Three takeaways from Colorado’s 84-61 win over South Dakota

In the first game of the 2020-2021 season, Colorado did not take long to hit its stride.

In fact, the Buffaloes came out in what looked like mid-season form as they controlled both ends of the floor. Eight players played over 15 minutes in the game, with nine players notching an assist.

In short, the Buffs played great team basketball, beating South Dakota 84-61.

Here are a few main takeaways from the impressive opening victory:

McKinley Wright displays dominance

20 points, 6 assists, and 3 rebounds.

On just 12 shot attempts, McKinley Wright displayed his ability to offensively take over a game. His takeover showed through in a variety of different ways. He worked the ball inside on fast-breaks, hit several floaters over taller opponents in the post, knocked in a deep ball, and was perfect from the charity stripe.

As the leader of this team, it is tough to set expectations for Wright. He has continued to progress year over year, and tonight was no different. He played with a combination of confidence and comfort that was surprising for the first game of the season; he was in full control of the pace of the game.

Truth be told, his stats are underwhelming compared to his play. In a game that was in-hand from the start, Wright did not need to play as much as he may in future conference games. Therefore, his game tonight may in fact be closer to his floor than his ceiling.

The depth is no joke

One big question heading into this week was who the Buffs would put on the floor.

After the first win, this question is still unanswered, but in a good way.

Again, eight Buffs were on the court for at least 15 minutes. The rotations came at every position on the floor, allowing McKinley Wright to get a couple of breathers while also providing help in the post when Evan Battey and Dallas Walton found themselves in foul trouble.

Both Eli Parquet and Maddox Daniels started the game in the backcourt because of the COVID-19 exposure situation revolving around D’Shawn Schwartz. Both guys gave strong minutes, putting up effective numbers on offense as well as being strong defenders. Pair these two with Wright and Keeshawn Barthelemy, and the Buffs have a strong four-player rotation at their two guard spots.

Moving to the frontcourt, Jeriah Horne came off the bench to torch South Dakota. He drilled three-straight 3-pointers on his way to 11 points and 4 rebounds. While Horne did provide an offensive outburst, he also led the team in shots and misses. Horne has now shown his range and shooting ability, but needs to display more discipline in his looks.

As aforementioned, both Dallas Walton and Evan Battey found themselves in foul trouble; however, Walton made the most of his minutes. Walton was very efficient with his looks, cashing in on 66.7% of his shots for 8 points and 7 rebounds. He showcased the combination of size and athleticism that caused such excitement during his freshman season, and is taking positive steps towards returning to form.

Unfortunately, Battey was less successful with only 37.5% made baskets for 7 points and 4 rebounds. Battey is a player that is capable of more, and one night does not change that narrative. Still, it will be interesting to see how he bounces back on Friday night against Kansas State.

This team showed they have depth at all spots on the floor. No matter who needs a rest or who picks up too many fouls, Tad Boyle & Co. have someone ready to play.

The kids can ball

Two names that jumped off the screen this evening were from some of Colorado’s youngest players: Jabari Walker and Keeshawn Barthelemy.

Walker’s rebounding and athleticism have been championed by head coach Tad Boyle throughout the offseason. In his 15 minutes of action, Walker put up 10 points and grabbed 6 rebounds, with three coming on the offensive glass. His athleticism was on full display, as he was a clear matchup problem from the start. His offensive output came from several places, as he was 5-of-5 on free throws to go along with two field goals, including a 3-pointer.

Keeshawn Barthelemy came into tonight with the hopes of being a solid pairing with McKinley Wright. He did that. And then some.

Barthelemy was all over the floor in his 22 minutes of action, scoring 11 points with 7 rebounds and 3 assists. He was also perfect from the free-throw line at 4-4 with 3 field goals and a 3-pointer.

Together, Walker and Barthelemy showed they could play college basketball at a high level. While the opponent was not as strong as within the Pac-12 Conference, they both showed great progression and should be staples of the rotation moving forward.