Buffs Send Seniors Out In Style

BOULDER – 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 TCU 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."

For good measure the Buffaloes were able to get senior walk-on Jack Pease on the floor in the closing minute and he made his first career free throw.

"I think there were eight minutes left and I was like, 'guys we got to get this to at least 15 (point lead), we got to get Jack in here," Ruffin said. He's put in so much work for the program. And that's a guy that I'm really close to, having known him for four years. It means a lot when you're able to do that for him. So that was a big moment. It's just full circle, he got to reap some of the benefits of his work today."

Colorado could very well see TCU again in three days in the opening round of the Big 12 Championship. If BYU defeats Utah Saturday night, then a rematch with the Horned Frogs will take place on Tuesday, March 11, in Kansas City. If Utah can pull the upset, the Utes will be Colorado's first-round opponent.

HOW IT HAPPENED: Colorado, which led for the entire game, held a six-point advantage heading into the second half. Elijah Malone, another graduate who has another year of eligibility, had three dunks in the first four minutes of the period and Hammond hit a long 3-pointer to extend the lead to double-digits at 51-39 with 15:08 left.

That margin went away quickly though. Colorado got careless with the ball, turning it over five times over the next five minutes which allowed TCU to go on a 13-0 run that cut Colorado's lead to one, 51-50, with 10:11 remaining.

Colorado wasn't going to let this ruin Senior Day though. Smith ended the run with a turnaround jumper as the shot clock expired. That began an 11-0 Buffaloes run that turned the game back in their favor.

The defensive energy picked up. Baskin and Malone blocked TCU shots on the same possession. Smith missed a 3-pointer, but Baskin got the put back as CU built its lead back to five.

Smith then got a steal and scored on a coast-to-coast basket, was fouled, and put the Buffaloes up 58-50.

Then it really started to unravel for the Horned Frogs. David Punch was called for an offensive foul and in frustration picked up a technical which Hammond converted into two points on free throws. Dak then scored on a layup during the next possession for a 64-52 as the Buffaloes held onto a double-digit lead from there.

"It's heartwarming, because they're such great kids," Boyle said. "I said it out there, on the floor, they've been well raised. They've got great parents, and so I feel blessed to coach young men that have the character that they have. Losing does not build character, I think it reveals it."

Colorado opened the game with an 8-2 lead thanks to a pair of Ruffin 3-pointers. The Buffaloes made 7 of their first 12 shots overall and 3 of 4 from deep to start, including one from Baskin, just his sixth of the season.

Colorado shot 50 percent from the field in the first half and extended its lead to nine at 34-25 on a highlight-reel fast break dunk by Dak.

The Buffaloes cooled off at the end of the half, scoring just three free throws between Rancik and Dak over the final 4:18, but Buffs held on to a 37-31 halftime lead.

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Team Stats

Julian Hammond III

RJ Smith

Bangot Dak

Javon Ruffin

Players Mentioned

Trevor Baskin

Bangot Dak

Julian Hammond III

Andrej Jakimovski

Elijah Malone

Jack Pease

Javon Ruffin

RJ Smith

Players Mentioned

Trevor Baskin

Bangot Dak

Julian Hammond III

Andrej Jakimovski

Elijah Malone

Jack Pease

Javon Ruffin

RJ Smith