How Colorado needs to improve after narrow victory over North Texas
The Colorado Buffaloes showed a lot of fight against a gritty North Texas Mean Green team in their 67-64 exhibition win on Sunday in the Mile High Hoops Classic.
The Mean Green played a very physical game from the tip, forcing 18 Colorado turnovers.
“We can’t get out-rebounded and turn the ball over 18 times,” said Colorado coach Tad Boyle after the win. “We shore those things up; these games aren't even close. But it was, and it was for those reasons.”
Colorado got to the free-throw line regularly, scoring 27 points from the charity stripe and ultimately finishing the job with decisive free-throw shooting in the closing minutes. North Texas guard Je’shawn Stevenson missed two game-tying threes with under 10 seconds remaining.
“I do know this: they play how they did today, they’re going to win a lot of games in their conference,” said Boyle about North Texas. “I know that because they’re a tough-minded group. Got some guards that can finish. We gave up too many layups today.”
Still, Colorado’s turnover and rebounding problems need to improve, and fast, if they want any chance to compete with the juggernauts of the Big 12 this season. Its perimeter on-ball defense and defensive rebounding were solid through the first half, but it became much easier for North Texas to break them down as the game progressed.
The Mean Green scored twice as many points in the paint as the Buffs, with 44-of-64 coming from the interior. This is another aspect of Colorado’s defense that it will need to take a step up on. That is especially true against stronger Big 12 opponents if he continues to run the smaller three-guard lineup consistently.
Turnovers and small mistakes plagued Colorado's offensive efficiency all game, but North Texas’ shooting struggles kept it tight down to the wire. The Mean Green’s first made 3-pointer came with 6:22 remaining in the second half. Colorado recorded just three offensive rebounds all game, something coach Boyle noted postgame.
“They beat us on the glass, which has happened now twice in a row. So rebounding is an issue right now with this team. We’ve got to figure that out, but that's what practice is for,” he said.
The three-guard starting lineup featured Australian transfer Alex Dickeson and returning players Barrington Hargress and Josiah Sanders. Hargress and Dickeson both looked comfortable while sharing the floor together, and each had high praise for each other after the game.
When Dickeson was asked about team leadership, he credited Hargress.
“Barrington, he was a leader. I was trying my best. We were just trying to find ways to get a stop because we were running small ball a little bit. You know, that's what the coaches wanted,” Dickeson said.
Colorado’s new transfer players stood out the most on the court, particularly forward Justin Neely and Dickeson. With the UNC Greensboro Spartans last year, Neely led the team in both points and rebounds per game, with his 11.5 rebounds per game being the second-highest in the country. All of his talents were on display Sunday for the Buffs, as he flirted with a triple-double and led the team in both rebounds and assists. He sat the closing minutes of the game as his knee was a little banged up, but Boyle brushed the matter aside, saying that it wasn’t a concern. Neely’s physical strength and ability to go toe-to-toe defensively with opposing big men at 6-feet-6 inches will be key for the Buffs’ success this year.
Dickeson was one of the most impactful and effective players for Colorado, finishing with a team-high 15 points. Buff Nation has known about his elite passing talent, but Dickeson’s scoring and defensive prowess were on full display against North Texas. He had the highest team point differential when on the court at +14, elevating everyone around him when running the offense.
“Today was a lot of driving,” Dickeson said. “Hit two threes, but just trying to facilitate, draw two defenders because they were a heavy-held team.”
Boyle has had high praise for Dickeson throughout the preseason, and he was proven right on Sunday.
“He’s effective, he’s mature beyond his years, and he’s really, really smart,” Boyle said. “He’s going to be an important part of the team this year; there’s no doubt about it.”
Hargress carried a large part of the offensive load, finishing with 14 points on 3-for-7 shooting from the field. He was able to draw fouls at the rim with ease and scored eight of his points from the line.
Despite starting on the bench, guard Ian Inman ultimately led the team in minutes. He played a very decisive game and was one of three Buffs to score double-digit points. He’ll continue to build upon his freshman season as one of just five returning players for the team.
These four players mentioned above can be key to fixing Colorado’s turnover and rebounding problems as they enter the regular season. While it was great to see Dickeson’s aggressiveness to create plays in transition, both he and Hargess need to be more careful with the ball while running the offense. Hargress has never averaged more than two turnovers per game in his collegiate career, so his four on Sunday were definitely a bit uncharacteristic. The turnover issue starts with the guards that have the ball in their hands on every play. Dickeson and Hargress both have been credited with high basketball intelligence and great passing ability, so there is reason to believe this will improve. Inman was the only Buff with more than 20 minutes played without a turnover versus North Texas, which was a great sign as he continues to build more trust with his coach this year.
The Buffaloes ranked 13th out of 16 Big 12 teams in combined team rebounds last season, and last in offensive rebounds per game. They’ve brought in a national leader in rebounds in Neely, who can help mend that issue. In addition to him, they’ve also added multiple big men in Noah Fedderson and Goc Malual—who stand at 6-foot–10 inches and 6-foot-8 inches, respectively. Even Dickeson showed that his build doesn’t limit his rebounding responsibility, as he grabbed four on Sunday and had a huge block on North Texas guard Amar Amkou.
The Buffs now have exactly two weeks to continue their preparation for the first regular season game. They’re back in Boulder to open the season against the Abilene Christian Wildcats on Nov. 2 at the CU Events Center.
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