It was a depressing exhibiting, and one Colorado will remorse greater than the opposite early-season unhealthy losses which might be mounting far too rapidly.
But the Buffaloes don’t have any time to wallow in that distress.
CU’s newest setback delivered a merciless sting, as a Buffs squad that led by 15 factors with 14 minutes remaining was unable to complete the job within the Pac-12 Convention opener at dwelling on Thursday night time, dropping a 60-59, last-minute determination towards Arizona State.
The Buffs (4-4) have been unable to submit consecutive victories but this season, regardless of choosing up two of these wins towards ranked foes. After Thursday’s setback, as irritating because it was, the Buffs already understood that they had little time to really feel sorry for themselves as Pac-12 Convention play continues on Sunday in a venue that has been unkind to CU at Washington (1 p.m. MT, Pac-12 Community).
“It’s a bizarre factor to explain how one can do these items,” CU guard Jalen Gabbidon mentioned. “The sport’s over. We now have in all probability the 4 or 5 hours till we fall asleep to consider it, then we get up and we have now scouting report within the morning for the following sport. In the event you sit on this sport, it’s solely going to hold over into the following sport. We now have to take the lesson we’ve realized, watch movie and transfer on. As a result of we have now one other problem up at Washington. I’ve by no means performed there, however I do know it’s a tough place to play. And we have now to be prepared for that problem.
“It’s humorous how sports activities is like that. You’ve received one other one in three days. You’ve received to overlook it.”
On an evening by which CU received its 3-point shot on observe (10-for-26), performed largely sound protection (ASU went 5-for-26 on 3-pointers), and dominated the glass (47-34), the Buffs nonetheless have been unable to get out of their very own manner down the stretch. After Gabbidon, who had been struggling on the free throw line, gave the Buffs a 59-57 lead with three free throws with 2:03 to go, the Buffs twice recorded defensive stops solely to commit the ultimate two of their season-high 20 turnovers.
After the final of these turnovers, ASU’s Desmond Cambridge Jr. knocked down a 3-pointer with 2.6 seconds left, lifting the Solar Devils to a win in a sport they hadn’t led because the first 5 minutes.
“Clearly, myself particularly, I’m going to consider this quite a bit for positive, as a result of we had this one and we let it go,” mentioned CU level guard KJ Simpson, who completed with 5 turnovers and missed the entrance finish of two 1-and-1 free throws within the closing three minutes. “That is a type of issues the place, as exhausting as it’s, you must have a mindset of all proper, simply transfer on to the following one. (Video games) are simply days aside, so you may’t simply dwell on a loss.”
The rollercoaster opening weeks of the season already has left CU little margin for error in regard to any potential run at an NCAA Match berth. Following Thursday’s loss head coach Tad Boyle recounted a recurring theme in questioning his workforce’s collective toughness. Given the Buffs allowed a winnable sport at dwelling to get away, the toughness issue will stay within the highlight as CU seems to make amends by getting a highway win in an area the place it has misplaced six consecutive video games.
“On the root of all of it is toughness,” Boyle mentioned. “The query now turns into, can we modify that? Can I alter it because the coach? Can Steve Englehart, our power and conditioning coach, change it? Can our gamers change it? The remainder of this season shall be decided by that reply.”