colorado buffaloes 2017-18 in review Colorado finished the 2017-18 season at 17-15 overall and tied with Arizona A home win over Washington State put Colorado at 4-3 in Pac-12 play, but State for eighth place in the Pac-12 Conference at 8-10. then the roller coaster ride was about to begin. A disappointing home loss to Washington led to a three-game slide as the Arizona schools got revenge on the The 2017-18 edition of the Buffaloes featured nine players on the roster (eight Buffaloes in the desert. active) who had never played a regular season minute in a Colorado uniform prior to the season. That list included six true freshmen and three redshirts who spent Colorado bounced back with three-straight home win. A 67-55 triumph over Utah 2016-17 with the program. snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Utes. The Buffaloes followed that up with a sweep of the Bay Area schools at home. Despite that youth, Colorado won its first six games of the season including the Paradise Jam Tournament in Lynchburg, Va. The Buffaloes won three games in The Buffaloes couldn’t hold that momentum however, losing their next three. three days for the tournament title, which was moved to the campus of Liberty Colorado was swept on the Washington trip and lost a home game to USC. The University from the U.S. Virgin Islands Buffaloes regrouped to defeat UCLA on due to damage from Hurricanes Irma and Senior Day, 80-76, clinching Colorado’s Maria. first regular season sweep of the Bruins.

The Buffaloes finished the nonconference Colorado secured the No. 8 seed at the season at 8-4 sporting solid home wins 2018 Pac-12 Tournament and defeated over South Dakota State and New NCAA Tournament bound Arizona Mexico in that stretch. State, 97-85, in the first round as the Buffaloes advanced to the quarterfinal Colorado had a challenging start to the round for the seventh time in as many Pac-12 schedule with four of its first six seasons in the conference. Colorado’s on the road and five of those schools season ended with a quarterfinal loss expected to finish within the top tier to eventual champion and No. 1 seed of the conference. Things started a Arizona, 83-67. little dicey with a pair of road losses at defending league champion Oregon and Colorado averaged 72.1 points per Oregon State. game for the season while shooting 44 percent from the field. Defensively, But Colorado rebounded in a big way, Colorado allowed 73 points per game providing one of the best back-to-back while holding opponents to 42.3 percent performances in the nation that week. shooting and 35.7 percent from 3-point Returning home, the Buffaloes knocked range. off No. 4/6 ranked Arizona State, 90-81 in overtime and two days later defeated On the Pac-12 season charts, Colorado No. 14/16 Arizona, 80-77. ranked second in defense, third in overall rebounding (37.5 rpg), It was the first time in program history McKinley Wright IV defensive rebounds (27.4 drpg) and that Colorado had defeated AP Top 15 rebounding margin (+3.4). During teams in back-to-back games. The Buffaloes were named the NCAA Division I regular season conference play, the Buffaloes had the Pac-12’s top field goal Team of the Week by the NABC, NCAA.com and Dick Vitale. Freshman guard defense (.422), and ranked second in blocks (4.4 bpg). McKinley Wright IV, who averaged 17.5 points, 7.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds in that stretch, was named the Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Week McKinley Wright IV led Colorado at 14.2 points, 5.5 assists and 1.0 by the US Writers Association and the Pac-12 Player of the Week. per game. He also topped the team in field goals made and attempted (166 of 368) while ranking third in rebounding (4.7 rpg) and fourth in blocks (14). The Buffaloes followed that up with a road split in Southern California. Colorado defeated UCLA, 68-59, for its first ever road win over the Bruins. Senior George He broke ’ freshman season assists record (143 in 1995-96) King had a memorable night in leading the Buffaloes. The future second round during the home USC game and also became the fifth Colorado freshman to reach NBA Draft pick of the Phoenix Suns scored a season-high 26 points with a career- 400 points. His 175 assists rank second overall in one season at Colorado. best six 3-point field goals.

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On the Pac-12 charts, Wright was third in assists, seventh in -to-turnover ratio (1.9) and 16th in scoring. He topped all Pac-12 freshmen in assists and assist-to- turnover ratio and was third in scoring.

George King led Colorado in rebounding, for the second-straight year, at 7.8 per game while ranking second in scoring at 12.9 points an outing. His 251 total rebounds ranked 26th on the Buffaloes’ single-season list. He also led Colorado in 3-point field goals made and attempted (62-157).

King had a team-best six double-doubles on the season; finishing with 13 in his career. On the overall Pac-12 charts, King ranked third in defensive rebounds (6.1 drpg), fifth in overall rebounds, 12th in offensive rebounds (1.8 orpg), 14th in free-throw percentage (.782) and 3-point percentage, 15th in 3-point field goals (1.9 3mpg) and 22nd in scoring.

Junior guard Namon Wright was third on the team in scoring (9.7 ppg) and fourth in assists (34) and 3-pointers made (29). Wright led the Buffaloes in scoring four times and had a pair of 20-point games. He recorded one double- double, with 16 points and 10 rebounds in the home win over Washington State.

Dominique Collier averaged 7.5 points and was second on the team in assists (46) and 3-point field goals (42). Collier had a season-high 19 points with three assists and two steals during the Senior Day win over UCLA - his most points ever at the Coors Events Center.

George King

The 2018 Co-Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year, Collier was second in the Pac-12 in 3-point shooting during conference games at 48.3 percent (29 of 60). He is averaged 8.0 points and 1.6 assists during Pac-12 regular season play.

Freshman Dallas Walton led Colorado with 34 blocked shots and ranked 10th in the Pac-12 at 1.1 per game. All but seven (27) of his blocks came during conference play, ranking sixth in the league during that span (1.4 bpg). He averaged 5.7 points and 3.4 rebounds on the season.

Freshman forward Tyler Bey averaged 6.1 points and was second on the team in rebounding at 5.1 a game. He averaged 7.0 points and 5.3 rebounds during Pac-12 play while shooting 54 percent from the field.

Sophomore forward Lucas Siewert averaged 6.8 points and 3.0 rebounds per game and ranked third on the team in 3-point field goals (30). He led the Buffaloes and ranked second in the Pac-12 in 3-point shooting at 44.8 percent.

Siewert had 10 double-figure scoring games on the season with eight of them coming in the final 11 contests of the year. He was second on the team in scoring during that span at 11.6 points per game.

Freshman forward D’Shawn Schwartz averaged 3.4 points and 1.8 rebounds. He shot 38 percent from downtown on the season making 18 of 47 3-point attempts. Freshman guard Lazar Nikolic averaged 2.3 points and 2.3 rebounds a game. He was fifth on the team in assists with 30. Dominique Collier

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