ASU Basketball: 2019 Pac-12 Week 17 Power Rankings
By Trevor Booth
6. Colorado Buffaloes (16-11, 7-8 Pac-12) LW: 4
Battered by two defeats to Washington State and Washington, Colorado’s run at a bye in the Pac-12 Tournament has lost its room for error.
To achieve a top-four seed, the Buffaloes must win their final three contests against Utah, UCLA and USC. All are at home, but CU will need to shade its struggles from last week’s road trip to succeed.
After posting averages of 15.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists in the Buffaloes’ five-game winning streak, McKinley Wright IV was limited in the Northwest. He missed a potential game-winning 3 against the Cougars, and against the Huskies, his production was stifled by Matisse Thybulle’s perimeter activity.
Wright’s impact showed in the stat sheet, as the Buffaloes shot 39.7 percent in the two contests, including 31 percent from 3-point range. At Washington, the Buffaloes tallied a season-low in points (55) and 19 turnovers against the zone.
In Pullman, Colorado built a six-point second half advantage, even leading 74-73 with 1:51 to go. But in Washington State’s ensuing possession, the Cougars collected three offensive rebounds before Isaiah Wade made a layup to take the lead.
With adversity present, it’ll be up to Wright, sophomore guard Tyler Bey and coach Tad Boyle to lead their team forward. They may feel like one got away, but an opportunity to triumph in the Pac-12 Tournament isn’t out of the question.
This week, the Buffaloes get the chance to knock off Utah, the conference’s fourth-ranked team, at the CU Event Center Saturday.
– Booth