Kansas State hosts Colorado on Sunday afternoon looking to stop a losing streak and keeping hopes of a postseason bid alive, while the Buffaloes are looking to build on being competitive in recent matchups.
K-State (13-15, 7-10 Big 12) has lost four straight in a season of streaks. Colorado (11-17, 2-15) has alternated between wins and losses in its last four games after losing its first 13 conference games.
Despite sitting in last place in the Big 12 ,the Buffaloes have been more competitive lately, even in their losses. Against Kansas on Monday, Colorado fell behind early but never let the game get out of reach.
Kansas led by double digits multiple times in the first half, but Colorado closed to within 37-32 at halftime. The Buffs led 39-38 early in the second half, but Kansas responded. The Jayhawks led 67-60 with a minute left and hung on 71-64.
Colorado coach Tad Boyle was pleased with his team’s effort.
“Our guys battled tonight,” he said. “There’s no doubt about it. You don’t out-rebound KU by 15 if you don’t come to battle. I don’t fault our effort. I don’t fault our toughness. We just have to be more consistent in various parts of the game, not just one on any given night.”
The Wildcats have been anything but consistent this season. They lost six straight before winning six straight. But that momentum has ended, as the last four games have left them hanging by a thread. Coach Jerome Tang is making no excuses.
“Sometimes you just need dudes to be dudes, and they were dudes tonight,” he said after the Wildcats fell 80-76 at UCF on Wednesday night. “We’ve got to be better. We’re not good enough to take plays off. I love our guys’ toughness. We keep fighting to come back, but at some point, we’ve got to fight at the beginning, and then you don’t have to worry about the comeback.”
–Field Level Media
