Looking Forward to the Next CU Basketball Season
By Alissa Noe
Jan 18, 2014; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes forward Josh Scott (40) and forward Xavier Johnson (2) and guard Spencer Dinwiddie (25) (center) and center Ben Mills (32) huddle following the win over the USC Trojans at the Coors Events Center. The Buffaloes defeated the Trojans 83-62. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Buffs by the Stats: Taking a Look at Last Season in Preparation for the Upcoming Year
First, let’s take a look at the 2013-14 season.
Last season for Colorado basketball had its ups and downs, but I think it was still successful overall. At the beginning of the season, the Buffaloes seemed unstoppable. After falling to Baylor in their very first game, the Buffs won ten straight, including an upset victory over no. 6 Kansas and a big win over in-state rival Colorado State.
After their 16th game of non-conference play, the black and golden boys were sitting pretty at 14-2. They had been appearing in both the AP and Coaches’ polls for six straight weeks at that point, with their highest ranking being No. 15.
Everything head coach Tad Boyle was working for was finally reaching its full potential. Then disaster struck.
On January 8th, CU’s star player Spencer Dinwiddie collapsed during the first half of their game in Washington. Dinwiddie knew right away that his season was over, and the MRI confirmed it several days later. He had torn his ACL.
The Buffs felt the impact of the loss right away. After losing their leader in points scored (14.7 ppg), assists (64, 3.8 apg), and steals (26, 1.5 spg), they lost four of their next five games.
During their road trip to No. 4 Arizona and Arizona State the Buffs lost both games in remarkable fashions, by 12- and 21-point margins. That was when the reality that they needed to get it together really hit them. They won three straight after that and started regaining their confidence again.
But their winning streak was short-lived. Throughout the last seven games of the regular season, the Buffs faced the five toughest opponents in the Pac-12: UCLA, Arizona State, No. 4 Arizona, Stanford and California.
Feb 19, 2014; Boulder, CO, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Jahii Carson (1) attempts against Colorado Buffaloes forward Josh Scott (40) and guard Xavier Talton (3) in the second half at the Coors Events Center. The Buffaloes defeated the Sun Devils 61-52. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
They managed to escape that stretch with a 3-4 record. Going into the postseason, the boys were 21-10 overall and 10-8 in the Pac-12.
During the Pac-12 tournament in March, the Buffs saw another brief stint of success…until they played Arizona. They went into the tourney with a No. 5 seed, which meant they had to take on No. 12 USC.
The Buffs barely escaped their first two tourney games with a final score of 59-56 each time. Then they met up with the Wildcats in the semifinals, who shut them down once again. We don’t need to mention the final score of that game.
Despite the disastrous end to their regular season, the NCAA selection committee still found it in their hearts to award the Buffs a No. 8 seed for the NCAA Tournament, where they would take on No. 9 seeded Pitt.
Again, we don’t need to talk about the score of that game. It was bad. If Pitt wasn’t on such a roll leading up to that game—winning five of their last seven games—the outcome could have been a lot different.
Even though it didn’t exactly end well, I still consider the season as a whole a success. Coach Boyle and his Buffaloes achieved something that’s only been done eight times in Colorado basketball’s 113-year history.
They finished their season with 20+ wins (23), which is something that Buffs have done for four consecutive years.
Boyle’s been here for four years. The Buffs have had 20+ wins in every season he’s been here. You do the math.
This is just the beginning.
For the take away of last season, go on to page two.