Colorado Still Searching for Consistency After Slow Start Dooms Them at Cincinnati
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Colorado walked into Cincinnati looking to bounce back. Instead, they ran headfirst into one of the Big 12’s stingiest defenses-and never quite recovered.
The Buffaloes’ first trip to Cincinnati in 44 years began with a thud. The Bearcats opened the game on a 10-0 run, and by the time Colorado found its footing, the deficit had ballooned to 21 early in the second half. The Buffs made a push-just like they did in their previous outing-but once again, the rally came too late.
Now, with little time to regroup, Colorado faces another test on the road-this time against a West Virginia team that brings a similarly physical brand of defense. It’s the second stop on a tough two-game trip, and if the Buffs want to avoid heading home empty-handed, they’ll need to do more than just finish strong. They’ll need to start that way, too.
“We’re Taking Too Long to Figure It Out”
There’s no sugarcoating it: Colorado’s slow starts are becoming a trend-and not the good kind. For the second straight game, the Buffs dug themselves into a hole early, only to spend the rest of the night trying to climb out. CU forward Bangot Dak didn’t mince words when breaking down the team’s struggles.
“Obviously on the road, dudes are going to play physical,” Dak said. “The teams that play physical every possession, they can’t call a foul every possession.
The game’s going to be hard to play in. But taking care of the ball, you’ve just got to take more pride in that.
We struggled in that.”
It’s not just about turnovers or missed shots. It’s about defensive intensity-and how long it’s taking Colorado to match the energy of their opponents.
“It’s taking us too long to figure out how hard we have to play defensively in the game and how on-point all five people have to be,” Dak added. “We’re taking too long to figure that out and we’re running out of time. We’re just putting ourselves in bad situations.”
That’s the kind of self-awareness you want to hear from a team trying to grow-but awareness needs to turn into action. And fast.
New Stops, Same Challenge
For head coach Tad Boyle, this week’s road swing is a rare one. In his 16th season leading the Buffs-and 32nd overall in college coaching-there aren’t many arenas he hasn’t seen. But both Cincinnati and West Virginia are new stops on his coaching map.
“The one thing I know about West Virginia is it’s a lot like Nebraska in the sense that they got no pro sports there,” Boyle said. “The Mountaineers are their pro sport.
Obviously people like Utah and us, the Bay Area schools, you’ve got pro sports that you fight with for eyeballs. West Virginia, they don’t have that problem.
So they’ve got a pretty good home court advantage.”
That home-court edge is no joke. West Virginia is a perfect 11-0 at home this season and riding a 14-game home win streak overall. For a Colorado team still searching for its road identity, that’s a tall task.
Still, Boyle embraces the opportunity to experience new environments.
“I enjoy going to new places,” he said. “I’ve been to a lot, but there’s a lot I haven’t been to.
I haven’t been to Cameron Indoor (at Duke). When I’m done coaching, my wife and I will go to every baseball park in America.
I don’t know if we’ll do it in one summer, but we’ll try to do it in two. But I love going to new venues and arenas.”
What’s at Stake
Saturday’s matchup isn’t just about pride-it’s a pivotal game for both teams in the metrics that matter come March. Colorado entered the day ranked No. 70 in the NET and No. 75 at KenPom.
West Virginia sits just a tick ahead at No. 71 in the NET and No. 65 at KenPom. In other words, this one could have real postseason implications down the line.
There are also signs of growth from the Buffs’ younger players. Freshman guard Josiah Sanders, who went scoreless in back-to-back games in late December, has quietly found some rhythm.
Over the last four games, he’s averaged 5.5 points while dishing out 10 assists to just three turnovers. It’s a small sample, but it’s a step in the right direction for a player still finding his role.
As for the broadcast, Andrew Catalon and Steve Lappas will be on the call for CBS Sports Network when the Buffs and Mountaineers tip off Saturday at 4 p.m. MT.
The Bottom Line
The Buffs have shown they can fight back. What they haven’t shown-at least not consistently-is the ability to throw the first punch. Against teams like Cincinnati and West Virginia, that’s a dangerous game to play.
If Colorado wants to turn the corner in Big 12 play, it starts with setting the tone early. Because in this conference, falling behind early often means falling short late.