Colorado has done plenty of good things during the program’s first 9-1 start in 10 years. Keeping the opposition off the offensive glass hasn’t necessarily been one of them.
It’s a shortcoming the Buffaloes need to address before the start of Big 12 Conference play, and one that will be put to the test on Wednesday night, as the CU men’s basketball team hosts its final pre-holiday home game against Portland State.
“They’ve got good players that play hard, that crash the glass,” said CU head coach Tad Boyle, whose team is 9-1 for the first time since the 2015-16 team, which eventually reached 11-1. “It’s going to be a critical part of the game, there’s no doubt about it. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be a good rebounding team with our length and our size. It gets down to collective pride. Rebounding is part of defense. It’s the finishing that possession, that we didn’t do against Colorado State. We had two competitions in practice (Tuesday) and they were both won by the team that offensive rebounded better.”
Certainly the Buffs haven’t been awful on the boards, and they are coming off a rebounding margin of plus-12 against Texas-San Antonio that was the second-highest of the season. The Buffs also have not yet been outrebounded through 10 games, outrebounding eight of those foes while drawing even against San Francisco and Colorado State.
However, the Buffs are surrendering 9.8 offensive rebounds per game. Five opponents have collected at least 10 offensive rebounds against CU, including four of the past five. Three of the past four opponents have recorded 14 offensive rebounds, including during Saturday’s win against UTSA.
The glut of opposing offensive rebounds hasn’t been particularly damaging just yet. UTSA, for instance, posted an advantage of just 10-8 on second-chance points, due in large part to CU’s own season-high 17 offensive rebounds. Still, the Buffs have been outscored on second-chance points in five of the past six games, and it’s a habit Boyle knows won’t be sustainable once Big 12 play begins.
Portland State arrives in Boulder for the program’s first matchup with CU as the Big Sky Conference leader in offensive rebounds, averaging 13.7 per game. The Vikings also rank third in the Big Sky with an average rebounding margin of plus-7.9, which is slightly better than CU’s mark of plus-6.6, and PSU boasts four players who average at least 10 points.
Securing the defensive glass is just one aspect of team toughness Boyle has been urging the Buffs to improve with the Big 12 schedule beginning Jan. 3 at Arizona State.
“Lack of boxing out. Lack of physicality. Being soft,” Boyle said. “When the shot goes up, it’s just a matter of hitting somebody and embracing the physicality. Getting your butt into them, moving your feet, having high hands, getting two-handed rebounds. Rebounding, it’s all about toughness. That’s why I use the term ‘soft.’
“We were soft offensively during the first half against UTSA. That’s why we were 5-for-16 at the rim. If we’re that way against UTSA, I don’t know how we’re going to be against Arizona State when Big 12 play starts. You’d better finish the ball when you get the ball at the rim, and that takes toughness, too. We’ve got to become a tougher team.”
Portland State Vikings at CU Buffs men’s basketball
TIPOFF: Wednesday, 7 p.m., CU Events Center.
TV/RADIO: ESPN+/KOA 850 AM and 94.1 FM.
RECORDS: Portland State 6-3; Colorado 9-1.
COACHES: Portland State — Jase Coburn, 5th season (68-67 at Portland State and overall). Colorado — Tad Boyle, 16th season (321-205, 377-271 overall).
KEY PLAYERS: Portland State — F Terri Miller Jr., 6-8, Sr. (17.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 4.0 apg, .560 FG%); G Jaylin Henderson, 6-3, Sr. (17.0 ppg, 6.4 apg, 3.1 rpg); C Tre-Vaughn Minott, 6-10, Sr. (11.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg, .595 FG%); G Kenyon Kensie Jr., 6-8, Jr. (10.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg); G Sebastian Tidor, 6-5, Jr. (9.3 ppg, .362 3%); G Kelcy Phipps, 6-2, So. (5.8 ppg, .531 FG%). Colorado — G Isaiah Johnson, 6-1, Fr. (14.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.1 apg, .562 FG%, .483 3%); F Sebastian Rancik, 6-11, So. (13.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.6 apg); G Barrington Hargress, 6-1, R-Jr. (12.5 ppg, 4.7 apg, .562 FG%, .600 3%); F Bangot Dak, 7-0, Jr. (11.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.4 apg, .506 FG%); F Alon Michaeli, 6-9, Fr. (11.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg, .521 FG%); G Felix Kossaras, 6-6, So. (7.7 ppg, 2.1 rpg, .596 FG%); C Elijah Malone, 6-10, Gr. (7.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg, .588 FG%).
NOTES: This will be CU’s third matchup against a Big Sky Conference team this season. The Buffs defeated Montana State and Eastern Washington in the first two games of the season and host a fourth and final Big Sky team, Northern Colorado, on Dec. 28. … The teams have faced one common opponent, with Portland State losing 80-70 at San Francisco in the third game of the season on Nov. 12. CU defeated San Francisco last month in a neutral-floor matchup. … Through Monday, the Buffs ranked third in the nation in 3-point percentage (40.78%) and 22nd in average bench points (35.8). … CU has shot .410 from the arc in its seven home games. … Dak has recorded multiple blocked shots in five consecutive games. He has increased his career total to 68 blocked shots and needs five more to break into the top-20 list of CU’s all-time leaders. … Portland State was picked second (behind Montana) in the Big Sky Conference preseason coaches and media polls. … The Buffs travel to Phoenix to face Stanford in a neutral-court game on Saturday (6 p.m. MT, ESPNU).