Colorado Men’s Basketball Faces Tough Questions Ahead of Iowa State Clash
As Colorado prepares to face No. 8 Iowa State on Thursday, the Buffaloes find themselves at a crossroads.
A five-game losing streak has exposed some deep cracks in their foundation, and while the offense has shown flashes of promise, the defensive side of the ball continues to be a growing concern. With Big 12 play in full swing, Tad Boyle’s squad is searching for answers-and fast.
Defensive Numbers Tell the Story
Following Saturday’s 95-86 home loss to UCF, Tad Boyle referenced his first season at the helm back in 2010-11-a team that, like this year’s group, struggled defensively but had the firepower to win shootouts. That squad was led by future NBA talent Alec Burks and the ever-reliable Cory Higgins, and while the 2025-26 Buffs have shown they can light up the scoreboard, they haven’t consistently been able to outscore their defensive lapses.
Right now, Colorado is allowing opponents to shoot 45.8% from the field-13th in the Big 12 and the highest mark allowed by any Boyle-coached team. For context, the previous high came in that 2010-11 season, when opponents shot 44.8%. Only one other CU team under Boyle has finished a season above 43.2%, and that was the 2023-24 squad that still managed to make the NCAA Tournament despite a 44.0% clip.
The three-point defense hasn’t been much better. Opponents are hitting 37.1% from beyond the arc, which is on track to be the worst mark of Boyle’s tenure.
The previous high was 36.7% back in 2016-17. Simply put, teams are getting too many good looks, and they’re making Colorado pay.
Rotation Struggles Add to the Pressure
Boyle has largely leaned on a nine-man rotation this season, but the recent skid has exposed just how thin the margin for error is-especially when nearly a third of that rotation is struggling to produce.
Felix Kossaras, who had been a steady presence earlier in the year, went scoreless against UCF for the second time in four games. Elijah Malone has battled both foul trouble and injury, limiting his effectiveness. Over the past four games, he’s logged just 27.5 minutes total, managing only four points and five rebounds-four of those boards coming in a single game at Cincinnati.
Freshman guard Josiah Sanders has also hit a wall, going scoreless in each of the last three contests. While his role isn’t as prominent as Kossaras or Malone, his lack of production only adds to the pressure on the starters and top reserves.
It’s not just those three, either. Bangot Dak and Alon Michaeli are both mired in shooting slumps, and while Sebastian Rancik finally broke out against UCF, the Buffs need more consistent contributions across the board.
Earlier in the season, Colorado’s depth was a strength. Right now, it’s a question mark.
Familiar Territory, Unwelcome Trends
This five-game skid marks just the fourth time in Boyle’s 16 seasons that Colorado has dropped five in a row-but two of those streaks have come in the past two years. Last season’s team infamously opened Big 12 play with 13 straight losses.
In 2016-17, CU started 0-7 in the Pac-12. And in 2019-20, they ended the season on a five-game slide during the pandemic-shortened campaign.
Boyle didn’t sugarcoat things after the UCF loss, calling it a “winnable” game-an honest assessment that underscores the missed opportunity. The Buffs now head to Ames to take on an Iowa State team that’s not just ranked No. 8 in the nation, but also one of the toughest home teams in the country.
The reality? Colorado could be staring down a sixth straight loss before a more manageable stretch that includes matchups against TCU, Baylor, and Arizona State.
But if the Buffs want to turn this season around, it won’t be enough to wait for the schedule to ease up. The defense has to tighten up.
The rotation has to stabilize. And the urgency has to rise.
Because in a conference as deep and unforgiving as the Big 12, the margin for error isn’t just thin-it’s razor-sharp.