By: Neill Woelk, Contributing Editor
BOULDER — D'Shawn Schwartz and McKinley Wright IV each scored 19 points and Tyler Bey recorded his 16th double-double of the season Tuesday night to lead the Buffs to a 78-73 win over Dayton in a first-round NIT game at the CU Events Center.
Bey had 14 points and 12 rebounds in the game and Schwartz had two 3-pointers in a decisive 8-0 Colorado run down the stretch as the Buffs won their 11th game in their last 14 outings to improve to 22-12.
CU will now face the winner of Wednesday night's Alabama-Norfolk State game in the NIT second round.
Tuesday's game was a see-saw affair that featured 18 lead changes and 10 ties, with the Buffs trailing by as much as eight in the first half and by seven early in the second half. But Colorado finally took the lead for good with 6:26 to go on a Daylen Kountz baseline drive and dunk, then extended the cushion to 74-65 with an 8-0 run that Schwartz capped with his fifth 3-pointer of the game.
Schwartz shot 7-for-13 from the field, including a 5-for-8 night from behind the international 3-point line used for NIT games. Wright had nine assists to go with his 19 points while Bey had 10 points and 11 rebounds before halftime.
Bey left the game for several minutes in the second half with a lower leg injury, but returned late in the game to help the Buffs down the stretch.
Obi Toppin led Dayton with 21 points. The Flyers shot 54.5 percent from the field (30-for-55) while CU shot just 44.3 percent (27-for-61). Colorado, however, hit 16 of 18 free throws and had a 34-29 edge on the boards for an 11-4 edge on second-chance points.
"That was a high-level basketball game," CU head coach Tad Boyle said. "The people that came tonight and saw that in person left saying 'We saw two good college basketball teams.' … Great win. Great team win."
HOW IT HAPPENED: The Buffs spent much of their night withstanding Dayton runs that were fueled by their hot shooting. The Flyers led by eight early, 23-15, before Colorado came back to take a 37-35 lead at the half; and by seven early in the second half, 50-43, after a 7-0 run.
But each time, the Buffs had an answer. Dayton's last lead came with 6:45 to go when a long 3-pointer gave the Flyers a 63-62 edge.
Kountz, however, delivered a big baseline drive and dunk on CU's next trip down the floor and the Buffs never trailed again.
"I love it when he drives the ball because he drives with aggressiveness, he drives with confidence and he drives to put the ball in the basket," Boyle said. "He puts pressure on defenses off the bounce and when he's got room like that, he'll go up and punch it."
The Flyers managed to stay within striking range for the next minute, trading baskets with Colorado before the Buffs finally put the game away with an 8-0 run. Schwartz started the surge with a 3-pointer before Wright drove the lane for a bucket. Schwartz finished the run with another long trey, and with 2:08 remaining, Colorado had a 74-65 cushion.
"Our guys responded," Boyle said. "I thought McKinley Wright kind of took over offensively there midway through the second half. Big-time players do that. He made some really good ball screen reads, got D'Shawn some open looks. D'Shawn obviously likes the international three better than he likes the college three."
Colorado fell behind early and trailed by as much as eight in the first half, 23-15, after the Flyers hit 10 of their first 13 field goals.
But the Buffs slowly chipped away at the lead, finally putting together a 10-0 run to turn a 30-23 deficit into a 33-30 lead with 2:18 to go. Bey, who had 10 points and 11 rebounds before half, started the run with two free throws, Schwartz added a 3-pointer and Alexander Strating scored five points in the run.
Dayton finally ended the run with three points from Toppin before Colorado added four more points and the Flyers got a bucket just before the buzzer to send CU into the locker room with a 37-35 lead.
BEY INJURY: After an outstanding first half, Bey left the game with an injury at the 12:11 mark of the second half after getting tangled up under the basket. He went to the locker room for an examination and returned to the bench several minutes later, and checked back into the game with 5:23 remaining.
"He had some pain in his knee, (but) obviously doctors felt like it was stable enough to go back in," Boyle said. "I know his ankle was hurting at the end. He'll get in the training room tonight, get there tomorrow."
KEY MINUTES FROM STRATING: CU sophomore Alex Strating continues to provide key minutes off the bench for the Buffs. The 6-foot-7 forward played just 10 minutes Tuesday, but finished with five points, three rebounds and a steal, all coming in Colorado's 10-0 first half run.
"That's just who he is," Boyle said. "He's always in the right spot. Guys like that are invaluable to your team and Alex puts the team first. He truly does. A lot of people say they do, but when they don't have a good game or they don't play a lot, their heads go down, they feel sorry for themselves. Alex doesn't do that. He just comes to work next day and says, 'How am I going to make myself better, how am I going to make the team better."
WHAT IT MEANS: The Buffs' season will last at least one more game, meaning more valuable postseason experience for a young team that will have every player back next year.
KEY STATISTICS: Colorado hit 16 of 18 free throws while the Flyers were 8-for-11. Colorado also had a 34-29 rebound edge that led to an 11-4 edge in second-chance points.
QUOTEWORTHY: "I told our guys bad teams aren't playing anymore. The only ones playing left in whatever tournament you are talking about are good basketball teams." — CU head coach Tad Boyle.
NEXT UP: The Buffs will face the winner of Wednesday night's Alabama-Norfolk State game in the second round. If Alabama wins, the Buffs will travel to Tuscaloosa. If Norfolk State wins, the Buffs will host. The date is yet to be determined.
