Colorado University Athletics
Rancik Growing In Expanded Role
January 26, 2026 | Men's Basketball
BOULDER – After getting his feet wet as a college basketball player during his freshman season, Sebastian Rancik has blossomed into a lead player for Colorado this year.
As a true freshman, Rancik appeared in 33 games and made 11 starts, all in Big 12 play, and averaged 5.9 points and 2.8 rebounds per game in 17.6 minutes per game. His breakout came on the road at historic Allen Fieldhouse against Kansas, leading the Buffaloes with 19 points and nine rebounds, shooting 7-of-13 from the field in 30 minutes of action - all career highs at the time.
He used that game and the remainder of his freshman season as a springboard to this year, where he has taken his game to another level.
Rancik has started in all 20 games this season and has improved in nearly every statistical measure. He is now at 13.2 points per game, which is 7.3 points per game higher than his freshman year. On the glass, he has bumped up to 5.3 rebounds, a 2.5 increase from a season ago. He has also grown as a passer, posting 1.9 assists after 0.6 as a freshman.
A factor in his increase in counting stats has been his improved efficiency. As a 3-point shooter, he went from 25.8% on 62 attempts to 33.8% on 80 shots already this season. He has made the third most on the team this season and has the fourth highest percentage with at least 40 attempts.
His other jump came at the free-throw line. This season, he has already attempted 101 foul shots, the tenth most in the Big 12, and made 88, the eighth most in the conference. That makes Rancik an 87.1% free-throw shooter, the second-highest mark in the Big 12. Of the 10 players in the Big 12 with at least 80 free throws, Rancik leads the group in percentage. His 18.1 percent increase shows the work put in over the offseason.
Before the last game against UCF, Rancik had been in the midst of a shooting slump, struggling from both the field and beyond the arc. But both he and head coach Tad Boyle were confident that shots would fall for him.
"I've just got to be physical, it's something I've been telling myself," Rancik said. "I have to be physical around the rim and in the paint, and my shot will fall. I'm not really worried about it. Tomorrow's a new day, and tomorrow it will fall. Just keep stacking days and keep improving."
Following the loss to Kansas, Boyle said, "He will quickly bounce back." Against UCF in the following game, he quickly bounced back, and the shots did fall. He put up his second career 20-point game. Finishing with 20 points while shooting 7-of-12 from the field, 3-of-6 from deep, and 3-of-3 from the charity stripe.
Rancik will look to build off his success from his last time out, this time against No. 8 Iowa State. The Buffs travel to Ames to take on the Cyclones Thursday at 5 p.m. on FS1.
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As a true freshman, Rancik appeared in 33 games and made 11 starts, all in Big 12 play, and averaged 5.9 points and 2.8 rebounds per game in 17.6 minutes per game. His breakout came on the road at historic Allen Fieldhouse against Kansas, leading the Buffaloes with 19 points and nine rebounds, shooting 7-of-13 from the field in 30 minutes of action - all career highs at the time.
He used that game and the remainder of his freshman season as a springboard to this year, where he has taken his game to another level.
Rancik has started in all 20 games this season and has improved in nearly every statistical measure. He is now at 13.2 points per game, which is 7.3 points per game higher than his freshman year. On the glass, he has bumped up to 5.3 rebounds, a 2.5 increase from a season ago. He has also grown as a passer, posting 1.9 assists after 0.6 as a freshman.
A factor in his increase in counting stats has been his improved efficiency. As a 3-point shooter, he went from 25.8% on 62 attempts to 33.8% on 80 shots already this season. He has made the third most on the team this season and has the fourth highest percentage with at least 40 attempts.
His other jump came at the free-throw line. This season, he has already attempted 101 foul shots, the tenth most in the Big 12, and made 88, the eighth most in the conference. That makes Rancik an 87.1% free-throw shooter, the second-highest mark in the Big 12. Of the 10 players in the Big 12 with at least 80 free throws, Rancik leads the group in percentage. His 18.1 percent increase shows the work put in over the offseason.
Before the last game against UCF, Rancik had been in the midst of a shooting slump, struggling from both the field and beyond the arc. But both he and head coach Tad Boyle were confident that shots would fall for him.
"I've just got to be physical, it's something I've been telling myself," Rancik said. "I have to be physical around the rim and in the paint, and my shot will fall. I'm not really worried about it. Tomorrow's a new day, and tomorrow it will fall. Just keep stacking days and keep improving."
Following the loss to Kansas, Boyle said, "He will quickly bounce back." Against UCF in the following game, he quickly bounced back, and the shots did fall. He put up his second career 20-point game. Finishing with 20 points while shooting 7-of-12 from the field, 3-of-6 from deep, and 3-of-3 from the charity stripe.
Rancik will look to build off his success from his last time out, this time against No. 8 Iowa State. The Buffs travel to Ames to take on the Cyclones Thursday at 5 p.m. on FS1.
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Players Mentioned
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