There nonetheless shall be loads of basketball to play after the upcoming week.
But if Colorado needs to keep away from spiraling into one other last-place end within the Huge 12 Convention, the upcoming week shall be vital.
CU is coming off its worst efficiency of the season, dropping a 30-point determination at No. 8 Iowa State on Wednesday, a end result that prolonged the Buffs’ shedding streak to 6 video games. However a run of three matchups extra favorable to the Buffs begins on Sunday, as they host TCU.
Even CU head coach Tad Boyle, an avowed follower of the one-game-at-a-time method, didn’t mince phrases when requested in regards to the significance of the upcoming week.
“Crucial,” Boyle stated. “This can be a large week. It’s the most important week of our season.”
The Buffs’ six-game shedding streak is the third-longest in 16 seasons beneath Boyle. A loss towards TCU would match the second-longest streak of Boyle’s tenure, which was an 0-7 begin in Pac-12 play in the course of the 2016-17 season.
But the destiny the Buffs actually are attempting to keep away from is the one suffered by final yr’s CU staff, which began 0-13 in Huge 12 play earlier than ending final. The Buffs have already got two Huge 12 wins to their credit score, but when Colorado stumbles by way of the upcoming week, the schedule says wins shall be harder to earn by way of the majority of February.
Following the house matchup towards TCU, the Buffs go to a Baylor squad that has struggled thus far and has not but gained a Huge 12 dwelling sport. Granted, the Bears have hosted three of the league’s greatest — Iowa State, Houston and Texas Tech — however Baylor additionally misplaced at dwelling towards TCU.
Following the journey to Baylor, the Buffs host Arizona State, which they defeated on the street to open Huge 12 play. On the opposite facet of the upcoming week, the Buffs face street dates at a pair of high 15 groups, No. 11 Texas Tech and No. 13 BYU. If the Buffs don’t proper the ship this week, the struggles would possibly worsen to the extent {that a} second consecutive last-place end would change into an alarming chance.
For his half, Boyle believes the combat that served the Buffs so nicely in the course of the bulk of nonconference play continues to be simmering throughout the membership.
“(Saturday’s) apply was a step in the proper course,” Boyle stated. “There’s no query the combat’s there. As a lot as we took a (butt-kicking) in Ames, our guys didn’t quit. You’ve received to construct on the positives. We shot 50% within the second half. We solely turned the ball over 10 occasions towards a extremely, actually good protection.
“In our movie session we confirmed them, ‘Right here’s what makes (Iowa State) particular. Right here’s what’s holding us again from being particular.’ And our guys, there’s a studying curve that’s happening with this staff, there’s little doubt about it.”
Whereas CU’s struggling protection has fallen to fifteenth within the Huge 12 in general defensive subject objective share (.466) and final in defensive 3-point share (.376), TCU ranks solely tenth within the convention in subject objective share (.467) and thirteenth in 3-point share (.354). TCU has suffered its 5 convention losses by a mean of simply 6.0 factors.
“Angle’s completely nice. We’re simply going to be ready for TCU on Sunday,” CU guard Isaiah Johnson stated. “We simply must stack wins.”
TCU Horned Frogs at CU Buffs males’s basketball
TIPOFF: Sunday, midday, CU Occasions Heart.
TV/RADIO: TNT and truTV/KOA 850 AM and 94.1 FM.
RECORDS: TCU 13-8, 3-5 Huge 12 Convention; Colorado 12-9, 2-6.
COACHES: TCU — Jamie Dixon, tenth season (189-134, 517-257 general). Colorado — Tad Boyle, sixteenth season (324-213, 380-279 general).
KEY PLAYERS: TCU — F David Punch, 6-7, So. (14.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.3 bpg, .546 FG%, .541 3%); F Xavier Edmonds, 6-8, Jr. (12.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg, .582 FG%); G Jayden Pierre, 6-0, Sr. (10.8 ppg, 2.7 apg, .411 3%); F Micah Robinson, 6-6, So. (9.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.0 apg); G Liutaurus Lelevicius, 6-7, Jr. (8.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, .496 FG%). Colorado — G Isaiah Johnson, 6-1, Fr. (16.6 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.3 apg, .513 FG%, .420 3%); G Barrington Hargress, 6-1, R-Jr. (14.0 ppg, 4.5 apg, .546 FG%, .525 3%); F Sebastian Rancik, 6-11, So. (13.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg); F Bangot Dak, 7-0, Jr. (10.9 ppg, 7.1 rpg, .461 FG%); F Alon Michaeli, 6-9, Fr. (8.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg); C Elijah Malone, 6-10, Gr. (5.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, .544 FG%).
NOTES: That is TCU’s first go to to Boulder since Dec. 3, 2008. … The Buffs lead the all-time sequence 4-3 and gained two of three matchups final season, defeating TCU at dwelling and within the first spherical of the Huge 12 event. … Johnson’s 24 factors at Iowa State matched his season-high and marked his sixth 20-point sport of the season. … Johnson ranks tenth on CU’s record of high all-time freshman scorers with 348 factors. With 13 factors he would move Matt Bullard (356) and Spencer Dinwiddie (360) for eighth-place. … TCU is coming off a 79-70 dwelling loss towards Houston. The Horned Frogs beforehand gained consecutive video games towards Oklahoma State and Baylor. … The Buffs’ common of 9.9 turnovers per sport is the second-lowest mark within the Huge 12. … Hargress has recorded 16 assists with solely two turnovers over the previous 4 video games. … CU returns to the street for its first sport at Baylor since Jan. 29, 2011, on Wednesday (6 p.m. MT, Peacock).
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