Colorado Buffaloes’ Aggressive Style of Play Leads to Early Foul Trouble for Star Jayhawk

When the Kansas Jayhawks’ Andrew Wiggins was benched early in the first half due to foul trouble, you knew that it was the Colorado Buffaloes game to win. With 13 minutes to go in the first half, the Buffaloes had already gotten into the bonus.

The combination of Spencer Dinwiddie and Xavier Johnson helped the Buffs get to a place that they never thought possible: a chance to compete against the top of the Big-12 Conference. Johnson’s post-up game was too much to ask for Joel Embiid to defend. His crafty passing, cuts to the lane and floor-stretching jumper helped the Buffs stretch out the floor against the Jayhawks.

Spacing the floor for Dinwiddie is always a good idea if you’re a Colorado hoops fan. It allows the soon-to-be-first-rounder to use his passing skill set to dish passes to Johnson and 6-foot-10 Josh Scott. The latter finished the day tied with Johnson in points scored at 14.

If you have not watched a Colorado Buffalo basketball game this season, you should. They are a high-octane, aggressive offense that thrives in transition and Dinwiddie is a fast, smart point guard with slithery movement with incredible touch around the rim.

This time around, it was the aggressive offense that led to foul trouble to the two most talented players on the Jayhawks roster: Wiggins and Embiid. The latter’s fifth personal foul was on a hard, aggressive take to the rim by Dinwidde, putting a stamp on the up-and-down game.

If the Buffaloes bring this kind of atmosphere from their fans and from their stars Johnson, Scott and Dinwiddie, the Buffaloes will bring nightmares to opposing PAC-12 Conference basketball coaches. Coach Tad Boyle has his Buffaloes transitioning not only on the court, but in between the Big-12 and PAC-12 style of play.

As Dan Dakic said at the end of the game, “Spencer Dinwiddie wants to be fouled; that’s his game.”

The win over sixth-ranked Kansas was the biggest upset of the weekend and it came at the hand of Johnson, Dinwiddie and Scott. The Buffaloes won thanks to a buzzer-beating three by Askia Booker, 75-72. As the crowd stormed the court, the Buffaloes celebrated a gritty victory against a talented Jayhawk team. Booker and Dinwiddie finished with 15 points a piece.

John Lloyd is a PAC-12 Basketball Writer for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @JohnHLloydIII.