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The Arizona Wildcats play host to the Colorado Buffaloes on Saturday night in a Pac 12 clash from the McKale Center. The Buffaloes come in playing their best basketball of late, having won three of four and setting their eyes on playing their best as the season winds down. For Arizona, a win their last time out helped get them back on the winning path, as they strive for a high seed come NCAA Tournament time. This will be the first meeting between the two this season and after splitting the last four, it could go either way, even if the Wildcats are favored at home.
Colorado has had an up-and-down season thus far and going on the road to Arizona could be their most difficult challenge yet. The Buffaloes have won three out of their last four games, though with their current stretch likely representing their easiest stretch for the rest of the season, they know that Saturday's game is a massive opportunity. Even after springing the upset on Thursday at Arizona State, questions remain as to how this team will perform on the road, where they have struggled this season. With a 2-8 record in true road games this season, having to play in one of the most hostile environments in the Pac 12 is sure to be a challenge.
The continued absence of Jvonne Hadley (hand) has been an issue for the coaching staff to navigate. Averaging just north of 25 minutes per game and sitting as Colorado's third-leading scorer, his production has been difficult to replicate.
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— Colorado Men's Basketball (@CUBuffsMBB) February 17, 2023
Colorado's defense has led the way this season, but they'll have their work cut out against one of the country's best offenses. Ranked in the top 100 in a number of defensive categories, they'll need to focus on the defensive glass and keeping Arizona from generating second-chance opportunities. With Arizona strong from a field-goal percentage perspective as well, Colorado will need to find a way to replace Hadley's production, as mentioned earlier. Tristan da Silva (16.4 ppg) and KJ Simpson (16.0 ppg) have established themselves into one of the more balanced scoring duos in the Pac 12 but without help, the Buffaloes will lack the scoring punch to keep pace.
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