Sebastian Rancik has become a key player for the Colorado Buffaloes men’s basketball team in his sophomore season. After playing 33 games and starting 11 as a freshman, Rancik averaged 5.9 points and 2.8 rebounds per game in his first year. His standout performance came against Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse, where he led the team with 19 points and nine rebounds.
Building on last season, Rancik has started all 20 games this year, increasing his scoring to 13.2 points per game—up by more than seven points from last season—and improving his rebounding to 5.3 per game. He has also shown growth as a passer, averaging nearly two assists per game compared to less than one as a freshman.
Rancik’s efficiency has improved across several areas. From beyond the arc, he raised his three-point shooting percentage from 25.8% on 62 attempts to 33.8% on 80 shots so far this season, ranking third on the team for makes and fourth for percentage among players with at least 40 attempts.
At the free-throw line, Rancik has attempted 101 foul shots—the tenth most in the Big 12—and made 88 of them, ranking eighth in total made free throws in the conference. His free-throw accuracy stands at 87.1%, second highest in the Big 12 among players with at least 80 attempts.
Rancik experienced a recent shooting slump but remained confident about regaining form: “I’ve just got to be physical, it’s something I’ve been telling myself,” Rancik said. “I have to be physical around the rim and in the paint, and my shot will fall. I’m not really worried about it. Tomorrow’s a new day, and tomorrow it will fall. Just keep stacking days and keep improving.”
Head coach Tad Boyle expressed similar confidence after a loss to Kansas: “He will quickly bounce back.” In their next game against UCF, Rancik scored his second career 20-point game with an efficient shooting performance.
The Buffaloes are scheduled to play No. 8 Iowa State next in Ames on Thursday at 5 p.m., with coverage available on FS1.
