his all-around best Thursday night, putting up 19 points on just eight shots, to go along with eight boards, eight assists, four blocks, and a pair of steals.  He was clearly a step ahead of any Cardinal who dared try to keep him in check, blanketing the game with his skill, particularly in the second half.  Please excuse me, but I couldn't help but think back to the days when the great Spencer Dinwiddie used to do the same at the head of the Colorado attack -- White was that good on Thursday, and the key difference between winning and losing.

But, I can't talk about Derrick's ability to make stat-stuffing look so easy all day.  I also have to  talk about the turnovers. Nearly a third of all Colorado possessions ended in one.  All 11 of the Buffs who saw action against the Cardinal committed at least one. Forwards Tory Miller and Wesley Gordon, the primary culprits, each had four to tie for the team lead.  The turnovers came in every imaginable shape: travels, wayward passes, offensive fouls, poor focus on the dribble; you name it.  Sloppy basketball to a 'T.'  Luckily, Stanford was incapable of making Colorado pay, as the Buffs kept canning shots whenever they managed to complete a possession.  I guess the basketball gods were asleep at the switch, with the game ending past 11pm, otherwise they would've dropped the hammer on CU for their malfeasance with the rock.

Good rebounding numbers made up for the turnovers.  From: the AP

Overall, though, a weird game, which is what I've come to expect in this series.  Beyond the turnovers, and the Cardinal's inability to turn them into meaningful offense at home, there was:

• George King going all 21 of his minutes without scoring a point.
• The first 10 minutes of the game going by largely unnoticed as the Pac-12 Network stuck with the double-OT Cal/Utah game
• A foul being called on Deleon Brown for getting shoved in the back
• The anemic-shooting Cardinal self-inflicting 19 three-point attempts
• A kicked ball whistle late in the action when the ball touched no feet.  

Just some weird, wacky, wild stuff.  I'll assume peyote was involved.

Anyway, attention now turns to Sunday's trip to Cal.  Whereas the Buffs have done well against Stanford over the years, they have struggled to do the same against the Bears, particularly in Berkeley.  This will be a good test, then, to see how much mojo CU really has ginned up for themselves over their recent three-game win streak.  'Cause, if they can steal a win in this one, the schedule opens up a bit for them...

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Hype Music for the Afternoon: "Telegraph Avenue ('Oakland' by Lloyd)" by Childish Gambino

From the edges of Silicon Valley, the Buffs now head up to East Bay.  And, forgive me Berkeley, but if you're talking East Bay, first comes Oakland.  Gambino, with an assist from Lloyd, has us here. Stick with the video til the end... it takes a turn.  Enjoy!

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Tip-off from Haas Pavilion in Berkeley is set for 2:30pm MT on Sunday.  Your Super Bowl party can wait, so give the Buffs their due, and flip over to ESPNU to catch the action.  The radio call will be 850 KOA.

Click below for the preview...

2016-17 CU vs Stanford Basketball Preview #1

Remember February 23rd, 2012?  That was the night Stanford walked into the Coors Events Center, and destroyed Colorado on their home floor, 74-50.  The Cardinal shot near-50% from the field that night, and was allowed to out-rebound CU 50-26. Let me say that again, FIFTY TO FUCKING TWENTY-SIX. It was a loss was so disheartening, so nausea-inducing, that my recap consisted of an Alf re-run and nothing else. I still feel justified.

The most interesting storyline to come out of that game, however, was not the rebounding margin (though those numbers still inflame).  Instead, it's the fact that Colorado hasn't lost to Stanford since. Go ahead, look it up.  6-0; three wins in Boulder, three wins on the Farm.  I'll call it divine retribution for the wanton pillaging that occurred five years ago.

The Buffs will certainly be eager to keep that streak alive this evening.  Coming off a homestand that served as a reset button for a season gone sour, any opportunity to extend the run of good feelings is welcome.  A trip to Maples Pavilion - a place where CU has had success - against a Stanford team that has proven to be inconsistent this season, is just such an opportunity.  Here's to hoping that CU can keep the mojo running, and steal out of Palo Alto with the win.

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Hype Music for the Evening: "Fake Tales of San Francisco" by the Arctic Monkeys

We refer to Palo Alto as Bay Area, essentially San Francisco, but it's a relative world away from The City.  Somewhat like Fort Collins Kids claiming the cow-town up north is Denver-area. What a fitting song to tab for the evening, then; a story of people slinging lies about gigs they've never played, associations they should never be able to make, to play up an image.  Enjoy!

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The late shift again; tip-off from Maples Pavilion is set for 9pm MT on Thursday. If you can afford to stay awake that late, coverage can be found on Pac-12 Networks.  The Radio call will be on 760AM.

Click below for the preview...