Colorado ended a six-game losing streak with an 87-61 win over TCU at the CU Events Center on Sunday. The Buffaloes, coached by Tad Boyle, now hold a 13-9 overall record and are 3-6 in Big 12 play. TCU’s record also stands at 13-9 and 3-6 in conference.
“We hadn’t seen that Colorado Buffalo team in November, December or January, but we finally saw it on February 1,” Boyle said. “I told our team, better late than never on that, but I was really, really proud of the response that we got from everybody involved tonight. And it just shows how good this team can be. But we have to play with that energy and that effort, that toughness, and we showed it tonight, and the results speak for themselves.”
Boyle made significant changes to the starting lineup after recent struggles by introducing four true freshmen starters: Jalin Holland, Fawaz “Tacko” Ifaola, Josiah Sanders (all making their first career starts), along with another freshman starter. Ian Inman and Alon Michaeli contributed off the bench. These freshmen combined for a total of 43 points.
Five Colorado players finished in double figures: Sebastian Rancik led with 17 points; Isaiah Johnson scored 16; Bangot Dak had 14; Sanders posted a career-high of 12; Barrington Hargress added 10.
TCU’s Xavier Edmonds recorded a double-double—13 points and 12 rebounds—before leaving in the second half due to a flagrant two foul.
The Buffaloes established control early, leading by 13 at halftime after holding TCU to only three field goals in their last nineteen attempts of the first half. Colorado extended its lead to as much as 28 points during the second half; TCU did not come within fewer than 23 points over the final ten minutes.
On defense, Colorado limited TCU to shooting just over thirty-three percent from the field and less than twenty-two percent from beyond the arc. There were six occasions where Colorado forced four consecutive missed shots by TCU.
“It was just playing together, it wasn’t one guy, it was all five who were on the court, and then energy from the bench as well,” Sanders said about their defensive performance. “We’ve been talking about that a lot in practice, so it’s really good just to come out here and see that we could really do that. We have to hold ourselves to that standard, and come out here and do that the next game, the next game, and the next game.”
Offensively, Colorado matched its season high with twenty-four assists on thirty-five made baskets; four starters had at least four assists each—Sanders set his own career best with six assists.
“We got back to playing good basketball,” Rancik said regarding their assist numbers. “(Previously) we were dribbling the ball too much and it’s nice that we just played good basketball tonight.”
The Buffaloes will travel next for an away game against Baylor on Wednesday at 6 p.m., which will be broadcast on Peacock.
