The sprint to the NCAA basketball tournament is a race to victories. New Year’s Day pops off like a starting gun, then it’s a mad dash for the most wins. Get W’s when you can, while you can, and don’t look back.
To start, there are 15 teams in Division I at the head of the pack with at least 12 wins, including each of the top five ranked teams (Kansas, Texas, Kentucky, Purdue and Syracuse). Five other teams are in the top 25, and two more also are receiving votes in The Associated Press poll.
Of the 15 teams with a dozen wins, four are unranked. One of them is Northern Colorado, winning again and again under the radar.
On Saturday, the Bears (12-3) start the meat of their league schedule, traveling to Flagstaff, Ariz., to take on Northern Arizona (6-7) in a Big Sky matchup.
If UNC — a team tagged with the dismissive “mid-major” label — is to claw its way to March Madness, the Big Sky is its best route. Win the conference and they’re in.
“We talked this week and said, ‘Feel good about what you’ve done so far. But it really doesn’t mean anything. Because it’s always about what you do in league,’ ” UNC coach Tad Boyle said Thursday from Phoenix, en route to Flagstaff. “That’s how college basketball works.”
In its last three games, UNC has won by an average of 15.7 points, routing San Jose State and Denver in Greeley and topping TCU on the road.
“We’re not gonna change what we do on the court,” Boyle said. “But it’s more of a refocus we have to come to as a group.
“I like where our team is right now, mentally. We’re playing with a great deal of confidence.”
Impressively, UNC thus far has racked up wins on the road. In 15 games, they are 4-0 in Greeley.
“That’s been the most incredible part so far,” Boyle said. “But we’ve been really consistent defensively. We’ve gotten stops when we need stops. The thing that has allowed us to succeed early is our ability to pressure the ball.”
The Bears return home next week for two games in Greeley, against Weber State and Idaho State. Boyle said UNC will be prepared.
“We’ve got a tough group of guys.”
RIDING HIGH
Northern Colorado is off to one of the best starts in its 107-year history.
At home: 4-0. On the road: 8-3
Leaders: Scoring — Will Figures (15.7 points per game), Devon Beitzel (14.8). Rebounds — Mike Proctor (6.4).
Upcoming schedule
Saturday … at Northern Arizona … 6:35 p.m.
Jan. 7 … Weber State … 7 p.m.
Jan. 9 … Idaho State … 7 p.m.
Jan. 15 … at Portland State … 8 p.m.
Jan. 16 … at Eastern Washington … 8 p.m.
