BOULDER — Fans might call senior guard Levi Knutson and freshman forward Andre Roberson “Instant Energy” or perhaps just Colorado’s “Super Subs.”
CU coach Tad Boyle isn’t much into nicknames or labels. He just wonders if anybody anywhere has a more productive pair coming off the bench.
“If there is a better sixth man in the country than Levi, I want to see him,” Boyle said. “And Andre has a nose for the ball on the boards that you can’t coach and can’t teach.
“Those two guys are a big reason why this team is where we’re at. They give us a great punch off the bench.”
Colorado (13-4, 2-0 Big 12) may need the duo’s usual spark today against an Oklahoma State squad (13-3, 1-1) ready to rebound from an ugly 71-48 loss at Texas A&M on Wednesday night. The Cowboys have wins over DePaul, Tulsa, Alabama, Stanford and Kansas State, among others.
CU coaches can just about count on big efforts in every game from Knutson and Roberson (pronounced Robb-err-son). In front of a hostile crowd of 12,528 at Manhattan, Kan., their contributions took center stage Wednesday night in Colorado’s 74-66 victory over No. 21 Kansas State. Knutson came off the bench firing 3-pointers, finishing with a career-best six treys (in eight attempts) and a team-high 20 points — his career best for a Big 12 game.
In just 23 minutes, Roberson grabbed a game-high nine rebounds, including five at the offensive end. He also added nine points (4-of-5).
In all games, Knutson, a former Colorado “Mr. Basketball” at Arapahoe High, tops the Big 12 in 3-point accuracy (.532) by a wide margin (next best: Missouri’s Marcus Denmon at .505). Knutson contributes 12 points a game to a frenetic CU offense that is second in the Big 12 with 84.4 points per game.
Playing 24 minutes per game, Knutson also is knocking down 90 percent of his free throws. Sports computer stats expert Ken Pomeroy calculated that Knutson ranks first nationally in offensive rating in a complex formula that measures points per 100 possessions.
“Whether it’s coming off the bench or starting, I feel that my role doesn’t change,” Knutson said Friday. “I’m going to do the same things to try to contribute.”
Roberson averages 7.5 rebounds in just 20 minutes per game. His rebounding pace projects to 13.1 rebounds for 35 minutes on the court. According to CU, the San Antonio native ranks ninth in rebounding among the nation’s freshmen. The eight ahead of him are starters.
“I want to give them a boost coming off the bench, a big spark,” Roberson said. “Especially if our team is down, it makes me want to go in there and work harder.”
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
