Colorado ends losing streak with 58-55 win over Wazzu

The frontcourt duo of Tristan da Silva and KJ Simpson reemerged in Sunday’s nail-biting 58-55 win over Washington State.

It was the sixth 20-point game of the season for da Silva with the Buffs forward hitting 11-of-13 shots from the field while Simpson helped seal the victory with a 3-pointer from deep. Along with da Silva’s 27 points and Simpson’s clutch shots (16 points, five rebounds, three assists), the Buffs’ defense was night-and-day from allowing Washington to shoot 54% to limiting Wazzu to just 39.2% from the field.

The numbers of the evening speak volumes, but what led to the Buffs' first win in two weeks was their toughness.

"The last two and a half minutes of the Washington game was a step in the right direction, but the first 37 minutes of the Washington game, the toughness wasn't there, the attention to detail wasn't there until the end," head coach Tad Boyle said. "While playing catch-up, I told our team that you don't have to be full-court pressing to be aggressive. You don't have to be full court pressing to be energetic. You can do that with your half-court defense.

"… We let [Washington] run their stuff and dictate things ... but tonight we took a challenge, and even TJ Bamba was getting downhill and creating fouls. I mean, at least we were battling him, and that's all you can ask."

Simpson’s toughness reappeared while going one-on-one with Bamba, WSU’s leading guard (15.1 points per game). Bamba was out the previous three contests with a hand injury, but Sunday night he and Simpson went head-to-head.

Simpson put Bamba on a poster increasing the Buffs lead by two. However, Bamba put up 14 points (18 total) keeping the Cougars close behind the Buffs in the second. The back and forth between the two standout players and both teams persisted throughout the evening, but Simpson had the last laugh landing the deciphering 3-pointer with four seconds left. Bamba tried to push the game into overtime with WSU’s last possession, but he was unsuccessful.

“He’s good,” Simpson said. “We were kind of going back and forth, a little jarring there, but it was all friendly, and competitive. He’s a great player, we respect one another, but it was just fun to go against a guard like that, especially a big guard like that, strong, and looks like a running back. It was just fun.”

Along with Simpson and da Silva’s game changing plays, Lawson Lovering left Mouhamed Gueye, who averages 13.95 ppg, scoreless.

Another unsung hero on defense included recently inactive Jalen Gabbidon.

"A lot of credit goes to Jalen Gabbidon and having him back in the uniform and having his defensive effort tonight." Boyle said. "His unselfishness helped us, but our team responded after our lack of focus and lack of energy at times against Washington."

Before da Silva’s run, Colorado’s offense had to overcome turnover hurdles early in the first half which helped give WSU a 10-point lead. The Buffs were playing slow and sloppy and Boyle took a timeout to catch a breath and reassess his group. Shortly after that, the turnover tables switched and the Buffs started to score off Wazzu’s mistakes.

Colorado had a one-point lead heading into the second. Less turnovers followed suit in the second half, but Washington State wasn’t letting up on its defense as the Cougars trailed by one or two possessions.

“[Washington State] went into Arizona and won convincingly,” Boyle said. “They were ahead of UCLA 39 minutes. They’ve beaten some good teams and they’re going to beat some good teams down the stretch. We only got them once. Thank god we don’t have to go to Pullman and play them this year, but kudos to Washington State.

“They got good players, well coached and so that’s what makes this win satisfying.”

This was the fourth time this season the Buffs were held under 60 points, but the first instance they came out with a win. Colorado stands 12-9 overall and 4-6 in the Pac-12.

Sunday’s win reenergized the Buffs before they head on the Oregon Trail this week playing Oregon then Oregon State.

“[The win] was huge,” da Silva said. “The past three losses I feel like could have gone out either way. We could have come away with a W too but we kind of let them slip away. Today, with the work and energy that we put in these past couple days in practice, and then today on the court, I feel like we earned it and it was a great play at the end, Mr. KJ Simpson to save the day.”