Colorado coach Tad Boyle and his staff are aware the Buffaloes’ losing streak has coincided with struggles from multiple players in the rotation.
The Buffs also are aware it will take the best performance of the season to avoid extending their five-game losing streak, as they visit No. 8 Iowa State on Thursday evening.
Not only are the Cyclones one of the top teams in the nation — ISU was at No. 7 in the NET rankings and No. 5 at KenPom.com on Wednesday — but they also boast one of the top home court advantages in the nation. The Cyclones are 11-0 at home this season and have gone 44-2 at Hilton Coliseum since the start of the 2023-24 season.
“When you lose games — and again, I try not to put so much into winning and losing, itap about playing the right way and doing what you’re supposed to be doing,” Boyle said. “But we’ve got some guys that are struggling right now that are in the rotation. It makes it really hard for those guys who aren’t in the rotation. Sometimes it makes it hard on a coach. I can start second-guessing who’s playing.
“But I still believe in the guys that are. And I believe in the guys that aren’t. There’s only so many minutes to go around.”
While the backcourt duo of Barrington Hargress and Isaiah Johnson have maintained consistent production during Big 12 Conference play, the rest of the rotation has endured ups and downs in recent weeks.
Three of CU’s nine rotation players — Elijah Malone, Felix Kossaras and Josiah Sanders — went scoreless during Saturday’s loss against Central Florida, extending recent slumps for all three players. Starting forward Bangot Dak has been CU’s only consistent rebounder, averaging 8.4 during Big 12 games, but he has shot only .420 in conference play.
Of course, even with those individual struggles, the Buffs’ biggest issues have unraveled at the defensive end of the floor. Colorado will be challenged to end those struggles at Iowa State.
The Buffs have fallen to 14th in the Big 12 in defensive field goal percentage (.458) and rank last in defensive 3-point percentage (.371). Iowa State, meanwhile, boasts one of the most efficient offenses in the Big 12, ranking second in field goal percentage (.507) and first in 3-point percentage (.403).
The Cyclones defeated the Buffs three times last year, winning those games by an average of 17.3 points. And in an era in which roster turnover is the norm, ISU returns the core of the group that kept the Cyclones among the nation’s elite last year. Leading scorer Milan Momcilovic leads the nation (through Tuesday) in 3-point percentage (.541). Forward Joshua Jefferson averages 7.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists to go with his 17.4 points per game. And Tamin Lipsey is one of the top point guards in the nation.
“Their connected-ness, both offensively and defensively. They’re like a machine on defense,” Boyle said. “Itap not like you can’t score against them. But you’ve got to execute. You’ve got to know what the heck you can’t do, and what you can do, against them.
“And they’ve got continuity. Momcilovic is back. Jefferson’s as good a player as there is in the country. Lipsey has been there forever, a homegrown kid. Tremendous toughness. They’ve got guys who are tough, they know who they are, they play within their system and themselves. And they’ve got a great homecourt advantage.”
CU Buffs men’s basketball at No. 8 Iowa State Cyclones
TIPOFF: Thursday, 5 p.m. MT, Hilton Coliseum, Ames, Iowa.
TV/RADIO: Fox Sports 1/KOA 850 AM and 94.1 FM.
RECORDS: Colorado 12-8, 2-5 Big 12 Conference; Iowa State 18-2, 5-2.
COACHES: Colorado — Tad Boyle, 16th season (324-212, 380-278 overall); Iowa State — TJ Otzelberger, 5th season (113-47, 212-110 overall).
KEY PLAYERS: Colorado — G Isaiah Johnson, 6-1, Fr. (16.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.4 apg, .511 FG%, .427 3%); G Barrington Hargress, 6-1, R-Jr. (14.2 ppg, 4.6 apg, .548 FG%, .536 3%); F Sebastian Rancik, 6-11, So. (13.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg); F Bangot Dak, 7-0, Jr. (11.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg, .462 FG%); F Alon Michaeli, 6-9, Fr. (9.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg); G Felix Kossaras, 6-6, So. (5.5 ppg, .527 FG%); C Elijah Malone, 6-10, Gr. (5.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg, .551 FG%). Iowa State — F Milan Momcilovic, 6-8, Jr. (18.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg, .551 FG%, .541 3%); F Joshua Jefferson, 6-9, Sr. (17.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 5.2 apg, .500 FG%); G Tamin Lipsey, 6-1, Sr. (13.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 5.4 apg, .459 FG%); G Killyan Toure, 6-3, Fr. (9.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg, .480 FG%); F Blake Buchanan, 6-10, Jr. (8.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg, .664 FG%).
NOTES: Dating back to CU’s previous stint in the Big 12, the Buffs have lost their last seven road games at ISU. … The Cyclones lead the all-time series 81-70. … The Buffs rank 14th in the Big 12 in defensive field goal percentage at .458. During a five-game losing streak, opponents have shot .485 against CU. … The Buffs have been outrebounded in each of the past three games and four of the past five, falling to No. 12 in the Big 12 (through Tuesday) in average rebound margin at plus-1.6. In Big 12 games, CU ranks 13th at minus-4.3. … With 83 career blocked shots, Dak ranks 16th in team history and needs two more to match Martice Moore at 15th. … Thanks to his 20 points last week against UCF, Johnson moved into 10th-place among CU’s all-time freshman scorers. Johnson has scored 324 points and needs 32 more to match Matt Bullard at No. 9. … CU returns home to host TCU on Sunday (noon, TNT).
