Thrilling Finish in Boulder
In a thrilling finish on Wednesday evening, the Colorado Buffaloes overcame a significant deficit to secure a 79-70 victory against Kansas State in Boulder, Colorado. Isaiah Johnson was a key contributor for the Buffaloes, scoring 18 points while also grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out seven assists. Colorado, which improved its record to 16 wins and 12 losses overall and 6-9 in the Big 12, demonstrated resilience as they rallied from a 22-point deficit during the game.
Late Game Surge
Late in the second half, Kansas State made a valiant effort to narrow the gap, fueled by P.J. Haggerty, who scored 25 points and recorded 10 rebounds. Haggerty, along with teammates Andrej Kostic and Nate Johnson, who both chipped in 10 points, helped the Wildcats stage a late comeback, emitting a surge that brought the score to 73-70 with just over two minutes remaining. However, Colorado maintained composure down the stretch, converting 6 of 8 from the free-throw line to firmly put the game out of reach for Kansas State, who have now lost eight of their last nine contests, dropping their season record to 11-17 and 2-13 in conference play.
First Half Dominance
The Buffaloes initially built a strong lead, indicating their dominance in the first half as they led 37-18 with just under four minutes to go before halftime. Kansas State managed to cut their deficit to 42-33 at the break due to a late 15-5 run. Ian Inman complemented Johnson with his own impressive performance, hitting five 3-pointers and scoring 17 points, while Barrington Hargress and Sebastian Rancik contributed 15 and 13 points, respectively.
Looking Ahead
As the second half progressed, Kansas State briefly came within five points, but a 17-0 scoring spree by Colorado extinguished any hope for the Wildcats. Looking ahead, Kansas State will return to action on Saturday against TCU, while Colorado prepares to face off with fifth-ranked Houston, both teams aiming to enhance their standings as the season continues.
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