CU's men's basketball team, lacking experience, aims to mature quickly.

Colorado had already faced Iowa State earlier in the season, but for most of the men's basketball team, it was their first time competing against such a highly-ranked program. It was a valuable learning experience for the Buffaloes, who will need to adapt quickly to the level of competition in the Big 12 Conference.

Their return to the conference started with a tough loss against No. 3 Iowa State, with a final score of 79-69. However, the Buffs put up a much stronger fight compared to their previous matchup at the Maui Invitational, where they were defeated by 28 points. Despite their efforts, the Buffs were still plagued by the same issues that hindered them in their first encounter with the Cyclones - difficulty securing defensive rebounds and too many turnovers. These are areas the team will need to improve on if they want to be competitive in the Big 12, as they continue their conference play against Arizona State on Saturday.

Reflecting on the loss, CU guard RJ Smith emphasized the importance of taking care of the ball and being more physical on the boards. These are lessons that the team will need to apply not just in the next game, but throughout the rest of the season. Head coach Tad Boyle acknowledged the disappointment of falling short of a second top-five win in a month, but also highlighted the fact that the majority of his rotation players are still relatively new to high-level college basketball. In fact, two of Monday's starters, Trevor Baskin and Elijah Malone, are graduate transfers in their first season of Division I basketball. Meanwhile, Smith, who made his fourth career start, had previously redshirted and played only seven games last year due to an injury. Other key players, such as Bangot Dak and Assane Diop, had limited experience from last season and have been steadily improving as rotation players this year. However, their inexperience was evident in the matchup against Iowa State, where they combined for nine of the team's 19 turnovers.

Despite the loss, senior guard Julian Hammond put on a strong performance with 21 points and four assists, without any turnovers. He was the only experienced player in the backcourt, as fourth-year guard Javon Ruffin has been hindered by recurring knee issues in the past two seasons. Additionally, the Buffs were missing one of their most experienced players, third-leading scorer Andrej Jakimovski, who was out due to illness. Jakimovski had posted 18 points against Iowa State in their previous matchup at the Maui Invitational.

While the loss was disappointing, coach Boyle sees it as a learning opportunity for his young and inexperienced team. He recognizes that many of his players are still adjusting to the level of play at this level, such as Elijah Malone, who previously played NAIA basketball and only had three similar games to this one at the Maui Invitational. Similarly, this was only the fourth high-caliber game for players like Trevor Baskin and RJ Smith. As they continue to gain experience and improve, the Buffs hope to bounce back and secure a win in their next game.

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