Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Gear For Visit From Surging Stanford
February 28, 2017 | Men's Basketball, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — In terms of records, Thursday's 7 p.m. Colorado-Stanford matchup at the Coors Events Center brings together two relatively equal opponents.
The Buffs bring a 16-13 overall mark and a 6-10 Pac-12 record into the game; the Cardinal arrive with a 14-14 overall record and an identical 6-10 conference mark.
But the Buffs come in with two straight losses behind them, coming after a stretch in which they won six of seven and seemed ready to play themselves back onto the NCAA Tournament bubble.
Stanford, meanwhile, has won two of its last three, with wins over Cal and Oregon State and a heartbreaking 75-73 setback to fifth-ranked Oregon. A team that never really seriously entertained NCAA hopes, Stanford is playing its best basketball of the season
It has the setup of two teams possibly going in different directions.
"You wouldn't know what their record is by the way they're playing right now," CU head coach Tad Boyle said. "That's a testament to Jerod (Haase) and his staff. They're a first-year staff and they're all about getting better. … The majority of their team and their production is coming back next year and that's the way they're playing. They haven't packed it in."
And that is a message Boyle is attempting to get across to his team.
"The thought for the day for our team today was there are two types of teams this time of year," Boyle said. "Those that can't wait for the season to be over and those that don't want it to end. We have to be the latter."
The Buffs won their first meeting with Stanford this year, an 81-74 win on the Cardinal's home floor. But since then, Stanford has produced wins over Utah and Cal, two teams the Buffs haven't beaten this season.
"They're guarding better, they're playing with more energy," Boyle said of the difference between the Stanford the Buffs saw in early February and the team they'll face on Thursday. "They're second in the league in forcing turnovers the last five games, if I'm not mistaken. (Forward) Reid Travis is playing at a high, high level."
Travis, a 6-foot-8, 245-pound forward is indeed a load in the block. He scored 26 against Oregon's quality inside defenders and is averaging a team-leading 17.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.
"He's a big part of what they do and he is a beast," Boyle said. "He catches it down low, he's a handful."
In their first meeting this year, the Buffs took the lead early, then held Stanford off down the stretch while overcoming a season-high 23 turnovers. Senior Derrick White had an outstanding game, finishing with 19 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, four blocks and a pair of steals.
Stanford also has some capable outside shooters, including guard Dorian Pickens, who has hit nearly 40 percent of his 3-point tries and has been hot of late.
"When he gets it going from 3, then you've got Travis inside and Pickens outside — that's a heck of an inside-outside combo," Boyle said. "When that's clicking for them they're really good offensively."
Colorado, Stanford and Washington State are all currently tied for eighth place in the Pac-12 standings. After Thursday, CU will close the regular season with a noon home game Saturday vs. Cal, then head to Las Vegas next Wednesday to open play in the Pac-12 tournament.
They would like to head to Las Vegas with a little wind in their sails.
"We've got to get back to what we do, both offensively and defensively," White said. "Offensively we have to share the ball, get a great shot every time. Defensively we have to make it tough for them, make them do something they don't want to do and take them out of their offense. This is a big weekend for us and we've got to be ready for it."
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
