Freshman forward Tyler Bey shoots the ball over a UCLA defender at Pauley Pavilion. Jan. 13, 2018 (Nigel Amstock/CU Independent File)
The Buffs lost what coach Tad Boyle called a “separation game” on Saturday night, falling 72-62 to the Washington Huskies at Coors Event Center. The Buffaloes, now 12-8 on the year, fall back to .500 in conference play, at 4-4.
“We got out toughed, we got punked, we got manhandled, you name the adjective you want to name, but all those fit,” Boyle said after the game.
CU was thoroughly out-rebounded, as a failure to box out led to 20 second chance points for the Huskies.
Boyle was extremely upset with the rebounding performance, especially considering Washington came in to the game last in the league in rebounding margin.
However, Boyle said he was impressed with Bey. The freshman was able to notch a double double, scoring 14 points while adding 11 rebounds.
“I just don’t understand how Tyler can get 7 [offensive rebounds] and the rest of our front line gets 0, but it’s a credit to Tyler, kudos to him.” said Boyle
Bey, who is inching closer to being the team’s second leading rebounder, seemed to be the only Buffalo crashing the glass on both sides of the ball. His extra effort even put him in danger when he took a shot to the lip after colliding with Dallas Walton going up for a rebound. Bey, who was bloodied after the play, had to be subbed out and had to get two stitches at half time.
“We didn’t grab offensive rebounds after we missed our shots,” Bey said after the game. “No one really crashed the boards. It’s just the little things we missed.”
Bey, a high flyer at 6-foot-7, went up for a couple rebounds and was able to secure them with his long arms. Bey’s effort alone wasn’t enough though, as Washington forward Noah Dickerson dominated the glass, grabbing 14 rebounds throughout the course of the game. Washington guard Matisse Thybulle added 10 rebounds of his own. When it was all said and done, Washington had notched 50 total rebounds.
Bey had the most shot attempts in a game in his career, with nine. He was the focal point of the Buff’s offense in the first half, as he entered the break shooting a comfortable 4-5 from the field.
The Buff’s top three scorers, Mckinley Wright IV, George King and Namon Wright, struggled to get going in the first half. With two minutes left in the first half, none of them had scored. King and Wright IV eventually got going, but Wright ended the game with zero points.
Bey picked up the scoring slack, scoring a team-high 14 points, tying his season high. Bey was scoring with ease on the blocks, and seemed more confident than he has in any game this season.
Although technically listed at guard sometimes, Bey has had to play the forward spots much more this year due to the team being so guard-heavy. He’s embraced this role, and was effective in the paint on both sides of the floor.
Bey was coming off the bench earlier in the year and playing limited minutes, but as the season has gone on he’s improved significantly on both sides of the floor. Bey was taking only two or three shots a game earlier in the year, but has become a lot more comfortable with his offense. He’s even capable of knocking down the mid range, which could make him a viable screener, especially later in his career when he adds some girth.
The most promising part of Bey’s game though is definitely his dunking ability. Bey can jump out of the gym, and is a serious alley-oop threat. Bey is only a freshman, and so is point guard Wright IV, so they’ll have plenty of time to iron out their lobs and finishes.
Bey isn’t afraid to add flair to his dunks, as he’s capable of throwing down some ridiculous slams. On Saturday night, He threw down a 360 in warmups. Surely a through-the-legs dunk isn’t too far out of the question.
Even in a tough game for the Buffs, Bey shined as the Buff’s leading scorer and rebounder. He’s already improved significantly in his first season, and he can only go up from here. He still has plenty of time in this season as well as his entire college career to get stronger, faster and quicker – not that he lacks in any of those areas.
Bey is a raw talent with enormous upside, and should be able to fill the team’s void at the forward position. Bey has already thrown down some wild dunks this year, but with what he can do, its doubtful we’ve seen his best.
Contact CU Independent sports staff writer Alex Pepper at alexander.pepper@colorado.edu
