Colorado Basketball

—

Colorado Basketball

—

March 11th 

… CU in the Arena … 

Survive and advance: Buffs defeat TCU, 69-67, in first round of Big 12 Tournament

… The Buffs will take on No. 8 seed West Virginia Wednesday at 1:00 p.m., MT, ESPN+ … 

From CUBuffs.com … The 16th-seeded Colorado, led in the second half by Andrej Jakimovski’s 16 second-half points, pushed the Buffaloes past ninth-seeded TCU 69-67 in the first round of the Big 12 Championship Tuesday at the T-Mobile Center.

“When you don’t play your best, and we were far from our best today, and you figure out how to win a game in March, it says something about your guys,” head coach Tad Boyle said. “This team has come a long way. We’ve been through a lot together, and they stuck together and to see them with the fight today, even though we didn’t play our best. We give up 22 offensive rebounds, you turn over 15 times, and you win. It’s kind of a head-scratcher, but they did what they had to do. I thought Trevor [Baskin] and Andrej [Jakimovski] played like seniors, and that’s what you need to have this time of year. You’ve got to have your veteran guys that you count on to play the way they played today. Julian [Hammond III] and Ruff [Javon Ruffin] were really good as well. Everybody that played, I thought, contributed. Players got to make plays at the critical time of the game, and these two guys [Baskin and Jakimovski] did it, and we got enough stops at the end, but we were far from our best, and that, I guess that’s a good thing and a bad thing, but we better be better tomorrow.”

Colorado (13-19, 3-17 Big 12) outlasted TCU (16-16, 9-11) for the second time in four days in the second half to win its first Big 12 tournament game since 2011 and win a game in the conference tournament for the 14^th time in 15 seasons.

Jakimovski scored a game-high 18 points, including 16 in the second half, putting Colorado ahead 13 points before TCU responded with a 10-0 run to cut the lead to 63-60 with 1:47 left in the game.

A dunk by Bangot Dak slowed the momentum for the Horn Frogs, but another 3-pointer cut the lead to 65-63 with under a minute to go. As he had been all season, Julian Hammond III was money at the free throw line, making both to make it a two-possession game.

TCU scored quickly to cut the lead back to two points before Javon Ruffin iced the game with two free throws of his own to keep Colorado ahead for good.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

March 8th

… CU in the Arena … 

CU defeats TCU, 76-56, on Senior Day – Tad Boyle: “I’m really happy for our five seniors”

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado went into its final regular season home game with an emphasis of playing for its seniors.

On Saturday, it was the seniors that shined for the Buffaloes.

Colorado put together a Senior Day to remember as the Buffaloes defeated TCU 76-56 Saturday afternoon at the CU Events Center.

The Buffaloes snap a three-game skid and improve to 12-19 overall and finish their first season in the Big 12 Conference since 2011 at 3-17. TCU drops to 16-15, 9-11 overall.

Senior guard Julian Hammond III scored 19 points and tied a career-high with seven assists. Graduate forward Trevor Baskin had a career and team season-high 16 rebounds. RJ Smith pitched in 12 points while Bangot Dak had 10 points and seven rebounds.

Trazarien White led UCF with a game-high 21 points.

In what has been a tough, up-and-down season, the Buffaloes put together a solid game on both ends. Colorado shot 45.6 percent from the game and broke out of a slump from 3-point range hitting 8 of 21. Colorado moved the ball well to a tune of 17 assists.

Defensively, Colorado held TCU to 31.6 percent and dominated the boards, outrebounding the Horned Frogs by 16.

“I’m really happy for our five seniors,” Colorado head coach Tad Boyle said. “We really challenged our guys today, to play for them, get out of yourself, don’t worry about you, and let’s give everything we got for those five guys. I thought our guys did that, and I thought they played well.”

Senior Javon Ruffin had nine points on 3 of 4 from 3-point range. Graduate forward Andrej Jakimovski pulled down eight rebounds.

“It was great,” Hammond said.  “We’ve been together for four years now and we’ve seen a lot of ups and downs throughout our time here. It’s just great to go out on a win and have a good game too.”

… Read full story here …

–

—–

March 6th

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs fall to No. 9 Texas Tech, 91-75, to finish 0-10 in Big 12 road games – “Obviously, we didn’t execute very well”

From CUBuffs.com …  Colorado couldn’t keep up with No. 9 Texas Tech’s hot shooting as the Buffaloes fell to the Red Raiders 91-75 Wednesday night at the United Supermarkets Arena.

With a loss in the final regular-season conference road game, the Buffs fall to 11-19 overall and 2-17 in Big 12 play. They finished 0-10 on the road in conference games. Texas Tech improves to 23-7 overall and 14-5 in conference play.

“There are times in this game, as much as we hate to do it as coaches because we’re competitors and players are too, but sometimes you just got to tip your hat to your opponent,” head coach Tad Boyle said. “Texas Tech’s got a hell of a team. JT Toppin is playing at a very high level, we didn’t have much of an answer for him in there tonight. He had his way with us, and it wasn’t just on one guy; it was on multiple defenders that we had. The way they shoot the ball as a team; they made a bunch of threes against Kansas and taking away their threes was a big part of our game plan. Obviously, we didn’t execute that very well. They made 16 of them on us. They have a team that passes the ball, shares the ball, runs their stuff, and is efficient.”

Colorado was without senior point guard and leading scorer Julian Hamond III for the first time this season.

Without Hammond, the Buffs scored by committee; all nine players who saw the court scored. The Buffs’ offense came inside from the big men, with Bangot Dak (12), Assane Diop (11), Elijah Malone (10), and Sebastian Rancik (12) all reaching double figures and combining for 45 points.

Texas Tech was led by JT Toppin, who finished with 30 points and 14 rebounds. He scored 21 points and had 10 of his rebounds in the second half.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

March 2nd

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs clinch last place in the Big 12 with 65-56 loss to Kansas State

From the Daily Camera … Turnovers and an errant 3-point touch have been two of the most glaring issues among the many that have plagued the Colorado men’s basketball team all season. Sliding into a month synonymous with college basketball did nothing to rectify those problems for CU on Sunday at Bramlage Coliseum, as Kansas State handed the Buffs a 65-56 in the first Big 12 Conference matchup between the longtime rivals in more than 14 years.

With the defeat, the Buffs officially clinched last-place in the 16-team Big 12. K-State played its third game without one of the most versatile players in the conference in wing Coleman Hawkins, yet the Wildcats still handled CU comfortably and never trailed while snapping a four-game losing streak.

The Buffs played the final 46-plus minutes without leading scorer Julian Hammond III, who exited late in the first half due to a back injury.

“I’m usually a coach who preaches defense and rebounding,” said CU head coach Tad Boyle, whose club outrebounded the Wildcats 36-35. “And our defense was good enough. We held them to 34%. So when our defense got set, it was good enough to win this game. The problem, and we knew this coming in, is we have to take care of the ball better. It’s just been who we are. We can’t take care of the ball.”

CU committed three turnovers in the game’s first 3 minutes, 20 seconds and finished with 15. Kansas State took advantage of most of those giveaways, recording a 20-5 advantage in points off turnovers. CU held an edge in paint points (36-26), fast break points (11-8) and bench points (17-12). But the Wildcats doubled up CU’s scoring total at the free throw line, and the Buffs’ .481 shooting percentage in the second half wasn’t nearly good enough to offset the turnovers and a 4-for-23 performance on 3-pointers.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

February 25th

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs contend, but still fall to Kansas, 71-64 – Boyle: “Our guys battled tonight. There’s no doubt about it”

From CUBuffs.com … In front of a packed house inside the CU Events Center Monday night, Colorado kept it close with Kansas throughout the game but could not pull off the win in the final minutes, as the Jayhawks held on to a 71-64 victory over the Buffaloes.

The Buffs fall to 11-17 overall on the season and 2-15 in Big 12 play. Kansas improves to 19-9 overall and 10-7 in conference play.

“Our guys battled tonight,” head coach Tad Boyle commented. “There’s no doubt about it. You don’t out rebound KU by 15 if you don’t come to battle. And that was one of the keys of the game…our guys battled, and they played hard, and I don’t fault our effort. I don’t fault our toughness. We just have to be more consistent in various parts of the game, not just one on any given night.”

Bangot Dak led the Buffs on the offensive side of the ball tonight, putting up 16 points on 7 for 10 shooting along with five rebounds. Dak was a force in the paint, slamming it home four separate times.

Julian Hammond III chipped in 11 points while shooting 2 for 5 from beyond the arc. He also led the Buffs on the night with three assists.

Hunter Dickinson led the Jayhawks with a season high 32 points and 13 rebounds on 13 for 18 shooting from the floor.

Neither team could find their footing shooting from deep in this one, which led to a plethora of points scored in the paint. Combined, the two teams scored 74 points down low (38 KU; 36 CU).

Colorado shot 26-68 (38%) as a unit on the court, while Kansas shot 26-53 (49%) overall from the floor.

Despite the loss, Colorado outrebounded Kansas 46-31 overall, along with 18 offensive boards to Kansas’ five offensive rebounds.

The Buffs also had more second-chance points (16-1) and bench points (20-6) than the Jayhawks.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

February 24th 

… CU in the Arena … 

Big Monday returns to Boulder – CU v. Kansas – 9:00 p.m., MT, ESPN

From CUBuffs.com …

THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 11-16 overall and 2-14 in Big 12 Conference play after defeating Baylor, 76-74, on Feb. 22. The Buffaloes have won two of three since snapping a 13-game losing streak, the program’s longest since 1985-86.

The win over Baylor gave Colorado its second-straight win at the CU Events Center, rebounding from a rare six-game home skid, the longest since 1985-86. Colorado improved to 10-6 at home, cementing the 16th consecutive season with at least 10 wins at the CU Events Center.

ABOUT THE JAYHAWKS: No. 23 (AP) / No. 25 (USAT) Kansas is 18-9 overall and sixth in the Big 12 at 9-7. The Jayhawks bounced back from a two-game skid with a 96-64 win over Oklahoma State at Allen Fieldhouse on Feb. 22. The Jayhawks are 3-7 in true road games this season and have lost their last four. Kansas averages 76.1 points while shooting 47.3 percent from the field. The Jayhawks rank second in the Big 12 and seventh in the country in assists at 17.9 per game. Defensively, Kansas allows 67.4 points and 13th in the nation in shooting defense at 39.0 percent.

THE SERIES: This will be the 166th meeting between Colorado and Kansas, the most played series in program history. The series dates back to January 1931 and was played annually from 1947 through 2011 when the teams were together in the Big Seven/Big Eight/Big 12 Conferences. It’s the first meeting in Boulder since Colorado’s memorable 75-72 win over Kansas on Dec. 7, 2013, decided on a 30-foot shot at the buzzer by Askia Booker. Kansas holds a 125-40 all-time lead in the series including a 40-27 advantage in Boulder.

… Read full story here …

–

—–

February 22nd

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs win second straight home game, hold on to beat Baylor, 76-74

From CUBuffs.com … A stout defensive performance from Colorado was enough to shut down Baylor in a thrilling contest, with the Buffaloes taking down the Bears by a score of 76-74 Saturday afternoon in the CU Events Center.

Colorado improves to 11-16 overall and 2-14 in Big 12 play. Baylor falls to 16-11 overall and 8-8 in conference play.

“We made that a little bit harder than we needed to down the stretch,” head coach Tad Boyle said. “There’s no doubt about that. We made it interesting, but it shouldn’t have been. So we’ve got to learn from that. But I was proud of our guys’ fight and competitiveness.”

Andrej Jakimovski led the Buffs with a season-high 17-points on five 3-point shots. Jakimovski had a game-high seven rebounds and five assists for the Buffs, and accounted for five of the nine 3-pointers by Colorado in this one.

“Andrej deserves a lot of credit,” Boyle stated. “To have 17 points and seven rebounds and five assists and zero turnovers, plus he made some threes that were big. That’s what seniors do down the stretch of their senior year, and you need your seniors to play well.”

RJ Smith and Sebastian Rancik, combined for 23 points including three 3-pointers. Rancik also chipped in six rebounds in the contest.

Norchad Omier led the Bears with 18 points on 7 for 11 shooting along with 13 rebounds.

The Buffs held Baylor to just a 36% (25-69) shooting percentage overall from the floor, the second-lowest shooting percentage from an opposing team in Big 12 play for Colorado this season.

A 12-2 run by the Buffaloes with six minutes left in the second half was the deciding factor in this one. Colorado would cling onto that lead the rest of the way to close out Baylor in the final minutes.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

February 19th

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs not competitive in 79-65 loss to No. 8 Iowa State – Tad Boyle: “They were the better team tonight”

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado trailed by double-digits within the first seven minutes, which proved to be too much against a blistering Iowa State offense Tuesday night, with the Buffaloes falling by a score of 79-65 at Hilton Coliseum.

The Buffs fall to 10-16 overall and 1-14 in Big 12 play. Iowa State sweeps the season series over Colorado and improves to 21-6 overall and 11-4 in conference.

“They were the better team tonight,” head coach Tad Boyle said. “They deserved to win, and I was really proud of our guys the last 10 minutes. If we would have played the first 30 minutes like we played the last 10 in terms of our aggressiveness and toughness and handling their pressure, attacking their pressure, and guarding them, I think it would have been a different game, but we didn’t, and they deserve the credit.”

Sophomore Bangot Dak led Colorado with a career-high 20 points on 8 for 14 shooting from the floor and four rebounds. His previous high was 19 points earlier this season against Cincinnati.

Harrison Carrington put up a career-high 11 points while going an efficient 4 for 5 overall shooting. Freshman Felix Kossaras led the Buffs with five rebounds in just 15 minutes of game action.

“I still want to see improvement for this team, this year, and I think we saw that with both Harrison and Felix tonight, who didn’t play against Central Florida, and tonight they they got their chance,” Boyle stated. “I thought they played really well, especially in the second half. We’ve got 11 guys I feel really comfortable with in that rotation, and it’s hard to play all 11 every night, but those two kids showed great character tonight, with with being resilient and being ready when their number was called.”

Dishon Jackson led the Cyclones with 13 points on 3 for 4 shooting along with three rebounds.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

February 18th

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs taking on No. 8 Iowa State for the third time this season (6:00 p.m., MT, ESPN+)

From CUBuffs.com … Iowa State, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025
Hilton Coliseum, Ames, Iowa
Tip: 6:01 p.m. MT
Watch: ESPN+ (Shawn Kenney, Jess Settles) https://buffs.me/4hFVe6y
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Listen Online: Sirius XM 384, SXM App 974
Live Statistics: https://buffs.me/4i170Ih

THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 10-15 overall and 1-13 in Big 12 Conference play after defeating UCF, 76-63, on Feb. 15 at the CU Events Center. The win snapped a 13-game losing streak, the Buffaloes’ longest since the 1985-86 season.

The Buffaloes will be playing in their eighth true road game of the season and looking for their first win. Colorado is 1-9 away from Boulder this season, that win coming at the Maui Invitational against defending NCAA champion UConn.

ABOUT THE CYCLONES: No. 8 (AP & Coaches) ranked Iowa State is 20-5 on the season and fourth in the Big 12 at 10-4. The Cyclones have won their last three after rebounding from a rare three-game skid. Iowa State is second in the Big 12 in scoring at 81.4 points per game while shooting 48.2 percent from the field. The Cyclones allow 67.0 points while opponents shoot 41.5 percent. ISU leads the Big 12 and ranks 13th nationally in steals at 9.4 per game.

Iowa State features six players averaging in double-digit scoring, led by senior guard Curtis Jones, who primarily comes off the bench, at 17.6 points per game. Senior guard Keshon Gilbert averages 14.4 points while leading the Cyclones in assists with 111. Junior forward Joshua Jefferson leads Iowa State in rebounding at 7.9 per game while pitching in 12.8 points per game on 51.8 percent shooting.

THE SERIES: This will be the 151st meeting between Colorado and Iowa State, which will tie with Missouri for the most played series in program history (trailing Kansas-165). Iowa State holds a 80-70 series lead, winning a pair of meetings this year, first a nonconferene tilt at the Maui Invitational, then in the conference opener in Boulder on Dec. 30. Iowa State holds a 48-18 lead in Ames, as the teams meet there for the first time since March 2, 2011 (a 95-90 Cyclones win). Colorado’s last win at Hilton Coliseum was a 54-52 overtime decision on Jan. 22, 2005.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

February 15th

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs break losing streak with 76-63 win over Central Florida

From the Daily Camera … There certainly have been bigger wins for Colorado during the Tad Boyle era. Yet few have probably been as satisfying.

The Buffaloes shook off nearly two full months of frustration and finally posted the program’s first Big 12 win in nearly 14 years, as CU outlasted Central Florida for a 76-63 victory on Saturday at the CU Events Center.

The victory ended CU’s 0-13 start to its return season in the Big 12 and ended the second-longest losing streak in program history.

UCF used a 13-2 run to take a 34-29 lead late in the first half, but CU closed the frame with a 9-2 run to take a 38-36 lead at the break. The Buffs then outscored the Knights 9-3 to start the second half and never trailed the rest of the way.

Despite finishing with 18 turnovers, the Buffs prevailed behind strong defense, holding UCF to a .344 mark. CU also outrebounded the Knights 52-29 and recorded a season-high 16 offensive rebounds.

Andrej Jakimovski led the Buffs with 15 points and seven rebounds, while guard Julian Hammond III finished with 11 points and five rebounds.

… Read full story here …

–

—

Buffs looking to avoid historic 14th straight loss, taking on 13-11, 4-9 UCF 

UCF, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025
CU Events Center, Boulder, Colo.
Tip: 1:01 p.m. MT
Watch: ESPN+ (Lowell Galindo, Jess Settles) https://buffs.me/3QhYxVd
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Listen Online: Sirius XM 385, SXM App 975
Live Statistics: http://statb.us/b/546208

DERRICK WHITE DAY: NBA Champion Derrick White will be on hand for the unveiling of his jersey on Colorado’s Wall of Honor. The ceremony will take place during the first media timeout (under 16:00 in the first half)

–

From the Daily Camera … History is closing in on the Colorado men’s basketball team. But history hasn’t been a subject of conversation in the Buffaloes’ locker room.

Another loss, however, and history will be on the Buffs’ shoulders, whether they want to talk about it or not.

CU is coming off two straight tough battles against a pair of the elite programs in the Big 12 Conference in Houston and Kansas. Despite the solid fights, the results were the same as each of the Buffs’ previous Big 12 games, leaving them with an 0-13 mark in league play.

The 13-game conference losing streak is the second-longest in program history. One more loss, and the Buffs will match the longest conference losing streak in program history, set by the 1985-86 club that finished 0-14 in the Big Eight.

It’s history the Buffs certainly don’t want to be part of when Central Florida visits the Events Center on Saturday. Yet head coach Tad Boyle says history hasn’t been a talking point with his struggling club.

“I could care less,” Boyle said of the historical perspective of the losing streak, before slightly amending himself. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I could care less (about losing). But that’s not the focus I want. The motivation tools have been used and thrown out this season. I tried a lot of those along the way here. It’s just about can we get better today?”

… Continue reading story here …

ABOUT THE KNIGHTS: UCF is 13-11 overall and 4-9 in the Big 12. The Knights have lost their last five and 8 of 10 since their home win over Colorado on Jan. 8. UCF averages 79.0 points per game while shooting 42.2 percent from the field. The Knights are the top free throw shooting team in the Big 12 at 77.6 percent. Defensively, the Knights rank last in the Big 12 in scoring defense allowing 79.8 points, a number that bumps up to 84.7 points during conference game.

–

—–

February 11th

... CU in the Arena … 

Buffs struggle early, fall easily on the road to No. 17 Kansas, 71-59, for 13th straight loss

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado’s shaky first-half shooting was too much to overcome against a ranked Kansas team on the road, as the Jayhawks defeated the Buffaloes by a score of 71-59 Tuesday night in Allen Fieldhouse.

The Buffs fall to 9-15 overall and 0-13 in Big 12 play this season, dropping their 13th straight overall.

“I thought our fight in the second half was good,” head coach Tad Boyle said. “Our defense was better in the second half. I thought we lost this thing in the first half. The whole key with Kansas we wanted was to keep the ball in front of us.”

Freshman Sebastian Rancik led the Buffs with a career-high 19 points and nine rebounds on 7 for 13 shooting from the field. His previous career-high was set in the season opener against Eastern Washington when he had 13 points in the win.

“His [Sebastian] toughness, he’s not afraid, and he’s going to keep getting better and better,” Boyle stated. “But I’m proud of all of our guys, but Sebastian played well at times tonight on the offensive end.”

Elijah Malone pitched in 10 points on an efficient 5 for 7 shooting from the floor. Andrej Jakimovkski drilled three 3-pointers for nine points along with four rebounds.

Hunter Dickinson led No. 17 Kansas with 19 points on 8 for 11 shooting with nine rebounds.

The 33.3% (9-27) shooting clip overall for the Buffs in the first half was their downfall in this one, while Kansas knocked down a scorching 57.1% (16-28) of their shots, leading to their 14-point lead at halftime.

Colorado outscored Kansas 33-31 in the second half, but the CU struggles in the first half kept KU out in front comfortably for the rest of the game.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

February 8th

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs battle, but still fall to No. 5 Houston, 69-59, for 12th straight loss

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado head coach Tad Boyle has preached the importance of defense and rebounding; it’s been a pillar of his program over the past 15 years.

Saturday afternoon, the Buffaloes went against one of the elite teams in the country in those two categories, one of which proved to be the difference in the ball game.

No. 5 ranked Houston used a dominant performance on the glass to defeat the Buffaloes 69-59 at the CU Events Center.

Colorado falls to 9-14 overall and 0-12 in the Big 12 Conference. The Buffaloes have lost their last 12, their longest losing streak since the end of the 2008-09 season. Houston, 19-4 overall, maintains at least a share of the Big 12 lead at 11-1.

Julian Hammond III led all scorers with 22 points which included a career-high five 3-point field goals. He was Colorado’s only player in double figures, Sebastian Rancik and Bangot Dak each had six points.

J’Wan Roberts led Houston with 20 points on 9 of 11 shooting.

All season, and especially during conference play, turnovers and inconsistent rebounding have hurt the Buffaloes. On Saturday, Colorado had 12 turnovers, tying for its lowest figure in Big 12 play, but Houston had a 38-26 edge on the boards. The Cougars had 15 offensive rebounds which led to 18 second-chance points, compared to just seven second-chance points for the Buffaloes.

Houston also had a 42-20 advantage inside the paint. The Cougars shot 48.2 percent from the field, including 60 percent in the second half. Colorado shot 41.3 percent from the floor.

“Our guys battled tonight. I can’t fault them at all for their fight and their effort,” Boyle said. “They gave great effort. I thought our defense in the first half was terrific. Our rotations really battled down the stretch. In terms of the stat sheet the two things I looked at immediately were turnovers. We only had 12 against Houston. If you’d have told me that before the game, I’d have taken it. We want to be 11 or fewer, but given our opponent today, I’d have taken that. But also, we knew rebounding was going to be a key to this game. To me, the difference in this game was two things. It was the rebounding differential, and obviously they outscored us 18 to seven on second chance points. The second thing is, J’Wan Roberts made plays down the stretch for them. He really put them on his back and made some tough shots.”

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

February 5th 

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs fight back from double-digit deficit, but still lose to Utah, 72-59

From CUBuffs.com …  Colorado made a valiant comeback from a double-digit deficit only to fall at Utah, 72-59,  Wednesday night at the Huntsman Center.

Colorado, 9-13 overall, drops its 11th-straight game and is 0-11 in league play for the first time since 1985-86. Utah is 13-9, 5-6.

Javon Ruffin led Colorado with 13 points on 4 of 9 shooting and three assists. Bangot Dak had 11 points, four rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots. Assane Diop finished with 11 points hitting 5 of 6 from the line.

Gabe Madsen led Utah with 17 points hitting 4 of 7 from downtown.

The Buffaloes trailed by 11 points early in the second half but had it down to a two-point game with just under eight minutes remaining. Colorado kept pace with Utah, and when Trevor Baskin got a put back off a Ruffin miss it was 55-52 with 3:58 left. Baskin had a chance to cut it to two but missed the foul shot.

Madsen took countered with a basket to spark a 10-0 run to put the game away.

“I’m proud of our guys for fighting back in this game,” Colorado head coach Tad Boyle said. “We clawed our way back in the second half and we were right there, but we just weren’t able to sustain anything to get over the hump. They made plays down the stretch and we didn’t.

Colorado shot just 38.2 percent from the field, but 50 percent in the second half. Utah held a sizeable lead in both rebounds, a 39-31 advantage, and free throws. The Utes went to the line 35 times, and while they made only 18, it was a considerable margin over CU’s 10 for 13 night.

–

—–

February 2nd

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs start well, but finish the same way, falling to TCU on the road, 68-57

From CUBuffs.com … TCU used a late 15-2 run to break open a close game and take a 68-57 decision over Colorado Sunday afternoon at Schollmaier Arena.

Colorado, 9-12 overall, falls for the 10^th-straight time and is 0-10 in the Big 12 Conference, the Buffaloes first 0-10 start since 1985-86. TCU snaps a three-game skid to improve to 11-10 overall, 4-6 in the Big 12.

Andrej Jakimovski scored a team-high 13 points, hitting 5 of 9 from the field with four rebounds. Bangot Dak just missed a double-double with nine points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Leading scorer Julian Hammond III was held to six points on 2 of 8 shooting but tied a career-high with seven assists.

David Punch led TCU with a game-high 19 points, hitting 7 of 10 from the floor including a perfect 3 of 3 from 3-point range.

Colorado shot well at 46.7 percent and enjoyed a plus-12 advantage on the boards (34-22) but as has been the case most of the year, turnovers were the Buffaloes’ undoing. Colorado committed 19 turnovers, compared to just eight for the Horned Frogs. TCU took advantage outscoring the Buffaloes by 20 points (28-8) off miscues.

“We did some good things to have 19 assists on the road, that’s hard to do,” Colorado head coach Tad Boyle said. “The unfortunate thing is, we have 19 turnovers. And the bottom line, when you’re playing on the road, the Big 12, you turn it over 19 times, and your opponent only turns it over eight times. It’s really, really hard to overcome that. It’s an 11-point game, we lose the turnover differential by 20. That’s pretty much it. And it’s been that way, pretty much since 2025 started.”

–

—–

January 29th 

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs falter late, fall to Arizona State, 70-68 – Boyle: “I’m not sure I’ve ever felt as bad for a group of guys as I do for this group”

From the Daily Camera … There have been plenty of near-misses for the Colorado men’s basketball team during a historic losing spell to begin Big 12 Conference play.

Another opportunity slipped through the Buffaloes’ grasp on Tuesday.

Despite a second-half surge and plenty of chances at crunch time that put the Buffs in position to finally pick up their first conference win, the result ultimately was a familiar one for CU, as Arizona State made the key plays down the stretch to hand the Buffs a 70-68 defeat at the CU Events Center.

With the loss, CU fell to 0-9 in the Big 12, the program’s worst start within conference play since starting 0-9 in the Big Eight in 1986-87.

For a team trying to shake the longest losing streak in 15 seasons under head coach Tad Boyle, the Buffs put up a commendable fight in the second half by curtailing their turnovers and winning the battle on the glass. But it wasn’t enough, as the Sun Devils won for the third time in their past four trips to Boulder.

“I’m not sure I’ve ever felt as bad for a group of guys as I do for this group,” Boyle said. “They’re trying. They really are. Now, we’re not playing smart enough, we’re not playing tough enough, we’re not playing consistent enough. And that’s my job. If you can do it once, you can do it twice. If you do it twice, you should be able to do it three times.

“This program has set a standard of defending at a high level, and rebounding at a high level. This team is nowhere near good enough defensively, or rebounding the basketball, to win a game like tonight.”

The Buffs set an ominous tone in the first minute of the game, surrendering two offensive rebounds on ASU’s first possession before the Sun Devils knocked down a 3-pointer. CU threw the ball away on the ensuing inbounds play, giving the Sun Devils the ball back under their own basket.

That was the first of CU’s 10 first-half turnovers, as the Sun Devils scored 20 of their 33 first-half points off turnovers or second-chance opportunities while building a three-point lead at the break.

CU was able to rally in large part by recording only two turnovers in the second half. But, as has often been the case during the nine-game losing streak, the early miscues proved to be too much to overcome.

“In moments like this, it’s natural to just go back and think about every play that you wish you could get back, or a shot or a turnover or a foul,” CU forward Trevor Baskin said. “We’re just digging ourselves a hole. It’s frustrating, but we’re a resilient group and we’ll find a way to battle back.”

… Continue reading here …

–

—–

January 28th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

Ninth time the charm? 0-8 Buffs taking on Arizona State (7:00 p.m., MT, ESPN+)

… Related … CU Buffs take aim at ending winless Big 12 start in rematch against ASU … From the Daily Camera …

From CUBuffs.com …

Arizona State, Tuesday, January 28, 2025
CU Events Center, Boulder, Colo.
Tip: 7:01 p.m. MT
Watch: ESPN+ (Chuckie Kempf, Bryndon Manzer)
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Listen Online: Sirius XM 381, SXM App 971
Live Statistics: http://statb.us/b/546206

THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 9-10 overall and 0-8 in Big 12 Conference play after falling at Arizona on Jan. 25. The Buffaloes have dropped their last eight, their longest losing streak since falling in the final 12 games of the 2008-09 season. It’s Colorado’s first 0-8 start to conference play since 1992-93 (finished 2-12 in the Big Eight).

The Buffaloes will be looking to end a rare four-game home skid, their most since the 2008-09 team lost their last five at the CU Events Center. Prior to the beginning of this streak, Colorado had won 24 of 25 at the CU Events Center dating back to last season.

ABOUT THE SUN DEVILS: Arizona State is 11-8 overall and one of four teams at 2-6 in the Big 12. The Sun Devils have lost five of six since their 81-61 win over Colorado on Jan. 4. Arizona State is 1-4 in true road games this season. ASU averages 73.5 points while shooting 44.5 percent from the field. The Sun Devils shoot 36.1 from 3-point range, ranking fifth in the Big 12. Defensively, Arizona State allows 71.7 points while opponents shoot 41.5 percent. ASU ranks second in the Big 12 in blocked shots at 5.2 per game.

THE SERIES: This will be the 30th meeting between Colorado and Arizona State with the Buffaloes holding a 16-13 edge in the series. Arizona State took the first Big 12 match-up between the two old Pac-12 Conference rivals, 81-61, in Tempe on Jan. 4. The teams split last year’s Pac-12 battles, both winning at home. Colorado has a 10-3 all-time edge in Boulder.

Tad Boyle is 14-12 as a head coach against Arizona State. Bobby Hurley is 7-10 against Colorado as a head coach.

–

—–

January 25th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs fall to Arizona, 78-63, for first eight-game losing streak since 2008-09

From CUBuffs.com … An efficient second-half shooting performance from Arizona was too much for Colorado to handle, leading to a Wildcats 78-63 win Saturday afternoon in the McKale Center.

The Buffs dropped their eighth consecutive game, falling to 9-10 on the season and 0-8 in the Big 12. It’s the first time Colorado has dropped eight games in a row since losing its last 12 of the 2008-09 season.

“I’m proud of our guys for not losing their fight, and that’s what it’s going to take to win a game in this league,” head coach Tad Boyle said. “And eventually I think we will, but I thought our game plan was good coming in here.”

After a close first half, Colorado was unable to find a rhythm from the floor in the second period, shooting just 12-for-27 (44.4%) as a unit while Arizona shot 17-for-30 (56.7%) from the field.

Colorado lost the turnover battle 15-10, with the Wildcats capitalizing on it, outscoring the Buffaloes 19-10 off those miscues. Arizona also outscored Colorado 36-24 on points in the paint.

Julian Hammond III led CU with 19 points, including going 4 for 6 from downtown. He also had a team-high four assists.

Javon Ruffin chipped in 12 points and two assists on 5 for 9 shooting overall.

–

—

CU looking to avoid first eight-game losing streak of the Tad Boyle era (at Arizona, 1:00 p.m., MT, ESPN+)

… Related … Buffs take winless Big 12 mark into unfriendly environs at Arizona … from the Daily Camera

From CUBuffs.com … Arizona, Saturday, January 25, 2025
McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz.
Tip: 1:01 p.m. MT
Watch: ESPN+ (Pete Sousa, Corey Williams)
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Listen Online: Sirius XM 390, SXM App 980
Live Statistics: https://buffs.me/3PJYbXo

THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 9-9 overall and 0-7 in Big 12 Conference play after falling to BYU, 83-67, on Jan. 21. The Buffaloes have dropped seven-straight and are 0-7 to begin conference play for the first time since 2016-17, when Colorado dropped its first seven Pac-12 games before rebounding to win eight of its last 11.

Colorado is averaging 73.3 points per game, shooting 46.0 percent from the field and 34.2 percent from 3-point range. Defensively, Colorado is allowing 72.2 points per game while opponents are shooting 42.8 percent.

The Buffaloes will be playing in their fourth true road game of the season and looking for their first win. Colorado is 1-5 away from Boulder this season, that win coming at the Maui Invitational against defending NCAA champion UConn.

ABOUT THE WILDCATS: Arizona is 12-6 overall and tied for second in the Big 12 at 6-1. The Wildcats have won eight of their last nine overall and have an 8-1 record at home this season. Arizona averages 82.9 points shooting 48.3 percent from the field ranking second and third in the Big 12 respectively. The Wildcats allow 69.2 points while opponents shoot 40 percent from the floor. Arizona is the second-best rebounding team in the conference averaging 40.0 per game.

THE SERIES: This will be the 43rd meeting between Colorado and Arizona with the Wildcats holding a 26-16 series lead. The Wildcats have won the last four in the series including a 99-79 decision in Boulder on Feb. 10, 2024. Arizona holds a 15-3 all-time lead in Tucson. The Buffaloes last win at Arizona came on Dec. 20, 1965.

In the Pac-12 era, the teams met 29 times with the Wildcats holding a 21-8 edge. Only 10 of those games were in Boulder, where CU has a 7-3 advantage. The teams met 12 times in Tucson during that span (Arizona 12-0) and seven times in a neutral setting at the Pac-12 Tournament (Arizona 6-1).

–

—–

January 23rd

… CU in the Arena … 

Chauncey Billups and Spencer Dinwiddie head “Basketball Wall of Honor” to be unveiled on January 28th

Press release from CUBuffs.com … The University of Colorado men’s basketball program has had its fair share of iconic figures throughout 120-plus years of history. A new display at the CU Events Center will honor a select group who’s on the court achievements have expanded well beyond their days in Boulder.

The Men’s Basketball Wall of Honor will celebrate those former Buffaloes that have achieved at least five years of service in the NBA or competed on the world stage as an Olympic Gold Medalist. The initial 10 legends to be honored are:

• Chauncey Billups (1995-97)
• Alec Burks (2009-11)
• Jim Davis (1961-64)
• Spencer Dinwiddie (2011-14)
• Burdette “Burdie” Haldorson (1951-55)
• Jay Humphries (1980-84)
• Cliff Meely (1968-71)
• Andre Roberson (2010-13)
• Scott Wedman (1971-74)
• Derrick White (2016-17)

The honorees will have their Colorado jersey displayed high above the concourse on the northwest corner of the CU Events Center. Wall of Honor members will be recognized in person with their jerseys officially unveiled at upcoming games.

“The Wall of Honor is long overdue and serves as a testament to the success of men’s basketball players after they leave the University of Colorado,” head coach Tad Boyle said. “The foundation of their success was established here as student-athletes and we’re proud to honor their success in basketball after Colorado.”

On Tuesday, Jan. 28, during Colorado’s game against Arizona State, Haldorson, Meely and Davis will be the first Wall of Honor members to be recognized. Humphries will be celebrated at Colorado’s game with Houston on Saturday, Feb. 8. The schedule for the remaining honorees will be announced at a later date.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

January 22nd 

… CU in the Arena … 

CU cements status as worst Big 12 team with 83-67 home loss to BYU

From CUBuffs.com … After a back-and-forth first half, Colorado couldn’t keep up with BYU in the final 20 minutes, leading to a Cougars 83-67 win over the Buffaloes Tuesday night in the CU Events Center.

Colorado drops its seventh game in a row, falling to 9-9 overall and 0-7 in the Big 12. It marks the first time the Buffaloes have lost seven consecutive contests since 2016-17, when they started the Pac-12 Conference schedule 0-7.

“Their energy level, their toughness, their everything, you name it, they were the aggressor,” head coach Tad Boyle said. “They were better. And it wasn’t just one guy. It was the their whole team. This doesn’t fall on one guy for the Buffaloes. I mean, if it did, I’d fix that. It falls on our entire group.”

Colorado trailed by a single bucket to end a competitive first half, 38-36, but it was all BYU in the second half. The Cougars opened the second period with a 23-2 run, leading by as many as 23 at one point.

After starting the game 11-for-15 from the floor, the Buffs shot 0-for-16 as a unit from the 6:23 mark in the first half to 12:39 in the second half.

Julian Hammond III led CU with 17 points on an efficient 3-for-6 from the perimeter. Harrison Carrington had seven points, three rebounds, and two assists.

Richie Saunders led BYU with 25 points on 10-for-15 overall from the field.

Colorado shot 11-for-22 (50%) overall as a team in the first half, but struggled finding the back of the net in the second half, shooting 10-for-24 (41.7%).

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

January 21st – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs hoping late start will help end losing streak (CU v. BYU, 9:00 p.m., MT, ESPNU)

Related … CU Buffs hope to stop the bleeding in matchup against BYU … From the Daily Camera …

From CUBuffs.com …

BYU, Tuesday, January 21, 2025
CU Events Center, Boulder, Colo.
Tip: 9:05 p.m. MT
Watch: ESPNU (Roxy Bernstein, Tom Crean)
Watch Online:  https://buffs.me/3Wv3sWr
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Listen Online: Sirius XM 390, SXM App 980
Live Statistics: http://statb.us/b/546199

THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 9-8 overall and 0-6 in Big 12 Conference play after falling at Oklahoma State, 83-73, on Jan. 18. The Buffaloes have dropped six-straight and are 0-6 to begin conference play for the first time since 2016-17, when Colorado dropped its first seven Pac-12 games before rebounding to win eight of its last 11.

Colorado is averaging 73.7 points per game, shooting 46.0 percent from the field and 34.0 percent from 3-point range. Defensively, Colorado is allowing 71.5 points per game while opponents are shooting 42.0 percent.

The Buffaloes will be looking to end a rare three-game home skid, their most since the 2021-22 team lost three-straight during Pac-12 play, Jan. 20-22, & Feb. 3, 2022 (USC-UCLA-Oregon. Prior to the beginning of this streak, Colorado had won 24 of 25 at the CU Events Center dating back to last season.

ABOUT THE COUGARS: BYU is 11-6 overall and 2-4 in the Big 12 following a 73-72 overtime loss at rival Utah on Jan. 18. Overall the Cougars have lost four of their last five and are winless in four true road contests this season. BYU averages 80.2 points per game on 47.2 percent from the field, including a 35.4 percent mark from 3-point range. The Cougars lead the Big 12 in 3-pointers made (10.4 3mpg) and attempted (29.2 3fgapg). Defensively, BYU allows 67.0 points while opponents shoot 41.6 percent from the field. The Cougars lead the Big 12 and rank eighth in the nation in rebound margin (+9.5).

THE SERIES: This will be the 25th meeting between Colorado and BYU in a series that dates back to 1903 but has only been played twice in the last 69 seasons. Colorado holds a 17-7 series lead and is a perfect 11-0 at home against the Cougars all-time. The teams split a home-and-home during the 2015-16 and ’16-17 nonconference seasons. Colorado claimed a 92-83 decision in Boulder on Dec. 12, 2015. BYU won the return to Provo, 79-71, on Dec. 10, 2016.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

January 18th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs fall to 0-6 in Big 12 play after 83-73 loss to Oklahoma State

… Related … CU Buffs fall flat at Oklahoma State, remain winless in Big 12 … from the Daily Camera 

From CUBuffs.com … Turnovers and foul trouble plagued Colorado against Oklahoma State on Saturday, as the Buffaloes dropped their sixth straight game 83-73 at the Gallagher-Iba Arena Eddie Sutton Court.

Colorado (9-7, 0-6) battled Oklahoma State (10-7, 2-4), but a common theme of turnovers and three-point shooting woes, along with a season-high 29 fouls committed, did them in.

In both the first half and second half the Buffs made a three-point shot to cut the into the lead with Andrej Jakimovski in the first half to cut the lead to 24-21 and Javon Ruffin in the second half to cut the lead to 45-41. Each time the Cowboys would answer by pushing the lead back to double-digits.

Oklahoma State didn’t shoot lights out from the field as a team but shot a season-high 31-42 from the free-throw line. Five different players made at least four free throws.

Sophomore Bangot Dak led the team in scoring for the second straight game with 15 points shooting 6-8 from the field and 3-3 from the free throw line to go with five rebounds and a block.

“When we get good shots, we’re pretty darn good,” Boyle said on the turnovers. “The problem is we turn it over before we get good shots. Dead last in the league in that category [turnovers], and Oklahoma State knew it. That’s why they pressed us, why they doubled our ball screens, and we’ve got to be able to handle it better.”

… Read full story here …

–

—

Buffs (0-5) seeking first Big 12 v. Oklahoma State (1-4) (1:00 p.m., MT, ESPN+)

… Related … Struggling CU Buffs look to end slide at Oklahoma State … from the Daily Camera

From CUBuffs.com … Oklahoma State, Saturday, January 18, 2025
Gallagher-Iba Arena, Stillwater, Okla.
Tip: 1:01 p.m. MT
Watch: ESPN+ (James Westling, Bryndon Manzer)
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Listen Online: Sirius XM 381, SXM App 971
Live Statistics: https://buffs.me/3CfciAJ

THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 9-7 overall and 0-5 in Big 12 Conference play after falling to Cincinnati on January 15th. The Buffaloes are 0-5 in conference play for the first time since 2016-17, when Colorado dropped its first seven Pac-12 games before rebounding to win eight of its last 11. Overall, it’s Colorado’s first five-game skid since dropping the final five games of the 2019-20 season ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic and the cancellation of conference and national postseason tournaments.

The Buffaloes will be playing in their third true road game of the season and looking for their first win. Colorado is 1-4 away from Boulder this season, that win coming at the Maui Invitational against defending NCAA champion UConn. Colorado will play four of its next six on the road.

ABOUT THE COWBOYS: Oklahoma State is 9-7 overall and 1-4 in the Big 12, coming off an 0-2 road trip at Utah and BYU over the last week. The Cowboys have won six of seven at home this season. OSU averages 73.4 points per game and ranks last in the Big 12 in shooting at 41.9 percent. The Cowboys are a top 30 team nationally in getting to the line (24.4 FTApg) and shoot 72.3 percent from the charity stripe. OSU allows 74.0 points per game and ranks last in field goal defense at 47 percent. The Cowboys are second in the Big 12 in steals (9.0 spg) and turnovers forced (15.3 topg).

THE SERIES: This will be the 110th meeting between Colorado and Oklahoma State in a series that dates back to 1948, 11 seasons before the Cowboys would join the Big Eight Conference. Oklahoma State holds a 61-48 all-time series lead. This will be the first meeting in 11 years, since a nonconference neutral site game in Las Vegas on Dec. 21, 2013, won by the Cowboys, 78-73. Oklahoma State has won 27 of 37 all-time meetings in Stillwater. Colorado last won in Gallagher-Iba Arena on Jan. 21, 2006, in overtime.

… Read full story here …

–

—–

January 16th 

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs fall to last place in the Big 12 after 68-62 home loss to Cincinnati – Boyle: “I feel like this is the poorest coached team in America”

From CUBuffs.com … A sluggish start offensively for Colorado was too much to handle against Cincinnati, leading to a 68-62 Bearcats win Wednesday night in the CU Events Center.

The Buffs have now dropped their fifth straight contest, falling to 9-7 overall and 0-5 in the Big 12. It’s the first time Colorado has lost five consecutive games since the final five games of the 2019-20 season.

“I sound like a broken record here the last five games, but really, really disappointing, and we drop our third game at home,” head coach Tad Boyle said. “We lost one in this building the entire season last year, and now we’ve lost three and all winnable games that we weren’t good enough to win. And I told the team I feel like this is the poorest coached team in America. That’s how I feel, because the stuff that we talk about in practice, the stuff we talk about in huddles, it doesn’t translate to the games, for whatever reason which is really frustrating.”

Bangot Dak had an impressive night for the Buffs, posting a career-highs with 19 points and eight blocked shots. It’s the third most blocks ever by a CU player in a single game. Only David Harrison has swatted more balls in Colorado’s single-game history, holding the record with 11 set back in 2003.

Dak also matched personal bests in field goals made, hitting 7 of 11, and eight rebounds, as the sophomore led the charge for the Buffaloes on both ends of the court.

Trevor Baskin notched eight points, six rebounds, and two steals on the night. Freshman Sebastian Rancik added nine points on 3-for-6 shooting.

“All I want are great shots for our team, and I can’t make the shots for them, but we got to get great shots and and in order to win games down the stretch, you have to have players that make plays, or I got to do a better job of crafting some stuff offensively for them, and have more sound defensively,” Boyle stated. “And when you break down in this league, you’re going to pay for it, and that’s what our guys were doing.”

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

January 15th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

Battle for the basement: CU (0-4) taking on Cincinnati (0-4) for 15th place in the Big 12 (7:00 p.m., MT, ESPN+)

… Related … CU Buffs likely to be shorthanded in battle of winless Big 12 squads … From the Daily Camera …

CU men’s basketball coach Tad Boyle offered updates on starters Elijah Malone and RJ Smith, and while their outlooks are encouraging in the big picture, the Buffs still are likely to be without both players when they host Cincinnati on Wednesday night in a battle between the only two teams still winless in Big 12 play.

Neither Smith nor Malone played during the second half of Sunday’s loss against West Virginia. And while Boyle stopped short of ruling out the duo out against Cincinnati, he labeled the status of both players as “questionable” while saying neither practiced on Tuesday.

Malone, CU’s 6-foot-10 center, has started every game, but logged a season-low 9 minutes, 40 seconds before going to the bench with a back issue against West Virginia. Smith’s situation appeared more ambiguous following the WVU loss, as Boyle said Smith would be subjected to further testing after looking out of sorts on the CU bench.

… Continue reading story here …

–

From CUBuffs.com …

THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 9-6 overall and 0-4 in the Big 12 Conference play after falling to No. 21/23 (AP/Coaches) West Virginia on Jan. 12. The Buffaloes are 0-4 in conference play for the first time since 2016-17, when Colorado dropped its first seven Pac-12 games before rebounding to win eight of its last 11. Overall, it’s Colorado’s first four-game skid since dropping the final five games of the 2019-20 season ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic and the cancellation of conference and national postseason tournaments.

ABOUT THE BEARCATS: Cincinnati is 10-5 overall and 0-4 in the Big 12, joining Colorado as the last two teams without a league win. The Bearcats are averaging 73.1 points on the season, but have been held to 55.5 points an outing over four league contests including back-to-back games of being held under 50 at Baylor and against Kansas. Cincinnati sports the seventh-best scoring defense in the country allowing just 60.5 points per game. The Bearcats guard the perimeter exceptionally well, ranking fifth in the nation in 3-point percentage defense (.271).

THE SERIES: This will be the ninth meeting between Colorado and Cincinnati and first in 42 years. Cincinnati holds a 7-1 advantage, winning the first seven before the Buffaloes picked their lone win in the last meeting between the teams, 79-65, on Dec. 18, 1982, at the CU Events Center.

–

—–

January 12th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs comeback falls short against No. 21 West Virginia; CU drops to 0-4 in Big 12 play

From the Daily Camera … Suddenly shorthanded after another turnover-filled half of basketball, Colorado refused to go away without a fight.

Yet it still wasn’t enough to pick up the elusive first win in Big 12 Conference play.

The Buffaloes staged a comeback after a dismal first half to give No. 21 West Virginia a scare, but  the CU men’s basketball team never quite got over the hump while suffering a 78-70 defeat on Sunday afternoon at the CU Events Center.

West Virginia led 40-29 at halftime and extended its advantage to 14 points early in the second half before the Buffs rallied, thanks in large part to Mountaineers fouls that put CU in the bonus early and led to 28 free throw attempts in the second half.

The Buffs pulled to within two points on five different occasions but couldn’t get any closer.

CU (9-6, 0-4 Big 12) played the second half without starting center Elijah Malone, who suffered an apparent injury, and starting guard RJ Smith, who didn’t return to the bench after halftime.

Julian Hammond led the Buffs’ offense with 21 points, while Assane Diop went 8-for-8 at the free throw line before finishing with 15 points and five rebounds. A pair of free throws from Diop with 1 minute, 30 seconds remaining kept CU within 68-65, but the Mountaineers scored the next eight points to seal the Buffs’ fate.

CU committed 11 turnovers in the first half and finished with 14.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—

Lack of consistency keeping the Buffs from posting Big 12 victories

From the Daily Camera … Anyone that has watched the Colorado men’s basketball team doesn’t need to be told the Buffaloes have been inconsistent.

Yet fixing those inconsistent points has been a source of frustration for head coach Tad Boyle, as the Buffs have also been inconsistent within their inconsistencies.

One night the defense is lackadaisical. On another, the rebounding might be lagging. During the recent two-game run on the road, the Buffs’ energy and intensity were missing in a loss at Arizona State. CU turned around and put up an excellent effort in those departments at Central Florida, only to be done in by 22 turnovers.

Even the turnovers, one of CU’s most consistent problems from the start of the season through the start of Big 12 play, have occurred from various sources. One night the frontcourt and bad passing might be to blame. The next, the backcourt and too many offensive fouls.

For Boyle and his staff, improvement certainly hasn’t been a matter of ironing out a single shortcoming or two. But the Buffs will have another opportunity to finally get in the win column in Big 12 play when CU hosts what likely will be a shorthanded No. 21-ranked West Virginia on Sunday afternoon.

“We just have no consistency. That’s the thing,” Boyle said. “Our effort was great against Iowa State, terrible against Arizona State, great against Central Florida. Whether it’s effort, whether it’s scoring production, whether it’s taking care of the ball. At Arizona State, most of our turnovers were from our frontcourt. And then our starting backcourt has 11 turnovers between them against Central Florida. Even the turnovers are inconsistent.”

… Continue reading story here …

–

West Virginia, Sunday, January 12, 2025
CU Events Center, Boulder, Colo.
Tip: 1:01 p.m. MT
Watch: ESPN+ (Ted Emrich, Tim Welsh) https://buffs.me/3WaavE0
Radio: KHOW 630 AM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Listen Online: Sirius XM 389, SXM App 979
Live Statistics: http://statb.us/b/546198

THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 9-5 overall and 0-3 to open Big 12 Conference play after falling at UCF 75-74 on Jan. 8 in its second true road game of the season. The Buffaloes are 0-3 in conference play for the first time since 2016-17, when Colorado dropped its first seven Pac-12 games before rebounding to win eight of its last 11. Overall, it’s Colorado’s first three-game skid since the same time frame last year, January 4-10, 2024, all road losses at Arizona, Arizona State and California.

ABOUT THE MOUNTAINEERS: No. 23 (AP) / 21 (Coaches) ranked West Virginia is 11-3 overall and 2-1 in the Big 12. The Mountaineers saw a seven-game winning streak snapped with a 75-56 home setback to Arizona in their last outing on Jan. 7. West Virginia averages 74.2 points per game while shooting 43.5 percent from the field. The Mountaineers’ defense has been outstanding. WVU allows 63.4 points per game and ranks 15th in the nation in field goal shooting defense at 38.2 percent. The Mountaineers are even better guarding the perimeter, ranking 11th in the country in 3-point defense (.279). West Virginia tops the Big 12 in 3-point defense and in blocked shots (5.6 bpg).

THE SERIES: This will be the first meeting between Colorado and West Virginia on the hardwood. The Buffaloes have never traveled, nor played a team, from the state of West Virginia. The Mountaineers are the only team from the “new” Big 12 Colorado had never faced prior to this season.

AGAINST RANKED TEAMS: Colorado is 1-2 against ranked opponents in 2024-25 falling to a top 5 Iowa State team for the second time in a little over a month on Dec. 30. The Buffaloes faced No. 2/2 UConn and No. 5/5 Iowa State on back-to-back dates at the Maui Invitational.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

January 9th

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs blow ten-point lead, fall on the road to UCF

From the Daily Camera … In terms of rebounding from a listless performance, the Colorado men’s basketball team did exactly what it wanted to do in many aspects in an unfamiliar arena.

The Buffaloes posted one of their top shooting percentages of the season, posting by far their best mark in Big 12 Conference play. CU held the opposition under 40% in its own gym. The Buffs outrebounded a Big 12 foe for the first time this season and enjoyed a strong bounce-back performance offensively from their senior point guard.

But then there were the turnovers, a familiar nemesis for the Buffs. And boy, there were a lot of them.

CU kicked away a golden opportunity to pick up a road win thanks to an ugly glut of turnovers, particularly in the second half, as Central Florida rallied to top the Buffs 75-74 on Wednesday night at Addition Financial Arena.

It wasn’t a result that was difficult to dissect. The Buffs otherwise were excellent on offense, and played well enough to win defensively and on the glass. However, a season-high 22 turnovers led to a 24-10 advantage for UCF in points off turnovers. In a one-point result, that was the entire story as CU fell to 0-3 in league play for the first time since an 0-7 start in the Pac-12 in 2016-17.

“I told the team I don’t know how the hell we’re in this game when we turn it over 22 times, and they scored 24 points off our turnovers,” CU head coach Tad Boyle said. “That says something about our fight and our ability to compete. (Turnovers) have been an Achilles heel of Colorado all year long. They reared their head tonight. When we got our defense set and took care of the ball, we guarded them pretty darn well.”

The comedy of errors erased an effort that saw the Buffs shoot .522 overall, their second-best mark of the season, while going 7-for-13 on 3-pointers. Defensively, CU held UCF to a .392 mark and outrebounded the Knights 33-28. UCF posted a 7-2 advantage in the first half on second-chance points off seven offensive rebounds, but UCF had only two offensive boards and two second-chance points after halftime.

Yet on the heels of a listless loss last week at Arizona State, the Buffs suffered another road defeat despite a far superior effort thanks solely to their own miscues.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

January 8th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs try to regroup against UCF (5:00 p.m., MT, ESPN+) – “Nobody gets a pass for being outhustled”

UCF, Wednesday, January 8, 2025
Addition Financial Arena, Orlando, Fla.
Tip: 5:01 p.m. MT
Watch: ESPN+ (Drew Fellios, BJ Taylor) https://buffs.me/4gJstp3
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Listen Online: Sirius XM 384, SXM App 974
Live Statistics: https://buffs.me/4a8NlmU

From the Daily Camera … The CU men’s basketball team went through a tough practice on Monday before flying to Orlando, where they will visit the Central Florida Knights for the first time as Big 12 Conference rivals on Wednesday night.

The Buffs are coming off arguably their most frustrating effort of the season, losing by 20 points at Arizona State against a Sun Devils squad missing its leading scorer. A loss is one thing. But after watching his team get outrebounded and outhustled at ASU, CU head coach Tad Boyle hinted changes might be in store if the Buffs continue trending the wrong direction.

“You have to decide as a coach, what are the non-negotiables?” Boyle said. “Because we can’t lower the standards of our program for one team or one guy. The standards are the standards, and we have to live up to the standards. And we’re not doing that right now. Number one is making that crystal clear to the guys. The standards that we set for this program are not being adhered to with our defensive effort and our rebounding effort.

“The second thing is, the 50-50 balls … that’s unacceptable. That’s a non-negotiable. You don’t give them a pass for that. Nobody gets a pass for getting outhustled, or getting out-toughed. I have to be not emotional about how I react but make them understand. I think we did that at practice (Monday).”

After battling commendably against No. 3 Iowa State in the Big 12 opener, the Buffs fell flat in all facets at ASU. CU shot a season-low .125 (3-for-24) from 3-point range and was outrebounded 38-34. Including a nonconference game against ISU at the Maui Invitational, the Buffs have been outrebounded by all three of their Big 12 opponents.

… Continue reading story here …

–

ABOUT THE KNIGHTS: UCF is 10-3 overall and 1-1 in the Big 12. The Knights defeated Texas Tech on the road in their league opener 87-83, but fell at home to Kansas on Jan. 5, 99-48. UCF averages 78.8 points on 42.2 shooting. The Knights lead the Big 12 in free throws at 18.8 made per game and rank second in free throw shooting at 77.5 percent. Defensively, UCF allows 76.6 points while opponents shoot 43.1 percent.

Junior forward Keyshawn Hall leads UCF at 15.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Senior guard Darius Johnson averages 14.5 points, leading the Knights in 3-point field goals (33), assists (55) and steals (38). Johnson’s 2.9 steals per game average leads the Big 12 and ranks sixth in the nation. Freshman center Moustapha Thiam is 10th in the country in blocked shots at 2.5 per game while pitching in 7.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.

–

—–

January 5th

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs not competitive in 81-61 road loss to Arizona State – Boyle: “They got whatever they wanted”

From CUBuffs.com … A first half offensive explosion by Arizona State along with some Colorado shooting woes led to an 81-61 decision in favor of the Sun Devils Saturday afternoon at Desert Financial Arena.

Colorado trailed by double digits early in the game and could not mount a comeback to capture its first Big 12 Conference win of the season, falling to 9-4 (0-2) on the year while ASU improves to 10-3 (1-1).

Trailing by as much as 23 in the first half, the Buffaloes went on a 10-0 run in the final 2:35 minutes of the period to cut the deficit to 13 with another 20 minutes to play.

Graduate transfer Trevor Baskin scored a season-high 23 points on 9 of 14 from the floor with 10 rebounds, four steals, two assists, and a block. It marks his second double-double as a Buff and 24th of his collegiate career. It’s also the first time he has logged 20 or more points in his time at CU.

The Buffs got a hefty 40 points from their bench. Javon Ruffin, Sebastian Rancik, and Harrison Carrington combined for 17 of those points, in addition to Baskin’s 23.

Arizona State’s BJ Freeman posted a season-high 19 points in the win.

The difference was a season-low field goal percentage (34.8%) and three-point field goal percentage (12.5%) by the Buffaloes, with the combination of the Sun Devils shooting 51.9% from the field and 46.4% from beyond the arc.

“They just had whatever they wanted,” head coach Tad Boyle stated. “They’d beat us inside, they’d beat us outside. They got whatever they wanted. And we just didn’t. We didn’t dictate at all with our defense. We were on our heels. It felt like the whole night, both offensively and defensively.”

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

January 4th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs take on Arizona State in first Big 12 road test

From CUBuffs.com …

ABOUT THE SUN DEVILS: Arizona State is 9-3 overall, dropping its Big 12 opener at BYU, 76-56 on Dec. 31. The Sun Devils will be playing just their fifth home game of the season and first in over a month, since a 90-53 win over San Diego on Dec. 3. ASU averages 76.7 points while shooting 45.2 percent from the field. The Sun Devils shoot 36.7 from 3-point range, ranking fourth in the Big 12. Defensively, Arizona State allows 71.8 points while opponents shoot 41.5 percent. ASU ranks third in the Big 12 in blocked shots at 5.3 per game.

Joson Sanon leads Arizona State in scoring at 13.5 points per game with a team-best 28 3-point field goals, shooting 48.3 percent from downtown. Basheer Jihad averages 13.3 points on 46.9 percent from the field. Jayden Quaintance leads Arizona State in rebounding at 8.1 per game and tops the Big 12 in blocked shots at 3.2 per game.

THE SERIES: This will be the 29th meeting between Colorado and Arizona State with the Buffaloes holding a 16-12 edge in the series. The teams split last year’s Pac-12 Conference battles, both winning at home. Arizona holds a 9-4 advantage in Tempe although three of those Colorado wins have come in the last four trips.

… Read full story here …

–

—–

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
This post, about the Colorado Basketball game, from the 2024 Season, is filed under Article.
You can follow any comments to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment.