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.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
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.
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.
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.
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.
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| At the 15 minute mark, the Spencer and 'Dre decided to flip the switch. From: the SJMN |
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| 'Dre ignored the flu to pour in 24 huge points. From: CUBuffs.com |
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.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
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...
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.
--
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...
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
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.
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.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Monday Grab Bag: Women Grab 4th
A mostly quiet weekend in the rearview, I'm about to gear up for the final road trip of the season. The Buffs will need at least one win in San Francisco to both keep pace in the race for a top-four spot, and stay safely north of the bubble.
Today in the bag, I'm talking about the women's big win, how the Pac-12 fared during CU's off week, and my thoughts on Argo.
Click below for the bag...
Today in the bag, I'm talking about the women's big win, how the Pac-12 fared during CU's off week, and my thoughts on Argo.
Click below for the bag...
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Quick Post: Marques Johnson has never heard of @FlyDre21
This is Marques Johnson:
Marques covers Pac-12 games for Fox Sports Net. Apparently he doesn't take his job all that seriously, because, when asked about his pick(s) for Pac-12 defensive player of the year, he dropped this list:
Wow. Just wow.
Really? Eric Moreland? He of the 13-14 Oregon St Beavers, who have the worst shot-percentage and scoring defense in the league? You have to be kidding me. And Jordan Bachynski? That dude whose only major contribution over the last month of Pac-12 play was to put an elbow into Josh Scott's cheekbone? I'm dumbfounded.
I have to ask, does Marques Johnson even watch basketball? How could he compile a list of the conference's best defenders, yet leave out Andre Roberson, the most dominating defensive force in the west? You know, that one dude who leads the nation in rebounds per game, is first in the conference in steals per game, and chips in a block and a half per game, all while playing on a team that actually relies on it's defense to win.
Seriously, just awful. Someone better inform Mr. Johnson, because he has yet to recognize.
Marques covers Pac-12 games for Fox Sports Net. Apparently he doesn't take his job all that seriously, because, when asked about his pick(s) for Pac-12 defensive player of the year, he dropped this list:
 |
| Tweeted by @RyanKoenigsberg. |
Really? Eric Moreland? He of the 13-14 Oregon St Beavers, who have the worst shot-percentage and scoring defense in the league? You have to be kidding me. And Jordan Bachynski? That dude whose only major contribution over the last month of Pac-12 play was to put an elbow into Josh Scott's cheekbone? I'm dumbfounded.
I have to ask, does Marques Johnson even watch basketball? How could he compile a list of the conference's best defenders, yet leave out Andre Roberson, the most dominating defensive force in the west? You know, that one dude who leads the nation in rebounds per game, is first in the conference in steals per game, and chips in a block and a half per game, all while playing on a team that actually relies on it's defense to win.
 |
| Two Bunk posts in one week. |
Friday, February 22, 2013
2013 Off-week Preview #2
Despite a (relatively) dead crowd, a missing center, and a distracting scuffle in the tunnel, CU came through and got the gritty 60-50 win over Utah that they had to have. It was ugly. It was haltingly slow. It was at times sloppy. But it was a win, and in the end, that's all that really matters.
The big story was bench production. Usually a group that has only been relied upon to fill the court with warm bodies, the bench mob came through with genuine production when CU needed them the most. Without Josh Scott, who sat out the game with concussion symptoms, the Buffs were forced into roster scramble mode, and players like Sabatino Chen and Jeremy Adams answered the call. Despite playing out of position on many possessions, the pair of regular substitutes (Chen started for only the 5th time in conference play) combined for 21/7 with only two turnovers in 36 combined minutes.
Their scoring impact and defensive energy allowed Coach Boyle to go small with a five guard lineup for much of the game, keeping Andre Roberson keyed on the Utes' Jason Washburn. Given free reign against the Utah big man, Roberson turned in another fantastic defensive performance. Despite being matched up with a longer, taller player, 'Dre grabbed 13 boards, notched four steals, and swatted two shots - all while only committing one foul. His 10-point offensive performance only further padded his line, giving him yet another double-double.
Washburn couldn't get anything going on 'Dre, and got most of his 10 points as a result of open looks from broken CU double-teams. When Roberson was on him, he was a non-factor. The performance was enough to poke Coach Boyle in restating that Andre is the best defender in America. It's hard to argue when he's having games like last night.
Funny enough, a win over an RPI 150+ team like Utah actually costs the Buffs a few RPI slots, but it's better than the alternative. As a result, they stay in outside contention for a top-four seed in the Pac-12 tournament, and remain comfortably 'in' the Dance for another week.
--
Travel partner dealt with, the Buffs now get to enjoy a final off weekend before a two-week race to the postseason. With no CU game to occupy my attention, I'll preview the slate of games holding some larger interest for BuffNation.
Click below for the preview(s)...
The big story was bench production. Usually a group that has only been relied upon to fill the court with warm bodies, the bench mob came through with genuine production when CU needed them the most. Without Josh Scott, who sat out the game with concussion symptoms, the Buffs were forced into roster scramble mode, and players like Sabatino Chen and Jeremy Adams answered the call. Despite playing out of position on many possessions, the pair of regular substitutes (Chen started for only the 5th time in conference play) combined for 21/7 with only two turnovers in 36 combined minutes.
 |
| Usually quiet offensively, Chen chipped in 12 huge points. From: the BDC |
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| 'Dre kept Utah from exploiting their size advantage. From: the BDC |
Funny enough, a win over an RPI 150+ team like Utah actually costs the Buffs a few RPI slots, but it's better than the alternative. As a result, they stay in outside contention for a top-four seed in the Pac-12 tournament, and remain comfortably 'in' the Dance for another week.
--
Travel partner dealt with, the Buffs now get to enjoy a final off weekend before a two-week race to the postseason. With no CU game to occupy my attention, I'll preview the slate of games holding some larger interest for BuffNation.
Click below for the preview(s)...
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