The Buffs walk down the court ready to take on the Cal Bears. March 11, 2021 (Casey Paul / CU Independent)
After attaining a 14-6 conference record and riding a four-game win streak, the third-seeded No. 23 University of Colorado men’s basketball team continued its recent momentum in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 tournament Thursday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Entering the match against the 11-seeded Cal Golden Bears, who upset the five-seeded Stanford Cardinal just a day before, the Buffs didn’t play their best but came away with a 61-58 victory. Up next, Colorado will face the two-seeded USC Trojans on Friday at 9:30 p.m. MST.
Exactly one week since CU last played on March 4 against Arizona State, the Buffs opened the game 0-for-6 from the field. Although Cal had an unimpressive 3-17 conference record entering the game, they had a slight lead over the Buffs throughout the majority of the first half. Each team shot below 35% in the first 20 minutes. Just before the half, CU finally pulled ahead and hit the locker room with a 24-20 lead.
Indicative of the low score, neither team could shoot the ball well from deep in the first half. Colorado was just 1-of-6 from three while Cal was slightly better, making 3-of-12. Despite an overall poor shooting first half, CU displayed its nation-leading free throw shooting and hit 7-of-7.
Senior forward Dallas Walton impressed in the first half with nine points. He was held scoreless in the second half, however, but it was his highest-scoring game since he scored 12 against Oregon State on Feb. 8. Head coach Tad Boyle said two of Walton’s first-half shots were critical when no other Buff found much success.
“I thought Dallas (was) terrific in that first half,” Boyle said. “He kind of kept us in the game and hit the three and then hit a 15-foot jump shot.”
CU held its lead throughout the second half and staved off a late 10-1 Cal run to ultimately come away with the win. The Buffs shot a solid 50% in the second half and while it wasn’t CU’s best all-around game of the season, it got the job done for the night.
Junior forward Evan Battey elevates the ball towards the basket and scores for the Buffs during the first half of play against the Cal Bears. March 11, 2021 (Casey Paul / CU Independent)
Junior guard Eli Parquet and his stellar defense were critical against Cal’s junior guard Matt Bradley, who came into the game averaging over 18 points. Bradley was held scoreless in the first half and would finish with 10 points after fouling out with just over three minutes left in the game. Boyle commended his lockdown Pac-12 First-Team All-Defensive player.
“Eli was terrific and did an unbelievable job,” Boyle said.
Junior Evan Battey drove the offense in the second half and finished with a team-leading 15 points to go with five rebounds.
As CU looks ahead to USC in the Pac-12 semifinals, Battey said it will be a challenge to knock off the Trojans once more but something the Buffs are capable of to reach the Pac-12 title game.
“We’re not satisfied,” Battey said. “We know we have a talented (USC) team tomorrow, (a) talented, good, well-coached team. We’re going to be prepared and try to win that game.”
Colorado looks to take down the two-seeded USC Trojans on Friday at 9:30 p.m. MST in the semifinals of the Pac-12 Tournament.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Logan Standard at lost6888@colorado.edu.
