Men’s basketball prepares for final home game
As a team, the Colorado Buffaloes are preparing for Saturday’s game against the Iowa State Cyclones in Boulder as if it were just another game. But the Buffs’ seniors are preparing for the Cyclones in a special way because its their last.
The Buffs’ three seniors, guard Marcus Hall and forwards Richard Roby and Marcus King-Stockton, will all be playing their last basketball game wearing black and gold inside the Coors Events Center.
Hall said Saturday’s game against the Cyclones carries with it extra meaning for him as his last home game as a Buff.
“I imagine it will be a little more emotional than I expect,” Hall said. “It will be a special night and hopefully we can just get a win.”
The graduating point guard said he has been through a lot playing for CU and that he hopes he left his mark on the school.
“There have been plenty of highs and plenty of lows,” Hall said. “Through it all I think I had a pretty productive career and I just want the fans and the people around here to remember me as someone who worked hard.”
Roby said he does not know what to expect from Saturday, but that he has enjoyed his time at CU and tried to give everything he had to help the team win.
“I have no regrets,” Roby said. “I left it all out there, and I think Colorado got more than they expected out of me in my four years here. That’s all I can do.”
King-Stockton said he has not been thinking about what the atmosphere will be like at Saturday’s game and that he expects it won’t hit him until he steps on the court for the last time.
In a swirl of confusing feelings and unforeseeable reactions, one thing is for sure when the Buffs do step on the court Saturday – they will have a basketball game to play.
The Cyclones defeated the Buffs on Jan. 29, 57-41. The Buffs’ 41-point performance against the Cyclones is their lowest total thus far this season.
Head coach Jeff Bzdelik said the Buffs have struggled on offense all season because of a limited number of scoring threats on the roster.
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“Here’s the truth,” Bzdelik said. “The truth is we’re not a good offensive team. We’re playing three and a half guys against five, we’ve been doing it all year. That’s the truth.”
Bzdelik compared his team’s offense to a western movie he watched when he was unable to sleep several nights ago.
“There’s a gunfight in the dirt street,” Bzdelik said. “This one gunfighter has a six-shooter filled with six rounds. The other guy only has three rounds. Guess who got killed.”
The head coach said though there may be a lack of offensive weapons, there is no lack of effort on his basketball team, particularly on the defensive end.
“They’re playing hard,” Bzdelik said. “We’re just falling short on our ability to score the ball.”
The Buffs have held both Baylor and Kansas, the top two teams in scoring in the Big 12 with averages of 81.3 and 78.2 points per game respectively, to under 70 points this season.
Though the 10-17 Buffs have struggled this season, having lost their last four games, Hall said the team still remains confident they can finish the season on a high note and believe they can get a win against Iowa State.
“I think that we can beat them,” Hall said. “We had them at their place and we gave up a double digit lead in the second half.”
Saturday’s last home game begins at 4:04 p.m. MST.
A short ceremony will be held after the game in honor of the Buffs’ three seniors.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Brad Cochi at Bradley.Cochi@thecampuspress.com.
