Colorado St. Rams vs Colorado Buffaloes Match Player Stats On Dec 08, 2022

K.J. Simpson scored 27 points, Tristan da Silva added 15 points, and the Colorado Buffaloes beat the Colorado State Rams 93-65 in Boulder, Colo., on Thursday night.

Nique Clifford had 13 points and Luke O'Brien finished with 10 for Colorado (5-5). The Buffaloes got a boost in the second half when new football coach Deion Sanders entered the arena to a standing ovation from the packed house.

Isaiah Stevens scored 15 points and Taviontae Jackson had 10 for the Rams (6-4).

The game was close throughout the first half, with no team leading by more than four points early on. O'Brien had a layup off a turnover and then a dunk to put Colorado ahead 16-12 but Jackson made a layup and Isaiah Rivera hit a 3-pointer to put the Rams back in front.

Jackson hit a 3-pointer a few minutes later to give Colorado State a 22-18 lead, its biggest of the night, but the Buffaloes responded.

Da Silva made a jumper, J'Vonne Hadley dunked and Javon Ruffin scored on a layup to put Colorado back in front and force the Rams to call a timeout.

The Buffaloes extended the run to 10-0 on buckets from Clifford and Simpson before Stevens drained consecutive 3-pointers to tie the game at 28 with 4:21 left.

Simpson scored five points in a 10-2 run that gave Colorado a 38-30 lead at halftime.

The Buffaloes came out strong to start the second half and pull away. Simpson had a 3-pointer and a layup and da Silva hit a hook shot to put them ahead 45-32 less than two minutes into the second half.

It was an 11-point lead moments later when Colorado built an insurmountable lead. Da Silva and Simpson drained 3-pointers, Jalen Gabbidon dunked and Julian Hammond's layup made it 59-40 with 13:25 remaining.

Shortly after a layup by James Moors got the Rams within 17 midway through the half, Simpson hit back-to-back 3-pointers before Clifford and O'Brien dunks put the Buffaloes ahead 80-52.

They closed it out from there.

--Field Level Media