The Colorado Buffaloes (9-3, 0-1 Big 12) tipped off Big 12 competition in a slugfest against the No. 3 Iowa State Cyclones (11-1, 1-0 Big 12). The Buffs gave everything they had, falling short 79-69.
A crowd of 9,000+ in the CU Events Center set the stage for what was to be a physical game. With a rowdy group of Cyclone faithful in attendance, the Buffaloes would try to avenge their loss earlier in the season in Maui.
Before the game, graduate forward Andrej Jakimovski, a key CU defender and scorer, was ruled out with illness. Even without his presence, Colorado played solid defensively. The Buffaloes started hot with an impressive 3-pointer by senior guard Julian Hammond III on the opening possession. The Buffs matched ISU’s physicality and defensive effort, keeping the scoring low in the opening minutes.
“Our guys fought and they battled and they scratched and they clawed. I got no issues with our effort tonight,” said head coach Tad Boyle postgame.
In the first five minutes, both teams struggled to hold onto the ball. The score read 8-7 Cyclones, but the Buffaloes' competitiveness kept the fans engaged. Unfortunately, sloppy turnovers would plague Colorado for the rest of the night.
As the game progressed, Iowa State looked to Curtis Jones for scoring, as he had 10 points in the first half. Guard Keshon Gilbert was a target of the Buffaloes' defense, allowing other players to get better looks. The Buffs struggled to get rebounds on the defensive end, giving second-shot opportunities to the Cyclones. However, when Iowa State went on a run, Colorado matched it.
Guard RJ Smith found a rhythm in the first half to go along with Hammond. The pair accounted for six out of the seven made 3-pointers by the Buffs. They would also be the only ones in double-digit scoring at the end of the game. In the paint, the Cyclones’ forward Brandon Chatfield was able to notch three first-half rebounds.
Before the half ended, Colorado fumbled possession on a rebound and allowed Iowa State to hit a corner three. This swung the momentum for the Cyclones, as they entered the locker room up 37-31.
The second half mimicked the first, this time with Iowa State coming out swinging. The Buffaloes remained scoreless for the opening minutes, falling behind 43-31 quickly. But in a flash, the Buffaloes stormed back to trail 44-42.
The Cyclones and Buffaloes traded blows deep into the second period. At one point, the Buffs were up 55-50 with 12 minutes left in regulation. The game featured 11 lead changes, many of which occurred in the late second half, a testament to the resilience of the team.
Ultimately, in the last seven minutes, the Buffaloes' turnover demons finally caught up with them. As their three-point shooting froze up, so did the fingers of their ball handlers. Iowa State was able to go up 10 points and never looked back. In total, Colorado had 19 turnovers and shot only eight free throws to Iowa State’s 22.
“They were better than us down the stretch, they were tougher than us down the stretch,” Boyle acknowledged.
The Buffaloes did well in improving their performance against the Cyclones, but let their own mistakes prevent a victory. A lack of rebounds and too many turnovers kept the Buffaloes from increasing their scoring output in the late minutes. This was a frustrating loss for the Buffs, but it was also one they can improve on.
“We competed better tonight for 40 minutes, but yes, welcome to the Big 12,” Boyle said. “We got 19 more ahead of us, so strap it on.”
The Buffaloes will face Arizona State (9-2) next on Saturday, Jan 4. Tipoff will be at 4:00 p.m. MT on ESPN+.
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