Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Seek To End Slump Vs. No. 25 USC
January 14, 2017 | Men's Basketball, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Two teams very much in need of a Pac-12 win will square off Sunday at 6:30 p.m. at the Coors Events Center.
The 10-7 Colorado Buffaloes are looking for their first conference win after an 0-4 start. The visiting USC Trojans (15-3, 2-3), ranked No. 25 in the nation, are anxious to turn their season back in the right direction after losing three of their last four, including a 22-point loss at Utah on Thursday.
Something has to give.
"The most dangerous thing sometime is a wounded animal at the side of the road and they're wounded right now," CU head coach Tad Boyle said of the Trojans. "But guess what? We're wounded, too. It's going to be two teams that desperately are looking for a win, so it should be a helluva game."
The Buffs have history on their side in the series. Colorado holds a 9-4 all-time lead against USC, including a 7-1 mark since joining the Pac-12. The Buffs also have a 5-0 record against the Trojans in Boulder.
But in their only meeting last year, the Trojans took a 79-72 win in Los Angeles, overcoming a 60-45 second-half deficit to collect the win.
The Buffs, though, aren't concerned with what happened a year ago. They are focused on simply breaking into the win column in conference play, particularly with two more road games on the immediate horizon.
"We just have to take it one game at a time," CU senior Derrick White said Thursday after CU's 104-89 loss to UCLA. "We can't try to get four right away. We just have to focus on USC, try to beat them and get on a one-game winning streak."
Boyle said he has not lost confidence in his team, and he doesn't think his players have lost confidence in themselves.
But, he added, "We've definitely lost some swagger. It's hard to have swagger when you're 0-4. But you can't lose your heart, you can't lose your determination, you can't lose your fight. We haven't lost that, I promise you."
Offensively, the Buffs can't be unhappy with their performance against UCLA. Colorado had five players in double figures in the game, led by Xavier Johnson with 21 points and Derrick White with 20. As Boyle said, "When you score 89 points in your own building, it should be good enough."
The Trojans, who started the season with a 14-0 run before their recent slump, are led by junior guard Jordan McLaughlin, who averages 14.2 points and 4.9 assists per game. They're also getting 13.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per game from 6-foot-11 forward Chimezie Metu and 13.1 points from guard Elijah Stewart.
"They're a top 25 team," Boyle said. "Very quality team with great talent, great players."
But Andy Enfield's Trojans aren't exactly overflowing with confidence after Thursday's loss at Utah, one in which the Trojans trailed by 13 at half and never threatened to close the gap after intermission. USC shot just 37 percent from the field in the loss and was just 14-for-26 from the free throw line.
"We have quite a few players on our team that are struggling offensively," Enfield said earlier this week. "So I think they're getting frustrated in themselves."
The Buffs are well acquainted with such frustration. After a disappointing performance at Utah to open Pac-12 play, they've played relatively well in their last three games — but have nothing to show for it.
"We're getting better," Boyle said. "(But) it's not showing up in the win column and it's time for that to happen."
Sunday night would no doubt be a good time to start. A top-half finish in the Pac-12 is still by no means out of the question, but the Buffs know they need to end their skid in a hurry.
"Big game," Boyle said. "No question about it. We've got to dig deep and find out what we're made of."
BROADCAST: ESPNU will televise the game with Roxy Bernstein and Corey Williams on the call. Radio coverage will be provided by Newsradio 850 AM and 94.1 FM with Mark Johson and Scott Wilke.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
