2016 Legends Classic: Day Two Teaser -- Colorado vs Texas

BROOKLYN, Legends Classic, November 21st --

Game one of the Legends Classic against Notre Dame showed BuffNation both the ceiling and the floor of the 2016-17 Colorado Buffaloes.  At their best they are a combative, capable force. Purposeful in attack, and dynamic in most phases of the game; worthy of another Tournament berth. At their worst, they are a step short. Impotent defensively, and weak on the glass; probably no better than a fringe NIT candidate.  In the end, however, the good wasn't enough to outweigh the bad, and the Buffs settled into a six-point defeat, 89-83.

Bonzie Colson and the Irish taught the Buffs some lessons on Monday.  From: the NYTimes

The first half was an absolute train-wreck.  The Buffs came out flat, weren't willing defenders, and, when Wes Gordon was relegated to the bench with two-foul-syndrome, the bottom fell out of the apple cart.  ND is a good offensive club, more than capable of taking advantage of lazy shows on screens, half-hearted slides against the drive, and un-focused effort on the defensive glass.  They hit their open looks, and made the Buffs pay for their wicked ways. All of a sudden the team and coaches were left yelling at each other, and everything seemed terrible and awful at the same time. The only surprise about the 50-35 halftime deficit was that it wasn't more.

Lucky, then, for our purposes that Colorado showed better in the final frame.  After what I assume was a direct discussion from Coach Boyle in the locker room, and with Wes Gordon freed from his foul trouble exile, CU started to slowly, but surely, chip away at the Irish.  Nothing explosive, but a good possession here, a good shot there, the odd defensive stop.  The rout was no longer on, and the Buffs were just playing solid basketball.  Good signs, with a whole season left to play.

Unfortunately, due to the horror show of the first half, they were in far too deep a hole, and unable to dig their way out quick enough.  While CU would get the score to within four late in the game, it never got any closer.  Notre Dame refused to miss free throws down the stretch, and the loss became inevitable. To the championship game they go, to the consolation game go the Buffs.

Ugh, that defensive effort.  From: BSN Denver

I learned a lot about this team in the loss.  For one, they won't quit like the 2014-15 team was prone to doing.  For another, Xavier Johnson and Derrick White are for real; the inside-outside pair combined for 43 points, 9 rebounds, and 10 assists (depending on which box score you look at). The Buffs can go far with them playing at or near their best.  I also received confirmation that Thomas Akyazili is exposed as the true back-up point guard, and that rebounding and guarding off the dribble-drive is a continuing issue.  Look for more and more time from the freshmen guards in the future, and I will be seeing Irish guards blow past Colorado defenders in my sleep for weeks. Further, Wes Gordon is absolutely vital inside, to both protect the rim and rebound against athletic foes. Early foul trouble from him is lethal.  Finally, I learned that NYC Buffs are for real.  Those in the arena for the game were mostly rooting for the Black and Gold, which showed during the second half comeback.

In the end, however, the Buffs are left headed for the last chance saloon in Brooklyn.  To salvage a split today, they'll have to take a win from... *surprise* Texas.  The #22 Longhorns got shellacked in the other semi final last night by Northwestern to wind up in the consolation bracket.  All week I had been quietly concerned about a scenario where the Buffs drop the opener, then have to play the Wildcats in the second game; the Fightin' Purples are a well-coached, gritty little team, and would probably give CU more than they can handle right now.  Texas, however, while gifted and athletic, is a team Colorado can play with.  Given the alternative, this is a much more preferable scenario. Throw in the fact that Texas will probably end up with a higher RPI ranking than NW, and I'm all-in.

Shaka and the 'Horns slipped to the consolation game, too.  From: Dallas Morning News

Now, the trick is to beat Texas and Escape from New York with that split.  While I prefer the matchup with UT, for multiple reasons, it won't be easy.  The old Big XII foe is very talented; hence, why they boast a pre-season ranking.  They're also, however, very young, with the 'Horns looking to replace five seniors and a sixth key rotational player who jumped for the NBA Draft -- essentially their entire starting lineup.

Don't feel bad for head coach Shaka Smart, though.  He hauled in a top-5 recruiting class last year, headlined by premier center prospect Jarrett Allen.  The 6-11, 235 lbs manchild from Round Rock, TX is a program-defining signee, and a cornerstone to build around.  He still has plenty of developing room to grow, especially at the free throw line (where he's shooting under 40% right now), but he's a load in the paint, and the kind of player the Buffs could really struggle to defend with their limited forward corps.  Look for a lot of Tory Miller today, as a counter.

Allen should draw plenty of attention underneath the basket.  From: the Sun Herald

Also in the recruitng class was guard Andrew Jones of Irving, TX.  A flashy point guard with McDonald's All-American credentials, he is dominating possession and shot rates in the early going this season, averaging 12/4/2 through four games.  CU struggled staying in front of Notre Dame's quick guards last night, and the issue could be only compounded by Jones.  He pairs well with 6-7 wing Tevin Mack, a returner who is capable of filling it up on a nightly basis.  Mack is one of those long, athletic types you expect to see at a school like Texas, a prototypical tough matchup with good versatility across a number of positions.

One thing to know about UT is that they play a style reminiscent of the old HAVOC Smart instilled at VCU.  They will play fast, look to get a lot in transition, and press to force a lot of turnovers.  While Shaka doesn't have the pieces in place to really grind you down with his preferred style, yet, it'll still push the Buffs in ways they haven't been this year.  I'm confident in the ability of heady veteran point guard Derrick White, it's just I don't know how well things will go when he has to leave the court. Any of the freshmen guards or Thomas Akyazili could implode under some focused full-court pressure.

Still, I think the Buffs will grind out an ugly game this afternoon.  As NW showed last night, if you can just limit turnovers, the 'Horns are largely toothless (just two fast break points on Monday).  The veteran Buffs should be able to take advantage of some freshmen mistakes, and do some damage. Give me the Buffs by a bucket or two.

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Tip off from the Barclay's Center in downtown Brooklyn is set for 1:30pm MT.  For those not in town, you can catch the action on ESPNU.  For those stuck at work, I suggest the radio call on 760AM, or the stream at WatchESPN.com.


GO BUFFS!  PROVE ME RIGHT, AND BEAT THE LONGHORNS!

2016 Legends Classic: Day One Teaser -- Colorado vs Notre Dame

The Colorado Buffaloes have, so far, played to expectation this season.  One brief hiccup against Seattle aside, their play has been solid and purposeful.  I could complain about the indifferent defense in the second half against ULM last Thursday or the half-hearted rebounding against Sacramento State in the opener, but I think those incidents were more the result of wandering minds against lesser opponents than anything systemic.  While I would like the team to play to their full capacity every night, I understand the realities of life, and, with midterms and ephemera clouding the horizon, some slip can be pardoned.  Sitting at 3-0, with only the light scare of a poor shooting night to show in the red, has the team exactly where they need to be after one week of play.

The scene now shifts to the "City That Never Sleeps."  From: AEG Worldwide

The price of poker, however, now goes up.  Starting with the Legends Classic, which tips off this evening, the team embarks on seven straight games meant to test their mettle; the heart of their non-conference slate.  The Buffs, as they have been playing over the first three games, probably wouldn't win more thank three or four, which is where the demand for more comes in.  It's time to see the seniors step up and play to their potential, the reserves eliminate mistakes and play quality basketball, and the Buffaloes as a whole assume the 20+-win form we expect.  And it all starts this afternoon, as they take on a very good Notre Dame squad.

But first, some music! Of course, considering the locale, there can be only one choice: "No Sleep Til Brooklyn" by the Beastie Boys. Enjoy!

With beats now ringing through the ears, let's get down to brass tacks.  Interestingly enough, the Buffs have never played Notre Dame in men's basketball before.  While the schools have met in a number of different sports, including, notably, football, somehow they have always avoided each other on the hardwood.  Something for the record books, this.

The Fighting Irish, of back-to-back Elite Eight run fame and 56 wins over the last two years, are in a bit of a transition this season.  Much of the headlining talent that powered those postseason runs have moved on; gone are notable names like Jerian Grant, Pat Connaughton, Demetrius Jackson, and Zach Auguste.  Their wake leaves an interesting mix of the old and new left behind to carry the team in 2016-17.

Brey's is one of the most respected names in the sport.  From:the AP

One piece that remains, though, is head coach Mike Brey, who has ruled the roost in South Bend for 16 years.  A veteran of the Mike Krzyzewski coaching tree, he is legitimately one of the best coaches in the college basketball landscape, and you should know that anytime you face one of his teams that you'll be in for a battle.  It's a fact current CU assistant Sean Kearney knows well, having coached there for 10 years as an assistant.  Traditionally, what it means to face Brey's Notre Dame is to face a hyper-efficient offense (usually in the top-10 nationally) that doesn't turn over the ball and shoots it well from the perimeter.  Defensively, they have been a little more scatter-shot (good, not great) with a man-to-man style that is susceptible to surrendering points and rarely causing turnovers, but they'll always play you tough, especially inside the arc, and will make you earn the buckets you do get.

Coach Brey has built the current roster around a nucleus of senior captains VJ Beachem and Steve Vasturia. The leading scorer Beachem, a 6-8 swing forward out of Ft Wayne, IN, is a nasty shooting threat, capable of leading the team in critical possessions.  The Buffs will struggle to match him all the way out to the perimeter, and they can't let him shoot freely this afternoon.  Vasturia is more of a jack-of-all-trades type, and rarely leaves the floor. CU should look to eliminate his dribble-drive, guarding him out to the perimeter, as well. At their side is veteran junior wing Bonzie Colson.  An aggressive double-double threat, the oddly-sized power forward (6-5, 225) has a mean streak and a sense of the moment.  I'm interested to see how a player like Xavier Johnson takes to his unique challenge, specifically if XJ takes it seriously, and comes to play.

Beachem is a very good lead guard.  From: Irish Sports Daily

Elsewhere, they're led at the top by point guard Matt Farrell.  A reserve turned good at the tail end of last season, he's a quiet, capable hand at the wheel.  Don't look for a lot of turnovers from this kid, he knows how to take care of the ball.  Rounding out the starting five is Martinas Geben, a 6-10 Lithuanian big man who doesn't figure too prominently in the offense (just eight field goal attempts this season), but is a willing shot blocker and rebounder. Their first man off the bench is Rex Pflueger, a versatile wing with a good jump shot.

To-date, Notre Dame has done as the Buffs have, clearing their plate of smaller conference flotsam. They've been a little more efficient in their efforts in the first week of the season, though, beating the likes of Bryant, Seattle, and Loyola (MD) by an average of over 34 points per game.  The game against Seattle may be instructive, as it was against a common opponent, but the knuckleball of the zone defense and a cold shooting night from the Buffs makes true comparisons hard.  Regardless, when I first saw that scoreline, just days after CU has struggled against the Redhawks, my eyebrows raised a bit.  No, this will be a difficult game against the Irish, for sure, one the Buffs would be lucky to win.

ND has been rolling in the early going.  From: Ooyuz.com

Generally, the Buffs need to stay aggressive in perimeter defense and attack the glass.  The Irish are not an imposing team, but they are athletic and bellicose, and will give Colorado a game.  The stands will be packed with a number of Irish eyes, too, as I fully expect plenty of their fans in the arena.  CU will need to come out, get on the board in a hurry, and show more on defense than they have in any of the first three games of the season if they expect to win.

In the end, however, I don't think we're in for a happy Monday night.  The Irish will get going from the perimeter, the senior quartet in Black and Gold will continue deferring around instead of leading, and the Buffs will slump into defeat.  I'm not expecting a blowout, just a solid six-to-eight point loss. Nothing too damaging, and hopefully leading to better things tomorrow in the second game of the Classic.

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Tip-off from the Barclay's Center in downtown Brooklyn is set for 5pm MT this afternoon. Coverage for those who didn't follow me out east can be found on ESPN2, with the radio call on 760AM.


GO BUFFS!  PROVE ME WRONG, AND BEAT THE IRISH!