Bu≠ s look better in running game

boulder » The Buffaloes will never be confused with some of the great run- andgun teams in the history of men’s college basketball.

Nevertheless, finding a way for his club to take better advantage of its transition opportunities was a focal point for Colorado coach Tad Boyle this week. That work seemingly paid dividends during the Buffs’ 71- 54win over Oregon State at the Coors Events Center on Wednesday night.

“We got out and ran better, I thought,” Boyle said. “Again, we got stops, butwe have to become a better finishing team in transition. We had opportunities to finish where we didn’t finish. … Simple, quick, easy decisions on the fast break — wehave tod o a better job of that.”

CU clearly was more aggressive in its attempts to push the tempo after defensive stops. The tone was set almost immediately, as a long rebound by Wes Gordon led to an outlet pass to Dom Collier, who found Josh Scott in transition for CU’s second basket of the Pac- 12 game.

While the Buffs didn’t score directly off fast breaks with more frequency, that aggression helped pave the way to 27 freethrow attempts.

“I think our transition gamewas better offensively in terms of putting pressure on them,” Boyle said. “And we got to the foul line.”

Gauging whistles. Boyle

expressed some consternation at the inconsistent, upanddown rate inwhich the Buffs have visited the foul line in recent weeks.

Through 13 nonconference games, CU averaged 26 free- throw attempts per game. Through the Buffs’ first three Pac- 12 games, that average dropped to 14.

“Every game is going to be a different game when it comes to that whistle, and we’ve got to figure it out,” Boyle said. “( Against Oregon State) we figured it out. I thought Josh and Wes finished better in the paint. ... If we continue to finish like that and get to the foul line, we’re going to be pretty good.”

The Buffs went 21- for- 27 at the line against Oregon State, increasing their league- leading percentage to .732.

Sultans of swat. Scott and Gordon completely controlled the paint against Oregon State, combining for 26 rebounds and nine blocked shots.

Both players continued their steady ascension on CU’s all- time charts.

Scott’s 12 rebounds put him at 857 for his career, just six behind fifth- place Jim Davis among the Buffs’ all- time leaders. Scott became just the fourth CU player to surpass 140 career blocks and is nine behind former teammate Andre Roberson for third place.

Gordon, who had six blocked shots against OSU, reached 40 blocks for the third consecutive season and needs just four more to surpass Poncho Hodges for the fifth- most in CU history.