One game removed from shooting nearly 62 percent from 3-point range in an easy victory, the Colorado Buffaloes needed to out-muscle and out-hustle their opponent to pick up a hard-fought win. Defense and rebounding were the name of the game in CU’s 67-55 win over Seattle Monday night.
The Buffs hit just 19 of 53 field goal tries, including 3-for-18 from deep, but while the offense struggled to find rhythm Tad Boyle’s team out-rebounded Seattle 55-35 and the defense limited the Redhawks to just 24 second-half points.
“That was the definition of winning ugly,” Boyle said postgame. “We were not very good offensively on a lot of different levels. But to figure out a way to win on a night when you’re not functioning offensively this early in the season is a testament to our guys’ will and their toughness.”
The offense wasn’t completely absent, however. Xavier Johnson scored his 1,000th career point for the Buffaloes and senior transfer Derrick White led Colorado with 15 points. White struggled from the free throw line, shooting just 3-for-8, but Johnson, Wesley Gordon and Josh Fortune went a combined 20-for-24 to help deliver the win. Fortune hit back-to-back three pointers in the second half to turn the tide down the stretch.
The win was the first in the 2016 Legends Classic. Colorado will next host Louisiana-Monroe on Thursday before traveling to New York for the remainder of the tournament. Their Nov. 21 game against Notre Dame will be nationally televised on ESPN2.
