Colorado Basketball

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Colorado Basketball

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December 14th

… CU in the Arena … 

Julian Hammond’s career high 23 points leads Buffs past South Dakota State, 81-70

… Related … Julian Hammond III leads CU Buffs past South Dakota State … from the Daily Camera …

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado’s Julian Hammond III scored a career-high 23 points Friday to lift the Buffaloes to an 81-70 win over South Dakota State at the CU Events Center.

Tad Boyle‘s Buffs won their third in a row to improve to 8-2 overall while SDSU fell to 8-5.

Hammond scored 10 of his 23 in the final four minutes of the game, including a clutch 3-pointer and free throw with 49 seconds remaining to salt away the win. He also had six assists and just one turnover. Elijah Malone had 15 points on 7-for-8 shooting and nine rebounds for CU and RJ Smith added 11 points.

Joe Sayler led the Jackrabbits with 16 points.

While the Buffs led for almost the entire game, they never pushed their lead into double digits until the final minutes. SDSU stayed close by hitting 11 3-pointers, including seven in the first half, but the Buffs shot 50 percent from the floor (28-for-56) for the game to make the difference.

Colorado finished with a 34-26 edge on the boards and the Buffs were better defensively after the break, holding the Jackrabbits to just 4-for-12 shooting from long range.

CU also hit 18 of its 19 free throw attempts, including 16 in the second half.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for them, and I knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” Boyle said. “I was disappointed in our ability to guard the 3-point line tonight … I thought we did some really good things offensively, but defensively, if we take away their threes and make those tough twos, you know, it’s a 20-point game. But overall it’s a good win and we’ll take it.”

“Julian was terrific,” Boyle said of his senior point guard. “That was a big time three at the end that we needed to put that thing away. You look at his line, he had 23 points on 14 shots, six assists, one turnover. That’s what you need from your senior point guard.”

The victory was the Buffs’ 10th in a row on their home court.

… Read full story here …

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December 13th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

CU hosting South Dakota State (7:00 p.m., MT, ESPN+)

… Related … Last visit by South Dakota State an epic battle for CU Buffs … from the Daily Camera …

From CUBuffs.com …

South Dakota State, Friday, December 13, 2024
CU Events Center, Boulder, Colo.
Tip: 7:01 p.m. MT
Watch: ESPN+ (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke) https://buffs.me/3BsAoYi
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Jerry Schemmel)
Listen Online: Sirius XM 380, SXM App 970
Live Statistics: http://statb.us/b/546193

THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 7-2 overall following a 72-55 win over Colorado State on Dec. 7, improving to 6-0 at the CU Events Center this season. The Buffaloes have won their last nine home games dating back to last year and have won 22 of 23 since the beginning of 2023-24.

Away from the friendly confines, Colorado placed sixth at the 2024 Maui Invitational. A thrilling 73-72 win over then-No. 2/2 ranked UConn on the tournament’s second day (Nov. 26) highlighted the trip for the Buffaloes who eventually fell to No. 5/5 Iowa State 99-71 in the consolation final (fifth place game) on Nov. 27 to round out the event with a 1-2 record. The game against Iowa State counted as a nonconference game and the two long-time rivals are set for a rematch in the Big 12 Conference opener in Boulder on Dec. 30.

Colorado is averaging 76.0 points per game, shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from 3-point range. Colorado’s 3-point percentage ranks 18th in the nation and third in the Big 12.

Defensively, Colorado is allowing 69.7 points per game while opponents are shooting 41.2 percent.

ABOUT THE JACKRABBITS: South Dakota State is 8-4 overall, coming off a 77-63 setback at Nevada on Dec. 11. The Jackrabbits are 3-4 away from home but have dropped both true road contests, with a 71-67 loss at Montana on Dec. 4 the other. SDSU averages 77.4 points per game and leads the Summit League in shooting at 47.3 percent. The Jackrabbits also top the Summit League, and rank 13th in the nation in rebounding margin at plus-10.3 boards per game. Defensively, SDSU allows 67.3 points while opponents are shooting just over 40 percent.

Senior center Oscar Cluff averages 17.3 points and 11.0 rebounds per game while shooting 73.1 percent from the field (76-104). He leads the nation in double-doubles with eight while ranking second in field goal percentage and sixth in rebounding average. Cluff transferred to South Dakota State from Washington State where he was a teammate of current Buffalo Andrej Jakimovski.

Freshman guard Joe Sayler is second on the team in scoring at 12.8 points per game. Sophomore guard Kalen Garry averages 9.6 points while leading the Jackrabbits in assists with 33.

THE SERIES: This will be the fourth meeting between Colorado and South Dakota State. The Buffaloes have won all three previous meetings, all coming in Boulder. The last meeting was a double-overtime scoring fest with the Buffaloes outlasting the Jackrabbits 112-103 on Dec. 15, 2017.

… Read full story here …

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December 7th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs jump to an early lead, rout CSU Rams, 72-55

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado used a 16-0 run to take control in the first half Saturday and the Buffaloes went on to take a 72-55 win over in-state rival Colorado State at the CU Events Center.

Tad Boyle‘s Buffs improved to 7-2 while Colorado State fell to 5-4.

Colorado never trailed in the game, taking the lead for good early on a Bangot Dak 3-pointer. The Buffs then used a 16-0 run to turn a 14-11 lead into a 30-11 cushion with just under 8 minutes to play in the first half and built the edge to 43-21 by the break.

CU extended its lead to as much as 26 early in the second half, 56-30, before the Rams managed to shave the deficit into the teens down the stretch. But CSU never managed to get back within single digits and the Buffs held on for the win.

Bangor Dak led the Buffs in scoring with a career-high 16 points, Julian Hammond III added 13 and Elijah Malone chipped in 10. Trevor Baskin scored nine points and grabbed 11 boards while Assane Diop had eight rebounds.

Jalen Lake led CSU with 18 points while the Buffs held Rams leading scorer (and former Buff) Nique Clifford to just 10 points on 4-for-15 shooting.

HOW IT HAPPENED: The Buffs jumped out to an early lead and never trailed.

An Assane Diop 3-pointer broke a 5-5 tie and the Buffs quickly built the lead to seven on an Elijah Malone bucket inside.

CSU managed to shave the Colorado lead to three, 14-11, with a basket inside at the 12:15 mark but the Buffs then broke the game open with a 16-0 run.

… Continue reading story here …

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Rivalry Game – CU v. CSU as Nique Clifford returns to the Events Center

Colorado State, Saturday, December 7, 2024
CU Events Center, Boulder, Colo.
Tip: 6:01 p.m. MT
Watch: ESPN+ (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Jerry Schemmel, Sean Kearney)
Listen Online: Sirius XM 381, SXM App 971

… Related … CU Buffs ready for Events Center return of CSU’s Nique Clifford … from the Daily Camera …

TOY DRIVE: Colorado Athletics will host its annual Toy Drive, presented by Anthem, Saturday at the men’s and women’s basketball games.  Bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate at designated drop-off locations at the arena entrances. Your generosity will support A Precious Child, spreading cheer to families in need.

THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 6-2 overall following a 75-66 win over Pacific on Dec. 2, improving to 5-0 at the CU Events Center this season. The Buffaloes have won their last eight home games dating back to last year and have won 21 of 22 since the beginning of 2023-24.

Away from the friendly confines, Colorado placed sixth at the 2024 Maui Invitational. A thrilling 73-72 win over then-No. 2/2 ranked UConn on the tournament’s second day (Nov. 26) highlighted the trip for the Buffaloes who eventually fell to No. 5/5 Iowa State 99-71 in the consolation final (fifth place game) on Nov. 27 to round out the event with a 1-2 record. The game against Iowa State counted as a nonconference game and the two long-time rivals are set for a rematch in the Big 12 Conference opener in Boulder on Dec. 30.

Colorado is averaging 76.5 points per game, shooting 46.5 percent from the field and 40.1 percent from 3-point range. Colorado’s 3-point percentage ranks 13th in the nation and third in the Big 12.

Defensively, Colorado is allowing 71.5 points per game while opponents are shooting 42.5 percent.

ABOUT THE RAMS: Colorado State is 5-3 overall and winners of its last two after an 83-54 victory over Loyola Marymount on Dec. 4. Saturday’s game will be the Rams’ first true road game of the season. CSU is 1-2 in neutral site games, highlighted by a 76-72 overtime win over TCU on Nov. 29 in Palm Desert, Calif. Colorado State is averaging 76.6 points per game while shooting 45.4 percent from the field and 71.9 percent from the foul line. The Rams lead the Mountain West Conference in 3-point attempts at 26.8 per game and shoot 31.3 percent beyond the arc. CSU is one of better defensive rebounding teams in the nation, ranking 32nd at 28.6 per game. Defensively, Colorado State allows 70 points per game on 40.9 percent from the field. The Rams are allowing 35.8 percent from 3-point range, ranking near the bottom of the MWC.

Fifth-year wing Nique Clifford leads Colorado State at 18.9 points and 11.0 rebounds per game while shooting 57.3 percent from the field. A former Colorado Buffalo (2020-23), Clifford is the nation’s leader in defensive rebounds (9.6 drpg), ranks fifth in overall rebounding average and 13th in double-doubles (four). Senior guard Jalen Lake averages 15.0 points per game and leads the Rams in 3-point field goals with 22 and is shooting 40 percent from long range. Sophomore forward Jaylen Crocker-Johnson is third in scoring (9.4 ppg) and second in rebounding (4.8 rpg).

THE SERIES: This will be the 132nd meeting between Colorado and Colorado State with the Buffaloes holding a commanding 92-39 series lead. Colorado State snapped a three-game Buffaloes win streak in the series with an 88-83 decision in Fort Collins last season in the first contest in series history where the Rams were a ranked team. The Buffaloes hold a 55-9 lead in Boulder and have won five of the last seven.

… Continue reading story here …

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December 3rd 

… CU in the Arena …

Another day, another comeback against a lesser opponent – CU defeats Pacific, 75-66

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado overcame a 10-point second half deficit and took control with a 29-8 surge Monday as the Buffaloes collected a 75-66 win over Pacific at the CU Events Center.

Tad Boyle‘s Buffs improved to 6-2 while Pacific dropped to 5-5.

CU’s Trevor Baskin flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 13 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Andrej Jakimovski led CU with 17 points, RJ Smith had eight points and seven boards and Bangot Dak had seven points, six assists and four blocks.

Elias Ralph led Pacific with 24 points.

The Buffs fell behind by 11 in the first half, thanks to a 15-0 Pacific run that saw the Tigers hit six straight shots while the Buffaloes missed 10 in a row. CU managed to briefly cut the deficit to four but trailed by nine at the break, 38-29, after the Tigers finished the half with a 5-0 run.

Colorado shot just 10-for-31 in the first half while the Tigers were 14-for-29. Pacific also held a 24-8 edge in the paint in the opening 20 minutes.

But the Buffs finally found their defense while also revving up their offense following the break. After Pacific took a 48-38 lead, the Buffs put together a 15-2 run to take their first lead since early in the game, 53-50, with 11 minutes to play.

Pacific managed to keep it close over the next four minutes before CU finally took firm control, using a 10-0 run to take a 67-56 lead, part of the decisive 29-8 run.

Colorado then held the Tigers at bay over the final minutes for the win.

… Continue reading story here …

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December 2nd – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

Pacific, Monday, December 2, 2024
CU Events Center, Boulder, Colo.

ABOUT THE TIGERS: Pacific is 5-4 overall and has won its last two, including a 64-55 home win over Cal State Fullerton on November 30th, a team the Buffaloes defeated by 30 (83-53) on November 13th. The Tigers have yet to win a true road contest this season with an 0-3 record. Pacific is averaging 73.8 points while shooting 45.8 percent from the field. The Tigers have been a solid rebounding team, ranking in the top 45 in the nation in both rebounding margin (+8.4, 40th) and rebounding average (40.6, 45th). Defensively, the Tigers allow 68.6 points while a opponents are shooting 40.2 percent. Pacific has been stingy on the perimeter, allowing only 27.0 percent from 3-point range, the second-best mark in the West Coast Conference.

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Buffs taking on Pacific in search of a starting lineup: “I can’t continue to play 11 guys. I’ve got some decisions to make”

From the Daily Camera … The Buffs returned to Boulder on Friday after going 1-2 at the Maui Invitational, producing an impressive win against two-time defending UConn in between lopsided losses against Michigan State and Iowa State. After a long trip, the Buffs will have a relatively short turnaround before hosting Pacific on Monday night (7 p.m., ESPN+).

Through seven games, Boyle has utilized three different starting lineups. Not a gaudy total, but certainly a trend that is atypical to Boyle’s 15-season tenure. That part of the equation is likely to continue — more because of game-to-game matchups than competition or experimenting with the starting five.

But Boyle also has given meaningful minutes to a rotation 11-deep so far, and with only four nonconference games remaining before the Buffs open Big 12 play on Dec. 30 against the same Iowa State squad that routed them by 28 points in the Maui finale, the overall rotation is likely to be whittled.

“In terms of the starting lineup, it’s a matchup thing for sure,” Boyle said. “But I can’t continue to play 11 guys. So I’ve got some decisions to make. And I’m going to make my decisions based on practice and based on the performance in games.”

… Continue reading story here …

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November 27th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

No. 5 Iowa State rolls over CU in Maui, 99-71: “We’ve got to bounce back. It was a good experience for us”

From the Daily Camera … Defeating second-ranked UConn showed the new-look Colorado men’s basketball team is quite capable of competing with the top programs in the nation.

Iowa State showed the Buffaloes they still have plenty of work to do before Big 12 Conference play begins in a month. Against, as fate would have it, Iowa State.

The Buffs took aim at a second top-five victory in as many days in their final contest at the Maui Invitational, but instead were humbled by the fifth-ranked Cyclones, who routed CU 99-71 on Wednesday at the Lahaina Civic Center.

A combination of too many reckless turnovers by CU, particularly in the first half, and torrid shooting from the Cyclones made it a long morning in Hawaii for the Buffs, who return home with a 1-2 mark against a loaded field at the most prestigious nonconference tournament in college basketball.

“Today, it was all a matter of taking care of the ball and not boxing out,” CU head coach Tad Boyle said. “I wasn’t a math major but I can add. Fifty-one points of their 99 came off of offensive rebounds where we don’t box out or we get punked or beat, whatever you want to say. Thirty-seven on turnovers and 14 on second-chance points. Our half-court defense wasn’t very good either.

“You put the combination of turnovers, not boxing out, and not guarding, and this is what you get.”

CU (5-2) stayed close early, but with the game tied 22-22 Iowa State slowly took control, outscoring the Buffs 23-12 over the remainder of the first half to take a 45-34 lead at the break. The Buffs had curtailed their early-season turnover issues heading into the game, but CU committed nine in the first half, leading to a 20-2 advantage for Iowa State in points off turnovers at the break.

… Continue reading story here …

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November 26th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs Stun No. 2 UConn in Maui Classic, beating the Huskies, 73-72

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado staged a big second-half rally Tuesday and the Buffaloes knocked off No. 2-ranked UConn 73-72 in the Maui Invitational.

Tad Boyle‘s Buffs improved to 5-1 with the win while two-time defending national champion UConn lost its second straight to slip to 4-2.

Julian Hammond III and Elijah Malone each had 16 points for the Buffs while Andrej Jakimovski had a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double, his first as a Buff.

Liam McNeely led UConn with 20 points.

Colorado trailed by as much as 11 in the first half and by nine in the second half before using an 11-0 run midway through the second half to take the lead. The two teams then traded the lead down the stretch several times before Jakimovski drove to the hoop with nine seconds remaining to give the Buffs the win.

HOW IT HAPPENED: Colorado stayed close for the first 10 minutes, with Julian Hammond III scoring eight points in the first six minutes. With 9:34 to play in the half, Javon Ruffin hit a pair of free throws to pull the Buffs to within 18-14.

But the Huskies then reeled off a 7-0 run to push their lead to 11 as Colorado endured an 0-for-7 stretch from the floor.

Ruffin hit just one of three free throws with 36 seconds remaining and CU then missed one more shot in the final seconds, sending Colorado into the break trailing 40-32.

But Colorado didn’t fade away in the second half. Instead, the Buffs chipped away at UConn’s edge, finally using an 11-0 run to take their first lead of the game.

Hammond started the run with a 3-pointer before Elijah Malone scored on an alley-oop layup. Bangot Dak then hit one free throw before Hammond connected on another trey — the Buffs’ sixth straight successful field goal attempt — to give CU a 48-46 lead with 14:02 to play.

The Huskies regained the lead with a quick 5-0 surge but Colorado had another answer. Malone scored inside to cut UConn’s lead to one before RJ Smith drained a long 3-pointer to give CU a 57-56 edge with 9:14 to play.

At that point, CU had hit 10 of 13 field goal tries in the second half, including a 4-for-5 effort from long range.

UConn came back to take a 61-59 lead before Andrej Jakimovski drained a corner trey for the Buffs to tie the score at 63-63 with 5:16 to play, then hit two free throws to tie it again at 65-65.

But the Huskies responded with a quick 5-0 run, getting a 3-pointer and layup from Solo Ball to take a 70-65 lead with 3:28 to play.

Colorado answered with a Trevor Baskin bucket inside, then two free throws from Malone after a steal to cut UConn’s lead to one, 70-69, with two minutes to play.

The Huskies pushed their lead back to three on their next possession, getting a tip-in to take a 72-69 edge with 1:34 on the clock.

But Colorado cut it back to one again, getting a Malone jump hook inside. CU then got a block from Ruffin on the defensive end to take possession with 47 seconds left.

The Buffs missed a 3-point try but Baskin grabbed the rebound and called time out with 21 seconds remaining.

Jakimovski then gave the Buffs the lead with an off-balance right-hand drive to the hoop, giving Colorado a 73-72 lead with 8 seconds to play.

UConn inbounded the ball and then called time out. The Huskies took a difficult 3-point try with just a few ticks remaining and the ball bounced off the rim, handing the Buffs the win.

… Read the full story here …

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November 25th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs fall to Michigan State, 72-56, to face No. 2 UConn Tuesday 

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado started fast but couldn’t keep pace with Michigan State on Monday, as the Buffaloes dropped a 72-56 decision in the opening round of the Maui Invitational at the Lahaina Civic Center.

Tad Boyle‘s Buffs suffered their first loss of the season, falling to 4-1 while Michigan State improved to 5-1.

Colorado now plays second-ranked and defending national champion UConn in a 1:30 p.m. (MT) game Tuesday. The Huskies were upset by Memphis, 99-97, in overtime Monday.

The Buffs got off to a good start, taking an early lead on 3-pointers from Julian Hammond III and Andrej Jakimovski. The Buffs were still tied with the Spartans midway through the first half when Elijah Malone scored inside to knot the score at 21-21.

But the Buffs went cold from that point on and the Spartans closed the half with a 17-4 run to take a 38-25 lead at halftime.

CU then briefly cut the lead back to seven early in the second half on two more 3-pointers from Hammond. But the Spartans then slowly pulled away, building their lead to 17 at the midway point of the half and pushing it to as much as 20 down the stretch.

… Continue reading story here …

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Buffs taking on Michigan State in Maui Classic (3:00 p.m., MT, ESPN2)

From CUBuffs.com …

Michigan State, Monday, November 25, 2024
Lahaina Civic Center, Maui, Hawai’i
Tip: 3 p.m. MT
Watch: ESPN2 (Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas)
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Listen Online: Sirius XM 384, SXM App 974
Live Statistics: https//maui.statbroadcast.com

THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 4-0 to start a season for the second-straight year and the fifth time in the coach Tad Boyle era (since 2010-11). The Buffaloes are coming off an 88-66 win over Harvard at the CU Events Center on Nov. 17.

Colorado averaged 84.3 points over its season-opening four-game home-stand while shooting exactly 50 percent from the field (113-226)and 40.2 percent from 3-point range. The Buffaloes offense began to gain steam in the last two games, increasing that shooting percentage to 54.1 percent (59-109). Colorado has won eight-straight games, and 19 of its last 21, when shooting at least 50 percent.

The Buffaloes have picked up from 3-point range as well. After starting the season making 14 of 41 from 3-point range in the first two games (.341) the Buffaloes have made 21 of 46 over the last two (.457). Colorado’s 12 3-point field goals against Cal State Fullerton was its most since making 13 almost a year to the day, Nov. 15, 2023 vs. Milwaukee.

The Buffaloes dished out a season-high 22 assists against Cal State Fullerton, improving from just nine in the previous game against Northern Colorado. Colorado followed that performance up with 18 assists, along with a season-low 13 turnovers, in the win over Harvard.

ABOUT THE SPARTANS: Michigan State is 4-1 on the season with its lone loss coming in a competitive 77-69 neutral-floor battle against top-ranked Kansas on November 12th. The Spartans average 83.0 points shooting 46.3 percent from the field. Michigan State, receiving votes in both the Associated Press and Coaches Polls, have held opponents to just 68.2 points on 39.7 percent shooting.

Senior guard Jaden Akins leads the Spartans in scoring at 14.6 points per game and is second on the team in rebounding at 6.2 per contest. Senior Frankie Fidler is averaging 11.8 points and is shooting 89.5 percent from the line, getting to the line nearly eight times per game (34-38). Junior Jaxon Kohler leads Michigan State in rebounding at 8.0 per game while averaging 10.2 points on 50 percent shooting.

THE SERIES: This will be the fifth meeting between Colorado and Michigan State with the Spartans holding a 3-1 advantage. This will be the first meeting since a first round match-up in the 2003 NCAA Tournament. No. 7 seed Michigan State defeated No. 10 Colorado 79-64, in a South Region contest played in Tampa, Fla. Colorado’s lone win in the series was a 90-87 decision on Dec. 28, 1956, in Kansas City as part of the old Big Seven (later Big Eight) Holiday Tournament.

BUFFS IN MAUI: Colorado makes its second appearance at the Maui Invitational. The Buffaloes finished seventh at the 2009 Maui Invitational. Then coached by Jeff Bzdelik, in his final season at Colorado, the Buffaloes suffered back-to-back narrow losses to Gonzaga (76-72) and Arizona (91-87 in OT) before defeating Chaminade (73-58) on the final day.

PRESEASON TOURNAMENTS: Colorado has won eight preseason tournaments – also called MTE’s or multi-team events – most recently the 2019 MGM Resorts Main Event in Las Vegas by defeating Wyoming (56-41) and Clemson (71-67). Four of Colorado’s preseason tournament titles have been won on a neutral court.

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November 17th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs pull away from Harvard to improve to 4-0 with 88-66 win

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado put four players in double figures Sunday and the Buffaloes pulled away from Harvard down the stretch to take an 88-66 win at the CU Events Center.

Tad Boyle‘s Buffs improved to 4-0 as Colorado won its seventh straight game at home and 20th in the last 21. Harvard dropped to 1-4.

Andrej Jakimovski led CU with 20 points. Elijah Malone scored 16 and added seven rebounds, Javon Ruffin scored 15 and Trevor Baskin added 13 points and seven boards.

Evan Nelson and Chandler Pigge each scored 11 for the Crimson.

Colorado led by 12 at the half and pushed the lead to 17 early in the second period. Harvard managed to cut the deficit to just six midway through the half before the Buffs put the game away with a 21-4 run that gave Colorado a 77-54 cushion with 5:42 to play.

HOW IT HAPPENED: Harvard led early before the Buffs took the lead for good on an Elijah Malone bucket inside, the beginning of a 9-0 run that gave the Buffs a 14-6 edge eight minutes into the game.

But the Crimson managed to stay close, cutting the deficit down to three, 18-15, with a 3-pointer at the 8:38 mark.

Colorado, though, pushed its lead to 10 three minutes later on the heels of a 10-4 run. Malone tallied a three-point play, Andrej Jakimovski scored inside, Julian Hammond III drained a 3-pointer and Trevor Baskin connected from the lane to give the Buffs a 31-21 edge.

Harvard answered one more time, putting together a 7-0 run to pull back within three, 31-28.

But Colorado finished the half with a 15-6 run to take control. Javon Ruffin hit two treys in the surge and Jakimovski added five points and the Buffs took a 46-34 lead into the break.

The Buffs threatened to blow the game open early in the second half with a quick 5-0 run. Malone hit two free throws and Baskin swished a 3-pointer to give Colorado a 17-point edge, 51-34.

But the Crimson answered with a 14-3 run that included two 3-pointers while the Buffs endured a 1-for-7 shooting stretch. With 11:41 to play, Colorado’s lead had dwindled to just six, 56-50.

Colorado’s shooting woes contributed to Harvard’s brief surge as as the Buffs hit just five of their first 21 field goal tries of the half.

But just as quickly as Harvard pulled back within range, the Buffs put the game away with a 21-4 run that saw CU hit seven of eight field goal tries.

… Continue reading story here …

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November 14th

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs pull away from winless Cal-State Fullerton for an 83-53 victory – Tad Boyle: “A lot to be pleased with”

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado drained 12 3-pointers and the Buffaloes ran away from Cal State Fullerton in the second half Wednesday night for an 83-53 win at the CU Events Center.

Tad Boyle‘s Buffs improved to 3-0 with the win while the Titans dropped to 0-3.

The Buffs led by just six at the half, 35-29, but used a decisive 16-6 run midway through the second half to push their lead to 20, then slowly built the cushion down the stretch.

CU’s Andrej Jakimovski, a grad transfer from Washington State, tied his career best with five 3-pointers and finished with 17 points. Freshman Sebastian Rancik came off the bench to tally 13, Julian Hammond III had 11 points and four assists and Elijah Malone had nine points and four rebounds. Assane Diop led the Buffs on the boards with eight rebounds.

Donovan Oday led the Titans with 13 points.

Colorado finished with a season-best 22 assists while shooting 30-for-53 from the field (56.6 percent), including 12-for-27 from long range. The Buffs also had a 38-28 edge on the boards while holding the Titans to 31 percent shooting (18-for-58), including 2-for-17 from beyond the arc.

“You win by 30 at home and you defend pretty well, you rebound the ball pretty well, a lot to be pleased with,” said Boyle, whose Buffs are now 99-8 in non-conference home games in his tenure. “I thought we really took a step forward offensively tonight in terms of our ball movement and the ball not sticking in people’s hands. We had 22 assists on 30 baskets, which is phenomenal. We’ll take that every night.”

… Continue reading story here …

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November 13th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena …

Signing Day: Tad Boyle signs five freshmen 

From the Daily Camera … Tad Boyle is willing to adapt with some of his old school ideals.

Others, not so much. And one of those embedded philosophies is on full display with the class of 2025 signing day haul for the Colorado men’s basketball team.

In an era when many programs lean heavily into more experienced spring acquisitions via the transfer portal, Boyle, in his 15th season at CU, remains devoted to the sign-and-develop approach to program-building. The Buffs added plenty of additional talent to work with on Wednesday’s national signing day, making it official with five new recruits.

That class — Colorado Prep standout Josiah Sanders, Texas wing Ian Inman, Los Angeles-area guard Isaiah Johnson, and prep teammates Jalin Holland and big man Fawaz “Tacko” Ifaola — was ranked as the No. 32 class in the nation on signing day, per 247Sports. It’s ranked fourth in the 16-team Big 12, behind Iowa State (8), West Virginia (20) and BYU (30), though those numbers are certain to fluctuate.

Between a potential shift to 15 scholarships in NCAA men’s basketball and a possible reduction of power-conference level talent available in the transfer portal with the pending end of the extra COVID seasons of eligibility, Boyle and the Buffs opted to stockpile young talent.

“The whole key, I think, is you get good players, and you retain them. And then you develop them as retention happens. I think that’s how we can be successful at Colorado,” Boyle said. “Not to say we’ll never use the transfer portal. We used it this year. We signed three graduate transfers. But this is the last year of the COVID fifth-year guys. There will be graduate transfers, guys that graduated in three years or redshirted somewhere and graduated in four and still have one year of eligibility left. Those guys will still be around. I just think you can’t retain them if you don’t get them.”

… Continue reading story here …

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Buffs taking on Cal-State Fullerton (7:00 p.m., MT, ESPN+)

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado is 2-0 after its 90-88 double overtime win over instate rival Northern Colorado on Nov. 8. The Buffaloes knocked off Eastern Washington in their opener, 76-56, on Nov. 4th.

Colorado has had the flair for the dramatic to open the season. Along with the double-overtime win over UNC, the Buffaloes rallied from a 17-point first half deficit to collect the win over Eastern Washington.

In the comeback win over Eastern Washington, Colorado trailed 27-10 at the 6:44 mark of the first half but was able to cut the margin to six at halftime thanks to a 10-2 run over the last 3:30 of the period. The Buffaloes then took over in the second half, outscoring the Eagles 51-25.

The 17-point deficit tied for the Buffaloes’ eighth-best comeback since 1947. Colorado had overcome a 17-point deficit on three other occasions, with one being another game against Eastern Washington on Dec. 22, 2016. The Buffaloes trailed 19-2 right out of the gate in that contest before fighting back for a 76-68 victory.

IN THE OT: Colorado improved to 56-57 (.496) all-time in overtime games and 33-23 (.589) at home and are winners in its last six OT contests at the Events Center. The Buffaloes moved to 10-5 in double overtime games. It was the first double overtime home game since a 112-103 win over South Dakota State on Dec. 15, 2017

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November 9th

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs struggle (again), needing two overtimes to defeat Northern Colorado, 90-88

From CUBuffs.com …  It took two overtime periods, but Colorado finally gave head coach Tad Boyle his 300th victory as the Buffaloes head coach Friday with a 90-88 win over Northern Colorado at the CU Events Center.

The Buffs improved to 2-0 while UNC fell to 1-1.

The Buffs trailed by six midway through the second half but fought back to take a six-point lead with just more than a minute remaining in regulation.

The Bears, though, rallied to force overtime, hitting a 3-pointer with just a half-second left on the clock to tie the game at 67-67. The Buffs couldn’t get the potential game winner to go down in the final seconds of the first extra period but finally came up with some key defensive stops and crucial free throws in the final minute of the second overtime to collect the win.

Elijah Malone led CU with 27 points on 8-for-12 shooting from the floor and 10-for-12 from the free throw line. Javon Ruffin and Julian Hammond III each chipped in 12 points, Trevor Baskin had nine points and nine rebounds and Assane Diop had a career-high 10 rebounds.

The Buffs were once again plagued by turnovers, committing 21 miscues that led to 20 UNC points while finishing with just nine assists.

Isaiah Hawthorne led the Bears with 19 points, including two of UNC’s 13 3-pointers.

“Good win,” Boyle said. “It wasn’t easy. I told the team I’d rather win ugly than lose pretty. I have to tip my hat to Northern Colorado … We had opportunities to close it out a couple times but we couldn’t get a stop. Like I said, a good win but we have to get better.”

Boyle is in his 15th season in Boulder, where he has accumulated a 300-183 mark. His  overall head coaching record is 356-249.

“It means I’ve been here a long time and we’ve had a lot of good players,” Boyle said. “It means I’ve had a lot of good assistant coaches. But I know when I wake up tomorrow I’ll be thinking of how we get to 301.”

… Continue reading story here …

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November 8th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

Tad Boyle looks for win No. 300 as Buffs take on Northern Colorado

… Tip-off: 7:00 p.m., MT, ESPN+ … KOA radio … Listen Online: Sirius XM 383 … 

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado is 1-0 after its season-opening 76-56 win over Eastern Washington on Nov. 4 at the CU Events Center.

The Buffaloes rallied from a 17-point first half deficit to collect their ninth-straight season-opening win. Colorado trailed 27-10 at the 6:44 mark of the first half but was able to cut the margin to six at halftime thanks to a 10-2 run over the last 3:30 of the period. The Buffaloes then took over in the second half, outscoring the Eagles 51-25.

The 17-point deficit tied for the Buffaloes’ eighth-best comeback since 1947. Colorado had overcome a 17-point deficit on three other occasions, with one being another game against Eastern Washington on Dec. 22, 2016. The Buffaloes trailed 19-2 right out of the gate in that contest before fighting back for a 76-68 victory.

GRAND GRAD DEBUTS: Colorado’s three graduate transfers, spanning all levels of collegiate basketball, had successful debuts as Buffaloes on opening night.

Trevor Baskin, an NCAA Division II All-American at Colorado Mesa, played a key role in Colorado’s comeback win with 12 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks in 22 minutes.

Elijah Malone, the 2024 Bevo Francis Award winner as the best small college player in the nation, made his Division I debut with seven rebounds, four points and two blocks in just under 13 minutes.

Andrej Jakimovski, a four-year standout at old Pac-12 rival Washington State, had 11 points, seven rebounds and three steals.

ABOUT THE BEARS: Northern Colorado opened the 2024-25 season with a 75-55 home win over Colorado College on Nov. 4. The Bears shot 45.8 percent from the field and dominated the class, outrebounding the NCAA Division III Tigers 48-27.

Junior guard Langston Reynolds led all scorers with 21 points hitting 7 of 11 from the field and 7 of 9 from the free throw line. Graduate guard Jaron Rillie grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds and dished out five assists. Junior forward Brock Wisne just missed a double-double with 15 points, on 7 of 9 shooting, with nine rebounds. Junior guard Marcell McCreary added 12 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

THE SERIES: This will be the 43rd meeting between Colorado and Northern Colorado in a series that dates back to a 35-20 Buffaloes win on Jan. 25, 1918. Colorado holds a 24-18 edge in the series and has won the last 12. All 18 of UNC’s wins in the series came in the 1920s and 1930s when the schools were rivals in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

Head coach Tad Boyle is 6-0 against UNC, the program he coached from 2006-10.

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November 5th

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs rally for 76-56 season-opening win over Eastern Washington (down 27-10 in first half) 

Related … “Halftime lineup shuffle pays off for CU Buffs” … from the Daily Camera

From CUBuffs.com …  Colorado overcame a 17-point first-half deficit Monday night to take control in the second half and collect a 76-56 win over Eastern Washington in the Buffaloes’ season opener at the CU Events Center.

Colorado improved to 13-2 in season openers under head coach Tad Boyle and 15-0 in home openers in the Boyle era.

But this one didn’t come easily. The Buffs were plagued by turnovers and poor shooting early and trailed, 27-10, with just under seven minutes to play in the first half.

But Colorado shaved the deficit to six points, 31-25, at the break, then slowly erased the deficit in the second half. The Buffs took their first lead of the game, 48-47, with just under 10 minutes to play, then cranked up the pressure with a 17-2 run to take control down the stretch and collect the win.

Colorado put four players in double figures, led by 13 points from freshman Sebastian Rancik, who was 4-for-5 from long distance. Javon Ruffin and Trevor Baskin each tallied 12 and Andrej Jakimovski added 11.

Nic McClain led EWU with 16.

The Buffs had 13 turnovers in the first half but just five after the break. After shooting just 33 percent in the first half, CU shot 56 percent after the break to finish the game 27-for-59 (45.8 percent).

Colorado held the Eagles to 36 percent shooting (21-for-58) and the Buffs also held a commanding 45-28 edge on the boards. Jakiovski and Elijah Malone each had seven rebounds for CU while Julian Hammond III led CU with four assists.

Even though the Buffs ended up winning by 20, Boyle was less than pleased with the overall effort.

“We obviously weren’t ready to play out of the gate tonight for whatever reason, and that’s very unusual for a team like this,” Boyle said. “We turned that thing over like it was nobody’s business and then started feeling sorry for ourselves … Eastern Washington was the better coached team and they played better than us. Thank God they got tired and they were playing at altitude. Otherwise it would have been a loss for us, but our guys finally woke up defensively. We got some stops, strung some stuff together and  got out in transition.”

… Continue reading story here …

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November 4th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

Can’t tell the players without a scorecard

From the Daily Camera … The Buffs’ three graduate transfers — Elijah Malone, Trevor Baskin and Andrej Jakimovski — are all but certain to make their CU debuts against Eastern Washington. Buffs fans might also get a glimpse of the team’s three true freshmen (Sebastian Rancik, Felix Kossaras, Andrew Crawford) in addition to redshirt freshman Courtney Anderson, whose preseason has been limited by a groin injury.

“This will be a work in progress,” Boyle said. “Again, we’ve got a lot of depth on this team. I had individual meetings with all these guys (last week) and talked to each player about kind of where I see them now and today. Now, where they are now and today might be completely different than where they are two weeks from now, or a month from now. What I want the freshmen to do is just come to work every day and learn and grow and get better. I don’t know how much they’ll play early. We’ll see.

“Now, I’m going to try and play 10 guys, maybe 11, on Monday. But we’ll see. I may get down to eight.”

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The CU men’s basketball team opens its 2024-25 season Monday night with a home date against Eastern Washington at the CU Events Center (7 p.m., ESPN+). Both teams sport overhauled rosters, Eastern Washington even more so than the Buffs.

The Eagles won the regular season crown in the Big Sky Conference last year before getting upset in the league tournament, but former coach David Riley parlayed that success into his new job as the leader at Washington State. Eastern Washington turned to veteran coach Dan Monson, best known for his time at Gonzaga who also is coming off a 17-year run at Long Beach State, which fired Monson last spring despite leading Long Beach to the Big West tournament championship and the NCAA Tournament.

… Read full story here …

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November 3rd

… CU in the Arena … 

Tad Boyle hopes to play ten players in opener (in search of a starting five)

From the Daily Camera … There are a whole bunch of lost points for Colorado to recover from last year’s high-scoring squad.

But the Buffaloes lost the bulk of their rebounding total, too.

With opening night for the 15th season under head coach Tad Boyle closing in for the CU men’s basketball team, plenty of questions remain for a new-look team that makes its season debut on Monday at home against Eastern Washington (7 p.m., ESPN+).

Boyle said he’s still uncertain who will fill the starting lineup and the top spots off the bench, although he also indicated he hopes to play up to 10 players in the opener. On a team with an abundance of question marks, Boyle expects to base the bulk of his personnel decisions on defense and rebounding, as he has throughout his CU tenure.

“I think this is a team, that we’ve got a lot of different guys that can start a game,” Boyle said following Friday’s practice. “To me, the question is who is going to finish the game. To me, that’s what I’m battling and considering, the finishers and not the starters. Quite frankly, I don’t think it matters. We don’t have that one dude, when he’s on the floor his team wins. We’ve had that in the past. We don’t have that with this team. The strength of this team is our depth, our ability to play together. It’s going to be different guys on different nights.”

While Colorado lost nearly 89% of the production that led to the second-highest point total in program history (2,935) there is a confidence the versatile Buffs will score enough points to compete. Boyle might be a little less confident in filling the holes on the glass.

… Continue reading story here …

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November 2nd

… CU in the Arena … 

Julian Hammond III and Javon Ruffin represent the old guard for new look CU

From the Daily Camera … It has been nearly four years since the Colorado men’s basketball team signed the most highly-regarded recruiting class in program history.

The group certainly has enjoyed its moments, thanks mostly to KJ Simpson. Yet as a unit the group has suffered significant attrition, and the five players signed in November of 2020 have collectively brought mixed reviews to Boulder.

Julian Hammond III and Javon Ruffin still have an opportunity to script the final chapters for the 2021 class.

That pair of senior guards, along with graduate transfer Andrej Jakimovski, represented the Buffaloes on Wednesday at the Big 12 Conference men’s basketball media day. Hammond and Ruffin have been productive when on the floor, but both have battled injury setbacks. This year, with the rest of their recruiting classmates now long gone, Hammond and Ruffin will be tasked with leading the way for a new-look Buffs rotation that will be thin on Division I experience beyond the trio that made the trip to Kansas City.

“I haven’t gotten a ton of opportunities to show what I can do, but I’m proud to be part of that class,” Ruffin said. “I think us being here, in this era, shows who we are. We’re loyal to where we came from. That’s the biggest part of being part of this class. There’s not many four-year guys left.”

Simpson put together one of the greatest seasons in program history last year before getting selected by Charlotte in the second round of this year’s NBA Draft. But that counts as the most significant, and nearly solitary, achievement by the 2021 class, which was ranked as the top group in the Pac-12 and 13th nationally by 247Sports.

… Continue reading story here …

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November 1st 

… CU in the Arena … 

Associated Press preseason poll: Five Big 12 teams in Top Ten (new record)

From USA Today … If the initial Associated Press poll is to be believed, the 2024-25 college basketball season could prove to be a monster season for fans of Big 12 men’s basketball.

The conference boasts not only the No. 1 overall team in the preseason rankings, released Monday afternoon, but also three of the top five teams and five of the top 10 teams. Led by coach Bill Self, the Kansas Jayhawks were the top-ranked team. Houston (No. 4) and Iowa State (No. 5) joined Kansas in the top five, while Baylor (No. 8) and newcomer Arizona (No. 10) also seem poised to make noise.

No. 20 Cincinnati was the other Big 12 team ranked in the top 25, while Texas Tech, Kansas State, BYU and Arizona State were all good enough to garner votes.

The Jayhawks were picked to win the 16-team Big 12 in the preseason poll released last week by coaches, while graduate center Hunter Dickinson was named the conference’s preseason player of the year. Kansas basketball also opened the 2023-24 season ranked No. 1 overall, but finished 23-11 and lost in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

The Big 12 tied the SEC with eight total bids in the 2023-24 NCAA Tournament, also a conference record. A ninth team, Oklahoma, was among the tournament’s “First Four out.” The Sooners and Texas ― which also qualified last season ― have since moved to the SEC.

Last season, the Big 12 had a tournament-high five teams reach the second round, but had only two teams reach the Sweet 16 and none in the Elite Eight. Houston and Iowa State reached the Sweet 16, as did Arizona, but it was in the Pac-12 last season.

1. Kansas (30)
2. Alabama (14)
3. UConn (11)
4. Houston (4)
5. Iowa State
6. Gonzaga (1)
7. Duke
8. Baylor
9. North Carolina
10. Arizona
11. Auburn
12. Tennessee
13. Texas A&M
14. Purdue
15. Creighton
16. Arkansas
17. Indiana
18. Marquette
19. Texas
20. Cincinnati
21. Florida
22. UCLA
23. Kentucky
24. Ole Miss
25. Rutgers

Others receiving votes: Illinois 92, St. John’s 91, Xavier 73, Texas Tech 58, Wake Forest 37, Kansas State 30, Michigan State 29, Ohio State 29, Michigan 19, BYU 14, Oregon 12, McNeese State 11, Miami 11, Boise St. 9, Saint Louis 9, Clemson 9, Providence 9, Mississippi State 6, VCU 6, Wisconsin 5, Saint Mary’s 5, Louisville 4, UAB 4, Arkansas-Little Rock 3, Grand Canyon 3, Arizona State 2, San Diego State 2, Princeton 2, High Point 1, Maryland 1.

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October 31st 

… CU in the Arena … 

CU picked 15th in Big 12 preseason poll

Press release from the Big 12 … Kansas was selected as the favorite in the Big 12 men’s basketball preseason poll, marking the 20th time in 28 seasons the Jayhawks have sat atop the preseason poll. KU’s Hunter Dickinson was voted as Preseason Player of the Year by the Conference’s head coaches for the second consecutive year.

Baylor’s Jeremy Roach and K-State’s Coleman Hawkins shared Preseason Co-Newcomer of the Year honors. The Bears’ VJ Edgecombe was Preseason Freshman of the Year.

The Jayhawks enter the season as the preseason favorite for the second consecutive year and were closely followed by Houston, who has ranked second in the preseason poll in both of its seasons in the Big 12. Iowa State, Baylor and Arizona rounded out the top five.

All awards were voted on by the league’s 16 head coaches, who could not vote for their own team or players.

Preseason Big 12 Poll

1. Kansas (9 first-place votes) – 215 points
2. Houston (5) – 211
3. Iowa State (1) – 194
4. Baylor – 185
5. Arizona (1) – 179
6. Cincinnati – 140
7. Texas Tech – 135
8. Kansas State – 133
9. BYU – 116
10. TCU – 90
11. UCF – 83
12. Arizona State – 64
13. West Virginia – 62
14. Oklahoma State – 46
15. Colorado – 37
16. Utah – 30

Tags: Andrej Jakimovski, Assane Diop, Elijah Malone, Fawaz “Tacko” Ifaola, Ian Inman, Isaiah Johnson, Jalin Holland, Javon Ruffin, Josiah Sanders, Julian Hammond, Julian Hammond III, Trevor Baskin
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