Sophomore, RJ Smith in against the Cal State Fullerton Titans at the CUEC on Wednesday November 13 2024 (Izabelle Stewart-Adams/CU Independent)
In a dominant performance Wednesday night The University of Colorado Boulder men’s basketball team defeated Cal State Fullerton, 83-53. The Buffs led by just six at halftime, 35-29, but used a pivotal 16-6 run midway through the second half to stretch their lead to 20, gradually building a cushion as the game progressed. Colorado remains undefeated this season with a 4-0 record.
Forward Andrej Jakimovski started alongside guards Jullian Hammond III and Javon Ruffin along with forwards Elijah Malone and Assane Diop. Jakimovski opened the game with a 3-pointer and added three more before halftime, giving Colorado the momentum it needed.
“My main focus is on defense, to rebound, get the ball, and get those shots. Having open teammates makes getting those assists a lot easier,” Jakimovski said after the game.
Jakimovski, a graduate transfer from Washington State University, has been a key contributor for Colorado this season. He led the team with 14 points in the first half and finished with 17 points, one assist, and three rebounds. Diop was Colorado’s top rebounder, pulling down eight boards. Freshman Sebastian Rancik came off the bench to score 13 points but struggled with rebounds despite his 6-foot-10 frame. Colorado finished with a season-high 22 assists, shooting 30-for-53 (56.6 percent) from the field. For Cal State Fullerton, Donovan Oday led the Titans with 13 points.
“I thought we really took a step forward offensively tonight in terms of our ball movement,” said head coach Tad Boyle. “The ball wasn’t sticking in people’s hands. We had 22 assists on 30 baskets, which is phenomenal. We’ll take that every night.”
The University of Colorado’s Mens Basketball team celebrates as CU is up against Cal State Fullerton on Wednesday Nov. 13 2024 at the CUEC (Izabelle Stewart-Adams/CU Independent)
While Colorado excelled with its ball movement, turnovers were an issue. The Buffs committed eight turnovers in the first half and 11 overall, leading to four points off turnovers for the Titans. In contrast, Cal State had 10 turnovers and scored nine points on fast breaks. Colorado’s turnovers came from poor communication, traveling violations and errant passes out of bounds.
“We still have to figure out our turnover issues,” Boyle said. “We just find new ways to turn it over.”
As the second half wound down, Boyle could be heard shouting at his team to “slow down.” Colorado became increasingly sloppy and made more mistakes during this time. Cal State exploited these opportunities with isolation plays, which they had used throughout the game. This provided valuable lessons for the Buffs to learn from their mistakes.
“We want to play fast, but we don’t want to play out of control,” Hammond said.
Colorado’s strong start to the season is encouraging, especially given the team’s No. 15 ranking in the Big 12 preseason poll. A positive early season was critical as the Buffs prepared for Big 12 play. Limiting turnovers and playing cohesively will be key to their success moving forward. Colorado concludes its four-game homestand on Sunday with a noon game against Harvard at the CU Events Center.
Contact CU Independent basketball writer Lauren Heidt at lauren.heidt@colorado.edu
