Boulder – How those 25 days between games ultimately will affect the Colorado men’s basketball team is anyone’s guess.
But this much was learned Wednesday: CU coach Ricardo Patton found a point guard.
Freshman Kal Bay scored a career-high 21 points, handed out six assists and was credited with a team-best three steals in Colorado’s 96-87 victory over Central Florida before 2,204 in the Coors Events Center.
“The thing Kal can do is he can make shots,” Patton said. “When he’s making shots, it gives us an advantage.”
Bay, whose previous top scoring effort was 12 points in a loss at New Mexico, was 5-of-10 from beyond the 3-point line to loosen up the inside enough for 6-foot-9 junior Marcus King-Stockton to also reach a career-high with 18 points.
Colorado (4-6) suited up for the first time since a Dec. 9 home loss to Colorado State because two subsequent games were canceled because of snowstorms. The Buffs notched their first victory since an 88-86 squeaker over Northern Colorado on Dec. 2.
Playing six freshmen Wednesday night, CU would have liked more game experience to prepare for its Big 12 Conference opener Saturday afternoon against visiting Texas. And Patton isn’t sure his team is ready.
But it must be a comforting feeling to know that the point guard position appears set.
Although Patton used the additional practice time to move senior Dominique Coleman from shooting guard to point guard, Bay said he was informed the starting job was his.
Bay seized the moment. He committed just three turnovers in 33 minutes and quarterbacked the offense like a veteran. Colorado hasn’t had a point guard with a reliable jump shot since Jaquay Walls seven years ago. Bay’s threat from outside helped six CU scorers reach double figures. That last happened more than a year ago – Dec. 17 against Cal Irvine. The Buffs hit 52.9 percent from the field, a season best.
“I just played off the other guys,” Bay said. “If I happened to be open, I took the shot.”
Central Florida will never be confused with defending NCAA-champion Florida. But the Golden Knights (10-3) are competitive in Conference USA and made CU work for the victory. Central Florida tied the score at 70-70 with 7:45 remaining, but the Buffs made more plays down the stretch and hit free throws.
CU entered the game ranked last among Big 12 teams in free-throw shooting (.649) but made 80 percent (36-of-45).
UCF (10-3)
Payne 3-3 3-4 9, Zondervan 0-3 4-8 4, Peppers 7-16 3-4 22, Noel 1-5 5-6 7, O’Donnell 5-14 0-0 13, Taylor 8-13 2-2 22, Battle 0-2 0-2 0, Davis 2-4 0-0 4, Billings 1-1 2-2 4, Gill 1-2 0-0 2, Loucks 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-63 19-28 87.
COLORADO (4-6)
Silas 1-4 3-4 6, Jackson-Wilson 3-5 7-9 13, King-Stockton 7-9 4-7 18, Roby 5-11 4-7 14, Bay 5-10 6-6 21, Inge 0-0 0-0 0, Williams 4-4 2-2 10, Coleman 2-7 8-8 12, Thorne 0-1 2-2 2, Kowal 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-51 36-45 96.
Halftime – Colorado 38-37. 3-point goals – UCF 12-28 (Peppers 5-11, Taylor 4-7, O’Donnell 3-7, Noel 0-1, Battle 0-1, Davis 0-1), Colorado 6-15 (Bay 5-10, Silas 1-2, Coleman 0-1, Roby 0-2). Fouled out – Noel, Roby, Silas. Rebounds – UCF 33 (Davis 6), Colorado 36 (Silas 7). Assists – UCF 14 (O’Donnell 6), Colorado 18 (Bay 6). Total fouls – UCF 31, Colorado 22. A – 2,204
