Tad Boyle’s Colorado team to face KU on Saturday: ‘I know the power of that building’
Bill Self and Tad Boyle always have a lot to talk about when they cross paths on the major college basketball recruiting trail.
“We joke I was the only guy he could guard in the Big Eight effectively and I felt the same way about him,” Colorado coach/56-year-old University of Kansas graduate Boyle said of KU coach/56-year-old Oklahoma State grad Self.
“Anyway, that was a long time ago,” Boyle added with a laugh.
Self played at Oklahoma State and Boyle for KU from 1981-85. As members of the old Big Eight Conference, the two teams met at least twice a year; Self’s Cowboys winning five and losing five versus Boyle’s Jayhawks.
“Bill was a tough-minded, gritty player,” Boyle said, offering a nice compliment to Self, who will greet Boyle with a warm handshake and kind words prior to Saturday’s game between the No. 20-ranked 7-0 Buffs and No. 2-rated 6-1 Jayhawks. Tipoff is 6 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse.
“Tad and I were the two slowest guards in the Big Eight Conference from 1981 to ’85,” Self said Thursday at his weekly news conference previewing Saturday’s contest between the Big 12 and Pac-12 squads.
“I say that in all seriousness,” Self added, smiling. “Tad graduated in 1985. I did, too. He didn’t want to go into being a (grad assistant) or coaching at that time, that moment. I was able to come in and steal that position (on Larry Brown’s 1985-86 KU coaching staff). In a lot of ways I probably owe Tad a lot.”
Boyle is in his 10th season at CU, where he’s compiled a 196-123 record. He started his post-collegiate working career as a commodities broker before getting into coaching:
“One of Kansas’ own is coming back Saturday. He is a really good dude,” Self said, adding, “he was captain of KU’s team in 1985 and is just a really good guy. We’re happy for his success. We just don’t want him to be successful at our expense.”
Boyle has brought two Buffs teams to Allen. KU beat CU, 89-63, on Feb. 19, 2011 in Lawrence when the Buffs were members of the Big 12. KU also rolled, 90-54, on Dec. 8, 2012, in Allen during the first game of a home-and-home series. Boyle’s Buffs won the last meeting, 75-72, on Dec. 7, 2013 in Boulder.
“Last time, I remember we got blown out from the get-go,” said Boyle, 1-4 coaching against his alma mater. “We had two pretty good guards. Spencer Dinwiddie obviously is doing great things with the Brooklyn Nets. Askia Booker was a really talented kid. We were not able to handle KU’s defensive pressure.
“As we come into this game, that’s something at the top of my list is we have to be able to handle their pressure. If we can do that, attack it and make good decisions with the basketball, I like our chances. If we don’t handle their pressure it’s going to be tough.”
Boyle noted that he chatted with several Jayhawks fans on his last trip to Allen.
“The people in Kansas obviously are great people,” said Boyle. He was recruited to play at KU by Ted Owens out of Greeley (Colorado) Central High School, competing two years for Owens and two years for Brown.
“There are still a few around who remember the early 1980s. I’ve been treated very, very well when I come back. So many people don’t even remember that era. A lot of current KU fans … they don’t even know that Tad Boyle even played there.”
Boyle’s wife, the former Ann Schell, who is also from Greeley, will make the trip to Lawrence for Saturday’s game, along with some other relatives. Schell played two seasons for Marian Washington’s KU team. Their children, Jack, Pete and Claire, are in the middle of the school year and won’t be at the game.
“I think when you go to Kansas and you are playing in Allen Fieldhouse that is special in itself,” Boyle said. “I want our players to embrace the opportunity. We have a saying in our locker room, we respect everybody but we fear nobody. We can’t go in there afraid. We’ve got to go in there and let it all hang out.
“For me, it’s another game. I know it’s going to be a tough game. Obviously I played there four years. I know the power of that building. Our players don’t know the power of that building. Handling their pressure and controlling their tempo are two of the things we have to do to have a chance.”
The Buffs, who are led by junior forward Tyler Bey (averaging 14.0 points and 12.0 rebounds per game) and junior point guard McKinley Wright (12.4 points per game), were picked to finish second behind Oregon in the Pac-12 preseason poll. CU has defeated Loyola Marymount (76-64, Wednesday in Boulder), Sacramento State (59-45), Clemson (71-67), Wyoming (56-41), UC Irvine (69-53), San Diego (71-53) and Arizona State (81-71).
“A top 25 team, undefeated team,” Self said, describing the Buffs. “They are fast. They hang their hat on being good defensively Their opponents are scoring 50 a game (56.3 to Buffs’ own 69.0 mark). That’s created as many problems (for their opponents) as anything else.”
After Colorado, KU, which is in the midst of a 10-day break in the schedule since winning the Maui Invitational, will meet Milwaukee at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Allen.
This story was originally published December 5, 2019 at 4:35 PM.
