Boulder – After watching Colorado slump with four losses in its past six games, Buffaloes coaches must wonder if the team is playing scared. The pressure intensifies and nightly SportsCenter highlights focus on “devastating” defeats for NCAA “bubble” teams such as CU.
Except for a nine-point victory over then-No. 19 Oklahoma, Buffs players have appeared tight and tentative during the past three weeks. They have passed up open looks or tried to steer the ball into the basket. They have overreacted to officials’ whistles, blamed each other for problems and botched plays coming out of timeouts.
Colorado (17-7, 7-6 Big 12) appears to be playing not to lose.
“I think it is a ‘trying not to lose attitude’ we have as a team. We’re maybe playing a little scared,” Colorado junior guard Marcus Hall said Thursday, a day after the Buffs’ 93-77 loss at Nebraska.
“It’s not that guys aren’t ready. But when we’re out there it’s like we’re trying to do everything right instead of just playing. We have to go out and not worry about things.”
Next up is Missouri at home on Saturday.
The production of CU’s top two scorers has declined during the slump.
Sophomore guard Richard Roby averaged 22.6 points for the first seven conference games, but is on a 16.3 pace since then. The scoring average of senior forward Chris Copeland has dropped from 12.6 to 10.5.
“There’s a lot more pressure with every game,” Roby said.
Coach Ricardo Patton said some of his players could be playing not to lose. Playing more team basketball could get the offense going and take care of some jitters, he said.
“I don’t think this team is intentionally selfish,” Patton said. “But sometimes they come out and think they can beat somebody by playing as individuals instead of as a team.”
What disappoints Patton most lately is his team’s defense.
Big 12 opponents averaged 70.7 points against the Buffs in the first seven games and 76.8 since then. CU shot a paltry 24.1 percent (7-for-29) in the first half of the loss at Nebraska. That would have been bad enough, but the Buffs allowed Nebraska to hit 54.2 percent.
“Sometimes you forget what got you to 17 wins,” Patton said. “Even though we’ve had moments where we shot the ball well, guys have started to forget that (defense) is what we have to hang our hat on.”
Footnotes
Of the three teams tied for fourth place in the Big 12, Colorado may have the best chance to win at least two of the final three games on its regular-season schedule. The Buffs host Missouri (11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Coors Events Center), play at Kansas and host Iowa State. Texas A&M hosts Nebraska and Texas and plays at Texas Tech. Nebraska plays at Texas A&M, hosts Kansas State and finishes at Missouri. … Patton believes the Big 12 deserves five spots in the NCAA Tournament. That would bode well for the Buffs, but most national observers expect the Big 12 will get no more than four bids…According to a CU spokesman, the school has applied to host a first-round game in the National Invitation Tournament if the Buffs fail to secure an NCAA Tournament bid. … Patton does not anticipate any lineup changes for Saturday. “(Instead), we’ve got some trades coming,” he joked to reporters.
Tom Kensler can be reached at 303-820-5456 or tkensler@denverpost.com.
