Buffs Beat

Colorado rolls with 83-53 win over Cal-State Fullerton

Buffs improve to 3-0 early in the Big 12 debut season

Kenny Lee

CU Buffs
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The Colorado Buffaloes secured a decisive 83-53 victory over Cal-State Fullerton at the CU Events Center on Wednesday night, marking their third win of the season. Senior forward Andrej Jakimovski led the scoring for Colorado with 17 points, showcasing a strong performance from beyond the arc. Colorado opened the game with hot shooting, hitting three of their first four three-point attempts, with Jakimovski going 4-for-7 in the first half alone.

Despite Colorado’s fast start, Cal-State Fullerton kept the game close in the opening half. A three-pointer from Zion Richardson narrowed Colorado's lead to 15-12 with 12 minutes remaining, but sophomore Bangot Dak quickly answered with a slam to widen the lead. Fullerton shot an impressive 44% from the field in the first half, matching CU’s intensity. However, Colorado’s defense tightened up, allowing the Buffs to finish the half with a 35-29 lead, led by Jakimovski’s 14 points.

In the second half, CU's offense continued to roll, with junior guard Javon Ruffin connecting with Jakimovski for his fifth three-pointer, extending the lead to 11. Although both teams fell into a brief scoring drought, Colorado broke through, expanding their lead further as RJ Smith set up Trevor Baskin for a basket. The Buffs dominated the latter half with sharp passing and perimeter shooting, holding Fullerton to just 24 points in the second frame.

Despite the large margin of victory, turnovers remain a concern for head coach Tad Boyle, as CU finished with 16 turnovers. Boyle expressed hope for improvement, noting that the turnover issues are fixable. Colorado’s next game is against Harvard on Sunday, Nov. 17, which fans can catch on ESPN+ or listen to via KOA 850 AM and 94.1 FM.

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Kenny Lee
KENNY LEE

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