Media after today's hard fought season-ender:
Article -
https://cubuffs.com/news/2024/3/24/mens-basketball-buffs-vs-marquette
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Buffs Fall To Marquette In NCAA Tournament Second Round
By:
Neill Woelk, Contributing Editor
INDIANAPOLIS — Colorado fought back from a 12-point first-half deficit to tie the game with three minutes remaining Sunday, but the Buffaloes came up short down the stretch and dropped an 81-77 loss to Marquette in the NCAA Tournament second round.
Tad Boyle's Buffs thus saw their season come to an end with a 26-11 record while Marquette improved to 27-9 and advanced to a Sweet 16 matchup against North Carolina State.
KJ Simpson led CU with 20 points.
Tristan da Silva scored 17,
Eddie Lampkin Jr. added 13 and
Cody Williams chipped in 12.
Tyler Kolek led Marquette with 21 points.
"Another good game in March," Boyle said. "Unfortunately we came up on the short end of it tonight, unlike the other night (a 102-100 win over Florida). But give Marquette credit. They played well."
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The Buffs shot a respectable 47% from the floor but hit just 10 of their 30 3-point tries — a season-high for 3-point attempts. Marquette finished 34-for-55 from the floor (62%) and made 9 of 21 3-point tries.
The big difference came in the paint, where the Golden Eagles outscored the Buffs, 48-36.
"We didn't have much of an answer for them defensively all night," Boyle said. "I would just say that when a team shoots 61 percent against you for the game, almost 62 percent, and you've still got a chance at the end, it means you're doing something right. For this team, what that means to me is they've been competing their tails off the whole year because you don't give up 61 percent and stay in a game. But we rebounded the ball well, we fought, we battled, we just came up a little bit short."
While the Buffs didn't advance to the Sweet 16, they did win back-to-back NCAA Tournament games for the first time since 1955. Colorado also finished with a program-record 26 wins.
"I thought we had our chances at the end," Boyle said. "Had some good looks, didn't go in. It's disappointing. But I love this team, I love those guys in that locker room. They've got nothing to hang their heads about. They competed their tails off, not just here in Indianapolis but in Dayton the other night, in the Pac-12 tournament, since basically the middle of February. Great year, 26 wins. Something to be proud of."
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DECISIVE STRETCH: Colorado trailed by just one, 77-76, with 2:37 remaining. But the Buffs came up empty on two straight possessions and the Golden Eagles pushed their edge to three with 54 seconds remaining. CU's Williams then hit just one of two free throw tries and Marquette finally sealed the win with two free throws with seven seconds remaining.
WHAT IT MEANS: While the Buffs didn't advance to the Sweet 16, they did win back-to-back NCAA Tournament games for the first time since 1955. CU also finished with a program-record 26 wins.
KEY STATISTICS: The Buffs shot a 47% from the floor but hit just 10 of their 30 3-point tries — a season-high for 3-point attempts … Marquette finished 34-for-55 from the floor (62%) and made 9 of 21 3-point tries … The Golden Eagles outscored the Buffs, 48-36, in the paint.
NEXT UP: The loss ended Colorado's season.
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Box score - https://cubuffs.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2023-24/marquette/boxscore/17005