Iona @ Colorado preview
CU Events Center
Colorado has rebounded rather nicely from back-to-back losses earlier this month – its only two defeats of the season. Now the Buffaloes will put the wraps on their non-conference schedule Sunday afternoon when they host Iona.
Its most-recent win, on Dec. 21, was by far its best as Colorado knocked off No. 18 Dayton 78-76 in Chicago on an overtime buzzer-beating 3-pointer from D’Shawn Schwartz. Despite playing an extra five minutes against a nationally-ranked foe, the Buffs had only 10 turnovers – their second-lowest total of the season and their first outing in seven games with fewer than 15. “We needed that,” Colorado point guard McKinley Wright told the Boulder Daily Camera last week as the team returned from its mini holiday break. “Ten turnovers – that’s what we can be night in and night out.” Iona, of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, will be playing only its seventh game of the season and first since a 90-86 overtime loss to Princeton on Dec. 17.
TV: 2 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network
ABOUT IONA (2-4): Moreover, this only will be the Gaels’ third game since Nov. 23, and it also serves as their non-conference finale. Forward Tajuan Agee (17.2 points per game) and guard E.J. Crawford (16.5) are Iona’s leading scorers, but it was guard Asante Gist (11.2) who led the way with a season-high 23 points in the loss to Princeton. Gist is also dishing out a team-best four assists per contest while the 6-9 Agee paces the squad with 8.3 rebounds and shoots 60 percent from the field.
ABOUT COLORADO (10-2): Wright leads the Buffs with 12.8 points and 3.8 assists per contest and is coming off his best game of the season: 29 points, 10 rebounds and a pair of assists against Dayton. Tyler Bey, a 6-7 swingman, averages 12.6 points and a team-best 9.8 rebounds but has gone six games without a double-double after posting five in the season’s first six contests. Schwartz (11.2 points) and forwards Evan Battey (9.7 points, 6.7 rebounds) and Lucas Siewert (7.3 points) are the other top scorers for Colorado, which hopes its outing against Dayton (15 assists, 10 turnovers) is a sign that a sluggish offense (69.5 points, .83 assist-to-turnover ratio) is turning around.
TIP-INS
1. Colorado has won 13 of its last 14 home games, including a 5-1 mark so far this season.
2. The Buffs rank 37th nationally with a 6.9 rebound margin, having outrebounded nine of 12 opponents so far.
3. Like Colorado, Iona has struggled with turnovers as its average of 16.0 per game ranks 314th out of 350 teams nationally.
PREDICTION: Colorado 74, Iona 63