The Oregon State Beavers came out in zone and half-court trap sets all game, however, the Buffaloes kept pushing the ball and they were able to win easily 82-60. The Buffaloes shot 53% from the field and had 10 steals while forcing 16 turnovers. Andre Roberson led the way with 16 points and had 15 rebounds, while Booker added 15 points and 7 rebounds. Overall, it was a good rebound for the Buffaloes after their sluggish performance at UCLA this past Saturday.
Things the Buffaloes did well: This was the best game for the Buffaloes in terms of pushing the ball. Colorado ran Oregon State off the floor. It was clear the Buffaloes were going to keep playing the transition game until they could be stopped and they never were. Also, the Buffaloes cut down on their mistakes and were more patient against the zone and trap unlike previous games. Askia Booker did a good job all game long cutting and penetrating the zone, which kept Oregon State off balance. Andre Roberson had another great game getting the easy points and had some highlight dunks. When he stays out of foul trouble, he gets consistent minutes on the court and plays much freer. Down the stretch, if he can continue to stay out of foul trouble the Buffaloes will have more and more success. Austin Dufault keeps improving his game as he had 14 points. He continues to hit his outside shot successfully and has finally found some go to post moves. Furthermore, it was a dominant performance for the Buffaloes and they continue to look like a different team at home.
Things the Buffaloes struggled with: Their man-to-man defense is still suspect at times. Help defense comes too late and they play too far past the three-point line. The Buffaloes' defense is already very good, however, if they could just step into help a little bit earlier and more often, they would have an elite defense. Additionally, the Buffaloes still seem like they don't have a successful inbounds play. It is almost as if they fear inbounding the ball and just want to get the ball on the court. It would be nice to see the Buffaloes develop a successful inbounds play since it is an easy way to score when they are in a scoring funk.
Up Next: Colorado plays Oregon this Saturday at the Coors Event Center. Oregon has had an up and down year, getting beat at home by Oregon State, yet winning at Arizona. Although they have good scorers in E.J. Singler and Devoe Joseph, I just don't see the Buffaloes losing at home this year. If the Buffaloes play their normal game, they should be able to pull out a close win.