Colorado
9-3,0-1Big 12
Iowa State
11-1,1-0Big 12
Buffaloes Fall To No. 3 Iowa State
December 30, 2024 | Men's Basketball, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Colorado threw a scare into No. 3 Iowa State on Monday in their Big 12 opener but the Buffaloes couldn't close the deal down the stretch and dropped a 79-69 decision at the CU Events Center.
Tad Boyle's Buffs fell to 9-3 overall and 0-1 in Big 12 play. Iowa State improved to 11-1, 1-0.
Colorado overcame a 12-point deficit early in the second half to take a 53-48 lead with 13 minutes to play. But the Buffs couldn't hold the lead as ISU took advantage of a CU cold streak to regain the edge, then used an 8-0 run in the final three minutes to put the game away.
Julian Hammond III led CU with 21 points on 9-for-17 shooting and also had four rebounds, four assists and no turnovers. RJ Smith added 14 points and Bangot Dak led the Buffs with eight rebounds.
Curtis Jones led ISU with 20 points.
The Buffs shot the ball well, hitting 49 percent from the floor (28-for-57) while holding the Cyclones to 43 percent (29-for-68).
But the difference came in turnovers and offensive rebounds. Colorado committed 19 miscues that ISU converted into 24 points and the Cyclones grabbed 20 offensive rebounds that led to 21 second-chance points.
Colorado also shot just eight free throws and made six while the Cylones were 17-for-22 from the line.
"I was pleased with our effort and our competitiveness," Boyle said, "But we had the answer to this test before the test. We talked about it in pregame — second-chance points, points off turnovers. They have 20 offensive rebounds and we turn it over 19 times, and still somehow we stayed in the game until the end … But we didn't do what we knew we had to do to beat this team."
HOW IT HAPPENED: The Buffs trailed by six at the half, 37-31, and the deficit ballooned to 12 when the Cyclones scored the first six points of the second half.
But just when ISU threatened to blow the game open, the Buffs responded with a 22-5 run.
Smith started the surge with back-to-back 3-pointers, followed by an Elijah Malone dunk. ISU momentarily halted the run with a free throw but the Buffs answered with 3-pointers from Sebastian Rancik and Hammond.
Colorado finally took its first lead of the half when back-to-back baskets from Trevor Baskin gave CU a 49-48 edge at the 13:58 mark. The Buffs then extended the margin to 53-48 on a Dak basket inside and a Javon Ruffin steal and layup.
But the Cyclones wouldn't go away. ISU used a 6-0 run to take a 56-55 lead, then answered a Colorado bucket from Assane Diop with five more points to take a 61-57 lead with just under eight minutes to play.
Colorado managed to close the gap to one, 64-63, with five minutes remaining but the Cyclones responded with a 6-0 burst to take control and CU never got closer than four again.
"They made the plays, we didn't," Boyle said. "We had this thing down to a one possession game, and we just couldn't get over the hump. The reason we couldn't get over the hump is we couldn't get a stop. When we did get a stop, we couldn't get a rebound. And that's what you have to do. You have to finish the possessions."
Iowa State then put the game away with an 8-0 run in the final three minutes.
"I'm pleased with our effort," Boyle said. "I think this is a team that's going to continue to get better … But we better be the team with the 20 offensive rebounds and the other team's got 11. We have to be the team that gets to the foul line 22 times, and they get to the foul line eight times. That's what we have to figure out."
Colorado opened the game by taking a quick 5-0 lead on a pair of buckets from Hammond before ISU scored six in a row to take its first lead.
The two teams then traded the lead four times over the next five minutes as turnovers began to plague the Buffs.
Colorado then hit a hot streak midway through the period, using a 10-2 run to take a 23-19 lead with 6:32 to play in the half. Smith hit a 3-pointer, then set up Baskin for a breakaway dunk with a steal. Hammond wrapped up a 7-0 run with a basket inside, then drained a 3-pointer after a Dak offensive rebound to give the Buffs a four-point edge.
But the Buffs then turned it over on two of their next three possessions and the Cyclones turned both miscues into baskets, part of an 8-0 run.
Smith temporarily halted the surge with a pair of baskets to keep the Buffs within two, 29-27.
But the Cyclones came back with a 3-pointer, then got a second-chance, buzzer-beating trey at the end of the half to take a 37-31 lead into the break, finishing an 18-8 run.
CU shot well in the first half, hitting 50 percent from the floor (12-for-24). But the Buffs also finished with 12 turnovers in the first half, leading to 13 ISU points, and the Cyclones also had 12 second-chance points off of nine offensive rebounds.
DECISIVE MOMENT: Colorado trailed by just one, 64-63, with five minutes to play. But the Cyclones answered with six unanswered points and CU never came closer than four again.
WHAT IT MEANS: The loss ended an 11-game home win streak for the Buffs, who have now won 24 of their last 26 at the Events Center.
NEXT UP: The Buffs hit the road Saturday for a 4 p.m. game at Arizona State (ESPN+).
