Tim Miles discovered the ultimate benefit of being a head coach. His Colorado State men’s basketball team left Hawaii without him.
It wasn’t just any road trip. Miles was left to roam the beach at Waikiki on Wednesday with no company except the CSU radio crew. All three men missed the team flight back after Miles did his postgame show following Colorado State’s 67-53 loss to Buffalo late Tuesday night in the Rainbow Classic championship game.
As it was, Miles said the players and assistant coaches made it to their flight to the mainland 10 minutes before the gate closed.
There is no rest for the beach-weary. CSU planned to practice early today, with or without Miles, and the Rams (5-9) fly to Texas on Friday for Saturday’s Mountain West Conference opener at TCU.
Aside from the second half against Buffalo, CSU played as well or better than it had all season. The Rams knocked off host Hawaii 74-58 and defeated Vermont 82-76.
“It was a good bonding time. We found eight guys we can depend upon in the rotation,” Miles said by phone from the beach.
The timely shooting that delivered a title-game berth to CSU apparently stayed on the beach. The Rams hit only 33.9 percent from the field. Guard Marcus Walker, coming off the bench for the third straight game, led the Rams with 12 points and made the all-tournament team, as did Cory Higgins of fourth-place Colorado.
BUFFALO (8-4)
Watt 0-1 0-0 0, T.Robinson 2-6 1-2 5, Gamble 5-9 1-2 11, Pierce 6-14 5-5 17, Betts 3-9 0-1 7, A.Robinson 4-8 1-2 13, Smiley 0-1 0-0 0, Fedotov 1-2 0-0 2, Boyer 1-3 0-0 2, Alston 3-5 0-2 6, Boudreau 1-1 2-2 4. Totals 26-59 10-16 67.
COLORADO STATE (5-9)
McFarland 3-10 0-0 9, Ogide 3-6 0-0 6, Vandervieren 1-4 1-2 3, Carr 3-6 1-1 9, Gardner 2-8 0-0 5, Franklin 2-7 0-0 4, Walker 3-13 4-4 12, Nigon 2-2 0-2 5, Simmons 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-56 6-9 53.
Halftime — Tied 34-34. 3-point goals — Buffalo 5-17 (A.Robinson 4-6, Betts 1-6, Smiley 0-1, Boyer 0-1, Pierce 0-3), Colorado St. 9-25 (McFarland 3-6, Carr 2-5, Walker 2-9, Nigon 1-1, Gardner 1-4). Fouled out — Carr. Rebounds — Buffalo 42 (Alston, Pierce 7), Colorado St. 31 (Ogide 6). Assists — Buffalo 6 (Gamble, A.Robinson 2), Colorado St. 9 (Carr, Gardner, McFarland 2). Total fouls — Buffalo 13, Colorado St. 19. A — 5,664.
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
