One way or another, this will be KJ Simpson’s final collegiate visit to his home turf.
Colorado’s standout guard heads to his native Southern California as a potential candidate for the Pac-12 Conference Player of the Year. Yet, as Simpson and the Buffaloes visit Los Angeles for the final time as part of the league, they do so as a team desperate for results.
Simpson, a native of Panorama City, Calif., always has a strong personal cheering section in Los Angeles, where the Buffs begin a two-game swing on Thursday night against UCLA. Simpson says he has tried to savor every game and road venue a little more this season. Not because of the possible uncertainty surrounding a potential return to CU next year as a senior, or the conference realignment that is taking the Buffs out of the Pac-12 and into the Big 12, but because of his forced stint to the sideline for the final five games last year due to an illness.
“I’ve kind of approached every single game that way, not just with the whole change of conferences and things like that,” Simpson said. “Ever since basketball got taken away from me a little bit towards the end of that year last year, I’ve had a better appreciation for it. I just approach every game like it really could be my last. But definitely excited about going back home. Who doesn’t love that?”
Simpson enjoyed a solid game in his lone appearance at USC last year, going 7-for-14 with 17 points, three rebounds and three assists. In two games at UCLA, Simpson has gone 7-for-23 overall and 0-for-4 on 3-pointers while averaging 11.5 points. More importantly, CU went 0-3 in those games (CU didn’t play at USC in 2021-22), a streak it can’t afford to continue if it hopes to play its way into better footing in the NCAA Tournament picture.
Prior to the past two seasons, the Buffs had gone 5-3 in their previous four two-game trips through Los Angeles. After struggling in recent losses against rugged defenses from Washington State and Arizona, the Buffs will look for a result on Thursday against a Bruins club that has emerged as one of the top defensive teams in the league.
“Anything is possible, especially in this conference,” Simpson said. “Arizona State, we just beat them and then they went to Utah and beat them on their home court. We knew how tough it was to play at Utah. Understanding that anybody can beat anybody in this league. It’s just one game. Obviously we’d like to have some back, but there’s still so much basketball left to be played and at this end stretch we could turn it all around and string together some wins. But it’s got to be done game-by-game.”
Much like the slow, deliberate place UCLA utilizes on offense, it has been a slow climb back to respectability for the Bruins. UCLA’s nonconference ledger featured narrow losses against Marquette and Gonzaga, but also included a home loss against Cal State-Northridge. The Bruins started 1-4 in Pac-12 play but have taken off from there, bringing a run of seven wins in eight games into Thursday’s game.
In Pac-12 games, UCLA ranks first in overall defensive field goal percentage (.430) and second defensive 3-point percentage (.340).
“They’re getting better, for sure,” CU head coach Tad Boyle said. “I think it’s understanding that you’re going to be in for a dog fight. If we can speed the game up, great. If we can have them take a little bit of time off the clock before they get into their sets, great.
“We want to be in attack mode. And the best way to do that is to get stops and run before their defense is set. That’s the best way to do it against UCLA. If you take the ball out of the net against them, their defense is going to be set.”
CU Buffs men’s basketball at UCLA Bruins
TIPOFF: Thursday, 7 p.m. MT, Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles.
TV/RADIO: ESPN/KOA 850 AM and 94.1 FM.
RECORDS: Colorado 16-8, 7-6 Pac-12 Conference; UCLA 13-11, 8-5.
COACHES: Colorado — Tad Boyle, 14th season (288-180, 344-246 overall); UCLA — Mick Cronin 5th season (112-47, 477-218).
KEY PLAYERS: Colorado — G KJ Simpson, 6-2, Jr. (19.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 4.6 apg, .494 FG%, .429 3%); F Tristan da Silva, 6-9, Sr. (15.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg, .483 FG%, .375 3%); G Cody Williams, 6-8, Fr. (14.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, .562 FG%, .467 3%); F J’Vonne Hadley, 6-6, Sr. (11.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg, .558 FG%); C Eddie Lampkin Jr., 6-11, Sr. (10.0 ppg, 7.2 rpg, .545 FG%); G Julian Hammond III, 6-2, Jr. (7.7 ppg, .449 3%); G/F Luke O’Brien, 6-8, Sr. (6.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg). UCLA — G Sebastian Mack, 6-3, Fr. (13.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg); F/C Adem Bona, 6-10, So. (12.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg, .590 FG%); G Dylan Andrews, 6-2, So. (11.2 ppg, 3.7 apg); G Lazar Stefanovic, 6-7, Jr. (11.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg, .356 3%).
NOTES: UCLA has won five consecutive games while the Buffs have lost three of their past four. … Barring a matchup at the Pac-12 tourney, this will be the teams’ last matchup as Pac-12 rivals. … CU is 1-6 in true road games. … The Buffs have lost their past five games against UCLA and eight of the past nine. … UCLA ranks last in Pac-12 games in scoring at 64.9 points per game, though that can be partly attributed to the Bruins’ deliberate pace, as the Bruins also rank first in points allowed (65.8). However, UCLA began the week ranked last in league games with a .413 field goal percentage. … The Buffs are seventh in league games in defensive field goal percentage (.452) and sixth in defensive 3-point percentage (.356). … CU’s final Pac-12 trip through Los Angeles concludes on Saturday at USC (8 p.m. MT, ESPN).
