The Colorado Buffaloes continued their struggles in Big 12 play, falling 78-63 to the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday afternoon at the McKale Center. The loss marks Colorado’s eighth consecutive defeat, dropping them to 9-10 overall and 0-8 in conference play. It’s the program’s longest losing streak since the 2008-09 season, when the Buffs dropped 12 straight games.
Despite the loss, head coach Tad Boyle remained optimistic about his team’s effort. “I’m proud of our guys for not losing their fight, and that’s what it’s going to take to win a game in this league,” Boyle said. “Eventually, I think we will [win], but I thought our game plan was good coming in here.”
The game was tightly contested in the first half, with Colorado even holding a brief lead late in the period. Julian Hammond III led the charge for the Buffaloes, scoring 19 points and hitting 4 of 6 from beyond the arc. He also dished out four assists, showcasing his leadership on the court. Javon Ruffin added 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting, but the Buffs struggled to keep pace with Arizona’s efficient offensive display in the second half…