Wednesday, January 8
Orlando, Fla.
5 p.m.
Colorado
9-5,0-3Big 12
74
at
75
UCF
11-3,2-1Big 12
1
2
F
Colorado
37
37
74
UCF
34
41
75
Turnovers Doom Buffs At UCF
January 08, 2025 | Men's Basketball
ORLANDO, Fla. – Colorado got a career-night from senior guard Julian Hammond III and shot over 50 percent as a team, but a season-high 22 turnovers allowed UCF to squeak out a 75-74 Big 12 Conference win over the Buffaloes Wednesday night at Addition Financial Arena.
Colorado, 9-5 overall, drops its third-straight to fall to 0-3 in conference play for the first time since the 2016-17 season. UCF improves to 11-3, 2-1 in the Big 12.
Hammond, shaking off a scoreless performance at Arizona State, scored a career-high 26 points on 8 of 14 from the field and 8 of 9 from the line. Andrej Jakimovski had 16 points hitting 4 of 5 3-point attempts. Bangot Dak pitched in 10 points while RJ Smith grabbed career-high eight rebounds.
Jordan Ivy-Curry led UCF with 22 points.
Colorado, coming off a season low 34.8 percent at Arizona State, hit 52.2 percent from the field. The Buffaloes made 7 of 13 from 3-point range against UCF, compared to just 3 of 24 at ASU. Colorado also held UCF to 39 percent shooting and had a plus-5 advantage on the boards (33-28)
The Knights cashed in off Colorado miscues, scoring 24 points off turnovers compared to 10 Colorado points off 12 UCF turnovers.
Despite the turnovers, the Buffaloes had several shots at the end to put the game in their favor. Tied at 74-74, Jakimovski missed on a drive to the basket with 42 seconds left. Dak got the offensive board, but his put-back bounced out. UCF's Dallan Coleman got the rebound and was fouled by Trevor Baskin in the backcourt – his fifth foul of the game.
Coleman missed the first free throw attempt but made the second to give the Knights the one-point lead. After a timeout, Hammond got a slightly off-balanced look from the top of the key as the clock wound down but missed and UCF got the ball as it bounced out, off of Colorado, with just four seconds left.
The Knights had trouble getting the ball in and were called for a five-second count which gave the Buffaloes the ball back. Graduate center Elijah Malone got the ball in the paint of the inbound, but his attempt at a layup from the left side was blocked by Keyshawn Hall. Darius Johnson snagged the rebound and vaulted the ball into the air as time ran out on the Buffaloes.
"I told our team I don't know how we were in this game when we turn it over 22 times and they score 24 off our turnovers," Colorado head coach Tad Boyle said. "That says something about our fight and our ability to compete. Turnovers have been our Achilles heel all year long and they reared their head tonight."
Leading 37-34 at the half, Colorado had a great start to the second period hitting its first six and seven of its first eight shots. Jakimovksi hit a pair of 3-point shots that put him over 1,000 points for his collegiate career and gave CU a 53-44 lead at the15:05 mark. A Dak 3-pointer gave the Buffs their largest lead at 56-46 with 14:16 remaining.
Although the Buffs continued to hit shots, empty possessions allowed UCF to storm back. Fourteen of Colorado's 22 turnovers came in the second half with eight coming during a five-minute span which fueled a 14-2 UCF run that kept the game tight down the stretch.
Ivy-Curry tied the game at 58, hitting a pair of free throws after Assane Diop was called for a flagrant foul against Johnson. Hall gave UCF the lead on the ensuing possession, but Hammond countered with a paint bucket on the other end to tie the game at 60, and it would remain a two-possession contest the rest of the way.
UCF took a 71-67 lead with 5:15 left thanks to five-straight points by Johnson. But Hammond stayed aggressive attacking the paint. He scored the games' next seven points – four-straight free throws and a traditional 3-point play as Colorado led 74-71 with 3:01 left.
Hall countered that aggression with three free throws to tie the game for the eighth and final time at 74 with a minute left setting up the closing sequence.
"I thought our guys battled," Boyle said. "We held them to 39 percent. When we got our defense set and took care of the ball, we guarded them pretty darn well and had some good looks at the end."
Colorado scored the first six points of the game. Hammond, more than ready to shed his slump from ASU, scored three points in that early run. UCF missed its first 10 shots, including six 3-point attempts.
Ivy-Curry scored seven straight out of the first media timeout to give UCF the lead. Jakimovski quickly took back the lead with a 3-pointer and an RJ Smith steal and dunk gave the Buffaloes an 11-7 advantage.
UCF then went on an 8-0 run. Johnson got three shots at the line, Moustapha Thiam hit a hook shot and Ivy-Curry nailed his second 3-pointer of the game giving him 10 points early and UCF a 15-11 advantage.
Colorado regained the lead with a 6-0 run of its own. Baskin had a steal and layup and Hammond hit a 3-pointer as CU led 17-15 with 10:44 left in the first half.
The teams traded baskets as the lead changed hand four times and tied three others late in the first half. Jakimovski hit his second 3-pointer to give CU a 24-21 lead, but Hall responded with one for UCF.
Dak gave Colorado a little breathing room with five in a row, including a free throw that gave Colorado its largest first half lead at 35-28 with 3:06 left.
UCF scored four points from the line to cut CU's lead to three. Hammond hit a pair of foul shots but Johnson had a late basket to counter as Colorado led 37-34 at the break.
NOTES: UCF takes over the series lead at 2-1 … Hammond tied a career high with eight free throws made. He was 8 for 9 from the line, missing his second attempt which snapped a streak of 21 consecutive makes dating back to the Northern Colorado game … Hammond recorded his fourth 20-point game of the season and fifth of his career … Assane Diop's free throws made and attempted (7 of 8) are career highs, passing his 5 of 6 effort against UConn … RJ Smith had a career-high eight rebounds, leading the Buffaloes in that category for the second time this season … Jakimovski surpassed the 1,000-point milestone in his career, now with 1,003 (855 points in 120 games over four years with Washington State) … Junior guard Javon Ruffin missed the game with an illness.
Colorado, 9-5 overall, drops its third-straight to fall to 0-3 in conference play for the first time since the 2016-17 season. UCF improves to 11-3, 2-1 in the Big 12.
Hammond, shaking off a scoreless performance at Arizona State, scored a career-high 26 points on 8 of 14 from the field and 8 of 9 from the line. Andrej Jakimovski had 16 points hitting 4 of 5 3-point attempts. Bangot Dak pitched in 10 points while RJ Smith grabbed career-high eight rebounds.
Jordan Ivy-Curry led UCF with 22 points.
Colorado, coming off a season low 34.8 percent at Arizona State, hit 52.2 percent from the field. The Buffaloes made 7 of 13 from 3-point range against UCF, compared to just 3 of 24 at ASU. Colorado also held UCF to 39 percent shooting and had a plus-5 advantage on the boards (33-28)
The Knights cashed in off Colorado miscues, scoring 24 points off turnovers compared to 10 Colorado points off 12 UCF turnovers.
Despite the turnovers, the Buffaloes had several shots at the end to put the game in their favor. Tied at 74-74, Jakimovski missed on a drive to the basket with 42 seconds left. Dak got the offensive board, but his put-back bounced out. UCF's Dallan Coleman got the rebound and was fouled by Trevor Baskin in the backcourt – his fifth foul of the game.
Coleman missed the first free throw attempt but made the second to give the Knights the one-point lead. After a timeout, Hammond got a slightly off-balanced look from the top of the key as the clock wound down but missed and UCF got the ball as it bounced out, off of Colorado, with just four seconds left.
The Knights had trouble getting the ball in and were called for a five-second count which gave the Buffaloes the ball back. Graduate center Elijah Malone got the ball in the paint of the inbound, but his attempt at a layup from the left side was blocked by Keyshawn Hall. Darius Johnson snagged the rebound and vaulted the ball into the air as time ran out on the Buffaloes.
"I told our team I don't know how we were in this game when we turn it over 22 times and they score 24 off our turnovers," Colorado head coach Tad Boyle said. "That says something about our fight and our ability to compete. Turnovers have been our Achilles heel all year long and they reared their head tonight."
Leading 37-34 at the half, Colorado had a great start to the second period hitting its first six and seven of its first eight shots. Jakimovksi hit a pair of 3-point shots that put him over 1,000 points for his collegiate career and gave CU a 53-44 lead at the15:05 mark. A Dak 3-pointer gave the Buffs their largest lead at 56-46 with 14:16 remaining.
Although the Buffs continued to hit shots, empty possessions allowed UCF to storm back. Fourteen of Colorado's 22 turnovers came in the second half with eight coming during a five-minute span which fueled a 14-2 UCF run that kept the game tight down the stretch.
Ivy-Curry tied the game at 58, hitting a pair of free throws after Assane Diop was called for a flagrant foul against Johnson. Hall gave UCF the lead on the ensuing possession, but Hammond countered with a paint bucket on the other end to tie the game at 60, and it would remain a two-possession contest the rest of the way.
UCF took a 71-67 lead with 5:15 left thanks to five-straight points by Johnson. But Hammond stayed aggressive attacking the paint. He scored the games' next seven points – four-straight free throws and a traditional 3-point play as Colorado led 74-71 with 3:01 left.
Hall countered that aggression with three free throws to tie the game for the eighth and final time at 74 with a minute left setting up the closing sequence.
"I thought our guys battled," Boyle said. "We held them to 39 percent. When we got our defense set and took care of the ball, we guarded them pretty darn well and had some good looks at the end."
Colorado scored the first six points of the game. Hammond, more than ready to shed his slump from ASU, scored three points in that early run. UCF missed its first 10 shots, including six 3-point attempts.
Ivy-Curry scored seven straight out of the first media timeout to give UCF the lead. Jakimovski quickly took back the lead with a 3-pointer and an RJ Smith steal and dunk gave the Buffaloes an 11-7 advantage.
UCF then went on an 8-0 run. Johnson got three shots at the line, Moustapha Thiam hit a hook shot and Ivy-Curry nailed his second 3-pointer of the game giving him 10 points early and UCF a 15-11 advantage.
Colorado regained the lead with a 6-0 run of its own. Baskin had a steal and layup and Hammond hit a 3-pointer as CU led 17-15 with 10:44 left in the first half.
The teams traded baskets as the lead changed hand four times and tied three others late in the first half. Jakimovski hit his second 3-pointer to give CU a 24-21 lead, but Hall responded with one for UCF.
Dak gave Colorado a little breathing room with five in a row, including a free throw that gave Colorado its largest first half lead at 35-28 with 3:06 left.
UCF scored four points from the line to cut CU's lead to three. Hammond hit a pair of foul shots but Johnson had a late basket to counter as Colorado led 37-34 at the break.
NOTES: UCF takes over the series lead at 2-1 … Hammond tied a career high with eight free throws made. He was 8 for 9 from the line, missing his second attempt which snapped a streak of 21 consecutive makes dating back to the Northern Colorado game … Hammond recorded his fourth 20-point game of the season and fifth of his career … Assane Diop's free throws made and attempted (7 of 8) are career highs, passing his 5 of 6 effort against UConn … RJ Smith had a career-high eight rebounds, leading the Buffaloes in that category for the second time this season … Jakimovski surpassed the 1,000-point milestone in his career, now with 1,003 (855 points in 120 games over four years with Washington State) … Junior guard Javon Ruffin missed the game with an illness.
Team Stats
CU
UCF
FG%
.522
.393
3FG%
.538
.357
FT%
.792
.750
RB
33
28
TO
22
12
STL
8
9
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
26
FGM
8
3FGM
2
FTM
8
Pts
16
FGM
6
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
9
FGM
1
3FGM
0
FTM
7
Players Mentioned
F
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/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballF
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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