2/11/13 Brooks: With Ruffled Ducks Ahead, Buffs Can’t Mope - CUBuffs.com - Official Athletics Web site of the University of Colorado

CU senior Sabatino Chen says the Buffs must have sense of urgency over last nine games. Photo Courtesy: Joel Broida

Brooks: With Ruffled Ducks Ahead, Buffs Can’t Mope Release: 02/06/2013 Courtesy: B.G. Brooks, Contributing Editor

BOULDER - For most coaches, moving past losses usually requires a couple of days, provided they have a couple to spare. For Tad Boyle, getting rid of last weekend's loss at Utah appeared more of a chore - or so it seemed late Monday Game Notes at afternoon.

He converses weekly (maybe daily during some weeks) with Maryland coach , a close friend, mentor and former boss. That Boyle spoke by phone with Turgeon following Colorado's insipid, uninspired 58- 55 loss on Saturday in Salt Lake City was as predictable as discord in Congress.

Turgeon's advice to Boyle might seem generic, but after feeling CU's three-game winning streak crumpled and discarded by the Pac-12 Conference's last-place team, any words offered by a colleague/friend were appreciated.

Turgeon to Boyle: "Don't get too high, don't get too low; stay even-keeled. That's what he said, and he's right. There were some things I was contemplating that I didn't do (in SLC). But I want our players to understand that the effort and the level of concentration, the level of focus and the level of execution that we displayed against Utah are unacceptable. And I will say since I've been here at (CU) as the head coach it's probably one of www.cubuffs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?PRINTABLE_PAGE=YES&SPSID=3889&ATCLID=206277760&SPID=257&DB_OEM_ID=600&DB_LANG=C 1/3 2/11/13 Brooks: With Ruffled Ducks Ahead, Buffs Can’t Mope - CUBuffs.com - Official Athletics Web site of the University of Colorado the top three losses that bothers me the most."

It's probably safe to say now that Boyle has flushed last weekend and is focused on this week's trip to Oregon (Eugene on Thursday, Corvallis on Sunday). After climbing out of their 1-4 hole in the Pac-12 standings, the Buffs slipped underground again in SLC. What that loss ultimately does to their RPI and chances to make a second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance can't be determined just yet.

But let's just say another excavation needs to take place in the regular-season's final nine games. At 4-5, CU shares fifth place in the Pac-12 with Southern California. Ahead of that pair at 5-4 are three teams, two (Stanford, California) of which the Buffs have beaten. Washington rounds out the fourth-place trio.

NOT TO DWELL ON LAST WEEKEND'S debacle, but had CU taken care of business in Utah, the Buffs would have been in position to make another ascent in the standings. Five of their final nine games are in the Coors Events Center, but a road win or two could mean separation from the pack and earning a top four seed for the conference tournament.

"Players have to understand what's at stake and what every game means," Boyle said. "I don't think our guys understand that yet, and obviously they didn't understand it going into Utah."

Boyle found no fault with assistant coach Mike Rohn's scouting report - "He did a great job" - of the Utes. But, he added, "Obviously our guys don't listen or don't believe. But for whatever reason they weren't ready to play. The only people who can answer that are our players.

"I'm disappointed as a coach, because obviously what I'm doing isn't working - at least it didn't against Utah. But in the three games previous to that we were pretty good. I don't think they were ready to play, the first play of the game we turned it over . . . we were not ready to play."

Sabatino Chen, the only senior on the roster, said the Buffs lacked "consistency" and a "sense of urgency" - a couple of intangibles they must rediscover before trekking to the Pacific Northwest. CU, Chen said, must "come together and rely on our main foundations - defense and rebounding. We didn't do that against Utah (and) we need more urgency. We're running out of games now. We can't give games away. It's not about the teams we play, it's on us."

Boyle called his team's inconsistencies "mind-boggling . . . we come out in three games, especially Stanford and Cal at home, we're playing well offensively and defensively and we feel like we're on the right track, then we have that kind of effort (at Utah). It's disheartening."

Asked if those "mind-boggling" inconsistencies might be the mark of a young, inexperienced team, Boyle said, "It's a result of a poorly coached team and a result of a team that doesn't play with a sense of urgency - that's what it's a result of."

The Ducks might be involved in the same sort of introspection as the Buffs. Oregon's weekend trip to the Bay Area was an epic bust; after losing at Stanford and Cal, the Ducks dropped to No. 19 in the national polls and find themselves in a first-place tie with Arizona (7-2) in the conference.

If he wants to use it, Oregon coach has a physical handle on what struck down his team last weekend. Freshman point guard Dominic Artis has missed the past three games with a left foot injury. The Ducks are 1-2 without him, and in those three games Oregon's turnover total is 65 (23, 20, 22).

A date for Artis' return hasn't been disclosed, and to complicate matters at the position junior Jonathan Lloyd suffered a thumb injury at Cal, leaving his status this week unknown. If Artis doesn't return and Lloyd can't play this week, that moves freshman Willie Moore to the forefront.

STILL, ALTMAN WOULDN'T FINGER the point guard situation as his team's main turnover problem: "Everybody is turning it over. Every one (of the Ducks) who played had a turnover. We've just got to handle the ball better, make better decisions, make simple plays."

But falling in the Ducks' favor is their return to Matthew Knight Arena, where they are 14-0 this season. Plus, CU hasn't won in Eugene - previous games were played on McArthur Court - in 58 years. www.cubuffs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?PRINTABLE_PAGE=YES&SPSID=3889&ATCLID=206277760&SPID=257&DB_OEM_ID=600&DB_LANG=C 2/3 2/11/13 Brooks: With Ruffled Ducks Ahead, Buffs Can’t Mope - CUBuffs.com - Official Athletics Web site of the University of Colorado To Boyle, the Ducks' new home is more of "an NBA setup" and isn't as foreboding as McArthur. When CU played at Matthew Knight Arena last season, Boyle observed, "It wasn't McArthur Court; I wasn't overwhelmed by it. It was good, but not over the top. But they're playing better this year, they're a top 20 team. It can be a great atmosphere if their fans are into it and it's sold out . . . they do have a good student section, but it's nothing like ours."

Venue comparisons aside, here's his bottom line for Thursday night: "They have a heck of a team; we have to expect the worst from them . . . we're going into a hornet's nest."

Even without Artis, the Ducks have enough talent and experience to be a major hurdle for the Buffs. Altman's teams, noted Boyle, are recognized for their "toughness, discipline and consistency . . . they do what they do and do it well. They rebound and keep coming at you."

Oregon is No. 3 in the league standings in rebounding margin (+4.0) while CU is No. 4 (+1.7). The Ducks' top rebounder is 6-7 senior Arsalan Kazemi (8.6 in conference), the Buffs' top board man is 6-7 junior Andre Roberson (11.0). Boyle hopes Roberson understands the challenge Kazemi represents on the boards.

Oregon's top three scorers in Pac-12 play have been 6-6 senior E.J. Singler (12.1 ppg), 6-5 freshman Damyean Dotson (11.8) and 6-11 senior Tony Woods (10.4). Dotson, from Houston (Yates HS), was a CU recruit that got away, but CU sophomore guard was chased hard by Oregon before settling in Boulder.

Returning to .500 in the Pac-12 against the ruffled Ducks looms as a challenge for the Buffs. Freshman said he and his teammates recognize that: "I think we're all excited about this trip. We're hungry. All these games now are really, really important to us.

"There were a lot of things we didn't do (at Utah). The message we're trying to get across right now is there has to be a sense of urgency and the little things matter."

Coming to that realization a week ago would have been ideal, but now is better than never. With nine games remaining, that lapse in Salt Lake City doesn't have to be a season-killer.

Contact: [email protected]

www.cubuffs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?PRINTABLE_PAGE=YES&SPSID=3889&ATCLID=206277760&SPID=257&DB_OEM_ID=600&DB_LANG=C 3/3 2/11/13 Men's : CU Buffs face tough road test in Oregon - Buffzone Men's basketball: CU Buffs face tough road test in Oregon By Ryan Thorburn Buffzone.com Boulder Daily Camera Posted: Buffzone.com

EUGENE, Ore. -- Ben Howland bragged about many of his peers while making the point this week that the Pac-12 is an improved conference.

UCLA's head coach noted the talent of Arizona and Oregon, how experienced and capable Washington's star players are, credited Herb Sendek for a job well done at Arizona State, and described Cal and Stanford as "formidable."

And the Buffs?

"Colorado is going to be hard to beat in Colorado," Howland said during Tuesday's coaches teleconference with the media.

Colorado is 9-1 at home this season (the Bruins provided the only blemish) and 41-5 (.891) at the Coors Events Center under Tad Boyle.

The Buffs -- who are 2-6 in true road games this season, including last Saturday's 58-55 loss at Utah -- could use a win here Thursdayagainst No. 19 Oregon at Matthew Knight Area (8 p.m., ESPNU).

The Ducks (18-4, 7-2) are the only team in the conference with a perfect home record (14-0). Interestingly, in conference games this season, Pac-12 teams have only won 57 percent of the time at home.

"I would say this year that home-court advantage doesn't hold as much water as it has in years past," Boyle said. "What that means is, when you go on the road, you have a chance."

Spencer Dinwiddie (16 points), Xavier Johnson (14 points) and Josh Scott (11 points) all scored in double figures with Andre Roberson and grabbing seven rebounds each in CU's 58-49 road breakthrough at Washington State.

Oregon coach Dana Altman said when the Buffs are balanced they're a tough team to deal with.

"They can score. They score baskets in a lot of different ways," Altman said. "They've got a number of weapons, so defensively you have to guard all their guys because they can all score."

Oregon point guard Dominic Artis is "day to day" with a foot injury. The Ducks were averaging 14.7 assists and 15.3 turnovers per game with the 10.0 assists and 21.7 turnovers over the last three games without him.

Artis (10.2 ppg) is one of five Oregon players averaging between 10.0 and 11.4 points this season. Rice transfer Arsalan Kazemi (8.8 ppg, 9.4 rpg) leads the team in rebounding.

The Ducks were 7-0 and ranked No. 10 before getting swept at Stanford and Cal last week.

"I think we've got good guys on the team. I think we'll bounce back," Altman said. "We played hard against Cal, we just didn't get it done."

www.buffzone.com/basketball/ci_22534695/mens-basketball-cu-buffs-face-tough-road-test# 1/3 2/11/13 Men's basketball: CU Buffs face tough road test in Oregon - Buffzone The Buffs (14-6, 4-5) nearly overcame a 22-point deficit in the second half in Salt Lake City before missing some key free throws and turning the ball over with a chance to complete the comeback.

"We have the utmost confidence in our group," Dinwiddie said. "We just needed to get stops (at Utah), which is something we didn't do at the beginning of the game. That's why we lost."

Boyle knows his team, which played about 30 minutes of bad basketball at Utah, will have to bring it for 40 minutes to become the first team this season to walk out of Matthew Knight Arena victorious.

"I like the way our team practices. The problem that we're having right now is we don't play with a sense of urgency at all times," Boyle said. "We have some guys who think they can turn it on and turn it off. The reality is we're not talented enough to do that. ...

"We can play with any team in this league, and any team in this league can beat us on a given night."

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@RyanThorburn

CU men's hoops preview

THURSDAY: The (14-7, 4-5) visit the No. 19 (18-4, 7-2) at 8:05 p.m. at Matthew Knight Arenam, Eugene, Ore.

BROADCAST: Television on the ESPNU with Roxy Bernstein (play-by-play) and Miles Simon (analyst). Radio on KOA (AM 850) with Mark Johnson (play-by-play) and Chad Brown (analyst). Follow on Twitter: @RyanThorburn.

CU STORY LINES: The Buffs are coming off their worst loss of the season Saturday at Utah. ...CU is looking for its second Pac-12 road win and its third road win overall. With a victory, CU would match its record (15-7) at the same point last season. ...This is the fourth ranked opponent the Buffs have faced this season. They are 1-2 against ranked teams. ...Andre Roberson is tied for the national lead in rebounding, averaging 11.6 rebounds per game.

OREGON STORY LINES: The Ducks are tied with Arizona for first-place in the Pac-12, but they bring their first losing streak since the 2010-11 season into tonight's game, having lost at Stanford and Cal last week. ...The Ducks have won 20 consecutive home games. ...Oregon senior E.J. Singler is three wins away from becoming the winningest player in Oregon history. He has won 79 games in his career. The record is 81. ...Oregon is the best rebounding team in the conference outrebounding opponents by eight per game. ...Point guard Dominic Artis has missed the past three games but could return tonight.

KEY STAT: CU leads the Pac-12 in field goal percentage defense, allowing teams to shoot .405. The Buffs are third in the conference in 3-point field goal percentage defense at .315.

COACHES: Boyle is 62-33 in his third season at CU. Dana Altman is 63-32 in his third season at Oregon.

PROBABLE STARTERS: Colorado -- F Andre Roberson, 6-7, So., 10.8 ppg, 11.6 rpg; F Josh Scott, 6- 10, Fr., 12.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg; G Spencer Dinwiddie, 6-6, So., 14.7 ppg, 2.7 apg; G Askia Booker, 6-1, So., www.buffzone.com/basketball/ci_22534695/mens-basketball-cu-buffs-face-tough-road-test# 2/3 2/11/13 Men's basketball: CU Buffs face tough road test in Oregon - Buffzone 14.1 ppg, 2.4 apg; G Xavier Johnson, 6-6, Fr., 7.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg. Oregon -- C Tony Woods, 6-11, Sr., 10.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg; F E.J. Singler, 6-6, Sr., 10.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg; F Arsalan Kazemi, 6-7, Sr., 8.8 ppg, 9.4 rpg; G Damyean Dotson, 6-5, Fr., 11.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg; G Johnathan Loyd, 5-8, Jr., 3.2 ppg, 2.5 apg.

SERIES: Colorado leads 5-3, but is just 1-3 in Eugene. The Buffs lone win in Eugene came Dec. 5, 1955.

UP NEXT: The Buffs remain on the road at Oregon State (7 p.m. Sunday). The game will be televised on the Pac-12 Network.

www.buffzone.com/basketball/ci_22534695/mens-basketball-cu-buffs-face-tough-road-test# 3/3