Six straight losses will force anyone to face reality. For Tad Boyle, that meant ditching the spin and delivering some hard truths about where things stand.
We are not tough enough.
After Colorado's worst loss of the season—a 30-point defeat at Iowa State—Boyle didn't mince words about his team's struggles amid a six-game conference losing streak.
Colorado lost the rebounding battle 36-20 and was outscored 46-28 in the paint. Iowa State shot 61.4% from the field.
"I tried to prepare them for it the last two days in practice, in terms of the physicality and toughness that we had to play with to have any success tonight. Our players learned what a top-10 team in the country looks like. Iowa State’s a top-10 team in the country, they’re legit, they’re well-coached and they’re tough, they’re physical and we’re not tough enough and we’re not physical enough to go compete in a game like this."Conner Becker, Heartland College Sports
Boyle shook up his starting rotation, signaling he'll replace underperforming players without hesitation.
That meant benching experienced rotation players Bangot Dak and Sebastian Rancik.
Boyle also made the tough call that needed to be made, which was starting true freshman center Fawaz Ifaola instead of the struggling Elijah Malone.
In his first collegiate start, Ifaola contributed six points and six rebounds in 19 minutes. Other freshmen Josiah Sanders and Jalin Holland also started, totaling 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists.
It was a wakeup call for starting lineup staples Dak and Rancik on Boyle's club. The duo scored 31 bench points while playing starter minutes in the winning effort.
With nine conference games left, Boyle seeks the spark needed to turn his young team's season around. The lineup change should motivate players ahead of crucial games at Baylor and home against Arizona State.
After the win, he told the club they can beat any conference opponent—they just need to execute.
With both teams struggling at 2-7 in conference play, Colorado faces a golden opportunity to move up into the Big 12 standings.