BOULDER — The Buffs’ bounced back in a major way on Thursday night, pulling away from the Washington State Cougars in the second half to secure a 78-56 victory.
Colorado, ranked No. 23 nationally and now sitting at 4-2 in conference play, has to feel good about its dominant performance in both sides of the ball. While out-rebounding the Cougars, the Buffaloes gave their fans a show with a lights-out shooting performance backed by physical play.
Here’s what went down Thursday night:
No Bey, no problem
Tyler Bey was mysteriously absent from the starting lineup, as there had been no prior mention of him missing time. With that being said, Lucas Siewert filled in beautifully, dropping a double-double behind an all-around impressive performance.
Siewert came alive from deep, hitting three shots on five attempts to contribute to his 16 point outing. He also grabbed 10 rebounds and two steals, giving him a stat line eerily similar to Bey in his 29 minutes of action.
With Siewert in the starting lineup, Dallas Walton was able to see his most action in conference play thus far and played with a passion. Walton dominated the Cougars in their small-balls sets, getting seven points and four rebounds while not missing a shot. His presence was felt on the floor, and it will be interesting to see if his increased minutes continue moving forward. Colorado has been exposed on multiple occasions by opposing teams bigs, so Walton taking a step forward could mean lifting the ceiling for the Buffs.
Evan Battey also returned to form as he fed off the crowd’s energy, getting a double-double of his own with 12 points and 10 assists. Battey played strong on the block. His play at home continues to be impressive, as his personality thrives in that environment.
After the game, head coach Tad Boyle said Bey was injured during practice this week. Bey didn’t participate in Tuesday’s practice and was limited on Wednesday. Boyle said Bey could have played Thursday night if Colorado had needed him. Bey will play Saturday against Washington.
The shots dropped and the defense returned
Although the game was tighter in the first half, Colorado picked up its game and played a crisply on offense. Led by McKinley Wright’s double-double with 10 points and 10 assists, the Buffs’ offense moved the ball well and got great looks at the basket.
The team shot 46% from the floor as well as 41% from deep, sharing the ball and not forcing tough shots. The Cougars showed a zone defense for several possessions, but Colorado countered with a slow-paced attack that moved the ball inside and out until a shot presented itself. With their next game coming against a team that primarily runs zone, it was pleasant to see CU growing and finding ways to score.
The defense completely dominated the glass, pulling in 45 rebounds compared to WSU 28. Colorado also grabbed five more offensive boards, giving it extra possessions and aiding its large victory.
Overall, it was a strong performance. Colorado proved to be the better team and looked to overcome their difficult game against the Wildcats, showing resiliency at a time where they cannot falter. Each of these conference games holds tremendous value, as earning a top-4 seed in Las Vegas will help the Buffs’ on their road to becoming conference champions. Vegas is still months away, but Colorado took a step tonight by proving it can beat its lower-ranked opponents.
Looking ahead
Colorado will now prepare for the Washington Huskies on Saturday, as they will look for their first conference sweep of 2020 and a chance to push further ahead in the polls.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. on FS1 at the CU Events Center.
