Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Sebastian Rancik had his breakout party in Lawrence.
The Colorado Buffaloes played one of their best games of the season in Allen Fieldhouse on Tuesday, but it still wasn’t enough to win.
Former Jayhawks and current CU coaches Tad Boyle and Danny Manning led their Buffaloes to Lawrence, seeking their first Big 12 win of the season. This game always means a little extra to the Buffaloes due to the coaching staff’s ties to CU, but they were instead dealt a decisive 59-71 loss at the hands of Bill Self’s squad.
Yes, Colorado lost, but they have a lot to be proud of from their performance at the Cathedral of College Basketball on Tuesday night. The Buffaloes kept things close with Kansas until the final three minutes of the game, where they fell apart down the stretch.
What kept Colorado in the game with KU, you ask? Two words: Sebastian Rancik.
In a game where Kansas displayed All-American talent on the floor, Colorado’s Rancik was the best player in Allen Fieldhouse on Tuesday. Rancik, a true freshman from Slovakia, showcased why he looks like the future of the Buffaloes’ program by scoring 19 points and snagging nine boards, along with a block and steal for good measure.
For comparison, KU’s All-Big 12 center Hunter Dickinson had 19 points and nine rebounds, with one less steal and three more turnovers than Rancik. Colorado’s new star freshman was a steady hand to lean on when the Buffs needed a big bucket, which helped keep the game within their reach for most of the contest.
Another huge reason for Colorado’s solid showing in Kansas was their lack of turnover issues. The Buffs, who lead the Big 12 in turnovers and it’s not even really particularly close, were not bitten by the turnover bug in Lawrence. CU only coughed the ball up eight times all game, but that wasn’t enough to win the turnover battle. KU also turned the ball over eight times, negating any turnover advantage for Colorado.
What ultimately killed the Buffs was that they didn’t shoot the ball well outside of Rancik, plain and simple. Colorado made only 22 of their 57 attempts from the field, good for a measly 38.7% shooting percentage. From three-point range, Colorado was even worse, making only 4 of their 17 attempted shots beyond the arc. Kansas didn’t shoot the ball amazingly, making only 46.6% of their field goals, but that was good enough to put a 10-point buffer on the Buffs for most of the contest.
Now 0-13 in Big 12 play, Colorado’s next test will be the UCF Knights at home on Saturday. The Buffs fell by only one point to the Knights in Orlando in early January, so they’ll look to avenge that loss and pick up their first conference win. If CU can play like they’ve played against Houston and Kansas, their first Big 12 win could be on the horizon.
Also of note, legendary Buffalo and newly-crowned NBA champ Derrick White will be in attendance for Saturday’s game to watch his name and jersey number get hung on CU’s new Men’s Basketball Wall of Honor.
Tip-off will be at 1:00 pm MT on Saturday at the CU Event Center. Fans can tune in on ESPN+.
by RylandScholes
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