The Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball team had a rough night on Tuesday, falling 79-65 to the No. 8 Iowa State Cyclones at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. This loss is Colorado's 14th loss in Big 12 play, bringing their overall record to 10-16. Meanwhile, the Cyclones notched their fourth consecutive win, improving to 21-5 overall and 11-4 in conference action.
The Buffs came out cold, and Iowa State wasted no time making them pay. Colorado’s offense sputtered from the jump, and the Cyclones pounced, ripping off not one but two 10-0 runs in the first seven minutes. By the time the halftime buzzer sounded, the Buffs found themselves in a deep 45-28 hole, with every single Cyclone who touched the floor getting in on the scoring action.
Sophomore Bangot Dak emerged as a bright spot for Colorado, delivering a career-high 20 points on 8-for-14 shooting and grabbing four rebounds. Freshman Harrison Carrington also posted a personal best with 11 points, going 4-for-5 from the field. Despite these individual efforts, the team as a whole faced challenges, particularly from beyond the arc, shooting a mere 23.5% from three-point range.
Head coach Tad Boyle reflected on the game's outcome in the press conference, noting, "They were the better team tonight. They deserved to win, and I was really proud of our guys the last 10 minutes." He emphasized the need for consistent aggressiveness and toughness throughout the game, suggesting that a more assertive start could have led to a different result.
Looking ahead, the Buffaloes aim to regroup as they prepare to host Baylor this Saturday at 2 p.m. MT. With the season winding down, Colorado will be striving to finish strong and build momentum for the future.