Buffs Blown Out at Baylor as Struggles Continue on the Road
WACO, Texas - Colorado came into Wednesday night hoping to rediscover some of the energy that sparked a recent lineup change. Head coach Tad Boyle stuck with the same starting five that had shown promise earlier in the week. But against Baylor, that spark never lit - and the Buffaloes were overwhelmed early and often.
In what’s becoming a frustrating pattern, Colorado was outpaced from the jump, suffering an 86-67 loss at Foster Pavilion. It marked CU’s seventh loss in its last eight games, a stretch that’s seen the Buffs fall deeper into the Big 12 standings. And while last week’s blowout at Iowa State came against a top-10 team, this one stings more - because it was a matchup Colorado had every reason to believe it could win.
Instead, the Buffs left Waco with more questions than answers.
Freshman Isaiah Johnson opened the scoring with a quick bucket, but that was the only time Colorado led. Baylor responded with a 16-6 run that set the tone for the night. The Buffs hung around briefly, trimming the deficit to single digits, but the Bears slammed the door with a 16-4 burst that turned a manageable gap into a 24-point halftime lead.
By the break, Baylor was in complete control - up 45-21 - and Colorado had already committed nine of its 10 turnovers. The Buffs couldn’t find a rhythm offensively, and defensively, they had no answers for Baylor’s hot shooting.
The Bears knocked down 7 of 15 from beyond the arc in the first half and finished the night 10-for-24 from deep. They shot 52.8% from the field overall - the ninth time this season a Colorado opponent has hit the 50% mark, and the fourth in the last six games. That’s not just a trend - it’s a red flag.
Johnson, who’s been Colorado’s go-to scorer, had one of his toughest nights of the season. The freshman went just 3-for-13 from the field, finishing with 10 points. His struggles mirrored the team’s - a night where nothing came easy and every possession felt like a grind.
Meanwhile, Baylor’s young talent shined. Freshman standout Tounde Yessoufou put on a show, pouring in 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting. Colorado native Obi Agbim added 19 points and six assists, playing with the kind of poise and confidence the Buffs sorely lacked.
Baylor, which had dropped seven of its first eight Big 12 games, has now won two in a row. Colorado, on the other hand, is searching for answers - and fast.
The Buffs now sit at 13-10 overall and 3-7 in Big 12 play. They return home this weekend to face Arizona State, and while the friendly confines of Boulder might help, Colorado needs more than just home-court advantage. They need urgency, identity, and a way to stop the bleeding.
Because right now, the season is slipping - and the Buffs are running out of time to catch it.