Three Takeaways from the Buffs' final stretch of non-conference games

The University of Colorado went on winter break this past week, and with that comes a pivotal stretch for the basketball team.

Head coach Tad Boyle and players both emphasized the importance of this non-conference slate prior to the matchup against CSU and how this is when they can start to find their groove.

After a solid pair of home games that saw two CU wins, here are the three main takeaways from the past week of action.

Gone Streakin’

After an emotionally charged statement win against in-state rival Colorado State on December 8th, the Buffs went out seven days later and dominated North Alabama on their home court. They then followed that up with another win Sunday afternoon against little brother, Northern Colorado.

While these victories were expected, they were much-needed tallies to add to the win column. Colorado has been coined by many as the most unpredictable team in college basketball this season, with ranked wins over Tennessee and Texas A&M, as well as puzzling losses over Grambling State and UMass.

The team had struggled to develop a cohesive identity from game to game through the first nine games, but after this past week, fans can be optimistic that the squad is beginning to turn a corner.

Throughout this three-game win streak, Colorado has shot 55% from the field and 39% from three. These efficient numbers from the field helped to produce three of Colorado’s four highest offensive outputs of the season scoring at least 84 points while on their current win streak.

Even when outside shots weren’t falling against North Alabama, the Buffs were able to consistently find cutting lanes in the paint and convert those close looks – something that has been hit-or-miss so far this year.

“Now that we’re done with school, a lot of guys have taken the time to come into the gym and work on themselves individually,” said Simpson. 

This individual work outside of practice looks to be strengthening the team’s overall ball security on gameday, as the Buffs have cut down on their amount of turnovers per game, finishing with under 11 turnovers in each game during the current win streak.

If the Buffs can continue to build on the consistency seen during this win streak, they could stampede into Pac-12 play as a dangerous team.

It’s Tristan Time

Coming into this season, many analysts pegged junior forward Tristan da Silva as the Buffs’ breakout candidate for the season. While off to a solid start, da Silva has been playing second fiddle to KJ Simpson throughout much of the first month of action.

KJ took a backseat this past week though, as Tristan Da Silva made his presence known in both wins. The 6-foot-9 German posted a career-high in both points and rebounds on Thursday night against North Alabama. Da Silva was efficient, hitting 11/18 shots from the field for 25 points and 9 rebounds.

That career high in points didn’t even last 72 hours though, as Da Silva went out on Sunday afternoon and one-upped his 25-point performance with a 26-point beauty against Northern Colorado.

Through the first nine games of the season, the Buffs have been up-and-down and lacking a consistent second option on offense outside of KJ Simpson. 

After these past two performances from Da Silva, it’s obvious that he is starting to come into his own and fill that second-option role for the Buffs.

“He’s playing with a lot of confidence,” said Boyle. “Not that he wasn’t before, but you can just tell his demeanor on the floor is a little different. He’s such a matchup nightmare.” 

Da Silva’s last two performances are incredibly valuable for him as he builds his confidence as the new lead big man for a Buffs team searching for a front-court identity without Jabari Walker or Evan Battey.

Tad ties Sox Walseth for all-time wins

The Tad-Father. Roll Tad. Who’s your Taddy? Whatever you call Tad Boyle, you can also call him a Colorado Buffaloes legend. 

Colorado’s win over Northern Colorado on Sunday afternoon was Boyle’s 261st as head coach of the men’s basketball team; tying him for most all-time with Buffs legend Sox Walseth.

It was a very special win for Boyle, as he defeated the team that gave him his very first collegiate head coaching gig. A choked-up Boyle stated his immense gratitude for the University of Northern Colorado and the opportunity they gave him years ago.

While this takeaway pertains to much more than just the two wins this week (259 more of them to be exact), it would be unjust to not touch on the impact that Tad Boyle has made on Colorado Buffaloes basketball.

In his 13 years as Colorado’s head coach, Boyle has lifted a then-perennial Big 12 cellar dweller out of the basement of the conference standings and into a legitimate contender in the Pac-12 every season.

He’s led the Buffs to six March Madness tournaments, including the canceled 2020 tournament, in his first 12 seasons at the helm. Before Boyle, CU had only gone dancing twice in its previous 40 seasons.

Seven players under Tad Boyle have also made it to the NBA, only one of them was higher than a 3-Star prospect coming out of high school.

That’s the thing about Tad Boyle. Like those seven young men who Tad helped build and develop into NBA-level players, Tad has built and developed this program from the ground up into a well-respected power conference basketball program. It did not happen overnight, but what he has created is something that Colorado fans should not take for granted.

Tad will be looking to break Sox Walseth’s record on Wednesday night when the Buffs host the Southern Utah Thunderbirds in their last game of non-conference play. Tip-off is at 5 p.m. and the game will be aired on Pac-12 Mountain.