The Colorado Buffaloes are running out of time to gain ground and improve their chances of getting an at-large spot in the NCAA Tournament.
After three straight losses, the Buffs defeated Oregon State and Utah in back-to-back games and are now hoping to make it three straight.
Next up is Oregon State on Tuesday night in Corvallis, and here are three keys to what should be a winnable game for Colorado.
1. Sustain the Momentum
The Buffs lost five of six and were looking like a lost cause. But, they got back on track against the Beavers and the Utes, and this is the perfect chance for Tad Boyle’s team to gain some more ground in the Pac-12.
After the Oregon State game, the Buffs face Cal, Stanford and Arizona State before facing Arizona and Utah to finish the regular season.
Can the Buffs keep up the momentum and make it a third straight victory?
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2. Don’t Play Down to Oregon State
Yes, Oregon State is 3-19 on the season and has just one victory in conference play. After making the Sweet 16 a year ago, it is hard to believe how bad this team is.
Still, the Buffs can’t take this game lightly, especially on the road. As we have seen this season time and time again, anything can happen on any given night. If the Buffs lose to Oregon State, their chances of sneaking into the Field of 68 are gone.
3. Thin Bench Means Stay Out of Foul Trouble
The absence of both Elijah Parquet and Lawson Lovering has hurt this team in a lot of ways. The bench just keeps dissipating, and Boyle used a total of eight players against Utah the last time out.
This team has essentially gone to a six-man rotation, and staying out of foul trouble is more imperative than ever. The good news is that even if they do get into foul trouble, they are still playing an OSU team with plenty of problems of its own.
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