With Isaiah Johnson’s recent move into the starting lineup, the battle for playing time off the bench along the perimeter has grown a little more congested.
Jalin Holland is trying to establish himself as the unquestioned first option.
One of the overlooked silver linings from Saturday’s home loss against Central Florida was the play of Holland, who turned in his best all-around performance of the season while the Buffs’ losing streak reached five games.
Given fellow big guards Felix Kossaras and Josiah Sanders are battling through recent slumps, Holland will try to keep his hot streak going when the Buffs visit No. 8 Iowa State on Thursday (5 p.m. MT, Fox Sports 1).
CU’s defense has struggled throughout its losing streak, but Buffs head coach Tad Boyle believes he sees a possible future defensive stopper in Holland, a 6-foot-5 freshman.
“He’s going to be a very good defensive player,” Boyle said. “I feel comfortable with him with his effort, his size, his toughness. He’s not afraid of anything or anybody. Jalin’s got a really good future ahead of him.
“I knew after the Kansas game and I looked at the stat sheet and he played just a little over five minutes. That wasn’t enough, for sure.”
Boyle did just that against UCF, playing Holland for a season-high 25 minutes, 40 seconds in a 95-86 loss. Holland missed two recent games due to an injury (against Texas Tech on Jan. 10 and at West Virginia on Jan. 14), but against UCF, his third game back in the rotation, Holland responded.
Holland went 2-for-4 with a pair of 3-pointers, finishing with a season-high nine points. It was the first time this season Holland has hit multiple 3-pointers in a game, and he recorded season-highs in free throws made and attempts (3-for-5). Holland also recorded three rebounds, two assists and two steals without any turnovers.
Holland has provided a boost while Kossaras and Sanders have struggled. Against UCF, Kossaras went scoreless for the second time in four games, and he is shooting .421 in Big 12 play (8-for-19) after finishing nonconference play at .563. Sanders suffered his third consecutive scoreless outing against UCF, and he has missed his last 13 3-point attempts.
“(Holland) is an important part of this team. So is Josiah,” Boyle said. “Both of those guys from the wing spot can physically match up in this league. Defensively, I think they can help us. They need to be rock-solid on the offensive end, but make their presence felt defensively.”
Holland’s defensive potential didn’t help on Saturday, as UCF posted the highest shooting percentage (.611) by a visiting team at the Events Center in 12 years. Through Monday, the Buffs ranked 14th in the Big 12 in overall defensive field goal percentage (.458) and last in defensive 3-point percentage (.371), and they’re about to visit an ISU team that ranked second in the Big 12 in field goal percentage (.507) and first in 3-point percentage (.403).
“Defensively, we have to have more intensity,” Holland said. “More help, just wanting to help each other more. Off the ball, running around. And playing more as a unit than just as one on the defensive side.
“Getting over ball screens, being in the correct position, being in the gaps, all of that I feel like has leveled up since I’ve been here.”
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