Three takeaways from Colorado's 74-64 win over Grand Canyon

It was truly a tale of two halves in the Colorado Buffaloes 74-64 victory over Grand Canyon.

In the first, both the Buffs and the Antelopes battled hard in the low post. Both teams picked up a few fouls and found themselves in a tied game at the half. CU was in foul trouble early and turned the ball over five times in the first 30 minutes.

In the second, however, Colorado found their offensive stride. They turned the ball over just one more time and were able to string together several runs that culminated in a solid 10-point victory.

Here are a few thoughts from the victory.

The charity stripe is now an asset

Last season, the Buffs lost a few games because of their inability to convert free throws.

Tonight, their improvements were on full display.

After the first game of the season, Tad Boyle mentioned that he wanted Colorado to make more free throws than the other team attempted. Coming into the game, CU was first in both conference and country with their free throw percentage at just over 85%.

Against Grand Canyon, the game was close until the Buffs closed out a 10-0 run. With their close margin, making ten more shots than the Antelopes attempted is exactly why Boyle emphasizes the distribution.

Additionally, they kept Colorado in the game when they were struggling to maintain momentum with fouls and turnovers. They also helped bridge the difference in rebounds, as the Buffs were outworked on the glass and produced just 19 rebounds.

Overall, the Buffs have capable free throw shooters throughout their entire lineup. If they can keep up this production, it could be the difference in flipping some losses into wins later in the season.

Horne making a strong case for 6th Man of the Year

In a game where Dallas Walton was in deep foul trouble and Jabari Walker hardly played, Jeriah Horne was once again willing and able to accept an increased workload.

Tonight, he cashed in on 12 points and five rebounds while playing 33 minutes, tied with Eli Parquet for second on the team. Horne provided an offensive boost with his shot, hitting two deep balls as well as some elbow jumpers.

Again, Horne’s action was in part due to the frequent fouls of Dallas Walton and Evan Battey. Walton scored just five points in his 14 minutes of action, and it highlights his need to improve on defensive awareness. He has the size to protect the rim but has been picking up fouls at an alarming pace. It takes him out of the rhythm of a game and forces Boyle to turn to others in late-game action.

While his offensive improvements have been noted, he needs to round out his game.

Now, while Evan Battey also got into early foul trouble, he had a memorable second half to forgive those mental lapses. He scored 16 points, coming mostly at the free-throw line. His progression over the last few games has given a big boost to the rotation.

McKinley Wright can still score at will

Against Washington, McKinley Wright scored just five points in his 28 minutes of action. While he was not needed to ignite the offense, his 2-6 from the floor was disappointing for his capability.

Tonight, he showed that this was truly just a night off. Wright scored 21 points on 8-14 from the field while grabbing four rebounds and dishing seven assists. His activity tremendously increased during the second half, as he began to initiate more transition offense.

In summary, McKinley Wright’s game just does not translate as well against Washington’s zone defense. This is most likely why he attempted only six shots and mainly worked as a distributor.

Heading into conference play, Wright is playing some of the best basketball of his career.