The 5-seeded Colorado Buffaloes are headed back to the round of 32 for the first time since 2012, courtesy of a dominant 96-73 win over the 12-seed Georgetown Hoyas.
The Buffaloes punched their ticket to the second round with a spectacular performance from outside and incredible ball movement. They had more assists and made threes in the first half than the Hoyas had all game.
Jabari Walker led the way for the Buffaloes with 24 points on 9-10 shooting. He helped his team put up the most points they’ve scored in a single game all year.
Offensive Clinic
The Buffaloes’ first half of play, on both ends of the ball, was amazing. They more than doubled up the Hoyas on the scoreboard, entering halftime up 47-23.
With the score tied at 7 early, the Buffaloes began their show. They began with a 10-0 run that included Walker’s first 5 points.
Then came an 11-3 run that silenced the Hoyas offense for much of the rest of the half. Nine of those points came off of Walker’s hot hand. He was a perfect 4-4 from outside in the first half.
Walker then handed the reigns to D’Shawn Schwartz, who went on a personal 9-2 run to close out the half.
A Lopsided First Frame
The Buffaloes looked unstoppable for all 20 minutes of the first half. The team recorded 15 assists on 16 made field goals. Eight of which came from senior guard McKinley Wright IV. He alone doubled the Hoyas’ first-half assist total.
The team shot a blazing 68.8% from three, making 11 in just the first half. They did this all while playing stellar defense. They allowed the Hoyas to make just 1 three the entire first half. Not a single Hoya shot above 50% in the first half.
The Buffaloes Finish the Job
The second half was more of the same for the Buffaloes. Their lead never dropped back below 18 despite some push from the Hoyas.
All said and done, 4 different Hoyas were still able to finish in double digits in scoring. Sophomore center Qudus Wahab led the way for the Hoyas with a 20-point, 12-rebound double-double. Donald Carey added 17, coming mostly from the free-throw line.
The Buffaloes ended with 27 assists on 34 made baskets, indicative of their impeccable ball movement. They doubled the Hoyas’ in total, made threes, and shot more than 60% from the field.
Wright’s Outstanding performance
Wright finished with 13 assists, out assisting the Hoyas by himself.
“When McKinley [Wright] came off ball screens, they really made him play in a crowd, and didn’t let him score the ball, when that’s happened before at times this year, McKinley’s gotten frustrated,” Head Coach Tad Boyle said. “Tonight he didn’t, he just took what the defense gave him.”
Wright also added 12 points, and led the team in rebounding with five.
“We were shooting the ball so well that they were sticking with our shooters on the tags, and McKinley just played a really, really ‘heady’ game from a ball-screen read standpoint,” Boyle said. “He didn’t get frustrated with his lack of scoring, we want McKinley to be a scoring point guard, that’s what he is, but you’ve got to take what the defense gives you, and our guys did a really really good job of that tonight.”
Up Next
The Buffaloes will play in the round of 32 for the first time in 9 years. They will face off against 4-seed Florida State on Monday.
