BOULDER — When Tad Boyle arrived on Colorado’s campus and promised up-tempo basketball with an emphasis on defense and rebounding, there’s no doubt he envisioned games like this.
Colorado won for the first time in the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series on Saturday night, a resounding 83-57 victory over Oregon State at the Coors Events Center.
It was a game a coach could love.
“I wish I knew we were going to play this well before the game started,” Boyle said. “I could have saved myself a lot of angst. . . . I was obviously very pleased with our overall team effort.”
Almost everything looked effortless. The Buffs moved the basketball with purpose and precision against an aggressive 1-3-1 trapping zone defense in half-court sets. The result of that was open looks, and Colorado made good on many of them, particularly from the 3-point line, where the Buffs hit eight. Levi Knutson knocked down six treys.
“It was a good test for us, playing a team from a big conference like Oregon State,” Knutson said. “We were looking to see where we were tonight. . . . We came out ready to go in the first half.”
Defensively, Colorado suffocated the Beavers, who shot 38.9 percent from the field. With 11:58 left in the game, Colorado was up 22 points. The Buffs’ defense forced 17 turnovers.
“Guys are starting to buy in,” Boyle said. “I can sense it, can see it.”
The Buffs took control of the game in the first half. They quickly solved the Oregon State zone trap and stretched the lead out beyond OSU’s ability to get the game back under control.
Colorado was successful without a heavy contribution from Alec Burks. Burks did finish with 15 points, but he had just seven in the first half before being saddled with two fouls.
Knutson was the scoring star for the Buffs with a career-high 22 points. Austin Dufault and Marcus Relphorde added 12.
“We’re not there yet; this is one game,” Boyle said. “But I just sense that our guys are really starting to buy into the idea that if we stop people, we give ourselves a chance.”
OREGON STATE (3-4)
Johnson 2-6 0-0 4, Collier 0-1 0-0 0, Burton 5-8 0-2 10, Cunningham 5-11 4-5 16, Starks 0-4 0-0 0, McShane 0-0 0-0 0, Brown 2-6 1-2 5, Brandt 1-3 3-4 6, Murphy 0-1 0-0 0, Moreland 0-0 0-0 0, Haynes 1-5 0-0 2, Deane 0-2 0-2 0, Wallace 5-7 4-6 14, Jones 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-54 12-21 57.
COLORADO (4-3)
Dufault 5-7 2-2 12, Relphorde 6-12 0-0 12, Burks 7-12 0-0 15, Higgins 2-6 4-4 9, Knutson 8-10 0-0 22, Tomlinson 0-2 0-0 0, Sharpe 0-1 0-2 0, Coney 0-0 0-0 0, Roberson 4-5 1-1 9, Mills 1-2 0-0 2, Eckloff 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 34-58 7-9 83.
Halftime — Colorado 37-18. 3-point goals — Oregon St. 3-14 (Cunningham 2-6, Brandt 1-1, Johnson 0-1, Wallace 0-1, Murphy 0-1, Starks 0-2, Haynes 0-2), Colorado 8-23 (Knutson 6-8, Burks 1-4, Higgins 1-4, Roberson 0-1, Dufault 0-1, Sharpe 0-1, Relphorde 0-2, Tomlinson 0-2). Fouled out — Roberson. Rebounds — Oregon St. 30 (Johnson 8), Colorado 33 (Relphorde, Roberson 6). Assists — Oregon St. 9 (Burton 4), Colorado 20 (Relphorde 8). Total fouls — Oregon St. 15, Colorado 17. A — 6,363.
Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com
