The Attrition Files: Andre Roberson

Note: Grab Bag tomorrow.

It's official, Andre Roberson, Tad Boyle's first recruit, and the most dynamic defensive force in the West, is turning pro... that sound you hear is scoring forwards across the Pac-12 breathing a sigh of relief.

LOL, Jacob Pullen.  He should've recognized.

It's not easy, from a fan's perspective, to say goodbye to 'Dre.  He brought passion and energy with him to the stadium each night, and made it a joy to watch the affairs on Sox Walseth's hardwood.  In future years, it will be impossible to discuss the legacy of Colorado Basketball without bringing up the name Andre Roberson.  Simply put, he's one of the best to ever don the Black and Gold.

An integral part of the RollTad era, Roberson has been on the court for all but one of CU's 69 wins over the past three seasons, while helping to lead the program on historic runs at a conference title and three straight postseason appearances.   A proven master of the defensive arts, he finishes his collegiate career 2nd in program history in rebounds, 3rd in blocks, and 7th in steals (he lead the team in all three categories for three consecutive seasons), all while becoming only the second player in program history to accumulate both 1,000 points and rebounds (Stephane Pelle).

The old adage 'defense wins championships' applies.

The ultimate diamond-in-the-rough story, CU managed to find this program-defining talent almost purely by chance.  New to the job in the spring of 2010, and desperate for a boost in the paint after years of neglect by Jeff Bzdelik, Coach Boyle turned to the lone holdover from the Bzdelik staff, Tom Abatemarco, for a recruiting target who could rebound in the rough-and-tumble Big XII. Abatemarco responded by saying, "a guy I trust in Texas told me that Andre can really rebound," and CU, essentially sight unseen, beat out Penn State for 'Dre's services only two weeks after Boyle had signed on.  The rest, as 'they' say, is history.

Almost immediately, those paying attention could tell that 'Dre was special.  While most of the headlines from the 2010-11 season revolved around the scoring prowess of Burks, Higgins, et al, it was Roberson who did the dirty work on the defensive end to help that group win games.  By the end of the season, he was almost single-handedly holding teams like Texas and Kansas St off the boards, while Burks and crew ran up the score.

'Dre would even beat out his own teammates for boards.  GET OUT OF THE WAY, SABATINO!

Over his final two seasons in Boulder, he became a star. Using his high motor and superior athleticism, Roberson could dominate games even if he wasn't scoring.  He could guard seemingly anyone on the floor, and, once a missed shot was forced, it only became fodder for his ever expanding highlight reel of high-flying rebounds.  While 'Dre's offensive game never exploded the way many had hoped, his ball hawking abilities on the defensive end helped the other four guys on the court up their games.  Said Askia Booker:

"It still happens to this day. I'll go up for a rebound, and he'll come from nowhere and just snatch it. That's why I always look for Andre. If he's going up, I get out of there and run the lane. [...]  Once I see Dre going for the ball, I don't even go for it anymore. I know he's going to grab it and my job is to get out and go. It speeds the game up a little bit." -link

It's not easy to make a name for yourself doing the little things on defense, but Andre was the exception that proves the rule.  A two-time All-Conference selection, he also stands as the reigning Pac-12 Defensive Player-of-the-Year, an honor he probably deserved in 2011-12 as well.

Yet another victim.

With his announcement yesterday afternoon, Roberson became only the fourth player in CU history to leave early for the professional ranks, following in the footsteps of Chauncey Billups, David Harrison, and Alec Burks. Unlike those three, however, Andre probably won't enjoy the security of a guaranteed contract offer that comes with a first round selection, as most draft experts view him as an early-to-mid second round pick at best.

His decision to enter the professional ranks is final, but the arguments will continue into the future.  The unfortunate reality of this moment is that many will choose mark it not with praise for one of the program's all-time best, but by deriding his choice.  The cynics, the haters, look at the second round grade, and dismissively slam the young man as immature and greedy.  Conversely, I think there's more than enough justification for him to turn pro, with only his loyalty to his teammates, and the chance to be a part of what could be the best team in program history, making him pause.  Regardless, this isn't about his decision, and whether or not it was 'right,' it's about remembering one of the best to ever walk out of the north tunnel at the CEC.

The only disappointment in this situation is that he spent the final homestand on the bench, rather than receiving the raucous sendoff he so richly deserved.  CU will just have to have him back to make up for it.

Thank you, Andre! You kick-started the Tad Boyle era, and helped redefine basketball on the Front Range.  Whatever team ends up selecting you in June will be getting a hell of a player.

--

Best remembered for - 

Being a double-double machine.  He finished with 37 for his career (CU was 28-9 in those games), while averaging one in both his sophomore and junior campaigns. 

Also, his magical penguin hat.

Best aspect of his game - 

Rebounding.  I think this quote from Coach Boyle sums it up pretty well: "You can teach and coach positioning and blocking out, but you can't teach going up and getting it. That's an instinct. And it takes a lot of heart, a warrior attitude." -link

Best game as a Buff - 

Plenty to choose from here.  Part of me wants to say his 11/14/3 against K-State in the 2011 Big XII tournament, or his ridiculous 12/20/3/3 against Stanford this past season, but I have to pick his performance against UNLV in last season's NCAA Tournament.  Not only did he put up a 12/16/2, but he held heralded Rebel forward Mike Moser to 10 points on 4-15 shooting.  Moser hasn't been the same since.

Post-Championship Thoughts

What a way to end the basketball season!  Other than a photo finish, the Louisville/Michigan title fight had everything: speed, scoring, stars playing great, role players stepping up, and a righteous outcome. Sure, it also featured more than a few blown calls and some poor endgame strategy from the Wolverines, but I'm not going to complain too loudly.  The Cardinals deserved their 82-76 victory, and they earned it in thrilling fashion.

BOOM!  TITLE!

Last night was about how great college basketball can be, when coaches set their players loose, and let them win or lose on their own merits.  Far too often in the college game, coaches pump the breaks by slowing possessions down in a desperate attempt to keep their kids on a short leash (Coach Boyle is often guilty of this; we call it Tadball).  But not once last night did either Rick Pitino or John Beilein excessively slow the game down.  Both teams were well over one point per possession, and, as a result, basketball fans across the nation were treated to a beautiful exhibition of speed, athleticism, and effort.  It was joyous to watch.

Did Michigan get screwed by a couple of calls, particularly the phantom foul called on Trey Burke?  Yeah, but I'm begrudgingly resigning myself to the fact that basketball played at anything close to a high level is impossible to officiate cleanly.  I'm just glad that, for the most part, the zebras stayed out of it.

Notice the ref screened by the play.  He had to guess.  He guessed wrong.  From: Deadspin.

I just hope this tournament serves as a lesson to coaches around the nation: you don't have to play negative basketball to win.  Run, score, be aggressive on defense.  Play fearless, play to win.  Don't look at Bo Ryan, as he is clearly the devil in disguise. 

So, now the long wait for November officially begins.  205 days.  *sigh*

After NBA decisions are made next week, and barring any surprise transfer news, things should be pretty quiet in Boulder until October practices start up.  There's a good chance that the intervening months will be filled with talk of a top-25 team, and the potential for the greatest season in CU basketball history, but, for now, we'll just have to wait patiently.

I hate waiting patiently.

The Attrition Files - Jeremy Adams

The news dropped yesterday: reserve guard Jeremy Adams is transferring out of the program.

The 4th-year junior, who originally transferred into Colorado basketball, was already going to graduate this year.  Despite playing for three different schools over his career, the Mississippi native had stayed on the four-year plan, and was investigating his post-degree options.  Unfortunately, CU doesn't offer the graduate program he's looking for (industrial organizational psychology), so he will make use of the NCAA graduate transfer exemption, with an eye towards playing immediately.

The third departure is: Jeremy Adams.  From: the BDC

It's the perfect story of a player leveraging his talents to put himself ahead. Jeremy never let health concerns or unfamiliar surroundings deter himself from his ultimate goal. Said Boyle, "[...] he made the decision to use basketball to maximize his educational opportunities."  Damn straight.

The move marks the third departure from the program this spring - all graduates (one senior, two juniors in terms of eligibility) - which means that the Buffs officially have enough open scholarships for the 2013 freshman class.

Jeremy's time at CU was never easy.  Health issues plagued him from the start; in fact he would miss the first five games of his Colorado career with a concussion, setting an unfortunate tone.

Jeremy had to play through some serious pain.

Knee issues?  Check.  Foot Pain?  Check.  Hand surgery?  Check.   Concussion?  Check.  Oh, and he discovered he has diabetes, to boot.  And through it all he battled, day-in-day-out, to earn minutes with one of the best squads in the region.  Some guys play through pain, this guy lived it each and every day.

Those health issues stunted what most insiders tell me was a superior level of athleticism.  Anecdotally, I would hear stories of how he was capable of dominating practices when healthy.  On the court, you could only see occasional flashes.  Those flashes were particularly evident the last few games of this year, where, after starting acupuncture treatments, Adams was able to play without near-constant pain.

"That was probably the best I've felt in a long time. The pain was a lot more bearable.  There was still pain. Early in the season I'd be walking and my legs would just give out. I'd tell my dad sometimes, 'Hey, I want to stop right now. I pushed through and luckily I got a little healthy towards the end and helped the team out."(-link)

Adams would average 6/2 over the final seven games leading up to the NCAA Tournament to finally give the Buffs some scoring punch off the bench.

Jeremy ended up being one of the only reliable bench options at the end of the season.

I can't help but find Jeremy to be an inspiring person.  He never gave into the temptations of the easy way out, and continually looked to make the most out of his situation.  Despite skills diminished by pain, he persevered, focusing on his studies while still striving to squeeze whatever game he could out of his often unwilling body.  He makes most other college students, players or otherwise, look awful in comparison.

Thank you, Jeremy! Despite never being healthy, you ran out and filled your role.  Good luck to you, I hope you find a great situation to finish off your collegiate career.

--

Best remembered for - 

The burly 6-5, 220 body that seemed more at home in Folsom, then in the CEC.  It earned him the nickname "Jerry Football," and I bet more than once CU's failing football coaches looked forlornly at Jeremy's football-ready frame.

Also, this:

Best aspect of his game -

Solid man-to-man defense, perfect for Tad Boyle's system.  He also brought a slick dribble-drive ability that could've wreaked havoc if only his body would've allowed it.  On the bench, his veteran presence was sorely needed on the youthful CU roster of 2012-13.

Jeremy was always one of the best defenders on the roster.

Best game as a Buff -  

2/21/13 vs Utah - CU was playing with a shortened bench, thanks to the Bachynski incident, and the team needed someone, anyone to step up from the normally quiet bench mob.  'Jerry Football' answered the call to the tune of 9/3 with two steals and a block over 17 minutes.  It was the start of a brilliant run of play for Adams, which ultimately closed out his CU career.
 

Why Tad Boyle won't be the next coach of UCLA

EHRMAGAWD!  COULD TAD BOYLE BE LEAVING FOR UCLA?!  PAY HIM NOW BEFORE HE JUMPS!  MIKE BOHN IS AWFUL!

*Yawn*

Wait, how did Bohn get dragged into this?  I bet it was Klatt.  Dude, go find a real job, 'cause your one-note CU take is as tired as your incessant Broncos coverage.

Anyways, for the third year in a row, rumors have started to swirl that this team or that team is going to offer our personal basketball savior so much money that he'll have to leave Boulder, and then we'd be DOOOOMED!  But, as has been the case the last two offseasons, Tad will stay put, and continue to build the University of Colorado into a basketball school.

Why am I so confident? Well...

Let's assume (and I think it's a safe assumption), that Tad isn't going to make a lateral move.  He has already reportedly rebuffed Texas A&M, Oklahoma, KSU, and Nebraska with their mountains of cash, and doesn't seem willing to entertain that level of offer.  If he were to seriously entertain leaving, at this point I'd have to assume it was only because a whale came calling.  What do I mean by 'whale?'  I mean a blue-blood, legacy-level program.  Kansas *cough*, Kentucky, Duke, Michigan St, etc.  Yes, UCLA would qualify at that level.

The problem then becomes that Tad hasn't done nearly enough to warrant a genuine offer from those institutions.  Seriously, examine his record from an outsiders' viewpoint.  He has never finished higher than 5th in a major conference, and has only one Tournament win under his belt.  Try selling that to the fanbase that just booted Ben Howland and his three Final Fours.

Yes, Coach Boyle is a winner, but he doesn't have the gaudy stats of, say, Shaka Smart or Brad Stevens that attract the big guys (Final Fours, conference titles, etc).  He will not get a serious call from UCLA, other than a net-casting 'hey, would you be interested?,' unless the Bruins go through their 1st-8th choices, getting rejected at every turn (possible).  Even then, there would be a riot in Westwood if it was announced that 'something named Tad' is sitting in the same chair once held by John Wooden.

Tad is the closest thing we've seen to a winner in these parts since Sox Walseth, but let's keep some perspective.  He has yet to make his name at a national level. 

Additionally, he has high school-age kids, and I know it's a priority of any parent to see kids of that age finish their pre-college careers with some level of geographical stability.  Even with a 'whale' calling, he'd still have to sit down with his family and decide; it wouldn't necessarily be a no-brainer.  Boulder, as I know well, is a hard place to leave.

But isn't Tad grossly underpaid?  Couldn't that drive him away?  Well, to that end, his recent contract extension calls for just under $600,000 in base salary and compensation, with bonuses and escalators pushing his total to right around $1 million this season.  It's not huge money for this level, and it should be higher, but, remember, he has only been coaching top-conference basketball for three years, and hasn't had time to really cash in on his success.

Even given that he's 'underpaid,' that doesn't mean that he'll leave this second (!!!!!!!) if someone doesn't cut him a check, a fact evidenced by his rejection of $2 million/year offers over the last two years.  Further, I have yet to hear even a hint that there's push-back from Dal Ward concerning a contract negotiation with Tad, and AD Mike Bohn has proven, unlike previous ADs (lookin' at you, Dick Tharp), that he is ready and willing to pump money into basketball.  I don't doubt for a second that, when the time comes, Tad will get paid if that's the difference between staying and leaving.  

I'm not saying that Tad would, if asked, flatly reject UCLA and their millions.  If someone is calling, ready to offer you $3 million per year, you at least answer the phone.  I'm just saying that it's stretching credulity that Tad would be asked, and that the CU would just let him go without a peep.  More than likely, this is the moment that Coach Boyle leverages the last three years for a new contract calling for more base pay, and a total level of average compensation near the top-quarter of the conference.

My dudes and dudettes, Tad isn't going anywhere.  Don't listen to the trolls.  Breathe calm and easy, and enjoy your summer.

Roll Tad.

Monday Grab Bag: #IsItNovemberYet?

It was a bad weekend of hoops for everyone wearing a CU uniform.  Both the men's and women's teams suffered early defeats in the Tournament, making for an abrupt shift to the offseason.  However, if it's any consolation, we're only 220 days away from November, so it's not all bad!

Today in the bag, I'm recapping the early exits, discussing a weekend full of upsets, talking Ben Howland's exit from UCLA, and touching on soccer's snow bowl.

Click below for the bag...

2013 NCAA Tournament Preview: Illinois

One day of Madness in the bag, and my bracket is torn to all hell.  The devastation was all encompassing.  I almost shed tears.  But there's no use crying over broken brackets; there's still five more days of Madness to go.  At this point, I'm ready to shred the poor sheet, and simply enjoy the action.  I'll probably be better off for it.

--

More than a week since their last game, the Buffs are finally set to run back out onto some hardwood.  It's a nearly unprecedented second-straight year in the NCAA Tournament for the budding program, which in and of itself is an accomplishment.  I would imagine, however, that Coach Boyle and crew are not about to be satisfied with just hearing their names called.

Just getting to the Dance can't be enough.  Wins define your legacy.  From: the BDC

In all their wisdom, the Selection Committee set CU up with a nearly mirror-image opponent: Illinois.  Much like the Buffs, the Illini won their holiday tournament, and rode the wave to an early, over-zealous ranking.   That rise would plateau with with early set-backs in conference play, leading many to question whether they ever as good as they showed in November and December.  While they did manage to pull some upsets in February, they never got around to playing top-25 basketball again, and mostly proved to be inconsistent.  Sound familiar?  I bet it does.

There are some on-court differences, however.  The Illini are more experienced, come from what many say is the nation's best conference, and shoot a ton of threes.  CU revels in it's youth, while possessing a better interior game, and relish the opportunity to attack the defense inside the perimeter.

How those narrative similarities and stylistic differences blend make this one of the most interesting matchups of the first round.  Pat yourself on the back, Selection Committee.  While you may have screwed up seeding and matchups elsewhere, you got this one spot on.

Tip-off from the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, TX is scheduled for approximately 2:40 MT.  Coverage can be found on TNT, or on the web via March Madness Live.  For those stuck at work, Mark Johnson's radio call will be on AM 760, also available through iheart.com.

Click below for the preview...

Monday Grab Bag: ... and do the Harlem Shake

The Pac-12 seems to have bit hard on the whole Harlem Shake thing.  The zombified meme was featured during each of the first five sessions of the recently completed Pac-12 tournament, and a compilation of the attempts was shown at the final.

Horrifying.

If there's any one reason that the Pac-12 was "seeding-snubbed" for the capital 't' Tournament, I'd put my money on this.  The Committee is always watching, and looks disapprovingly upon such crimes against humanity.  El Jefe, you brought this upon yourself.  Inform your charges in San Francisco that a repeat performance will not be tolerated.

--

Back from Vegas, I'm quickly turning my focus towards the Dance.  Despite concern trolls spreading doubt, CU comfortably made the cut, and is headed back to Big XII territory to play Illinois on Friday.

Today in the bag, I'm talking Tournament, Vegas, and Selection Monday for the ladies.

Click below for the bag...

2013 Pac-12 Tournament Preview

God bless Larry Scott.  El Jefe took one look at the flagging attendance in Los Angeles, and decided to move the Pac-12 tournament to sexier environs.  What could possibly be sexier than Vegas in March?  Nothing.

Sin City has, in recent years, turned into a hoops Shangri-La.  Besides the Pac-12, the Mountain West, WAC, and WCC all hold their conference tournaments in Vegas over the first few weeks of March.  For Front Range hoopniks, that means that you could theoretically see CU, CSU, and DU all play meaningful basketball in the same afternoon, while still spending some time at the blackjack tables... not to mention the fact that it'll be 80 and sunny all week.

The point is, by the time you read this post, I will already be in Las Vegas.  Feel free to turn green with envy.

What does that mean for the blog?  Well, since I still don't have a laptop, that unfortunately means I'm going dark for the rest of the week.  Instead, I'll be tweeting (probably a lot) from the games, so you may want to follow me @Rumblinbuffalo.

As for a tournament prediction...

I was all ready to predict a first round exit for the Buffs.  OSU dominated the paint, on both ends, last Saturday, mostly because Andre Roberson wasn't around to check the likes of Joe Burton and Eric Moreland.  Through that dominance, they were able to thoroughly out-work the Buffs without sharp-shooters Roberto Nelson and Ahmad Starks having strong games (Starks was particularly non-existant).  If the Beavers had maintained their advantage in the paint this afternoon, while at the same time getting production from their shooters, no amount of CU adjustments would've been enough to stave off a humiliating defeat.

Luckily, 'Dre has been cleared to play, and the balance of power in the paint has been leveled.  Roberson will be allowed to slip into the role of Willis Reed, giving the Buffs a much better shot to advance past the league-worst Beavers, and onto a favorable matchup with Arizona.

With 'Dre back leading the Buffs on the court, I feel much better about this week.

I don't think Colorado is likely to repeat as champions, although Jason King at ESPN thinks they will.  Still, I think a strong run to a third-straight league semi-final is within reach, and would leave the selection committee with little recourse but to pay off the Buffs with a nice seed for next week.

Overall, I think the tournament will see a lot of minor first and second day upsets, before reverting to chalk for the semis and finals.

I think Cal has a really nice path to the title game.  Their season-finale flop against rival Stanford notwithstanding, they should matchup well with the USC/Utah winner, before clocking either Oregon or Washington.

On the other-side of the bracket, I'm very interested to see what UCLA has in store for everyone.  Nothing would surprise me from that camp, be it a quarterfinals loss to Stanford/ASU, or a breezy run to the title. Neither CU or Arizona is a particularly strong matchup against the Bruins, so, as long as they don't trip up on Thursday, I like them to stumble their way into the final.

Given that chalk-filled tournament finish, give me the Bruins over Cal on Saturday.


GO BUFFS!  PROVE ME WRONG, AND BEAT THE PAC-12!

The Inaugural Rumblin' Awards

Yesterday, the Pac-12 released their seasonal awards (congrats to 'Dre, Jelly, and Spencer, by the way).  Never satisfied with the musing of coaches and professional pundits, I'm going to delve into who I believe should have been honored by the Pac-12 this year.

After the jump, find my choices for the All-Pac-12 1st and honorable mention teams, along with my Player, Coach, Freshman, and Defender of the Year.

Please remember that the Rumblin' Awards are a black tie affair.
 

Monday Grab Bag: A Poor Send-off

Saturday's loss to Oregon St didn't change anything.  Had CU won, they'd still be playing the Beavers, again, on Wednesday.  It does, however, add doubt to the equation, doubt that hadn't been there prior to Saturday afternoon.  The whole situation actually mirrors last season, when the Buffs went into the Pac-12 tournament fresh off of a deflating loss to OSU.  Hopefully, history continues to repeat this week in Vegas.

Today in the bag, I'm talking a rough Saturday on the hardwood, national championships, and the World Baseball Classic.

Click below for the bag...

The Attrition Files - Shane Harris-Tunks

There was a little bit of a surprise announced last night. Redshirt junior Shane Harris-Tunks is graduating from CU, and will be leaving the program after this season.  He will be honored along with Sabatino Chen tomorrow for Senior Day.

Originally a Jeff Bzdelik recruit, Shane leaves the program having played three seasons in four years, the product of debilitating injuries to his knees that cost him much of his explosion and athleticism. The center still has a year of eligibility left, but it's unclear whether he intends to use the graduating senior exemption to use it at a different school, or if he simply intends to retire.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!

With Shane's departure comes the closure of the Jeff Bzdelik era.  Not a single remaining player was signed by the current Wake Forest coach.  Considering that, it makes sense for Shane to leave.  He has his degree, and both his recruiting class and his fellow Aussie Nate Tomlinson have previously departed.  It's a clean break.

We may never know what a completely healthy Shane's ceiling was.  I remember the Harris-Tunks of his freshman year.  The Australian import was obviously raw, but still capable of jumping and running.  He even lead a fast break once.  He added 25 pounds over his first offseason, and there was actually a lot expected of him headed into 2010-11.

Freshman Shane was a completely different player.

Unfortunately, an ACL tear in the season's first practice put an end to that.  The word devastating was thrown around without irony.  Losing Shane in the fall of 2010 actually had me bumbling around, hoping the Casey Crawford's of the world would run home to momma. In fact, that team's lack of size with SHT out lead to the return of Trent Beckley.

When Shane returned last season, it was obvious that he had lost a step to the knee issues.  He couldn't leap for rebounds or blocks, and his speed was down.  To his credit, however, he stuck it out, and found new ways to contribute. During the post-season run in 2012, Shane stepped up and became a sorely needed interior force for the Buffs.  You could see the flashes - the deft passing, the powerful presence - that earned him a scholarship, and the Buffs won games as a result. 

Shane played big minutes to help CU to a conference title.

I'm not going to claim that I was never frustrated beyond tolerance by Shane's play.  That would be dishonest and unfair to history.  However, I think it's important to note that Shane filled a necessary role in this program for the last four years.  He was the heavy guns needed to counter bulky big men from around the country.  He did that job admirably, battling for position against bigger, heavier, healthier competition.  Despite what many think, the Buffs wouldn't be as good without him.

Thank you, Shane.  You fought through injury, and did the heavy lifting in the paint to help turn around the struggling program.  Take a deserved bow tomorrow afternoon.

--

Best remembered for - 

Doing the dirty work.  When the Buffs went up against bulk, Shane was called upon to cancel it out.  He brought an unwavering, physical presence with him onto the court when no one else on the roster could.  He showed no fear, and was always ready to take on the biggest in the land.

Shane, strapping up for war.

Best aspect of his game -  

His passing creativity in the paint was a step above many of his teammates and competitors.  I always felt that if he was given more run with the first team that those passes would bear more fruit.  There just wasn't enough familiarity with his game to take full advantage.

Best game as a Buff -

The bullish Iverson ran up against a willing competitor in Shane.

12/5/12 vs CSU.  He played 13 huge minutes against bulky CSU forward Colton Iverson, and held his own.  Dropping 7/1 against someone perceived to be a better player was huge as the Buffs blew past the gun-shy Rams.

2013 Oregon St Basketball Preview #2

After last night, I'm convinced that I no longer understand basketball.

Without defensive leader Andre Roberson, I thought the Buffs would be in big trouble against the conference leading Oregon Ducks.  When the entirety of the starting lineup was saddled with first half foul issues, I knew the Buffs would be in trouble.  Instead, in an act of defiance against conventional wisdom, CU utilized another incredible performance from the bench mob to push around a sleep-walking Oregon team to the tune of a 76-53 win.

No Andre, no cry.  From: the BDC

The Buffs so clearly out-hustled their overrated opponents that I began to feel sorry for Oregon halfway through the second half.  They just didn't have the heart, energy, and focus required to crack the Buffs in their best whole-team performance in years.   From Spencer Dinwiddie and Xavier Johnson to Shane Harris-Tunks and even Beau Gamble, every player in home silver played above their normal.  Against that kind of landslide, few would have a hope in hell, but Oregon looked particularly out-of-place on the court.  It was shocking to see how easily they rolled over. The Ducks were ostensibly playing for a conference title, yet came out dispassioned and lazy, missing free throws and lay-ups ad nauseum.  Maybe no one wants to win this damn league...

Not 'Boyled.' Roasted.  From: the BDC

Credit to the Buffs, they took advantage of this terrible Oregon performance.  Without the nation's leading rebounder, the Buffs still managed to out-rebound a solid rebounding basketball team by four.  Without the league's best defender, the Buffs still managed to play such wrenching defense that Oregon seemed to sag at the mere thought of attacking it, shooting 2-12 from deep, and a lousy 27% from the field in the first half.

On offense, despite foul trouble suppressing minutes, Spencer Dinwiddie and Xavier Johnson led the way by combining for 39 points.  XJ in fact got his 22 in as many minutes of play, which hurts my head even thinking about it.  As for Dinwiddie, his 17/7/6/1 statline is a thing of beauty, restating his case for Pac-12 POY consideration.  Additionally, his withering defense held Oregon star E.J. Singler to only two points on five shots.  Singler was so lost with Dinwiddie locking him down that I thought his momma was going to have to come out and save him.

Spencer conducted another master class Thursday.  From: the BDC

But the win goes deeper than the starters.  Jeremy Adams, Shane Harris-Tunks and Xavier Talton all played huge reserve minutes, keeping the team afloat when Oregon looked poised to get up off the mat.  The trio combined for 14 points, and brought buckets of heart to the court in every one of their combined 54 minutes

The win silences critics who bizarrely thought the Buffs were creeping towards bubble-danger territory, and keeps dreams of a first-round bye in the Pac-12 tournament on life-support for another 36 hours.  It also marks the third-straight 20-win season for the Buffs, a program record, and keeps a record-tying 21-win regular season campaign in reach.  A win Saturday against OSU would end the season in style, sending the team off to Vegas on a high-point, and setting them up for a signature Tad Boyle post-season run.

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Happy Senior Day Eve!  There's surprise late add to the festivities that I'll have more on later today.  Beyond the ceremony, however, the Buffs have a chance to cap the season with a big home win.  Of Colorado's nine losses this season, seven of them have come in weekend games (five of seven in conference), leaving me to hope that the positive distraction of a Senior Day celebration will shake up the weekend rut.

In addition, AllBuffs, the C-Unit, and former Buff Arthur Jaffee's company StacheTats are teaming up to supply the Pac-12's best student section with some cool gear for tomorrow in support of #MayorStacheMarch.  For the rest of us, our assignment is to wear GOLD in support of the C-Unit's #GoldOut.  All-in-all, it should make for a fun atmosphere in the CEC.

Seeds are at stake in Boulder.  A win clinches at-worst a #5-seed for the Buffs, and OSU needs the win for any hope to stay out of the conference basement.  Should CU prevail, this could be a preview of the first-round matchup in Sin City.

Everybody, drive safe, stay patient despite the snow, and I'll see you in Boulder Valley tomorrow.

Tip-off from the snow-capped CEC is set for 2:30pm MT Saturday.  Coverage can be found on Pac-12 Network, with Mark Johnson moving his radio broadcast to AM760 because of Rockies baseball.

For reference, my preview from the first game can be found here.

Click below for my preview of the rematch...

2013 Oregon Basketball Preview #2

It's weird to note that, with only one weekend of action to go, the Buffs could still finish anywhere from 4th to 8th in the Pac-12.  A home sweep of the Oregons, combined with an Arizona loss to ASU, and the Buffs are gifted a first-round bye that they don't really deserve.  Conversely, a pair of stumbles in the season's final two games, and Colorado would need another USC loss to avoid a humbling 8th-place car wreck finish.

I dismiss both of the extreme possibilities for the Buffs.  I just can't imagine this team finishing in 8th place - they're simply better than that - and I have a hard time believing that ASU will beat their betters on Saturday.  So 5th-7th it is.  Given those possibilities, I think CU will stay were it is, with at worst a 1-1 finish over the final two, and not enough happening with the rest of the middle to leave the squad in 5th.

Of course, the Buffs aren't the only team hoping to avoid an ignominious finish.  Should Arizona find a way to lose to ASU, and slip out of the top-four, it would be the culmination of a humiliating collapse for the squad picked to carry the league.  The Cats have gone 3-4 over their last seven, coughing up any hope of a league title along the way.  'Zona simply couldn't handle the best the Pac-12 had to offer, as they went 1-6 against the rest of the league's top-five, with that lone win coming via general shenanigans.

I find a lot of comfort in the fragility of the vaunted Wildcats.  Compared to the old Big XII, the front-running teams in the Pac appear... fallible... flawed... human.  Could you imagine Kansas slipping to 5th, regardless of circumstances, in any given Big XII campaign?  Throw in Missouri, K-State, and Texas when they were good.  All those programs seemed invincible at times.  It may be a product of the Buffs being better over the past few years, but I just don't fear anyone that this conference has to offer, and it seems that feeling is mutual considering how chaos continues to reign in the West.

Case-in-point, who spiked the Gatorade on the UCLA sideline?  A shocking defeat (first time @WSU in 20 years) at cellar-dwelling Washington State has possibly cost them the conference title.  As a result, Cal - yes, Cal - had a chance to claim the #1 seed last night, but imploded against archival Stanford in a game where the majority of the Cardinal coaching staff was ejected...  ... ... ... wait, what?

ESPN's John Gasaway was right:

Please don't treat the Pac-12 like a normal conference. Treat it as a random result generator.
— John Gasaway (@JohnGasaway) March 7, 2013

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Get a good look.  There's only two remaining chances to see the Buffs live in Boulder.  First up, a titanic rematch with the Oregon Ducks.  Three of the last four meetings between CU and UO have finished in one-point Colorado victories.  The games were furiously contested, showcasing some of the grittiest play of the Tad Boyle era.  Will tonight be a repeat of the closely contested battles of the past two seasons, or will one of the teams take a step past their rival?

Tip-off from the CEC is set for 7pm MT.  Coverage, if you can't find tickets, can be found on ESPN2, with Mark Johnson and the radio call back on 850 KOA.

For reference, my preview from the first game can be found here.

Click below for my preview of the rematch...

The 2013 Senior Class

Senior Day isn't until Saturday, but, with the way the Pac-12 schedules, it almost feels almost like Senior Week. 

For CU, this is the first season since 2009-10 that the men's program will only graduated one player - it was Dwight Thorne's solo spotlight back then.  Much like that campaign, the honoree in 2013 may have wound up as a 'glue guy' on the court, but has developed as a vital emotional leader off of it.  That leader, Sabatino Chen, may not lead the team in any statistical categories (other than GPA), but has proven essential to the success of the program in all aspects.  Further, he will leave the program having been a part of it's most successful three-year run in the shot clock era.

After the jump, I'll give my thoughts on Sabatino's career, while also taking a look at what I best remember from his time here.

Monday Grab Bag: Swing and a Miss

Well, CU couldn't complete the Bay Area sweep.  A split will have to suffice headed into the regular season's final week.  I'm not completely disappointed.  It's hard to sweep on the road, and one win out West was all that the doctor was really asking for.  4th place would've been nice, but the team now needs to re-group, and finish the season strong.

Today in the bag, I'm talking the loss in Berkeley, the women's sweep in Oregon, and Coach K's bitch-face.

Click below for the bag...

2013 Cal Basketball Preview #2

Confidence.  Both the Bears and Buffs are brimming with it headed into tonight's game.

For CU it's a matter of finally feeling comfortable on the road.  Winning three straight away from Boulder is almost unheard of for the program, but Tad Boyle's crew of road warriors have done just that.

With Cal, it's a matter of simply being the hottest team in the West.  Since losing at the CEC in late January, the Bears have gone on a 8-1 run, which has catapulted them in Tournament and Pac-12 title contention.

Yet, someone is going to have that confidence busted tomorrow night.  The winner will have the inside track for a top-4 seed in Las Vegas, along with an outside shot at stealing the regular season title.  The loser will have to look forward to playing on March 13th, while still fretting over bracketology for another week.

There's plenty on the line in Berkeley - you may not have noticed, but the calendar now reads March. Things are getting serious...

Tip-off from Haas Pavillion is set for 3pm MT tomorrow.  Coverage can be found on ESPNU.  Mark Johnson and the radio call have been bumped from 850 to AM760 as a result of Rockies spring training.

For reference, my preview from the first game can be found here.

Click below for my preview of the rematch...

Quick Post: Mayor and Jelly kill some time on Twitter

What to do on a slow Thursday afternoon in NorCal...  Why not have a twitter battle!  That's what Spencer Dinwiddie and Josh Scott decided to do.  I hope you caught it, because it made for high comedy on a lazy Thursday.

Of course, this wasn't Dinwiddie's first twitter battle royale.  The Mayor took on Alec Burks last year, throwing his ring up against Alec's statistical dominance.  If this is how the future NBA star blows off steam, I'm all for it, because everyone needs to laugh every now and then.

Below, saved for posterity, is Mayor v Jelly.   An anti Mayor campaign is waged, the names Omar Strong and Jordan Bachynski are invoked, Ben Mills takes some collateral damage, and laughs are had by all.

Quick Post: 'Dre's Flu Game

This time, the clock was kinder to the visiting Buffs.

Visions of Tucson flashed through my head, but Stanford's Dwight Powell was a step slow on his game-tying dunk attempt.  After a quick look, the refs game CU the thumbs up, and they escaped Palo Alto with a huge 65-63 win.

The victory was defined by the play of Colorado stars Andre Roberson and Spencer Dinwiddie.  Down 10 points with under 15 minutes to go, 'Dre and Spencer decided they'd had enough.  The duo went on a tear, lifting the short-handed Buffs through an 18-2 run that permanently flipped momentum.  Overall, they combined for 23 of CU's 34 points scored in the second half.

At the 15 minute mark, the Spencer and 'Dre decided to flip the switch. From: the SJMN

Of the two, I was most impressed by Andre Roberson.  By all reports, the springy forward was suffering from flu-like symptoms all Wednesday, needing fluids and California sunshine just to make it to tip-off.  Once the game began, however, it was all good.  Shrugging off the fatigue, the budding star dropped a career-high 24 points to go along with 8 rebounds and his typical tenacious defense.  Yes, it was 'Dre's assignment, Powell, who got lose on the game's final play, but I won't hold it against him.

'Dre ignored the flu to pour in 24 huge points.  From: CUBuffs.com

Beyond just 'Dre and Spencer, however, the whole team showed the heart and grit required to win big games on the road.  Despite my concerns that Stanford forward Josh Huestis would abuse him, freshman Xavier Johnson stepped up to mute the bulky Cardinal big man.  Huestis was held to only four points in 35 minutes.  Further, reserve guard Jeremy Adams fought through patellar tendon tears in both knees and plantar fasciitis in his left foot to notch 8/4 in his second-consecutive step-up performance.

It's a big win for the team.  The Buffs have now won their last three road games, and five of their last six overall.  Sitting with a .500 in-conference road record, it's hard not to notice that this team is maturing past the old road woes. 

With the calendar flipping over to March this evening, every game counts, but CU needed at least one more road win to all but relieve any remaining doubt that they'll be Dancing.  They got that win, and can now focus on earning a top-4 seed for Las Vegas.

2013 Stanford Basketball Preview #2

Last season, facing a similar stretch run against the NorCal and Oregon schools, the Buffs went 1-3, destroying any possibility of an at-large berth, and pushing the squad all the way out to the 6-seed in LA.  A repeat stumble cannot happen this season. 

With a second home loss, the once sterling RPI is starting to slip into the danger zone, and the Buffs need to show at least some life to reinforce the Tournament firewall.  Even a single win this week would suffice.  The good news is that I don't hate either matchup.  CU thrashed both Stanford and Cal in Boulder, and neither win seemed purely a result of home-cooking.  A split isn't all that much of a stretch.

On paper, with Cal playing some of the best basketball in the West, Stanford appears to be the riper fruit for picking.  However, I don't really care which team the Buffs end up beating, as long as they find a way to get at least one win in the Bay Area.

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Tip-off from Maples Pavilion is set for 9pm MT this evening.  Coverage, including color from Pac-12 hype-man Bill Walton, can be found on ESPN2.  If you for some reason hate America, and would rather not listen to Walton, Mark Johnson will have the radio call on 850 KOA.

For reference, my preview from the first game can be found here.

Click below for my preview of the rematch...

Quick Post: Pac-12 D-POY follow-up

On Saturday, I was stunned to see a list of candidates for Pac-12 defensive player of the year that didn't include CU junior forward Andre Roberson.  The nation's leading rebounder, and the Pac-12's #1 ball thief, seemed a necessary inclusion, and I proceeded to tell anyone and everyone my thoughts.

The list had been provided by Fox Sports' commentator Marques Johnson, who was actually pretty cool about the whole thing.  He admitted that he had overlooked 'Dre, primarily because he hasn't covered any CU games this year.  Given a DirecTV fueled blackout of most Pac-12 games, that means he has very few chances to catch the non-scoring plays that most highlights overlook - i.e. the things that define a great defender.

That got me thinking: what are the chances that there is a similar coverage bias (unintended) in the minds of more than just Mr. Johnson?  How many CU games has Bill Walton, for example, actually seen?  Has the master of hyperbole any appreciation for the skills of Andre Roberson beyond what little is written about him? Walton will be on the call Wednesday night, which is great, but the point remains.  BuffNation was shocked when Roberson was denied the award last year; maybe this coverage bias is a reason.

That's why I bristle when I hear people talk about 'Dre "taking a step backwards this season."  I read things like this, and roll my eyes. For those of you who don't have a Rivals subscription, allow me to summarize.  Two writers out of a panel of three say that Roberson has underachieved this year, citing offensive numbers below what they perceive to be his potential.  This is not an isolated example, and I've heard plenty of Buff fans say that they feel similarly.

'Dre's primary value, both as a Buff, and as a NBA prospect, is derived from his defensive prowess.  He rips boards, disrupts passing lanes, protects the rim, and neutralizes offensive threats like none other in the region, yet we're still complaining that his 11 points per game aren't enough!  Those outside of BuffNation hear this, and assume he's having a down year, when that's simply not the case.  No one else in the conference can claim the distinction of averaging a double-double each night, and I can count at least four games this year that Andre almost single-handedly won through his rebounding and defense alone.  Without him, CU loses to Fresno St, Stanford, Oregon, and Utah, and might as well start printing NIT tickets this afternoon. 

We BasketBuffs should be shouting from the rooftops that Andre is not only the conference's defensive player of the year - possibly the best defender in the whole country - but a candidate for overall Pac-12 player of the year, as well.  The kid is special, and we need to make sure that everyone associated with this conference understands that.