Colorado
5-5,0-2Pac-12
Colorado State
6-4,0-0Mountain West
Buffs Pummel Rival Colorado State
December 08, 2022 | Men's Basketball
BOULDER — Colorado coach Tad Boyle wanted a 40-minute effort from his Buffaloes on Thursday against rival Colorado State.
They delivered with one of their best overall games of the season. CU exploded in the second half to bury CSU, 93-65, before an ecstatic CU Events Center crowd of 10,033 that included an appearance from new CU football coach Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders.
The Buffs improved to 5-5 with the win while CSU dropped to 6-4.
The first half featured seven lead changes and four ties before the Buffs used a late 10-2 run to take a 38-30 lead at intermission. Colorado then put the game away quickly in the second half, opening with a 15-6 surge and building its lead to as much as 29 in the final minutes.
CU sophomore guard KJ Simpson led the Buffs with 27 points — 18 in the second half — including a career-best 5-for-8 effort from long range. Tristan da Silva added 15 points, Nique Clifford chipped in 13 and Luke O'Brien tallied a career-high 10. J'Vonne Hadley just missed a double-double, finishing with nine points and nine rebounds.
Isaiah Stevens led CSU with 15 points.
Colorado dominated nearly every statistical category. CU shot 57 percent (38-for-67), including a blistering 64 percent in the second half. Colorado held the Rams to just 42 percent shooting and also commanded a 42-23 edge on the boards.
The Buffs finished with a 54-24 lead in points in the paint and produced 20 points off 13 CSU turnovers. CU's dominance on the boards included 13 offensive rebounds, which the Buffs converted into 18 points.
"We showed tonight how good this team can be," said Boyle, who won his 259th game at CU, two away from all-time leader Sox Walseth. "Our defensive intensity and energy level was off the charts."
HOW IT HAPPENED: Colorado broke away from a 28-28 tie with a 10-2 run over the final four minutes of the first half, then put the game away with a 15-6 surge in the opening four minutes of the second half.
Simpson sparked the decisive second-half run with a pair of 3-pointers and two drives to the rim, along with an assist on a da Silva 3-pointer. Simpson's second 3-pointer — coming on an offensive rebound — gave Colorado a 53-46 edge and the Rams never threatened to close the gap again.
"I knew we had a record of coming out slow in the second half so I took it upon myself to lead by example," Simpson said. "I just knew it was a crucial time. I just wanted to set the tone."
While Simpson was outstanding, he had plenty of help. After allowing the Rams to hit six of their first eight 3-point tries of the night, Colorado clamped down. The Rams hit just three of their final 13 tries from long distance and shot just 38 percent from the floor in the second half.
"We finished the first half strong and came out ready to play in the second half," Boyle said. "I wanted our guys to take care of the ball, share the ball and get great shots. We had eight turnovers and 16 assists. That's what you like to see."
CSU called a timeout after Colorado's cushion hit 17 early in the second half, but the break didn't stop the Buffaloes. The CU lead hit 20 four minutes later and the Rams were finished for the night.
"They just kind of really overwhelmed us with their pressure," CSU coach Niko Medved said. "A lot of our turnovers led to touchdowns. We were just never able to regroup and I just thought their physicality really got to us as the game went on … This is a game that means a lot for us and we didn't do our part tonight. We clearly got it taken to us in every way. Give CU credit. They deserve it. We got completely outplayed in all phases of the game."
The Buffs continued to build their cushion down the stretch. Colorado continued to produce stops on the defensive end and buckets on the offensive end, and CU's lead ballooned to 25 points, 76-51, with 6:38 to play.
Simpson proved to be unstoppable in the second half for Colorado. After scoring nine points in the opening half, he erupted to dominate the offensive end after intermission. His back-to-back 3-pointers helped CU to a 74-51 lead and the Buffs soon pushed their edge to 82-55 with just more than five minutes to play.
The Buffs then coasted to the win down the stretch.
Colorado led 10-5 early in the game, only to see the Rams rally. CSU hit five consecutive field goal tries midway through the half to take a 22-18 lead.
But the Buffs put together a 10-0 run to regain the lead. Colorado forced five CSU turnovers in a three-minute span, with Hadley, Javon Ruffin, Clifford and Simpson all collecting baskets off the miscues.
CSU rallied to tie the game up again at 28-28 before the Buffs went on their 10-2 run to close the half.
"Now we have to build on this," Boyle said. "We have to show some consistency. This is a time for us to get better."
TURNING POINT: Colorado broke a 28-28 tie late in the first half with a 10-2 run to close the period, then pushed the lead into double digits early in the second half. CSU never threatened again.
WHAT IT MEANS: The Buffs picked up a big win against their in-state rival, but perhaps more importantly, ended a two-game losing streak.
KEY STATISTICS: CU shot 57 percent (38-for-67), including a red-hot 64 percent in the second half … Colorado held the Rams to just 42 percent shooting … CU dominated the boards, 42-23, including 13 offensive rebounds that the Buffs converted into 18 second-chance points … The Buffs finished with a 54-24 lead in points in the paint and produced 20 points off 13 CSU turnovers.
NEXT UP: The Buffs have a few days off for final exams before playing the second of four straight home games next Thursday when they host North Alabama in a 6:30 p.m. game (Pac-12 Networks). The Buffs then wrap up their non-conference schedule with a Dec. 18 game against Northern Colorado (3 p.m.) and a Dec. 21 game against Southern Utah (5 p.m.).
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
