Washington was in the early stages of mounting a comeback that would eventually lead the Buffs to what Tad Boyle called "one of the most disappointing losses of my career."
The score was 60-59 in favor of the Huskies and in a 32-second span, Eli Parquet had racked up two steals in which stops on UW in any way, shape or form were proving exceedingly hard to come by.
But with 10:52 to play, Parquet was fouled in the offensive zone by Washington's Erik Stevenson, who appeared to hit Parquet directly in the eye, causing the Buffs' junior defensive specialist to exit the game.
He would not return until there was just 3:47 to play. By that time, the game certainly was not out of hand, with the Buffs and Huskies staying neck and neck, deadlocked in a 73-all affair.
But in that time, Washington had hit a pair of three-pointers and in general were shooting the ball with total impunity as well as accuracy. It didn't seem to matter if the Buffs managed to play some good one-on-one defense — the Huskies weren't missing.
What Colorado was missing was Parquet, its best perimeter defender, in a crucial seven-minute stretch of the game. Even as all hope appeared to be lost, with 19 seconds left in the game Parquet managed to provide CU one final chance, forcing a turnover of UW's Quade Green shortly after the Huskies inbounded the ball.
Down 83-80, the Buffs got one final possession. McKinley Wright IV prepared to take the shot but was pressured and at the last second, and in mid-air, fed the ball to Jeriah Horne, who lined up a good look that just didn't go in.
Horne dominated offensively, scoring a season-high 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting. He also made CU's lone three-pointer of the game early into the second half.
Thus, if anyone deserved to take the three-pointer to likely send the game to overtime, with Colorado collectively having shot 1-of-17 from long range at that point, it was Horne.
Following the game, Horne had no regrets about the final possession. The look was good, the release was good, but as is the case in basketball, sometimes the shots don't fall.
"It was a good shot," Horne said. "I believe I'm knocking that shot down nine times out of 10...but it's like that sometimes. You just have to continue to keep shooting and make the next one when it comes my way."
Getting back to Parquet, he turned in quite the robust defensive performance. He was an efficient 2-of-2 on the offensive side of things, but had four steals and three blocks.
On the night, Washington shot 48% from the floor, 49% from long range and decimated Colorado's defense in the second half, posting a 64% and 67% conversion rate in general and from deep in the second half.
While a number of boneheaded turnovers by the Buffs, the result of mishandled passes, took a toll on their effort to pull out a win, being down their best defender didn't exactly help, either.
At the end of the day, the Huskies had their way with Colorado and shot the ball well all night, especially from behind the arc.
Whether Parquet's presence could have generated a much-needed stop at an opportune moment will remain unknown, but in a four-point loss to the Pac-12's worst team, there will be plenty things for the Buffs as a whole to remain awake in bed and think about tonight.
"Eli going down with the eye injury hurt us, without a doubt," Boyle said. "Eli is one guy that can really guard and maybe could have helped us string together some stops, so that hurt."
.....
Bad loss to a bad team that put together its best game of the year. Boyle had even commented before the game that inevitably, UW was going to beat someone; he just hoped it wasn't the Buffs. I won't say Colorado played this game with any sort of fear, but clearly Boyle expected a fight from the Huskies and got it and more.
As sour as this one tastes, win at WSU, come home and handle business in a four-game stretch in Boulder, and this one can be washed away. Drop the game in Pullman, and blow the easiest roadtrip of the season, and then we've got a serious problem. These guys better be ready to go Saturday. That ain't going to be a cakewalk. If anything, I bet the Cougs smell some blood in the water.
The score was 60-59 in favor of the Huskies and in a 32-second span, Eli Parquet had racked up two steals in which stops on UW in any way, shape or form were proving exceedingly hard to come by.
But with 10:52 to play, Parquet was fouled in the offensive zone by Washington's Erik Stevenson, who appeared to hit Parquet directly in the eye, causing the Buffs' junior defensive specialist to exit the game.
He would not return until there was just 3:47 to play. By that time, the game certainly was not out of hand, with the Buffs and Huskies staying neck and neck, deadlocked in a 73-all affair.
But in that time, Washington had hit a pair of three-pointers and in general were shooting the ball with total impunity as well as accuracy. It didn't seem to matter if the Buffs managed to play some good one-on-one defense — the Huskies weren't missing.
What Colorado was missing was Parquet, its best perimeter defender, in a crucial seven-minute stretch of the game. Even as all hope appeared to be lost, with 19 seconds left in the game Parquet managed to provide CU one final chance, forcing a turnover of UW's Quade Green shortly after the Huskies inbounded the ball.
Down 83-80, the Buffs got one final possession. McKinley Wright IV prepared to take the shot but was pressured and at the last second, and in mid-air, fed the ball to Jeriah Horne, who lined up a good look that just didn't go in.
Horne dominated offensively, scoring a season-high 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting. He also made CU's lone three-pointer of the game early into the second half.
Thus, if anyone deserved to take the three-pointer to likely send the game to overtime, with Colorado collectively having shot 1-of-17 from long range at that point, it was Horne.
Following the game, Horne had no regrets about the final possession. The look was good, the release was good, but as is the case in basketball, sometimes the shots don't fall.
"It was a good shot," Horne said. "I believe I'm knocking that shot down nine times out of 10...but it's like that sometimes. You just have to continue to keep shooting and make the next one when it comes my way."
Getting back to Parquet, he turned in quite the robust defensive performance. He was an efficient 2-of-2 on the offensive side of things, but had four steals and three blocks.
On the night, Washington shot 48% from the floor, 49% from long range and decimated Colorado's defense in the second half, posting a 64% and 67% conversion rate in general and from deep in the second half.
While a number of boneheaded turnovers by the Buffs, the result of mishandled passes, took a toll on their effort to pull out a win, being down their best defender didn't exactly help, either.
At the end of the day, the Huskies had their way with Colorado and shot the ball well all night, especially from behind the arc.
Whether Parquet's presence could have generated a much-needed stop at an opportune moment will remain unknown, but in a four-point loss to the Pac-12's worst team, there will be plenty things for the Buffs as a whole to remain awake in bed and think about tonight.
"Eli going down with the eye injury hurt us, without a doubt," Boyle said. "Eli is one guy that can really guard and maybe could have helped us string together some stops, so that hurt."
.....
Bad loss to a bad team that put together its best game of the year. Boyle had even commented before the game that inevitably, UW was going to beat someone; he just hoped it wasn't the Buffs. I won't say Colorado played this game with any sort of fear, but clearly Boyle expected a fight from the Huskies and got it and more.
As sour as this one tastes, win at WSU, come home and handle business in a four-game stretch in Boulder, and this one can be washed away. Drop the game in Pullman, and blow the easiest roadtrip of the season, and then we've got a serious problem. These guys better be ready to go Saturday. That ain't going to be a cakewalk. If anything, I bet the Cougs smell some blood in the water.
