In head coach Ricardo Patton’s last game at the Coors Events Center, the CU men’s basketball team beat arch-rival Nebraska on Saturday, 73-69.
Freshman Kal Bay hit a huge three-pointer in the closing seconds of the game to help the Buffs seal a victory over the Cornhuskers. It was Bay’s only 3-point basket for the game.
“He was trailing and we were attacking the paint and were able to pitch it out to him. It was certainly a huge shot for a freshman to knock down,” Patton said.
Saturday’s game also marked the final home game for senior Dominique Coleman. Coleman finished the game with 15 points and 15 rebounds. After the game, Coleman said he wasn’t emotional about his final game at the Coors Events Center.
“I really didn’t have those emotions going in the game. I believe I got more basketball left in me, so I wasn’t really caught up in the emotions before the game,” Coleman said.
Buffs’ freshman Xavier Silas was ejected with 8:22 left to play in the first half after a scuffle with Nebraska’s Ryan Anderson. Silas was three of four with seven points before being ejected. Anderson was also ejected from the game.
Official Larry Rose declined to comment after the game about the incident between the two players, so the Buffs will have to wait to hear from the Big 12 Conference about Silas’ scuffle with Anderson.
The Buffs were down by four points at halftime, but managed to grab a 10-point lead in the second half. But, with a minute left to play in the game, Nebraska came within one point of the Buffs.
CU managed to shoot 45.3 percent from the field for the game, which is a little above its average of 41.5 percent. The Buffs also shot 25 percent from downtown and 77.8 percent from the free-throw line.
Junior Richard Roby led the Buffs with 23 points, shooting seven of 14 from the field. He also grabbed four rebounds against the Cornhuskers. Roby talked about the win and the upcoming Big 12 Championship after the game.
“I’m just happy we went out with a win. I feel we’re going in the Big 12 and teams are not going to want to play us,” Roby said.
Coach Patton was honored before and after the game by CU, but he was more concerned about getting the win than the festivities tied to his last game.
“I had hoped that the game was not lost in the festivities. I thought our guys played till the end and did a nice job. I am certainly proud of those guys,” Patton said.
Patton also talked about his emotions throughout the course of the game.
“I actually only got emotional one time during one of the timeouts when I started to scream at the guys about just playing for one another and loving the game and not squandering the gift,” Patton said.
Patton added one more victory on Saturday to give him 184 career wins, which ranks second overall on the CU all-time coaching list.
The Buffs improve to 7-19 overall and 3-13 in the Big 12 Conference. The team will play in the Big 12 Championship in Oklahoma City, Okla. on March 8.