Texas should be able to handle the Buffs if they guard like they're capable of guarding.
Offensively, Dex should be able to contribute in a big way this game since the Texas guards should be able to control tempo.
Texas needs a dominant win to continue to push for a tournament spot and a decent seed. I actually like Texas laying the 11 in this game for entertainment purposes only.
Alright, waiting for Syracuse to finish off Gtown, but they can't hit foul shots. What's new? Boeheim's wife would be better looking if she could shoot foul shots.
I would give Scipio's left nut for Johnny Flyn to play point guard for the Horns.
Ummm, Syracuse trying to blow this and put the game into OT just to screw with me.
Overtime, GTown hits 3 threes in the final minute to put the game in OT. F' me. That's 3 more 3's than GTown has made all month. It looks like I get to live blog Syracuse and the Hoyas. I'd rather live blog HenryJames' phone sex sessions.
I hate ESPN.
Live look in for Texas, looks like GJ, Balbay, Mason, James, and Abrams starting. 4-3 Texas with 16 minutes left. I wish I could watch the ballgame.
Someone needs to bury a Stevie Thompson voodoo doll under the Carrier Dome floor so the 'Cuse can make foul shots. These Orange bastards are cursed when it comes to the charity stripe. Maybe Sailor Ripley should put HenryJames on his shoulders and take a measuring tape from the hoop to the floor. Seriously, my six year old is a better foul shooter than Onyawaku.
Sweet, game's on. Syracuse escapes with a win. But they made my list for going to OT.
Texas pressing off the made FT. That's good to see. Up 13-8 with 11 to go. Texas has forced 5 turnovers.
Some zone from Colorado. Get used to this folks especially with Balbay and Mason on the floor. James promptly hits a deep jumper. Looked like a two but they'll go to the monitor. It turned out to be a 3. Disco.
Balbay with a sweet drive and dish to James. Connor comes in to replace Hill to attack the zone.
Ward replaces Balbay and CU goes to a trapping 1-3-1. Ward turns it over and Balbay comes back in.
Texas doing some trapping in the halfcourt. Atchley looks like he's got some energy, guarding and trapping 30 feet from the bucket.
Pittman checks in and promptly scores. Defensively Texas goes to a softer trapping press and falls back into a zone to protect Dex. Smart. I love it.
All the attention paid to Dex has led to two wide open 3's for AJ. He hits both. Pittman scores to make it 10 straight. We're f'ng CU up. They can't zone and stop AJ/Pitt, and in man, they can't stay in front of our kids.
James is way too careless with the basketball. His errant pass leads to an And 1.
Why is Pittman fading away while being guarded by a 6-7 kid named Austin?
Colorado having success with some box and 1. AJ needs to move without the basketball and remain in the offense. I would also have AJ set some screens since his man can't show or hedge. We shouldn't be confounded by junk defenses but we often are.
AJ with the hoop and the harm off the time out inbounds play. Texas is still zone.
Balbay comes out of the game, and CU promptly starts trapping out of their box and 1. This time James keeps his dribble alive and punishes the holes in the box. It's simple really, don't settle, and make the 4 man zone move and you'll find easy offense.
Halftime. Why won't we throw the ball to Dex?
James with a dumb charge and AJ Abrams with a horrible 1 pass contested catch and shoot. Why won't this team learn?
Just as I type that, we score off penetration hitting a cutter and then an extra interior pass dunk. It's borderline maddening.
Balbay drives right through the heart of the box for an easy bucket. The other guards don't rotate back and CU gets a runout that leads to free throws.
Another horrible 1 pass heat check from AJ. F me. AJ hits a one dribble pull up. I'm not liking AJ's liberal interpretation of a good shot in Boulder. Perhaps it's the altitude, but I've seen this movie before. Texas up 5 with 15 minutes to go.
CU's box is so easy to get to the rim against, it's criminal if we settle for anything outside of 5 feet. Pittman needs to be in this game instead of Matt Hill.
Three layups in a row for the Horns. This ain't rocket science.
CU is getting the benefit of some ticky tac foul calls. Block by James negated by a phantom call, then a tiny bump by Atchley along the baseline bails out CU. Still no sign of Dex.
Texas back to the zone as Dex checks in. From my mouth to Barnes' ear.
We're attacking CU's box with GJ from the high post and Dex underneath. Smart. It flattens out the box and makes the wings available.
Texas with a couple of empty possessions and all of a sudden they can't guard anyone. Colorado can tie the game with a bucket.
AJ Abrams with a pump fake and a 3 ball. He's our offense. Meanwhile on the other end, guys named Default and Knutson are prison raping us with backdoor layups. Pardon the extended pun.
Balbay needs to take control of this team. That's what the good ones do. Find shots for themselves and teammates when things get bumpy. As I type, Balbay with penetration and an athletic finish. CU goes to the line again after another touch foul. Jayzus.
Texas goes to four guards with GJ inside. Balbay, AJ, Mason, and Ward to defend against CU's princeton 5 out look. It pays dividends with a steal and an eventual transition bucket by AJ. He was fouled on the initial layup, no call. But I won't go there. Yet.
Another touch foul on Texas 40 feet from the bucket. Unreal. CU goes to the line for free throws 20 and 21.
The FT's allow the buffs to set up a press and Balbay promptly travels.
Higgins with a fadeaway 19 footer and then an air ball by Mason. CU gets two more foul shots and it's a 3 point game. That's our year in a nutshell.
James answers with a tough shot and Jackson counters with his own. Under two minutes, Texas needs to play smart. James takes a dumb 3 that leads to a Higgins And 1 with a phantom foul. CU ties the game. This is insane.
Under a minute, we need some leadership. Abrams with a great find leading to Ward free throws. I wish AJ would do more of that. He draws so much attention. Ward hits the first and ... makes the second.
Ward with a ballsy stop on Higgins leads to a bullshit tie up. The officials refused to acknowledge a timeout when AJ had possession of the ball for a good count and a half. 9 seconds left, Texas up 2.
I double as soon as Higgins touches the ball.
Higgins inbounding the ball now. Holy shit, they call a foul on Mason away from the ball. This is unfuckingbelievable. If this goes to overtime, the Colorado Buffaloes may shoot 30 foul shots. A CU squad that has zero post play, and feasts on back cuts and jump shots for offense. Criminal.
James gets fouled, make up call perhaps, but it was clearly a foul.
James misses both free throws. This team is nearly unwatchable in a train wreck sort of way.
Johnson starts OT by going to the bucket to draw a foul. Knocks down both.
CU with two more foul shots. Same official. James answers by going to the glass, hangs in the air and hits. Defensive rebound Horns, Texas up two.
Balbay drives and creates an easy offensive rebound for James. Texas defensive board. Use clock and get a good shot.
My computer blew up and went haywire as Texas pulled away. Good grief this team is painful. I'll have the write up later, but feel free to beat our dead horse.