Wow...that was as impressive a win for the Colorado program that I have ever seen. Honestly. GCU brought it for 40min, they never let up. That is a really good Lopes team. What a battle. That was the highest level basketball game I’ve seen this year.

That is how you come to play each and every night. Defensively, there were some mismatches and the Buffs stepped up and out worked GCU to get the job done. Jeriah, Evan and Dallas were outstanding defending the interior. They just set a new standard.

I have to shoutout Elijah Parquet because his level of play only keeps growing as he realizes how good he can be. Fantastic effort on the glass. Suffocating defensively. Filling the role in whatever this team needs him to do. He is the glue guy. Just beginning to scratch surface.

McKinley Wright is squarely in the conversation for not only PAC-12 POY (he leads by a LARGE margin over Da Silva), but also National POY. No one as valuable. Probs should have been P12 DPOY last year, undoubtedly is the leader in the clubhouse for that distinction this season.

Just a spectacular performance tonight. Truly. Yet he still has so much work to do. The start to this conference schedule is very familiar but has never been more crucial. Arizona in McKale has been CU’s kryptonite. This year, he has to lead them in there foaming at the mouth.

Evan Battey shook off his slow start and has brought the fire, intensity and passion that fuels this team. A sparkling effort tonight in a wrestling match on the block. Used his leverage, low man wins, was aggressive under control offensively and is starting to come into his own.

He should have a large physical advantage in McKale and needs to bring that same effort to come out with the win. That was a Herculean effort tonight. His biggest goal has to be to play with that intensity and savvy on a nightly basis. He is the emotional leader. Sets the tone.

I’ll tell you what...I knew Jeriah would be good for this locker room. I knew they needed his skill set. However, he’s one of the smartest college players I have watched in a really long time. Plays the game with a different kind of vet savvy that you just don’t see. Home Run.

Boy did he step up to the plate on both ends tonight. He saved them in some critical moments and his leadership has been one of the best influences on this group you could have asked for. However, his production has been even more impressive. Old soul, great teammate.

Have to give an enormous s/o to the staff as well. The scout was fantastic. Especially defensively. When you have a group capable of executing at that level it should inspire you as a coach to work even harder and I believe it has.

I want to add to my previous statement about Horne. It was a Home Run for both parties. Both for the program, and for Jeriah. Really a perfect marriage.

I talked on Sunday about the game slowing down for Kee eventually to find another gear. I am seeing now it does incrementally game in and game out. I was going to make this reference because when I think bout his development trajectory it is what comes to mind lol...

When I look at Kee, he has the tools, he has the IQ, he has the athleticism but there’s just a lot of learning that needs to take place. I can see it happening. Made a few plays tonight he did not make Sunday, but it’s as a result of Sunday that he made those plays tonight.

I think opportunity and experience will be his greatest teacher. However, he will only become the player he’s capable of becoming if he puts the work in. When you have a foundation like his, you do yourself a disservice not to constantly be in the lab.

Dallas was a bit overmatched tonight, HOWEVER...after getting in some early foul trouble dealing with Asbjorn, he sat. You could clearly see his understandable frustration coming off a 22pt effort. When he returned in the second half...

He knew he was having trouble on the offensive end getting position against the Viking lol. Dallas stepped up and continued to assert himself defensively and on the glass and came up with two huge steals and three big efforts on what could have been offensive rebounds.

That’s maturity. That’s growth. That’s a competitor and yet again speaks to who Dallas is and why he is so valuable to this group. I’m sure he was a little disappointed in his performance and probably a little frustrated but those winning plays kept GCU at bay.

Maddox had a tough matchup against some really good athletes. It got the best of him several times defensively. He looked a step slow. However, he stayed with it after the staff trimmed the rotation (as they should have) and hit a big 3. I think he can play with a bigger motor.

I hope the staff pushes him to be as much as a factor on the defensive end as he wants to be on the offensive end. It’s already better. You can see he’s taken that challenge. If he wants to play more, that’s the end of the floor he needs to put the time into.

I knew GCU was good but quite frankly did not expect the cohesion and the fight they put up tonight. I’m not sure the Buffs did either. Reminded me a lot of the Northern Iowa game last year. Knew the team was good but was even better than expected. Both w/ effort & execution.

That was at home too. The difference was, they showed up ready, put forth the effort and made the plays it took to get the job done. If they let their guard up at all tonight, that would have gone down to the wire. They very well could have lost.

However, when GCU got fired up early and the bench got into it. The Buffs were a bit surprised. They settled for jumpers at the end of the first 20, let the lead slip and found themselves knotted at half. Credit GCU for bringing a game. Got in the locker room, made adjustments...

...re-centered their focus and said alright we got a game here instead of being taken aback. Came back and dialed it in, focused up and didn’t let up. That’s how you win championships one game at a time with that effort and focus. Now they have to learn from this tonight.

I’m a big believer in learning and taking from your opponents. The fire, the intensity and the grit that GCU played with was very impressive and that kind of cohesion should be what every team strives for. Adopt that mentality. Team wide, bring it, bring it, BRING IT from tip.

Get the bench up, loud and involved early. Expect that effort and laud it. CU has had their version of that this year. However GCU had a real buzz that should be admired. In an arena without fans, that sets you up for a lot of success.

After weathering early Covid issues, playing short handed and testing themselves. I think, albeit it was extremely abbreviated compared to normal, the Buffs really have set a great foundation for conference play. They have formed an identity. While it will still grow. It’s there.

If they compartmentalize and take this in one game seasons the rest will take care of itself. It’s time to flip the script to conference play and that means ratcheting it way, way up. A complete buy in here moving forward. All for one and one for all. Rest takes care of itself.

Their will most likely be Covid related issues that pop up down the line, whether with them or their opponents and they have to be ready at the drop of a hat to adjust. However, if what they’ve put on tape isn’t a great motivator to be as safe as possible, I don’t know what is.

They have to be so grateful that they get the opportunity to go TO Arizona this week. That’s a challenge a group like this should be dying to take head on. Attack your prep, dial in and bring a wrecking ball of energy to Tucson. It’s time. This is the fun stuff right here.

Competing for championships isn’t easy. If it was, everyone would do it. In the game of basketball, these kinds of opportunities are few and far between. When you look back, win or lose, all that matters is knowing you gave it all you had and left it all on the floor. Carpe Diem.