BYU is aiming to snap a road skid while Colorado simply wants to win a game when the two Big 12 foes tangle on Tuesday night in Boulder, Colo.
The Cougars (11-6, 2-4) have not yet won a true road game this season. Saturday’s 73-72 overtime loss to archrival Utah dropped them to 0-4 on opposing teams’ floors. BYU’s lack of success has stemmed from an inability to close out games down the stretch.
In their road losses to the Utes and TCU, the Cougars squandered late leads. Against the Horned Frogs on Jan. 11, they did not score a field goal over the final three-plus minutes after Richie Saunders knocked down a go-ahead corner 3. Then, with BYU trailing by one against Utah, Trevin Knell missed the front end of a one-and-one with 6.2 seconds left in the extra period.
“We’ve got to learn how to win close games. We’re right there in all of these games and have had a chance to win,” BYU coach Kevin Young said. “I just told our club, you win and lose on the margins in close games. We’ve come up short too many times, and that’s disappointing.”
Colorado (9-8, 0-6) is still searching for its first league win since rejoining the Big 12 this season.
The Buffaloes need a win over BYU to avoid matching their longest losing streak since the 2016-17 season, when they dropped seven in a row in Pac-12 play. Colorado has struggled on defense against Big 12 opponents, holding only one below 70 points so far.
Things hit a low point in an 83-73 loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday when the foul-prone Buffaloes committed a season-high 29, leading to 42 free-throw attempts for the Cowboys. Copious fouls offset another solid effort from emerging star Bangot Dak, who led the Buffaloes in scoring for a second straight game with 15 points.
“Now, I hate losing. I don’t want to accept it,” Colorado coach Tad Boyle said. “I’m really disappointed that we’re at this point. But we’re at this point because of me and the decisions I’ve made. I’ve got to do a better job of coaching this group.”
Colorado leads the series with BYU 18-7. This is the first meeting between the two schools since 2016.
–Field Level Media
