Coaches like to say all losses count the same. But that doesn’t mean they’re viewed equally. Colorado’s ability to take the nationally-ranked Texas men’s basketball team to the wire in Austin on Saturday made an impression on Big 12 coaches.
“There’s no doubt Jeff Bzdelik has Colorado playing at a high level,” Kansas coach Bill Self said Monday on the Big 12 teleconference. “The days of thinking Colorado is going to be an easy win are over, if anybody ever thought that.”
Texas moved up this week to No. 12 in the polls, but the Longhorns trailed Colorado 37-28 at halftime before rallying for a 69-67 home win over the Buffaloes (9-8, 1-2 Big 12).
“You watch Colorado on tape from November and with the way they’re playing now … it’s a team with a purpose and an identity, and just like us, a team that has shown tremendous growth,” said Kansas State coach Frank Martin, whose Wildcats (12-4, 2-0) come to Boulder for a Wednesday night game.
CU women remain upbeat
Although her team dropped three consecutive conference games and lost their national ranking, coach Kathy McConnell-Miller said no motivational speeches have been needed in practice. The Buffs (12-5, 1-3) host Kansas (12-5, 1-3) tonight in the Coors Events Center.
“It was a rough week for us,” McConnell-Miller said Monday, “but we’ll learn from that. There’s no panic.”
One of the focuses in practice has been getting point guard Susie Powers and small forward Hannah Skildum to become more offense-minded, the coach said.
Bzdelik on Beasley
Bzdelik on KSU freshman phenom Michael Beasley, the 6-10, 235-pound power forward who averages 24.6 points and 12.6 rebounds: “After having coached 18 years in the NBA, (I can say) Michael certainly is an NBA talent. In fact, I would encourage him to go pro before our game Wednesday.
“He scores in a variety of ways, he’s strong, he’s got great hands, he’s physical, just a real talented player.”
Footnotes
CU’s Bzdelik and Texas coach Rick Barnes reminisced before Saturday’s game about their days together as young assistants at Davidson in the late 1970s. “Those were great times,” Barnes said on the teleconference. “Jeff and me and (current Davidson coach) Bob McKillop were all just starting out in the coaching game. I learned a lot.” … The Big 12 is the only Division I conference with every men’s team still sporting a winning record. … CU senior forward Jackie McFarland moved into fourth place among all-time women’s scorers (1,634) and became only the third player in team history to record 900 rebounds (908). … The home team has won 13 of 17 men’s conference games thus far.
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
