Colorado men’s basketball defeats CSU in Rocky Mountain Showdown

Sophomore guard RJ Smith passes the ball during the game against Colorado State University at the CU Events Center on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Clementine Miller/CU Independent)

The University of Colorado men’s basketball team defeated the visiting Rams of Colorado State University 72-55 on Saturday night.

This edition of the Rocky Mountain Showdown was a one-sided affair, as the Buffaloes jumped to an early lead and never slowed down enough for the Rams to make it a close game. The win put the all-time series record between the two teams at 93-41 in favor of the Buffaloes. The 134 matchups between the in-state rivals date back to 1906, leaving a lengthy historical record of Colorado’s dominance, similar to their history on the football field.

The CU Events Center was nearly full, a stark contrast to earlier home games this season. The rivalry matchup brought fans to the stadium on Saturday night, but as their schedule becomes more difficult, fans will need to continue filling the Events Center.

The first half was a strong showing from the Buffaloes. They quickly jumped ahead; by halftime, they had gone on a 22-point scoring run, taking a 43-21 lead. Colorado out-rebounded Colorado State 26-15 in the first half, including five offensive rebounds that led to nine second-chance points. The Buffaloes dominated the paint with 24 points, more than half of their first-half total. Elijah Malone contributed to the effort, shooting a perfect 4-for-4 from the field, including a three-pointer. Julian Hammond III also added eight points, including two three-pointers.

The Rams, on the other hand, struggled to get much going in the first half. They missed countless shots in the paint and were physically outmanned by the Buffaloes. Colorado State shot just 9-of-34, or 26.5%, in the first half and 2-of-12, or 16.7%, from three-point range. Nique Clifford, the Rams’ star player, also had a tough first half. Clifford, a former Buffalo who played three seasons in Boulder from 2021 to 2023, was booed every time he touched the ball. His performance in the first 20 minutes seemed to suggest the boos had an effect, as he shot just 1-of-9 and had one of his shots blocked. Clifford, who entered the game averaging 18 points per game, finished with only 10 points on the night.

Colorado head coach Tad Boyle credited the defensive performance of Andrej Jakimovski for limiting Clifford’s impact.

“The job that Andrej Jakimovski did on Nique Clifford was, in my opinion, the individual defensive performance of the game for sure,” Boyle said. “I thought our team defense was really good as well — it wasn’t just one person — but Andrej did a great job getting through screens and making him work for everything he got. Nique has turned into a hell of a player, there’s no doubt about it, and he’s talented.”

The second half saw more urgency from the Rams, but ultimately, it wasn’t enough. The closest they got was within 14 points, with a minute remaining in the game. Jalen Lake led the Rams with 18 points, 11 of which came in the second half. The Rams finished with a poor shooting performance overall, finishing with 31.3% from the field and 25.9% from three. However, they shot 100% from the free-throw line, knocking down all eight of their attempts.

While the Rams showed more urgency, the Buffaloes seemed a bit lackadaisical coming out of halftime with a comfortable lead. Colorado committed 12 turnovers in the second half, finishing with 17 for the game. Trevor Baskin and RJ Smith combined for 10 of those turnovers, each giving up five. Baskin made up for it with a strong rebounding performance, collecting 11 boards while adding two steals and two blocks. Smith added nine points on the night, including two three-pointers. While the Buffaloes didn’t play their best basketball in the second half, their strong first half gave them a comfortable cushion.

Bangot Dak led the Buffaloes in scoring with 16 points; he scored 10 in the second half after recording just six points in the first half. Dak showed a soft touch around the basket, rising above defenders for a hook shot and catching lob passes for big dunks. He even knocked down a three-pointer, demonstrating that the 6-foot-11 sophomore can score in multiple ways.

Dak said the game felt easier compared to previous performances in which he felt he hadn’t played up to his standards.

“It felt pretty good. The game also felt a lot easier because recently I’ve felt I haven’t been on my game,” Dak said. “Now I feel like the rhythm is starting to come through, so it felt really good out there.”

With the Rocky Mountain Showdown in the rearview mirror, the Buffaloes turn their attention to Southcolo Dakota State University. The Jackrabbits will travel to Boulder this Friday for the Buffaloes’ second-to-last out-of-conference matchup. The final non-conference game will take place eight days later, Dec. 21, against Bellarmine University.

Colorado’s home stand will conclude with a Dec. 30 matchup against nationally ranked No. 6 Iowa State. The Buffaloes are preparing for their first season in the Big 12 Conference since 2010-11. If their strong play at home continues, and they can pick up some wins on the road, Colorado could build on its successful 7-2 start to the season.