Colorado fends off challenge from South Dakota State

Field Level Media|published: Fri 13th December, 23:17 2024

Dec 13, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; South Dakota State Jackrabbits forward Stoney Hadnot (4) is fouled by Colorado Buffaloes guard Javon Ruffin (11) as forward Bangot Dak (8) defends in the first half at CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Julian Hammond III had 23 points, Elijah Malone finished with 15 points and nine rebounds and Colorado beat South Dakota State 81-70 on Friday in Boulder, Colo.

RJ Smith contributed 11 points for the Buffaloes (8-2), who won their third game in a row.

Joe Sayler had 16 points and Kalen Garry scored 12 for the Jackrabbits (8-5), who have dropped their past two games. Oscar Cluff, South Dakota State's leading scorer (17.3 points per game entering play), was held to nine points but did pull down a team-high nine rebounds.

Colorado scored the first four points of the second half to go up by nine, but South Dakota State came storming back. Owen Larson and Garry hit 3-pointers in an 11-2 run that tied the game at 46.

The Buffaloes went back up by five, but the Jackrabbits put together another run to go ahead 56-55 on a layup by Matthew Mors with 10:05 left. It was the visitors' only lead of the game.

Colorado responded with 3-pointers by Malone and Hammond to retake the lead and started to pull away.

After Jackson's jumper got the Jackrabbit within 61-58, Assane Diop hit two free throws, Andrej Jakimovski made a running layup and Trevor Baskin sank a pair of foul shots to increase the lead to nine with 5:45 left.

Sayler briefly stopped the momentum with a 3-pointer, but Hammond scored in the paint to make it 69-61 with 5:09 to go.

Sayler and Hammond both hit a pair of free throws to keep it an eight-point margin, and after Hammond sank a layup, Garry scored from deep to make it 73-66 with 2:11 remaining.

South Dakota State got within 75-70 before Hammond was fouled on a made 3-pointer and hit the free throw to complete the four-point play and seal the game with 49 seconds to go.

Colorado raced out to an early seven-point lead but the Jackrabbits closed the gap with their 3-point shooting. Mors hit a trey and Jackson drained back-to-back from deep to cut the deficit to 22-19.

The Buffaloes soon went up by eight, but South Dakota State got within 40-35 entering halftime.

--Field Level Media

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