The Buffs didn’t have a chance against the 8th ranked Cyclones.
The Colorado Buffaloes were hit by a raging storm on their Tuesday trip to Ames. As expected, the Buffs didn’t have a chance against the #8 Iowa State Cyclones — not with T.J. Oltzenberger’s swarming defense and gale-force shooting in this 79-65 rout.
The Buffs did start strong in this matchup. Thirty seconds in, Julian Hammond forced an early turnover that resulted in free throws for Bangot Dak. He sank both to give CU the early 2-0 lead. That would be Colorado’s largest and only lead for the rest of the game, as Iowa State proceeded to go on a 20-3 run in the next eight minutes.
The Buffs were thoroughly outclassed on the defensive end. They couldn’t stop the ball, couldn’t defend the perimeter, and too often they were caught over or under helping. It looked like ISU was toying with them, trying out different actions and making sure everyone got on the scoresheet.
Colorado may have lost the first half 45-28, but you know what? They won the second half 37-34. Sure, Iowa State took their foot off the pedal, but credit Tad Boyle’s squad for continuing to fight. They worked hard on the defensive end and executed their offensive sets a lot better in the last 15 minutes.
Felix Kossaras and Harrison Carrington did well in their minutes. Javon Ruffin had some smart plays and nice finishes. Andrej Jakimovski is a professional in every sense except literally. (Rancik would’ve played more if not for foul trouble.)
And then there’s Bangot Dak. He scored a career-high 20 points on a combination of floaters, step-throughs and pull-up jumpers. His game is developing nicely and it’s great for his development to attack on offense and explore his game. He might not be as polished as Tristan da Silva, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him take a big leap next year as he gains that extra bit of skill and confidence.
The Buffs are now 10-16 overall and 1-14 in Big 12 play. Their season was over long ago, but they continue to fight and get better. Expect Boyle to lean more on the players that will be coming back. If there’s any hope for next season, it will be seen in the development of players like Dak, Rancik and Assane Diop.