Three questions heading into Colorado’s first week of conference play

The Colorado Buffaloes took care of business in their abbreviated non-conference schedule, finishing 6-1 with their only blemish against a top-10 Tennessee team.

This week, however, things are going to get a bit more challenging.

To start off conference play, Colorado has three games scheduled. They begin by playing Arizona, a game rescheduled from earlier in the season. Then, they travel to L.A. to take on USC and UCLA.

Oh, and they are all on the road.

Three road games. Against three strong opponents.

This week is shaping up to be a huge test for Tad Boyle’s squad. Here are a few things to look for on this road trip.

Does the rotation change?

The Buffaloes were outrebounded by 13 in their last game, against Grand Canyon, grabbing just 19 boards.

This number will not win in conference play.

With that, Tad Boyle mentioned how the team worked on rebounding during their last few practices. But, does that include some lineup changes?

Jabari Walker, one of the team’s best rebounders, played just five minutes against the Antelopes. He had five points, one rebound, and two fouls. While the fouls did contribute to his lack of minutes, his rebounding ability was sorely missed.

So, against bigger and more physical teams, does Tad Boyle make some changes to his rotation?

Jeriah Horne is the team’s leading rebounder and sits at fourth on the team in minutes per game. The only change for him would be potentially sliding into the starting lineup, which would be somewhat surprising.

As Boyle told reporters Sunday, somebody has to win the conference sixth man of the year award, so why not Horne?

Therefore, Boyle may look to increase Jabari Walker’s presence. He sits at fourth on the team in rebounds per game, all while playing a mere 12.6 minutes — good for ninth on the roster.

If Walker is afforded an extended role in the next few games, he may not look back.

Does McKinley Wright make history?

McKinley Wright currently sits at 542 assists, putting him just 20 shy of Jay Humphries’ record.

Additionally, Wright needs just 16 points to reach the 1,500 mark for his career.

It is a big week for the senior point guard.

It certainly helps he is playing some of the best basketball of his career, as he is averaging 16.3 points per game along with 6.0 assists and 4.7 rebounds. On top of this, he is shooting an incredible 61% from the floor and 42% from deep, making him one of the most efficient scorers in the country.

The storyline to watch this week is how Wright matches up against top-level talent. His two worst games of the season came against two Power 5 schools, but with different skill levels. Against top-ranked Tennessee, he scored just eight points on 3-8 from the floor. Against lowly Washington, he had just five points on 2-6 shooting.

So, where does his production fall this week?

Arizona, USC, and UCLA are all three strong teams. Wright will need to play up to his standards for Colorado to be able to take care of business.

Can Colorado earn national attention?

As fans know all too well, the Buffs were picked to finish No. 7 in the Pac-12 in the preseason media poll.

However, their win percentage is tied for second heading into conference play, and their point differential of +20.5 is far and away the best.

The Buffaloes are playing great basketball. However, their record no longer matters. At this point, their focus must shift towards finishing in the top-4 to earn a first-round bye in the conference tournament.

Since their early non-conference games against Arizona and Washington State were moved due to COVID, this week is as tough a stretch as ever for Tad Boyle & Co. 

Realistically, the Buffs should be thrilled to finish 2-1 this week. Arizona, USC, and UCLA are a combined 15-4 and were all projected to finish ahead of Colorado.

If the Buffs can take care of business and come away from this week with two or three wins, they should find themselves climbing in national polls and in the driver’s seat for a first-round bye in Las Vegas come March.