ROCKY TOP BOUND

Buffs’ surprise Tennessee trip

For a few moments, Tad Boyle admitted to having NCAA Tournament flashbacks. A highly- ranked opponent no one saw coming suddenly was on Colorado’s schedule, and it was time to cram for a big- time showdown.

Yet when Boyle arrived at his office Saturday, ready for a coffee- fueled study session breaking down film of Tennessee, 2020 tapped CU’s head coach on the shoulder. There was no current film on Tennessee while his own club hardly is in midseason form, let alone postseason form, after COVID- 19 concerns shut down the CU program last week and scuttled the first two Pac- 12 Conference games.

Nevertheless, the Buffs’ wild week- plus run will end Tuesday, presumably, as the Buffs get an unexpected gauge as to how they stack up against top national competition in a rare visit to 12th- ranked Tennessee.

The Buffs have not played since a Nov. 27 win at Kansas State, shutting down for two days last week amid a second positive coronavirus test within the program. The first of those positive tests was incurred by senior D’Shawn Schwartz on Nov. 25 prior to an opening night win against South Dakota.

While Boyle said he expects Schwartz to return to the rotation in Knoxville, he also said he expects his team to remain shorthanded for the third time in as many games.

Tennessee, meanwhile, will be playing its delayed season opener after shutting down during the preseason and extending the hiatus on Nov. 24, costing the Volunteers their first four games in a run that included dates against Gonzaga and Notre Dame. On Monday, Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said it would be without sophomore reserve Drew Pember and prized freshman forward Corey Walker against CU.

The game is CU’s third scheduled Dec. 8 matchup in less than a week, following the postponing of originally planned foe Colorado State and canceling a matchup against replacement foe Colorado Mines. After its shutdown, Tennessee was scheduled to open the season Wednesday against UT- Martin, but when UT- Martin was unable to play, the Volunteers quickly pivoted to the Buffs.

“Rick Barnes has been around for a long, long time,” Boyle said. “We tried as best to prepare for what we think they’re going to run offensively, what we think they’re going to do defensively, and then obviously their personnel.

“The great thing about the internet is it used to be with a freshman or a transfer, you didn’t have film on him. Now we have film on everybody that’s on their team. Now, they may not be in a Tennessee uniform, but we can at least see what they’ve done and get some information on them.”