Colorado
8-4
Iowa
8-6
Buffs Falter In Second Half, Fall To Hawkeyes
December 22, 2017 | Men's Basketball, Neill Woelk
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Once again, the inconsistency bug bit the Colorado Buffaloes.
After overcoming a 10-point deficit Friday night in the first half to take a five-point lead early in the second, the Buffs went cold and Iowa rallied to take an 80-73 win at the Sanford Pentagon.
The Buffs dropped to 8-4 with the loss in their last non-conference game while Iowa improved to 8-6.
After trailing by 10 midway through the first half, the Buffs cut the margin to one by intermission, then used a quick start in the second half to go up 44-39 just 4:30 in. But the Hawkeyes, playing in front of a highly partisan Iowa crowd, answered with a 17-4 run to regain control and Colorado never came closer than four again.
"When they made their run, we weren't able to handle it," CU head coach Tad Boyle said. "We had about five empty possessions and we couldn't get stops at the other end. It turned and we weren't able to get back in the game."
McKinley Wright IV led Colorado with 21 points and also added six assists and three steals while not committing a turnover. Dallas Walton added a career-high 13 points for the Buffs and George King chipped in 10.
The difference in the game came down to shooting and rebounding. The Buffs hit just six of 23 attempts from 3-point range (29-for-68 overall from the field) while the Hawkeyes shot nearly 50 percent, including a 15-for-26 effort in the second half.
The Hawkeyes also dominated the Buffs on the board, holding a 43-31 rebound edge.
"They kicked our butt on the glass all night long," Boyle said. "We knew that was going to be a key to the game, the rebounding battle, and we didn't win it. Until we figure that out, it's going to be tough on the road."
CU also hit just 9 of 17 free throw tries while Iowa was 25-for-36 from the stripe.
Isaiah Moss led the Hawkeyes with 16 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED: After trailing by as much as 10 in the first half, the Buffs pulled to within one by intermission, 32-31, then jumped out to a 44-39 lead with a 13-7 run in the first 4:30 of the second half.
Deleon Brown sparked the burst with a 3-pointer and layup before King recorded back-to-back steals and baskets, including one that led to a breakaway dunk. A Lucas Siewert 3-pointer gave Colorado its five-point lead with 15:33 still to play and the Buffs looked ready to take control.
But the Hawkeyes never let the game get away. Colorado managed to hang on to the lead for the next five minutes, and still had a three-point cushion, 51-48, after a pair of McKinley Wright free throws.
That, though, was the beginning of the end, as Iowa put together a 17-4 run to take a 10-point lead, 65-55, with just more than six minutes remaining.
"We did not come up with the toughness plays," Boyle said. "This was a toughness game and we were not the tougher team. Iowa was. They deserved to win and we didn't."
CU managed to make a couple more runs at the Hawkeyes, getting a 6-0 burst to pull within four, 65-61, with 5:15 to go; then reducing a nine-point deficit to five with 1:49 left on a Tyler Bey floater in the lane.
That, though, was as close as Colorado could get. Iowa answered with a second-chance bucket on its next possession, then added a free throw to go back up by eight with less than a minute to play.
McKinley Wright hit a pair of 3-pointers in the final minute for Colorado, but the Hawkeyes hit five free throws over that stretch to provide the final margin.
"We have to build on the positives and learn from the negatives," Boyle said. "The negatives are we have to rebound the ball better and we have to be tougher at crunch time."
The Buffs fell behind early as the Hawkeyes hit five of their first nine field goal tries to take a 12-4 lead just six minutes in. Iowa finally pushed the cushion to double digits, going up 28-18 with eight minutes to play in the half. The Hawkeyes took full advantage of an edge on the offensive boards, outscoring Colorado 11-2 on second-chance points.
But the CU defense kicked in over the final eight minutes of the half, holding the Hawkeyes to just two free throws in an eight-minute stretch. The Buffs put together a 10-0 run to tie the game at 28-28, and finally took their first lead of the contest, 30-29, when Namon Wright drove the lane with 1:28 to play in the half.
McKinley Wright and Dallas Walton fueled the comeback. Walton, who led CU with nine points in the first half, started the 10-0 run with a bucket inside before Wright hit a 3-pointer to barely beat the shot-clock buzzer. Wright then added a free throw after a steal before Namon Wright collected a steal of his own, then cashed in a layup on an assist from McKinley Wright.
The Hawkeyes finally ended their drought from the field when Maishe  Dailey hit a long 3-pointer with 27 seconds left in the half after a Namon Wright free throw to give Iowa a 32-31 edge at intermission.
TURNING POINT: With just under 12 minutes to play in the game, Colorado held a 3-point lead, but then gave up a 17-4 run over the next six minutes. The Buffs went three minutes without a point in the stretch.
WHAT IT MEANS: Still without a road win, the Buffs need to figure out how to be more consistent away from home — especially with four of their first six Pac-12 road games on the road.
CU STANDOUTS: McKinley Wright IV had 21 points, six assists, three steals and no turnovers. … Dallas Walton had 13 points and two rebounds. … Namon Wright scored 12 points and added five rebounds.
KEY STATISTICS: The Hawkeyes had big edge on the boards, outrebounding Colorado 43-31. That led to a 15-7 edge in second-chance points. Iowa also shot 57 percent from the field in the second half (15-for-26).
NOTEWORTHY: The loss was the second in as many appearances in the Sanford Pentagon, as the Buffs lost to Iowa State there to open the 2015-16 season. … Dallas Walton had career highs in points (13) and field goals (six). … George King had a career-high in steals.
QUOTEWORTHY: "We have 18 (Pac-12) games, four of our first six are on the road. We haven't proven we can win on the road yet and that's going to be the challenge for this young team. We have to figure that out and no better place than Corvallis Oregon on Dec. 29." — CU head coach Tad Boyle
"We have to come out with better starts. We don't want to be in position of having to battle back every road game. That's not the team that we are. We're capable of being a good team on the road. We have to execute down the stretch and just come out tough and come out strong." — McKinley Wright
"Dallas (Walton) was terrific, especially in that first half. We have to go with him more. He really grew up." — CU head coach Tad Boyle
NEXT UP: The Buffs begin Pac-12 play next week with a Friday game at Oregon State (9 p.m., ESPNU), followed by a Dec. 31 game at Oregon (8 p.m., Pac-12).
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
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