Jabari Walker left behind a sizeable gap on the glass. The rebounding void left behind by Evan Battey wasn’t as giant, but nonetheless was important.
The Colorado males’s basketball crew additionally has skilled lower than the specified returns from the highest returning rebounder from final season. But as CU heads into the ultimate six video games of the common season, a run that begins Saturday at Utah (8 p.m. MT, FS1), the Buffs have been one of the crucial productive rebounding groups within the Pac-12 Convention.
After all, the rebounding effectivity hasn’t at all times equated to victories. The turnovers which have led to an inefficient offense, plus too many shut video games CU hasn’t been in a position to shut, have saved the Buffs in the course of the pack within the Pac-12.
Nonetheless, a perceived preseason weak point has grow to be a crew power.
“We don’t have that one actually large, robust man that simply will get all of the rebounds,” CU ahead Tristan da Silva mentioned. “So it’s a crew effort for us, collectively. Each time down the court docket we simply rebound as an entire gang. I really feel like that basically helps us. We all know we are able to guard. For us, it’s extra a matter of ending our possessions. And which means ending with rebounds. Each time we handle that as a crew, we do properly.”
The Buffs start this week ranked second within the Pac-12 general (plus-4.9) and in league video games (plus-4.3) in common rebounding margin. Colorado (14-11, 6-8 Pac-12) has been outrebounded simply 5 instances this season, together with twice in Pac-12 play (minus-13 at California, minus-4 at Oregon). CU was outrebounded simply thrice in nonconference play, with two of these occurring by only one rebound (UC Riverside, Boise State). CU additionally was outrebounded at house by Yale.
Enjoying their first sport on Sunday towards Stanford with out main rebounder J’Vonne Hadley following a season-ending finger harm, the Buffs dominated the Cardinal on the glass, posting their fourth-best margin of the season at plus-14.
Whereas Nique Clifford, CU’s second-leading rebounder for many of final 12 months earlier than being overtaken by Battey down the stretch, has struggled to repeat final 12 months’s efficiency on the glass, others have picked up the slack. Hadley was averaging 6.1 per sport earlier than his harm. Da Silva is as much as 5.1 per sport after averaging 3.5 a 12 months in the past. Luke O’Brien is averaging 4.5 per sport after averaging 2.8 final 12 months. Lawson Lovering, who nonetheless has the next ceiling of potential on the glass, is averaging 4.5 per sport after averaging simply 1.9 in 18 video games final 12 months.
KJ Simpson has pushed his rebounding common from 2.5 final 12 months to 4.2 this 12 months. Three rotation gamers not within the combine final 12 months — Javon Ruffin, Ethan Wright and Jalen Gabbidon — have mixed to common 5.1 boards per sport.
“It’s completely a collective effort, undoubtedly,” CU affiliate head coach Mike Rohn mentioned. “We knew that was one factor that we have been shedding loads of. Coach (Tad Boyle) challenged them at the start of the 12 months they’d should collectively rebound. We’re boxing out actually good. Our defensive rebounding share is one thing we have a look at actually shut game-to-game, and we’re about at 75%. That’s fairly good. We’d wish to be at 75% or 80, however 75 is fairly good. Meaning you’re getting an enormous share of your defensive rebounds.”
CU resumed observe on Wednesday after pair of off days with Rohn operating the present, as Boyle traveled to Arizona to observe prized 2023 signee Cody Williams play. Like his boss, Rohn believes the Buffs nonetheless have a late-season run in them, even when they should proceed that rebounding effectivity with out Hadley.
“I feel it’s simply our mindset. At the moment of the 12 months, in case you have the correct mindset and proceed to come back day-after-day, get higher day-after-day, as a result of February is a grind,” Rohn mentioned. “It’s laborious to attain and groups defensively are so good. You’ve simply acquired to play by that, and this group is resilient.”
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