Boulder – The University of Texas has two freshmen who played in the McDonald’s All-American game.
The University of Colorado has 10 freshmen who eat regularly at McDonald’s.
Therein lies the major difference between the Longhorns and the Buffaloes in the 102-78 outcome Saturday afternoon before a cozy crowd.
Supersize that?
Texas frosh fries Kevin Durant and D.J. Augustin, a couple of triple-double cheeseburgers waiting to happen, combined for 52 points, 16 rebounds, 11 assists, five steals and one blocked shot.
The six CU freshmen who played totaled 28 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, one steal and two blocked shots.
The disparity on the scoreboard was 24 points; the disparity between what the Durant-Augustin duo scored and what the half-dozen young Buffs scored was 24 points.
The only triple-doubles the Buffs have are Jermyl Jackson- Wilson and Marcus King-Stockton.
Did you think Vince Young was any good at Texas? Say hello to Kevin Durant. He will be chosen in the top two, or top one, in the NBA draft next year. Have a nice stay in Austin for one season, Kevin.
Durant is a silky joy to behold. He’s a 6-foot-9 LeBron James playalike. He can shoot 3-pointers, post up, put back and run, jump and rebound. Durant scored more points in a game (37) than any freshman in Big 12 history and more than any freshman who has performed against Colorado. (And Durant said afterward he wanted to cry midway through the second half because of the altitude.)
His freshman running mate from the university at Austin, Au(gu)stin, already can dribble and pass like a Harlem Globetrotter. Try 15 points and nine assists.
Break up the Texas freshmen. Rick Barnes, who will coach the Longhorns again next season, started four freshmen and uses six of seven. Ricardo Patton, who will not coach in Boulder next season, has 10 freshmen, including three walk-ons, and is relying on as many as four at a time on the court.
Shame only 3,310 got to see Durant in his only appearance in Boulder. But look at the Nuggets’ schedule in 2007-08 when he will be appearing in Denver.
If that conference opener blowout wasn’t enough bad news, the audience was informed before the end of the game that U.S. 36 to Denver was closed because of an icy snow blowout and a multicar pileup. You’ve been a quiet crowd, but drive carefully.
Patton’s general (pun intended) comments began with: “I think I’ll borrow a line I just heard from an NBA scout. We didn’t lose the game, we got beat.”
I think I will borrow a line from Attila the Hun: CU was beat like a Turkish rug.
These are a couple of youngish teams headed in opposite directions this season. One will be in line for the NCAA Tournament. The other will be in line, saying: “And a Big Mac to go, please.”
Colorado is not on a glory road or the Boulder Turnpike. The Buffs should have counted those two canceled games over the holidays as victories. They would have begun the Big 12 at .500. As it is, CU will never see the other side of an even record in the Big 12.
By the way, Patton has lost 10 straight Big 12 openers. He won’t have a chance to lose 11 in a row. Patton already has announced he’s gone because athletic director Mike Bohn, who was sitting several rows up and frowning down, won’t give the coach a contract extension.
Patton needed a few more McDonald’s All-Americans, or maybe one – Kevin Durant. Patton needed to attract better players and larger crowds to campus. The next guy has to do some of both. And Patton needed to chip away at that big (Buffalo?) chip on his shoulder.
Junior Richard Roby finally awoke from a long nap Saturday and scored 30 points, but the Buffs with Roby and the Kiddie Corps won’t win nine games this season. They will finish way last in the conference. CU will not be NIT-picked again, but will be nit-picked until after the Big 12 Tournament.
The Buffs are about a truckload of Happy Meals and three Whoppers away from winning the conference.
Staff writer Woody Paige can be reached at 303-954-1095 or wpaige@denverpost.com.
