Colorado has come too far not to "sweeten" the season in March Madness

Buffs need to step up and make history in the Pac-12's final year

CU Buffs

The night of the final Pac 12 conference game before the curtain closes found darling wife and your correspondent enjoying a wonderful seafood dinner and watching the Buffs tangle with Oregon in the post-season championship game.

This ol’ sports guy was trying to explain the role of the NCAA basketball tournament committee in the selection process.  “Why do they even have a committee given all the metrics.” Colorado Buffaloes fans are wondering the same thing. I think the Buffs got screwed being forced to participate in the “play in” game against Boise State.

Charles McClelland, chairman of the committee says, “I’ve been a part of this for a long time. This was without question the toughest selection process.” In defense of the committee, there were many upset winners in conference post-season tournaments that had the selection committee scrambling to figure it all out. 

Arizona was supposed to be the Pac 12 regular season and post-season champs. Purdue same thing in the Big Ten to name just two upsets ruining the best-laid plans of picking those moving on and participating in March Madness.

I’m scratching my head at the lack of respect the committee had for the Buffs strong finish down the stretch. Especially considering it was accomplished without two injured key players, Cody Williams and Julian Hammond. There’s nothing the Buffs can do about it now except be grateful to have the chance to prove the naysayers wrong.

Watching Colorado in its loss to Oregon? One thing is apparent. The Buffs are talented but not so talented they can be careless with the ball and not have a high level of intensity of the defensive end of the court. KJ Simpson and his teammates tried to force the action too many times with poor passing and, defensively, it seemed Oregon could do whatever it wanted because the Buffs lacked a “lock-down” mentality.

The Buffs are good but have to play their best to get past Boise State in the South Regional and make a run toward what would be a nice encore to an already record-setting year: Boyle and the Buffs first Sweet 16 appearance.

On the women’s side? Who knows what we’re getting with JR Payne’s talented but erratic squad. It started the season beating the defending national champions, rose to as high as #3 in the national polls and then staggered down the regular season stretch and underachieved in the Pac 12 post-season tournament.

Can the women find their way again? Payne’s team sits in the tournament’s Albany 2 Regional as a #5 seed but did not gain a first-round home game as wished. Much like the men’s team, the female Buffs have talent, enthusiasm and grit mirroring their outstanding coach. Fans of Colorado basketball have never had it better. This has been one of the best - if not best - seasons in Colorado’s 120+ years of competing on collegiate hardwoods. NEVER has the school had its women’s and men’s team make it to the Sweet 16.

We’ve have plenty of examples from impressive victories on each side. The talent and desire are quite sufficient enough. The mental side? Humm. It’s been hit and miss. The women’s loss at home in the final regular season game on senior day when the opponent rattles off the final 14 points? Head scratching.

The men’s team had several games like that consistently through the first 70% of its schedule before becoming one heart beat with the strong finish despite losing to Oregon in a lackluster effort in Las Vegas.Talent and desire can take folks a long way. But to evolve into championship caliber programs the Buffaloes women and men need to dig deep and tap into that reservoir of resolve displayed often this season. It now becomes a requirement. 

As Hall of Fame football coach Bill McCartney - an excellent basketball coach in his time - would snort, “No Daffy Duckin!” Here we go. Madness in March in the form of the chase for college basketball’s supremacy. Sweet 16 times two would be a wonderful way to put icing on the final Pac-12 season for Colorado.