It certainly wasn’t the more efficient offense head coach Tad Boyle was hoping to see.
In fact, the Colorado Buffaloes’ first four possessions, resulting in three turnovers and an airball, were downright ugly. The rest of the game was only marginally more aesthetically pleasing for Buffs fans.
Still, the 21st-ranked Buffs have locked things down defensively as well as any team in college basketball during the first month of the season, and Saturday was no different. That defense allowed CU to overcome a turnover-plagued performance to pull away from Sacramento State for a 59-45 win at the CU Events Center.
CU committed 12 turnovers in the first half and couldn’t shake the visiting Hornets until late, leaning on a defense that continued its season-long streak of holding opponents to 40 percent or less from the floor by harassing Sacramento State into a.283 mark.
The Buffs had seven more turnovers after halftime and continued to struggle to find a rhythm on offense, with CU finishing with a .444 overall shooting percentage and a 2-for-9 mark on 3-pointers. CU also went 17-for-26 at the free throw line just four days after going 24-for-25 at Clemson while hitting the final 24 in a row.
CU (6-0) held Sacramento State scoreless over the final 6 minutes, 13 seconds of the first half to take a 24-16 lead at the break. Sacramento State remained within 45-40 with four minutes remaining, but Evan Battey connected on a pair of baskets during a 7-0 CU run that finally put the Hornets away.
Tyler Bey posted his fifth double-double in six games with 11 points, 17 rebounds, and four assists. Battey finished with 11 points and six rebounds and McKinley Wright added 10 points. Senior Lucas Siewert came off the bench to contribute seven points and nine rebounds.
The Buffs are back in action at home Wednesday against Loyola Marymount (8 p.m., Pac-12 Network).
No. 21 COLORADO 59, SACRAMENTO ST. 45SACRAMENTO ST. (5-1)Patton 1-8 2-2 4, Esposito 5-15 2-4 12, Mauriohooho-Le’afa 2-11 5-6 10, Davis 4-8 0-0 8, Nwachukwu 0-1 0-0 0, Jacobs 1-5 0-0 2, Monteiro 0-0 0-0 0, Fowler 4-11 1-2 9, McCullough 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 17-60 10-14 45.COLORADO (6-0)Battey 5-9 1-3 11, Parquet 2-2 0-1 4, M.Wright 3-5 4-6 10, Schwartz 4-8 0-1 8, Bey 2-3 6-9 11, Siewert 3-10 0-0 7, Walton 0-1 0-0 0, Kountz 0-2 2-2 2, Gatling 1-5 4-4 6, Daniels 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-45 17-26 59.Halftime – Colorado 24-16. 3-Point Goals_Sacramento St. 1-8 (Mauriohooho-Le’afa 1-5, McCullough 0-1, Esposito 0-1, Davis 0-1), Colorado 2-9 (Bey 1-1, Siewert 1-5, Gatling 0-3). Fouled Out – Jacobs, Patton, Davis. Rebounds – Sacramento St. 28 (Jacobs, Mauriohooho-Le’afa 7), Colorado 39 (Bey 16). Assists – Sacramento St. 5 (Fowler 2), Colorado 10 (Bey 4). Total Fouls – Sacramento St. 26, Colorado 14.
