Final CU-71 KSU-87
Today’s two halves appeared to be entire opposites of one another for both programs. Throughout the second half, Kansas State’s overall game improved, while the Buffs’ game declined steadily. Richard Roby tallied a total of 26 points.
At least the Buffs ended the game on an exciting note, as Jeremy Williams concluded the afternoon with a slam-dunk. But that hardly compensates for today’s loss.
Kansas State’s 20-point lead and consistent missed opportunities from CU, make it apparent that this game is going nowhere if you’re a Buff fan. But it’s obvious that the Buffs will not give up, as the full-court press continues
Richard Roby is awarded a trip to the free throw line, and the Buff connects on both opportunities, giving him 24 points.
CU implements a full-court press, but the defense is having no luck forcing a turnover. A CU foul gives Wildcat David Hoskins two free throw chances, and he sinks both of them.
Kansas State adds another 2-point bucket, and CU fans begin to exit the Coors Event Center.
Kansas State is not allowing CU to make any type of run, and CU is failing to make much happen on the court. Successful Wildcat free throws continue to chip away at the Buffs, who may feel as though victory is out of reach this afternoon.
Kansas State is finding a way to connect on some big opportunities from behind the 3-point line, as Cartier Martin hits another three. Dominique Coleman answers with two points, but cannot make his next lay-up attempt on the following CU possession.
Free throws continue to play an important role in this half, as both teams have earned 10 team fouls each. Silas hits his fourth free throw in his last four attempts for the Buffs as the two teams continue to exchange attempts from the line.
Richard Roby misses a free-throw opportunity and the chance for his 23rd point, but Buff Marc Van Burck rebounds the ball and assists to Dominque Coleman, who drops 2-points for the Buffs. Xavier Silas hits a lay up following a Kansas State 3-point bucket.
KSU’s Jermaine Maybank hits a 2-point basket and is awarded a trip to the line. He hits the extra free-throw, helping to maintain Kansas State’s big lead.
Richard Roby hits a 2-point bucket after three sequential CU misses. KSU’s Maybank receives yet another 3-point opportunity as he hits a bucket, but Buff Marcus King-Stockton earns his fifth and final foul. The trip to the free-throw line is successful for Maybank.
Kal Bay hits a big 3-pointer to keep the Buffs within reach, but Wildcat Lance Harris follows with a 3-point play of his own. CU’s Xavier Silas adds to the trend with a basket that is good from 3point land. Richard Roby also nails a two-point bucket, but the KSU lead remains more than 10.
The CU defense is allowing Kansas State more penetration inside than the team was in the first half. Turnovers continue to haunt the Buffs, and Marcus King-Stockton is assessed his fourth foul, so he takes a seat.
Wildcat Cartier Martin hits a bucket and tallies his 10th point, extending the Kansas State lead to double-digits.
CU allows the grasp the team had on Kansas State to slip away a bit, and a missed 3-point opportunity from Richard Roby leads to another Wildcat possession.
Kansas State throws up another 3-point attempt, but the bucket is no good. If Kansas can improve on its 3-point shooting from the first half the Buffs will be in trouble.
KSU opens up the second half with a lay-up from Lance Harris. Richard Roby answers quickly with a jump shot for two points.
Wildcat Clent Stewart hits the first three of the half. CU commits another turnover on its next possession, but is saved by a KSU player going out of bounds.
A good second effort comes from Jermyl Jackson-Wilson, as the Buff follows up on his own rebound and sinks his next shot.
Halftime CU-30 NU-29
Kansas State looked to have the last possession of the half, but a defensive block by Buff Marcus King-Stockton gave CU one last shot. Freshman guard Kal Bay tossed up an attempt from about 10 feet behind the 3-point line as time expired, but the ball bounced off the rim.
The Buffs head into the locker room on a high point after the first half. A few big blocked shots along with three baskets good from beyond the 3-point line gave CU some sense of momentum to end the half.
Roby leads the Buffs shooting 5-7 on field goals and 2-2 on free throws, giving him a total of 14 points. The Buffs shot an impressive 61.1 percent in the first half. Unfortunately, the team’s 14 turnovers are anything but impressive.
On the opposite end, the Wildcats shot only 34.6 percent, which includes 3-13 from three-point range.
CU’s Dwight Thorne hits a huge three. As the Buffs take the lead again, the home crowd is the loudest it has been all game. An offensive foul committed by KSU gives the ball right back to CU.
Richard Roby has a big steal, and the Buff follows through with a successful 3-point shot. Kansas State responds by working the ball inside for a 2-point play inside the paint after an offensive rebound from another Wildcat misses from beyond the arc.
Wildcat David Hoskins sinks two free throw attempts. Roby answers again with a 3-point play to pull his team within one.
Wildcat Lance Harris hits a three pointer, deflating any momentum the Buffs were creating. But CU’s Dominique Coleman helps the Buffs answer quickly with a reverse lay-up.
Colorado quickly gains possession again, but Coleman is assessed an offensive foul – his first.
A big block by Buff Dominique Coleman gets the crowd back into the game. But, the Buffs find a way to give the ball right back to Kansas State due to an offensive foul.
Another big CU block sends the Buffs on the offensive. Richard Roby goes to the line to shoot two free throws and hits them both.
A basket from Buff Dwight Thorne helps pull Colorado within four points of Kansas State. The Buffs seem to be working the ball fairly well – at least until they try to force a bad pass, which has happened too often in the last couple of minutes. The Buffs gain possession again, but Richard Roby hangs on to the ball for too long, and the CU guard is hit with a shot clock violation.
CU turns the ball over, leading to an easy Wildcat lay-up by David Hoskins. The Buffs take a time out to talk things over.
The noise from Kansas State fans is already competing with the cheers from CU fans.
Colorado is assessed its fifth team foul of the game. Wildcat Blake Young hits both free throws to give Kansas State its biggest lead of the game. Richard Roby sinks an easy 2-point bucket to pull his team within one. Roby has six points.
Another CU turnover leads to an easy Kansas State opportunity, and Marcus King-Stockton is assessed his first personal foul of the game. Wildcat Cartier Martin fails on his first free throw attempt, but hits the second. On their next possession, the Buffs turn the ball over again, leading to Kansas State’s first successful 3-point shot of the game by Clent Stewart.
After missing CU’s last game at Iowa State with a left ankle impingement, freshman Xavier Silas returns to the floor today with his first appearance. Silas has led CU in scoring six of his last nine appearances.
Kansas State is 0-4 from beyond the arc so far, and the Buffs continue to play some strong defense inside. Richard Roby adds two for the Buffs, and Marcus King-Stockton hits two free throws to put CU up by six.
Kansas state cannot work the ball inside on its first possession. CU’s Marcus King-Stockton puts the Buffs on the board first with an easy layup.
Colorado (6-17, 2-11 Big 12) seeks to end a four-game losing streak going into today’s home match-up against Kansas State (19-9, 8-5 Big 12). CU is 2-11 for the first time in Big 12 play. The Buffaloes have lost eight games at home this season, tying the school record for home setbacks.
Kansas State enters today’s game as one of five teams in the Big 12 with a winning road conference record (3-3).
