The primary three weeks of the Pac-12 Convention schedule have been too erratic for a Colorado males’s basketball staff nonetheless aiming to play a big function within the league race.
Oregon, very like the Buffaloes, limped into convention play whereas coping with accidents to key personnel. The Geese, although, have been the shock staff of the early portion of league play. In the meantime, the Buffs, who handled key accidents for greater than a month, are hoping enjoying a second consecutive sport with the highest seven gamers of their rotation results in improved consistency as they try to re-set their convention trajectory on Thursday night time in a key matchup towards the Geese on the CU Occasions Middle.
At 5-0, Oregon is the one Pac-12 staff with an unbeaten convention document. At 3-3, the Buffs have carried out beneath expectations to date, however a return to well being mixed with a win on Saturday towards USC that snapped a three-game dropping streak has them eyeing what could be a vital win towards an Oregon program that has misplaced 11 of its 12 video games at CU.
“I’m glad everybody’s again. Everybody’s wholesome. So we’ve simply obtained to get in synch a little bit bit,” CU wing Luke O’Brien stated. “I feel the primary half of USC we have been form of simply out of synch. We have been capable of flip that round within the second half. I feel the blokes that have been enjoying when individuals have been injured obtained higher, too. In order that’s all the time a plus. With the blokes that have been injured coming again, we have been out of synch a little bit bit. However we’ll get that again for certain.”
CU goes into the matchup nonetheless main the Pac-12 in area aim share (.501), 3-point share (.390) and free throw share (.766), nevertheless it has gotten to the stage of the season through which a few of these numbers may be deceiving. The Buffs compiled the majority of these statistics towards overmatched competitors at residence throughout nonconference play, whereas the Geese are the staff that has turned it on for the reason that begin of the Pac-12 schedule.
Though it stays a solely a six-game sampling for the Buffs inside the Pac-12, in convention video games CU started the week ranked solely sixth in area aim share (.452) and eighth in 3-point share (.352). Oregon, in the meantime, ranks sixth general with a .472 area aim share and fifth with a .367 3-point mark however, by way of their first 5 convention video games, the Geese ranked third in area aim share (.479) and second in 3-point share (.417).
The Geese even have shot simply .688 this season on the free throw line, rating tenth amongst Pac-12 groups. But in league video games Oregon has posted a Pac-12-best .750 mark.
The Geese have leaned closely on a pair of freshmen huge males in Kwame Evans Jr., who has assumed the first put up spot with N’Faly Dante sidelined by a knee damage for a lot of the season, and Jackson Shelstad, who has been one of the crucial constant rookies within the convention to date.
“I’ve simply seen development,” CU head coach Tad Boyle stated. “They’ve been enjoying numerous freshmen. They’ve had accidents, like we’ve had accidents. You simply see a staff that perhaps was actually younger, with Kwame Evans and Jackson Shelstad and a few newer gamers, who have been nonetheless making an attempt to regulate to school basketball as a result of they’re freshmen. Now they’re (16) video games in. They’re figuring it out. They’re beginning to play higher.
“They’re well-coached. They know what they do. They do what they do they usually do it effectively.”
Oregon Geese at CU Buffs males’s basketball
TIPOFF: Thursday, 8:30 p.m., CU Occasions Middle.
TV/RADIO: Fox Sports activities 1/KOA 850 AM and 94.1 FM.
RECORDS: Oregon 13-3, 5-0 Pac-12 Convention; Colorado 12-5, 3-3.
COACHES: Oregon — Dana Altman, 14th season (334-143, 744-386 general). Colorado — Tad Boyle, 14th season (284-177, 340-243 general).
KEY PLAYERS: Oregon — G Jackson Shelstad, 6-0, Fr. (14.6 ppg, 2.8 apg, 2.6 rpg, .438 3%); G Jermaine Couisnard, 6-4, Sr. (13.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.6 apg); G Kario Oquendo, 6-4, Sr. (10.4 ppg, .514 FG%, .405 3%); F Kwame Evans Jr, 6-9, Fr. (9.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg); G Brennan Rigsby, 6-3, Jr. (8.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg, .510 FG%, .462 3%). Colorado — G KJ Simpson, 6-2, Jr. (19.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 4.2 apg, .514 FG%, .462 3%); F Tristan da Silva, 6-9, Sr. (15.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg, .520 FG%); G Cody Williams, 6-8, Fr. (14.1 ppg, 3.46 rpg, .560 FG%); F J’Vonne Hadley, 6-6, Sr. (10.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.6 apg, .567 FG%); C Eddie Lampkin Jr., 6-11, Sr. (10.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg, .534 FG%); G Julian Hammond III, 6-2, Jr. (8.7 ppg, .500 FG%, .438 3%); G/F Luke O’Brien, 6-8, Sr. (6.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg).
NOTES: Oregon has gained six consecutive video games and has gone 9-1 for the reason that begin of December. … CU held Oregon to 41 factors in a house win towards the Geese final 12 months. It was the bottom scoring complete in Altman’s tenure at Oregon. … Da Silva went 11-for-17 in that sport with 30 factors, which stays a career-high. … Oregon has gained all three of its true street video games this season, posting a street sweep towards the Washington colleges two weeks in the past and likewise successful at Florida A&M on Nov. 20. … The Geese welcomed again ahead N’Faly Dante throughout Saturday’s residence win towards California. A primary staff All-Pac-12 choice final 12 months, Dante had been out for the reason that season opener because of a knee damage. Towards Cal, Dante got here off the bench to go 3-for-8 with eight factors and two rebounds in 17 minutes. … Former Buffs guard Keeshawn Barthelemy, in his second season at Oregon, has averaged 7.7 factors and a pair of.6 assists with a .333 3-point share in 14 video games this 12 months. … Shelstad, an Oregon native, has averaged 16.8 factors by way of his first 5 convention video games whereas going 10-for-17 (.589) on 3-pointers. … CU concludes its three-game homestand on Saturday towards Oregon State (5 p.m., Pac-12 Community).
