Battered Utah still a test for CU
Utes’ length presents big problems
Colorado may or may not see old friend Lawson Lovering in action. The Buffaloes also might not have to worry about slowing Rollie Worster, one of the top assists leaders in the Pac-12.
Yet what the CU men’s basketball team undoubtedly will encounter on Saturday is a formidable Utah Utes team that, much like the Buffs, has been stellar at home. Despite the ups and downs that marked the first half of conference play for CU, the Buffs will have an opportunity to pick up what would be a critical road win in a Saturday afternoon showdown at the Huntsman Center.
Lovering, who spent two years at CU and started 34 games for the Buffs last season, has missed the past four games due to an injury. Worster, who ranks third in the Pac-12 with 5.5 assists per game, has missed the past five.
“It’s similar to our approach with Washington State. We know they’re going to be a tough team and they’re going to be ready to play. Well coached,” CU guard KJ Simpson said. “They run a lot of sets with a lot of great shooters on their team. We’ve just got to be the aggressor.”
Lovering has filled a similar role with the Utes as he did last season at CU, with remarkably similar stats. In his 34 starts with the Buffs last year, Lovering averaged 4.9 points and 4.7 rebounds in 22.9 minutes per game. He finished with a .554 field goal percentage and a .421 mark at the free throw line.
Lovering has been a little more efficient with the Utes, starting the first 17 games before getting sidelined by injury. In an average of 18.7 minutes, Lovering has averaged 7.2 points and 4.5 rebounds, shooting .556 from the
floor and also .556 at the free throw line.
Whether Lovering plays against his former team remains to be seen, yet with or without Lovering the Utes are among the bigger teams in the Pac-12, with a front line featuring 7-foot Branden Carlson and 6-foot-8 Keba Keita. The Utes also boast big guards like Washington transfer Cole Bajema (6-7), Gabe Madsen (66), and, if he plays, Worster (6-4).
“He doesn’t really do anything different than he did with us, so we know his game,” CU’S J’vonne Hadley said of Lovering. “He’s a strong, heavy right hand. So we just have to know the scout. Not just with him, but with those other key guys like Madsen and Carlson and stuff like that. So we’ve just got to really lock-in and know the scout.”
CU checked in at No. 31 in Friday’s NET rankings, and the matchup at Utah presents a possible resumebuilder for the Buffs, who have a 1-3 mark in Quad 1 games (the lone win was last week’s victory at Washington, which was at No. 72 in Friday’s NET; It will remain a Quad 1 game as long as UW doesn’t fall below No. 75).
Utah was at No. 34 in Friday’s NET, and the Utes are 11-0 at home. Although CU picked up its first road win of the season last week at Washington, the subsequent loss at Washington State left the Buffs with a 1-5 mark in true road games with a 3-14 record in true road games since the start of last season.
“We’ve just got to go in and defend and rebound, because they are a very good home team,” CU guard Julian Hammond III said.
“They’re a very good offensive rebounding team, they shoot the ball well. We know their personnel. They know ours. It’s just a matter of executing on the road.”