Buffs salvage weekend with landmark victory
KJ Simpson’s career day led the Buffs to a signature win Sunday afternoon
(Photo By Kimmy Locke/The Bold)
BOULDER–The CU Buffs split their two games this weekend, but not in the way anyone expected.
The Buffs followed up an uninspiring loss on Friday night against Grambling State with a huge victory Sunday afternoon at the Bridgestone Arena, defeating No. 11 Tennessee 78-66.
The win is the Buffs’ first victory over a ranked team away from Boulder in three years, and one they desperately needed after Friday night’s lousy performance.
The loss against the Tigers was enough for head coach Tad Boyle to drastically shuffle the starting lineup for Sunday’s bout with the Vols. Luke O’Brien, Jalen Gabbidon, Ethan Wright, and Javon Ruffin all got their first start in the black and gold in Nashville, while KJ Simpson, Nique Clifford, Tristian da Silva, and J’Vonne Hadley came off the bench. Sophomore big Lawson Lovering continued to anchor the middle for CU.
“I just felt like we had to send a message to the guys that start the game, that they have a responsibility to bring energy and be ready to roll,” Boyle said. “It was also a message to those guys on the bench that hey, you better be ready.”
Right from the opening tip Sunday, it was clear that the Buffs had a sense of urgency that they were missing in the loss to Grambling State. Colorado was flying around on defense, playing with active hands, and attacking the paint on offense to generate quality looks.
The Vols took a two point lead into halftime, but stayed afloat in the opening 20 minutes primarily from the free throw line, knocking down 17 of their 21 shots from the charity stripe in the first half. They were bothered by the Buffs’ activity on defense, as CU defenders repeatedly cut off drives and were disruptive in passing lanes.
In the second half, sophomore guard KJ Simpson took over.
The Buffs’ point man finished with 23 points (15 in the second half) and 10 boards – both career highs. He repeatedly probed into the paint for easy buckets and even knocked down a few shots from the outside.
“Today was about Colorado, and (Simpson) was terrific,” Boyle said. “KJ I thought really took the game in his own hands down the stretch there and really controlled the tempo. The 23 points, he’ll have other nights like that for sure, but the 10 rebounds were fantastic.”
Yale transfer Jalen Gabbidon showcased the defensive prowess that earned him the 2019-20 Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year as he was able to make life difficult for Vols star guard Santiago Vescovi throughout Sunday’s contest. The star Uruguayan finished just 2-13 from the floor and turned the ball over four times.
Overall, the Buffs were able to hold an experienced Vols group to just over 25% shooting from the floor, and they neutralized their size disadvantage by winning the battle on the glass by nine. Astoundingly, Tennessee made just six two-point field goals the entire night.
The win is certainly one that will sparkle on the Buffs’ resume come tournament time in March. It bumps them up to 2-1, and they will get a chance for their third victory of the season when they square off against UMass on Thursday, Nov. 17 at the Myrtle Beach Invitational.
