BYeww: Ugly defensive effort plagues Colorado

SHAP’S APARTMNET- “I wanted to go 4-0, but if we get a win at BYU I’ll take it,” head coach Tad Boyle said this week about the toughest non-conference stretch the Colorado Buffaloes had this season.

While the loss to Colorado State that started this stretch was hurtful in many ways, the loss to the BYU Cougars on Saturday night was extremely alarming. Sure, teams struggle to win on the road and this was the toughest road game of non-conference slate, but when presented with their best opportunity to pad their resume for March, the Buffaloes fell short with a 79-71 loss in Provo.

It was not a bad loss, as the Cougars were a good team on their home court, but it was missed opportunity for Colorado, who is still looking to redeem themselves. They had chances to win despite being out-rebounded by 15 and letting the Cougars shoot 45%.

Great shooting by the Cougars defined the first half as they’d bang home five threes on 10 shots, good for 48% from the field in general. It was Nick Emery that made the most noise for BYU, but highlights from Derrick White and Xavier Johnson kept Colorado close as they went into the break down just a bucket.

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At the midway point in the game, White had gone off for 39 points 15-of-25 shooting in the past game-and-a-half.

In the second half, BYU was able to open it up early because of a Colorado cold snap. BYU continued to barrage the Buffaloes from the field and they wouldn’t have an answer. To make matters worse White picked up a weak loose ball foul which was his fourth, he had to sit and was never the same.

But that awoke the Buffs, or at least Xavier Johnson as he nabbed an and one, nailed a three and hit a few jumpers, scoring nine straight for the Buffs.

Johnson’s run soon sparked George King to a monster dunk which led to a Thomas Akyazili three which gave the Buffs a three-point lead. But BYU answered with a three of their own and it was tied at 61 a piece at the under eight timeout.

But that was as close as Colorado would get as an 8-0 run by the Cougars gave them a lead they would never relinquish.

CU would fail to hit a field goal for five minutes late in the contest which led to another BYU run that the Buffs just could not stop en route to a Cougars home court win.