Colorado survives furious Florida comeback attempt, advances on KJ Simpson's clutch shot
The lead that No. 10 seed Colorado had stretch to as many as 13 points over No. 7 seed Florida late in the second half had been erased. But in the huddle with 6.1 seconds on the clock and the game tied at 100, Colorado head coach Tad Boyle had every confidence in his team to make the winning play.
And it was star point guard K.J. Simpson delivering the game-winning basket, a two-point jumper from the baseline that clattered around the rim — a la Kawhi Leonard’s game winner in the 2019 playoffs — before falling. A late heave from the Gators was no good, and the Buffaloes survived.
“That’s just mental preparation,” Simpson said to TBS sideline reporter Andy Katz after hitting the shot. “We mentally prepare in practice, we’ve gone through this a bunch of times in practice. We have a competitive group. So we’re always in this situation in practice. We went through it with coach. But I think everybody out here is just capable. We all have the mentality of just playing with poise, winning under pressure.
The score was only tied, though, because the Buffaloes left the door open for the Gators to climb back into the game.
After leading by 13 points with just under five minute to play, Colorado allowed Florida to go on an extended 21-8 run to close out most of regulation, ending with a clutch play to tie it at 100.
Much of the Gators’ run back into the game was fueled by star guard Walter Clayton Jr., who pulled up from deep 3-point range to bury a game-tying look with fewer than 10 seconds to play.
But Boyle said he never saw his squad lose composure, despite almost fumbling a victory.
“I think it’s from a veteran group from, we do time and score in practice a lot, like KJ said,” Boyle said. “We went over that play multiple times this year. Haven’t had to use it a lot. But I felt like, at halftime, and then midway through the second half, I’m like, ‘We gotta score 100 to win this game.’ We scored 102. It was just one of those games. The other night, against Boise, it was a defensive struggle. Tonight it was an offensive battle. Gotta learn to win different ways in March. And when you’ve got a guy like KJ, our whole team played well. Our bench was terrific tonight.”
And the win means Colorado rolls on into the Round of 32 in exciting fashion, keeping the run alive for Simpson and Co.
“It’s amazing,” Simpson said. “It’s amazing, but it’s just special to be out here and do it with this group, with this team. The most wins in Colorado program history. Just being under a coach like this, fanbase like this who comes out and travel man, it means everything.”