No. 2 Arizona, which has clinched the Big 12 regular-season title, will try to guard against a letdown at Boulder, Colo., on Saturday night when the Wildcats play the Buffaloes.
Colorado (17-13, 7-10 Big 12) has won three of its past four games, with the victories coming against lower-tier Big 12 teams Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Utah.
Arizona (28-2, 15-2) has won five consecutive games, including victories against ranked opponents BYU, Houston, Kansas and Iowa State.
“We are excited to play at Colorado,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said. “I’ve went up there with a good team before and got smacked. I know how tough it is to play there, so trust me, it’s got my full attention.
“Obviously after that we get a few days off, and then we’ll see how that Big 12 tournament shakes out. So that’s kind of next on the horizon, that’ll be our focus.”
In Lloyd’s first season at Arizona in 2021-22, the Wildcats were ranked No. 2 when they lost 79-63 in Boulder.
Colorado will play for positioning in next week’s Big 12 tournament, which it will need to win to earn an NCAA Tournament berth.
The Buffaloes, 13-4 at home this season, will celebrate Senior Night.
They rely heavily on the scoring of freshman guard Isaiah Johnson, who averages 16.6 points per game.
A freshman counterpart at Arizona, Brayden Burries, leads the Wildcats at 15.5 points a game.
The interior length of Colorado’s Sebastian Rancik (6-foot-11, 220 pounds) and Bangot Dak (7 feet, 203) will go against Arizona’s frontcourt of Motiejus Krivas (7-2 and 260) and Tobe Awaka (6-8, 255).
The Wildcats lead the Big 12 in rebounding at 43.2 a game while Colorado is 13th at 34.4.
Awaka averages 9.6 rebounds a game and Krivas 8.2. Dak is at 6.5 a game and Rancik 5.6.
“Arizona is very good, well-coached, and they play hard,” Colorado coach Tad Boyle said. “Our execution has to be better. We can’t give away possessions on offense and fail to rebound on defense. The possession is never over until you get that board.”
Dak achieved his fifth career double-double with a career-high 22 points and 10 rebounds in the Buffaloes’ 92-78 win at Utah on Tuesday.
Johnson also had 22 points, putting him at 498 points, 14 from Alec Burks’ Colorado freshman scoring record set in 2009-10.
Reserve center Elijah Malone is the lone Colorado senior who will be honored on Senior Night.
Arizona celebrated its seniors on Monday during its last home game of the season, a 73-57 win over No. 6 Iowa State.
Awaka was one of the seniors honored, as well as Jaden Bradley, Anthony Dell’Orso, Evan Nelson and Jackson Francois.
Awaka mentioned Arizona will stay focused while preparing to face Colorado after a net-cutting celebration for the Big 12 regular-season title following the victory over the Cyclones.
“Obviously, we get a ring, we get to cut nets down, we get to do it on our home floor, but don’t get drunk off the feeling,” Awaka said. “You still want the big one, but this is one of the milestones you’ve been looking forward to since the beginning of the season.
“I think we should give ourselves a pat on the back, but don’t get stuck in the moment.”
–Field Level Media
