Rumble on the Hardwood in the Rockies - Part I

[DrumNFeather]

Only one game for the Utes this week, and it's against our fierce and bitter rival Colorado this week in Boulder.

Two games in, we both got run off the court by Cal, and they were able to narrowly escape Stanford with a win, while we narrowly escaped with a loss.

The Buffs have a 6 point loss to Iowa St. in their opener on their resume, as well as wins @Auburn, vs. Air Force, vs. CSU, vs. BYU. They also lost to SMU.

They are lead in scoring by Josh Scott, who seems like he should be old enough to have played against LK in college as well. He goes for 17 and 9 per game and will be yet another physical test for Jakob. Outside of him, I don't know very much about their team.

Feels like this one could be a low scoring affair, but I suspect the key to the game will be which big man can stay on the court the longest.

It sure would be nice to head into a home stand vs. the Oregon schools with a w. No, a loss isn't the end of the world, but this team needs to start clicking, and fast.

[U-Ute]

The game is Friday at 7PM MST on Fox Sports 1.

I don't know much about Colorado. I heard Scott is still on the team for what seems like his 8th year of eligibility.

Xavier Johnson was the guy who hurt us the most though. He is one tough dude. I remember that he was injured in the game in SLC last year. Has he graduated yet?

[U-Ute]

I heard Andy Hill on the radio last night with Bill Reilly saying they expect him to play. He sat out tuesday, went about 80% yesterday, planning on full speed today.

I also heard that Xavier Johnson is out for the season for the Buffs. I dug up this story that he tore his achillles over the summer.

http://www.denverpost.com/colleges/ci_28382257/xavier-johnson-colorado-buffaloes-guard-tears-achilles-tendon

[LA Ute]

I'm at LAX listening on the radio. If you see anything really cool in the game let me know. Sounds like Bonam is having a good game.


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[LA Ute]

So far you've only missed a bunch of ugly.

I'm glad I only have listen to the turnovers.


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[LA Ute]

Leading at halftime with 9 turnovers makes me think we have a chance!


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[Mormon Red Death]

What is the deal with ogbe? Is he ever coming back?

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[Mormon Red Death]

Man this team turns the ball over so much

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[LA Ute]

Looks like we are going down.


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[Mormon Red Death]

Looks like we are going down.


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Have some faith we're back in this

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[LA Ute]

Have some faith we're back in this

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I'm trying a reverse jinx.


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[chrisrenrut]

Stupid Buffs, they should have fouled Taylor with 5 seconds left.

[chrisrenrut]

Nice to see us finish. The ball should be in Bohnam's hand in that situation. Hopefully that gives us some confidence.

What is up with Poeltl missing so many close-in shots? Something to do with the wrap on his thumb maybe?

[LA Ute]

I'm trying a reverse jinx.


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Swish!!


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[LA Ute]

Stupid Buffs, they should have fouled Taylor with 5 seconds left.

LOL


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[Ma'ake]

We needed that one. Geez. Bonam couldn't have been bigger, Loveridge hit some big 3s, Kuzma is still climbing, and Isaiah Wright looks comfortable and maybe ready to start pressing the issue.

Poeltl plays his worse game of the year and we get out of Boulder with a "W" after dropping the first 2 in NorCal? I'll take it! ! !

[LA Ute]

So good to see them win in the final seconds at last. I'm hoping they now have that monkey off their backs. It was a great idea to have the ball in Bonam's hands at the end.


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[Utebiquitous]

Soto told me after the Cal game that we had to get better guard play if we hoped to finish in the top third of the league. We got it tonight. I figured Bonham would give us a good game but seeing Isaiah play better was terrific. Loveridge shooting well on the road is a welcome sight as well.

This is two games in a row that Poeltl has missed a lot of chip shots. Hopefully, fortunes will reverse for him this coming week. Great win!

[Ma'ake]

Soto told me after the Cal game that we had to get better guard play if we hoped to finish in the top third of the league. We got it tonight. I figured Bonham would give us a good game but seeing Isaiah play better was terrific. Loveridge shooting well on the road is a welcome sight as well.

This is two games in a row that Poeltl has missed a lot of chip shots. Hopefully, fortunes will reverse for him this coming week. Great win!

Bonam is the best weapon, clearly, and I think he should look for the long ball more, which he'll 1-2 a game, and force the defense to close out, and then he's into the paint and ready to create. Taylor is getting every last drop out of his ability, and helping to move the ball impressively, and sometimes he can be a force. Isaiah Wright is starting to look like a different player. His 3 game looks far more comfortable that earlier, tonight he looked truly *comfortable* and looking to make plays beyond handoffs.

Ogbe was suited, but if he can ever stay healthy, he's starter quality, big, smart, shoots well, long with good bounce.

[DrumNFeather]

Lots of thoughts on this one...most importantly, we got the road W. +1 !

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[LA Ute]

The Utes held Colorado to 2 points in the final 5:25, and the Buffs shot only 38% from the field for the game -- 27% in the first half. I'm sure the CU fans think they choked. But we won -- outplaying them when it counted. CU didn't make the kinds of brainless errors we made against Stanfurd.

[LA Ute]

Highlights:

http://pac-12.com/videos/highlights-utahs-bonam-hits-game-winner-beat-colorado


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[Ma'ake]

Bonam will be a key, moving forward.

He should be more confident, obviously, but stopping his drives will become a focal point of defenses, which should open up the long game for Loveridge, Taylor and Tucker, which will open up the key for Kuzma, Chapman and Poeltl.

That we got a road win vs a very solid CU team with Poeltl having his worst offensive game of the year is massive.

[DrumNFeather]

Bonam will be a key, moving forward.

He should be more confident, obviously, but stopping his drives will become a focal point of defenses, which should open up the long game for Loveridge, Taylor and Tucker, which will open up the key for Kuzma, Chapman and Poeltl.

That we got a road win vs a very solid CU team with Poeltl having his worst offensive game of the year is massive.

We've said this before, but this team seems really similar to the one two years ago in Delon's first year, they just need to gain some confidence shooting from the outside, particularly on the road. I also want to see guys driving more, that should help quite a bit vs. settling for jumpers late in the shot clock.

[Ma'ake]

We've said this before, but this team seems really similar to the one two years ago in Delon's first year, they just need to gain some confidence shooting from the outside, particularly on the road. I also want to see guys driving more, that should help quite a bit vs. settling for jumpers late in the shot clock.

Exactly. A variation that will be nice to watch will be Bonam rotating out on the perimeter and Taylor driving and finding 'Zo for a 3. Taylor still amazes me with the creases he can find.

We've seen very little of it so far, but Bonam's long game is quite a bit better than most people realize. Loveridge's long game comes and goes, Dakarai is streaky, Taylor has been erratic from long range (but I *think* that's mostly just him adjusting to the narrow windows he has to deal with, and not having Delon to give him plenty of open looks). Odds are that one or two of those guys will be "on", with penetration and ball movement to get good looks.

If Bonam hits the weights over the summer, he could make money at this game, quite possibly at the NBA level. He's not quite as explosive as Andre Miller was, but he's long, he's versatile, and he's a better shooter than 'Dre.

The other guy who seems to be getting more comfortable is I-Wright. I think we're just beginning to see the upside he hasn't revealed before - his game has been pretty understated, to this point.

[Rocker Ute]

Lorenzo Bonam begs to have the nickname Bonzo.

http://youtu.be/95zF6v6f66E


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