The Oregon Ducks had started the Pac-12 season hot, winning their first five games. But in game six, they were no match for the Colorado Buffaloes. It was Dana Altman’s 13th game in Boulder, Colorado, as the coach of the Ducks, and it was his 12th loss.
Oregon was able to keep the game close for the first 30 minutes, but Colorado closed out the game well, going on a 10-2 scoring run to pull away. The Buffaloes were driven by their stars in the game, with 5-star freshman Cody Williams scoring 23 points and veteran guard KJ Simpson scoring 22.
Thursday’s loss was N’Faly Dante’s second game back from a long injury, and it was his first start. His conditioning is not what it needs to be to play the minutes the Ducks need him to. Oregon receives such a boost when Dante is on the floor, so getting in shape will be paramount for him.
Below are the rest of my instant reactions to Thursday’s loss.