Colorado
2-2
Alcorn State
0-4
Boyle Sends Message In Runaway Buffs Win
November 23, 2010 | Men's Basketball, B.G. Brooks
BOULDER - Alec Burks was fresh off a career-high, 29-point performance, Cory Higgins was set to make his 98th consecutive start at Colorado.
Tad Boyle is as much a numbers guy as any basketball coach, but he's more focused on the big picture. And from his first CU team, this is what he was seeing: Uninspired defense, critical breakdowns and weak board work that were costing the Buffaloes.
The message to his players in the wake of their painful overtime loss at San Francisco was simple and direct: The five who play the best defense reap the rewards. Burks and Higgins, the team's two top scorers, weren't among that fivesome - and they didn't start Tuesday night in CU's 91-51 blowout of Alcorn State at the Coors Events Center.
"Coach said the best defensive players were going to play . . . he stuck to his word and I respect that," Burks said.
Boyle called the starting lineup "irrelevant." Of more relevance, though, is "where this program's identity needs to come from - defend and rebound . . . I said it when I took the job and you'll get sick of hearing me say it."
Making Burks and Higgins short-term spectators, said Boyle, wasn't as much a punishment for them as a reward for the players whose defensive play against USF graded out higher. So Boyle started Shannon Sharpe, Nate Tomlinson, Levi Knutson, Austin Dufault and Marcus Relphorde - with Burks and Higgins watching.
"I don't look at it like they didn't start, I look at it like the other guys did," said Boyle, who admitted he was "an emotional coach" after the loss at USF and that he had to "stick to his guns" in starting the five best defenders.
Higgins, who had started every game of his CU career, said his streak was an accomplishment he was "proud of - but it's always team first. I'm not going to sit here and say it didn't bother me, but it's over now."
Boyle was aware of the streak and said he had spoken to Higgins about it: "Cory is a team guy, a guy concerned about the program. I was aware of it, it wasn't something I took lightly. I was proud of the way he handled it. I want this season to be special for our seniors."
Burks believed he "proved to (Boyle) I could play defense. He told me after game I played good defense. I feel like I did what I had to do. I just did what the coach said, and we got the win - that's all that matters."
Their brief absences at the beginning of each half didn't matter that much. The Buffs breezed past the Braves, leading by as many as 43 points in the final 1:02 and evening their record at 2-2 while dealing the visitors their fourth consecutive loss.
For Boyle, the 'W' was important, but the message that was delivered might have been just as vital. The Buffs' close losses at Georgia (83-74) and San Francisco (83-81, overtime) were winnable games that might have turned CU's way with a critical stop or two.
"We didn't do the things down the stretch to win those games," Boyle said. "Consistency is what's been lacking . . . it's about how we approach the game - how we prepare, play and produce."
Burks (29) and Higgins (28) had combined for over half of the Buffs' total at USF and returned to Boulder averaging 23.3 and 19.7 points, respectively. But rather than the points they scored, Boyle was concerned with those allowed.
Higgins entered the game at 16:04 when Sharpe picked up his second foul. Burks stayed on the bench for another 31/2 minutes, but when he stepped onto the court the Buffs began making their move at an opportune time.
Alcorn State, beaten 103-48 six nights ago at Purdue, had taken its only lead (10-8) on a three-pointer by Marquiz Baker with 14:27 left in the half.
From there, it was all Burks, all Buffs, all the time.
In his first 64 seconds on the court, he contributed a three-point play, forced a five-second call and followed that with another field goal. That Burks burst keyed a 20-0 run that enabled CU to take a 28-10 lead that only grew as the half unfolded.
While the Buffs were shooting 50 percent (16-of-32) from the field in the first half, they held the Braves to 32.1 percent (9-of-28) and bolted to leads of 23, 25 and 28 points in the half's final 4 minutes. At intermission CU led 49-27, and the Burks-Higgins duo appeared to have worked its way back into Boyle's good graces.
Burks' 13 minutes of duty netted 18 points, while Higgins scored eight points in his 14 first-half minutes.
Boyle started the same lineup to open the second half; Higgins and Burks reentered the game at 16:03 with the Buffs up 58-29.
And once again, Burks hit the court smoking. He dunked off a fast break within the first 21 seconds to hit 20 points - his fourth straight 20-point effort. He finished with 22, while Higgins added 16, Relphorde 15 and Dufault 10.
"I think the way our team responded to the situation on Saturday night was good," Boyle said. "Before the game I didn't know . . . but I was proud of them."
CU held Alcorn to 28.1 percent field goal shooting, outrebounded the visitors 50-36 and had 19 assists on 32 field goals - all numbers that pleased Boyle.
The Buffs play at Harvard on Sunday afternoon, then return to the Events Center on Nov. 30 (7 p.m.) to play Texas-Pan American and begin a five-game home stand.
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
