CU Buffs host Cal Baptist in battle of unbeatens

As the winning streak continues with back-to-back impressive performances, the expectation levels get a little high.

The first four weeks of the season offered a revelation for the Colorado men’s basketball team. After a 21-loss season and a last-place finish in the Big 12, a mix of impressive new players, much-improved holdovers and point guard transfer Barrington Hargress have changed the course of the program.

But the ghost of Big 12 Conference play still looms, and the first week of December presents a new set of challenges for the new-look Buffs. The first of those came on Monday night, when the Buffs hosted Cal Baptist at the CU Events Center.

CU head coach Tad Boyle said, “That’s our job as coaches. We have to understand we have a young team and it’s our job to prepare them mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally for Monday night.” “Because Cal Baptist is a good team. They’re well-coached. They have good players. We can’t take anything for granted. When you start winning like we do, each game becomes more important. Not less important.

“I want our players to understand that Monday night’s game is the most important game of the season. We have to approach it that way.”

Not only will the Buffs face a Cal Baptist team that is off to a 7-0 start, and is coming off a solid win Saturday at Oregon State, but the Buffs have been forced to refocus in a hurry. CU traveled home Saturday after its two wins in Palm Desert, California, leaving just one day to prepare for Monday’s undefeated battle.

“We take it game-by-game,” said CU second-year forward Sebastian Rancic. “Our record doesn’t matter going into the next game or the next game. We have to approach every single game the same way.”