Takeaways from Colorado basketball blow out loss to No. 9 Iowa State

Heading into Ames, Iowa, to face the No. 9 Iowa State Cyclones, Tad Boyle’s Colorado Buffaloes needed a fast start to shake off a five-game losing streak in the Big 12 Conference.

After winning the tip and jumping out to an early 3-0 lead after Sebastian Rancik knocked down a 3-pointer, it looked like the Buffs were going to get just what they needed. Then, the Cylcones responded. First, a layup from guard Tamin Lipsey, then another from guard Killyan Toure, and by the time the game was 4-3, the Buffaloes watched the only lead they would hold slip out from underneath them.

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What ensued was an offensive onslaught that lasted nearly seven minutes as the Cyclones worked the Buffs into bad shots and turned them around for easy points en route to a 30-1 run. Iowa State never looked back, throttling Colorado the rest of the game and cruising to a 97-67 win over the struggling Buffaloes.

The loss is the sixth straight by the Buffaloes since they started Big 12 play 2-0 back in early January, and it might be the most telling. Here are three things we learned about Colorado after another brutal loss.

Defensive disaster

Colorado’s defensive woes have been apparent since the start of the season. Struggling to contain Big Sky Conference foes early was a huge red flag, but even more concerning is that it hasn’t gotten any better. The group allows almost 80 points per game, the No. 265 best in the nation out of 365 eligible teams. Their struggles were clear as Iowa State had its way offensively, using motion to draw defenders in and finding open threes for their teammates.

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The Cyclones shot 61% from the field, knocking down nearly 50% of their 3-point attempts. Colorado had defensive success with their trap game against Kansas, but teams are taking advantage, and it’s costing them.

Shooting remains cold from downtown

While the Buffs’ defense has been a known issue, they’ve been able to stay in games because of their electric offense. However, Thursday night revealed what happens when the shooters go cold. Colorado was 7-24 from beyond the arc, at one point missing four straight 3-point attempts early in the first half, which allowed Iowa State to cash in on layups and extend their lead.

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The Buffaloes’ 3-point shooting woes are far from contained to this game; it’s what undid them against Kansas late, too. Colorado is a team made of shooters who just haven’t found a rhythm from deep and excel at getting to the free-throw line to cash in. Boyle’s Buffs have to get back to that identity if they want to avoid further disasters.

The missing link

The Buffs are a very young team, but they’re also relatively small, and their lack of interior presence has continued to hurt them throughout the season. It’s exceptionally bad on a night when forward Bangot Dak, whom the Buffs use as a center, is off. Dak was a dismal 3-7 from the field, scoring six points while only nabbing one rebound in his 19 minutes on the floor.

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Starting lineup staple, Elijah Malone, didn’t fare much better, playing only six minutes. Colorado leaned on true freshman Fawaz Ifaola, but his offensive limitations were apparent. While the Buffs can’t go out and get a big man tomorrow, it’s clear the team needs help on the glass if they are going to compete and snap their Big 12 Conference losing streak.

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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Colorado basketball Iowa State takeaways