Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Take Aim At Ending Losing Streak To Utes
February 22, 2017 | Men's Basketball, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — It is a losing streak that really has no explanation, no rhyme or reason — but it is definitely one the Colorado Buffaloes would like to end Thursday.
Over the last three Pac-12 seasons (including this year), Tad Boyle's Buffs have beaten every team in the Pac-12 at least once — except for Utah. The Utes have won six straight against the Buffs, including a 76-60 win earlier this season.
But Boyle, whose Buffs play host to Utah in a 9 p.m. game Thursday, says the past has no bearing on the future.
"Every game's a new game," Boyle said after Tuesday's practice. "I don't think it's any one thing. They've won some close ones. They won a one-possession game here at the buzzer, they won a one-possession game there down the stretch. They've just played better than us down the stretch recently. But it's about the next game, it's not about the last six. We understand they've beat us six times in a row. We're aware of that, but I don't think it will have any bearing on the game on Thursday night."
But there's also no doubt the Buffs would like to put an end to the skid — particularly those Buffs who have never played in a win over the Utes, which is a majority of the team. Heading into Thursday night's game, only seniors Xavier Johnson and Wesley Gordon and junior George King have experienced a victory over Utah.
"It's kind of crazy," said junior Tory Miller. "We've beaten everybody else (in the Pac-12) since I've been here. UCLA, Oregon, Arizona … everybody else. But it's been six straight times for me against Utah since I've been here. I think we're all going to do our best not to let this one get away."
The skid has included some painfully close losses. Last year, the Utes escaped the Coors Events Center with a 54-52 win on a buzzer beater early in the season. In the regular season finale in Salt Lake City they erased a double-digit CU lead in the second half to corral another two-point win, 57-55.
"I think it definitely gets to you a little bit," junior Dominique Collier said. "We had two really close ones last year, then they kind of put it to us this year. We haven't beaten them in six games and I know none of us want to let them make it seven, especially on our home floor. We need to come out with a ton of energy on Thursday, play hard and get that win."
What the Buffs definitely don't want is a repeat performance of the first meeting between the two teams this season. In that game, the Buffs jumped out to an early 20-14 lead, but saw the Utes come back to take a seven-point lead at the half, then steadily pull away after intermission.
"They kicked our tail in the second half," Boyle said. "I don't think we competed in that game. It's the one game probably in conference play that I can look at and say Colorado did not compete. That bothered me at the time, it bothers me now. … They just kicked our tail in every facet. They played harder, they played tougher, they made the plays and we didn't."
The loss in the conference opener was the beginning of a seven-game skid, a hole out of which the Buffs are still trying to climb. Winners of six of their last eight, they now own a 16-12 overall record and a 6-9 conference mark. With three games remaining, they still have an opportunity to finish the conference season with a .500 record.
"We can't get the final three unless we get the one Thursday against Utah," Boyle said. "You can't win all three of them unless you win the next one, so we have to try to figure out how to win the next win. And that's what our focus is, is on Utah. If we're fortunate enough to do that, then you turn your attention to Stanford. You eat an elephant one bite at a time and that's what we've got to try to do."
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
