Colorado men eye another big 'W`
Boyle wants CU men to keep tempo up at No. 21 Kansas State
By Ryan Thorburn Camera Sports Writer
Posted: 01/12/2011 12:19:43 AM MST
MANHATTAN, Kan. -- Will Colorado`s breakthrough win over a top-10 opponent help with recruiting down the road?
Immediately.
"It helps a great deal. We`ve already gotten feedback and calls from people throughout the country who saw that and were impressed," Boyle said of the Buffs` 89-73 upset of Missouri last Saturday. "I think what people really like is the style of play."
Alec Burks scored a career-high 36 points against the Tigers in the flow of Boyle`s motion offense. Cory Higgins added 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Role players like Austin Dufault, Levi Knutson and Andre Roberson remain among the most efficient players in the country in the balanced up-tempo system.
But will beating Missouri help Boyle`s team on the Big 12 road? Yes and no.
This is the most confident, determined and team-oriented the Buffs -- who have won five consecutive games and 10 of their last 11 -- have been outside the Coors Events Center in years.
At the same time, CU will not be overlooked by anyone in the conference this season and will certainly get No. 21 Kansas State`s best shot tonight at Bramlage Coliseum (7 p.m., ESPNU).
"We`re in better shape than anybody in the Big 12. I think we can run anybody out of here," Higgins said, noting his team`s home dominance (10-0 at the Coors Events Center). "If we can just take that same mindset on the road, we`ll be all right."
Boyle does not want the Buffs, who rank sixth nationally in scoring aver-age (85.1 ppg), to change the offensive approach they have at altitude in Boulder when taking the show on the road to Manhattan or Lincoln or even Columbia.
However, there will be more moments playing in front of hostile crowds where CU`s players will have to dial the tempo down and remain poised.
"We still want to take advantage of getting as many easy baskets on the road as we do at home. You don`t have the crowd to get behind you and that`s what makes it a little tougher on the road," Boyle said. "When they make their runs the crowd kind of gives them energy. That`s where it kind of gets more dangerous.
"It doesn`t mean we want to stop running, it doesn`t mean we want to take the air out of the ball, we just want to pick and choose our spots and be really smart about it."
The Wildcats (12-4, 0-1), the preseason pick in the coaches poll to win the Big 12, opened conference play with a 76-62 loss at Oklahoma State.
"I`ve turned the page. (The players) better turn the page," K-State`s Frank Martin said on this week`s Big 12 coaches teleconference. "The last four years, I don`t think I`ve ever dwelled on what has happened yesterday for one minute."
Jacob Pullen was the conference`s preseason player of the year and seems to be getting back on that track after serving a three-game suspension for a secondary NCAA violation. The senior point guard is averaging 17.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists.
"Not only can he shoot it off the dribble or off the catch, he can play the point and he`s a pretty tough defender, too," Knutson said. "He`s versatile. He gets it done and kind of creates all the momentum on both ends of the floor for them."
K-State is fifth nationally in rebounding margin (+10.3) and leads the Big 12 in offensive rebounds. CU, a team that usually struggles to clean the glass, out-rebounded Missouri 47-33.
"The coaches just kept drilling rebounding into our heads every day in practice and it`s finally starting to click," Higgins explained. "It`s a mindest on the defensive end that everybody needs to attack the ball when it goes up."
The Buffs are 2-4 outside of Boulder this season with a victory over Indiana on a neutral court in Las Vegas and a true road win at Cal State Bakersfield.
If CU could find a way to win its final conference road game in Manhattan, over another ranked foe the program no less, the result would garner even more attention for a program on the rise.
"I think every game in the Big 12 is a statement game," Boyle said. "Colorado has been competitive in a lot of Big 12 games throughout the last two years, and now it`s time to win some of those."
