Fast break Why the Buffs won: CU held TCU to a .333 shooting percentage — the lowest by a Big 12 foe this season and tying the lowest by a Buffs’ opponent overall this season. Three stars 1. Sebastian Rancik. Responded admirably to coming off the bench for the first time this year, going 6-for-8 with 17 points, six rebounds and three assists. 2. Josiah Sanders. The freshman made his first career start and responded with season-highs in points (12) and assists (six). 3. Isaiah Johnson. Despite drawing the focus of TCU’s defense, the freshman guard still went 3-for-6 on 3-pointers with 16 points and five assists. Up next: CU returns to the road with a date Wednesday at Baylor (6 p.m. MT, Peacock). Tad Boyle sent a message to his struggling club with a starting lineup shakeup, sending four true freshmen to the floor alongside regular starting point guard Barrington Hargress. The young Buffaloes set an active and enthusiastic tone, and the rest of the club followed. The Colorado men’s basketball team snapped a six-game losing streak Sunday, leading for much of the game while running away for a lopsided 87-61 victory against TCU at the CU Events Center. It was a strong performance at both ends of the floor by CU, which posted its top shooting percentage of Big 12 Conference play while holding TCU to a 5-for-23 mark on 3-pointers. “I’m really, really proud of the response that we got from everyone involved,” Boyle said. “It just shows how good this team can be. But we’ve got to play with that energy and that effort, that toughness. And we showed it tonight, and the results speak for themselves.” After losing by 30 points at No. 8 Iowa State, Boyle juggled the lineup by giving the first career starts to a trio of freshmen in Josiah Sanders, Jalin Holland and Tacko Ifaola. Those three players played key roles out of the gate as the Buffs jumped to a lead they steadily built throughout an impressive all-around performance. Sanders turned in his second consecutive solid game, finishing with season-highs in points (12) and assists (six) as the Buffs matched a season-high with 24 assists. Holland recorded five points and a season-high four assists, and both freshman guards were responsible for forcing early turnovers out of TCU. Ifaola also came through, going 3-for-3 with six points, six rebounds and no turnovers in 19 minutes of action. That’s more points and as many rebounds as the Buffs received out of center Elijah Malone in the previous five games combined. While the rookies turned in key performances, so did two of the players displaced from the starting lineup in forwards Sebastian Rancik and Bangot Dak. Rancik went 6-for-8 overall and 3-for-4 on 3-pointers, finishing with a team-high 17 points along with six rebounds, while Dak went 7-for-8 with 14 points. “Coach has his decisions. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter if I agree or disagree with his decisions,” Rancik said. “My job is to come out and perform. He wanted to see a response from me, and I think I did that. How we played today has to be the new standard for our program.” The Buffs led by just one point before reeling off a 12-0 run late in the first half, paving the way for a 38-25 lead at halftime. After trading baskets in the early minutes of the second half, CU scored eight straight points to start a 19-4 run that gave the Buffs a 28-point lead with 10 minutes, 15 seconds remaining. CU turned in its best defensive performance of the Big 12 schedule and one of its best of the season. TCU’s 61 points were the lowest by any Buffs foe this season, and the Horned Frogs’ .333 field goal percentage was the lowest by a CU opponent in Big 12 play while matching the lowest opposing mark overall this year. The Buffs also outrebounded TCU 41-36, ending a run of four consecutive games in which CU was outrebounded. The Buffs turned 11 offensive rebounds into a season-high 17 second-chance points. “Hopefully a light bulb went on and a switch clicked and they learned something,” Boyle said. “I’m really, really proud of everybody on this team. The guys that started, the guys that came off the bench. Everybody.” TCU (13-9, 3-6 Big 12) Punch 3-9 1-2 8, Edmonds 3-7 7-8 13, Pierre 2-10 1-2 5, Harding 2-3 0-0 5, Lelevicius 0-3 0-0 0, Robinson 3-9 2-2 9, Toolson 2-6 3-3 7, Posey 3-7 0-0 7, Salatchoum 1-2 0-0 2, Edwards 1-2 0-0 3, Jones 0-2 0-0 0, Simmons 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 21-63 14-17 61. COLORADO (13-9, 3-6 Big 12) Ifaola 3-3 0-0 6, Johnson 5-11 3-3 16, Sanders 5-9 1-1 12, Holland 2-6 0-1 5, Hargress 4-12 0-1 10, Rancik 6-8 2-4 17, Dak 7-8 0-2 14, Malone 0-0 0-0 0, Kossaras 1-1 0-0 3, Inman 1-4 0-0 2, Michaeli 1-1 0-1 2, Crawford 0-0 0-0 0, Randall 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 35-63 6-13 87. Halftime: Colorado 38-25. 3-point field goals: TCU 5-23 (Punch 1-2, Edmonds 0-1, Pierre 0-5, Harding 1-1, Lelevicious 0-2, Robinson 1-4, Toolson 0-3, Posey 1-1, Edwards 1-1, Jones 0-2, Simmons 0-1); Coloreado 11-23 (Johnson 3-6, Sanders 1-2, Holland 1-2, Hargress 2-5, Rancik 3-4, Kossaras 1-1, Inman 0-3). Rebounds: TCU 36 (Edmonds 12); Colorado 41 (Ifaola, Rancik 6). Assists: TCU 8 (Pierre 3); Colorado 24 (Sanders 6). Turnovers: TCU 10 (Harding 3); Colorado 8 (Johnson 3). Total fouls: TCU 18, Colorado 16. Technical fouls: Edmonds. A: 6,719. ...read more read less