The Colorado Buffaloes haven’t had the smoothest ride through Big 12 play this season. A string of tough losses - nine in their last 11 - has left them searching for consistency, especially on the road.
But in Saturday’s narrow 90-86 overtime loss at No. 22 BYU, there were finally signs that two key pieces of the puzzle, Bangot Dak and Sebastian Rancik, might be finding their rhythm - and that could change the complexion of Colorado’s final stretch.
Let’s be clear: Dak and Rancik haven’t been the only reasons for the Buffs’ recent struggles. But their performances have often mirrored the team’s fortunes - solid and steady at home, shaky and inconsistent on the road.
That pattern broke in Provo. While the Buffs couldn’t quite close the deal against a nationally ranked BYU squad, the play of Dak and Rancik was a bright spot - and a much-needed one.
“When Seby and BD are playing well, and our guards are playing well, we’ve got a chance to beat anybody,” head coach Tad Boyle said after the game. And he’s not wrong. When those two are locked in, Colorado looks like a different team.
Consider the three previous road games - blowout losses to Iowa State, Baylor, and Texas Tech - where CU was outscored by nearly 28 points per contest. In those matchups, Dak and Rancik combined to shoot just 10-for-42 from the field.
Dak pulled down only eight rebounds across those three games. Rancik, meanwhile, had a rough outing in Lubbock, turning the ball over five times.
It wasn’t just that they struggled - it was that their struggles seemed to sap the Buffs of any real chance to compete.
But Saturday was different.
Rancik, even on an off shooting night (2-for-9 overall, 0-for-5 from deep), found ways to contribute. He was aggressive and efficient at the free-throw line (5-for-6), handed out a career-best six assists, and grabbed 10 rebounds - his second double-digit rebounding effort in three games. He also added three steals and played a key role defensively against BYU’s star freshman, AJ Dybantsa, a projected NBA lottery pick.
Dak, meanwhile, came alive in the second half. He dropped 11 of his 15 points after the break and finished 7-for-12 from the field, adding seven boards. It was the kind of performance that reminded fans why he’s been one of the most relied-upon players in conference play.
Now, let’s not sugarcoat it - BYU was missing senior leader Richie Saunders, who exited early with an injury, and CU still came up short. But what the Buffs showed was resilience, something that’s been missing in recent road games.
They didn’t fold. They battled.
And they looked like a team that still believes it can make something out of this season.
That belief will be tested - and potentially rewarded - over the final five games of the regular season. The Buffs (14-12, 4-9 Big 12) return to Boulder on Saturday to face an Oklahoma State team that’s dropped three straight and has a midweek date with No.
9 Kansas. After that, CU hosts Kansas State, which is just 1-11 in Big 12 play.
There’s a tough trip to No. 3 Houston looming on Feb. 28, but the Buffs close their road slate at Utah - another team sitting at 1-11 in conference.
It’s not an easy path, but it’s a manageable one - especially if Dak and Rancik can continue trending upward.
“We don’t believe in moral victories, but definitely a step in the right direction and definitely a step where we want to be,” said CU guard Barrington Hargress. “We’re definitely looking to win every game left. We’re just looking to build on the good basketball we played (at BYU).”
And that’s the mindset they’ll need in the Big 12, where there are no freebies. Every off-day is a chance to reset, and every game is a battle. But if Colorado can keep building off what they showed in Provo - the grit, the energy, and the leadership from guys like Dak and Rancik - they might just have a few more wins left in them before this regular season wraps.