Kansas Grinds Out Gritty Road Win Over Colorado: 3 Key Takeaways
Kansas went into Boulder and came out with a hard-fought 75-69 win over Colorado on Tuesday night. It wasn’t always pretty, and it certainly wasn’t easy, but the Jayhawks found a way to close strong in a back-and-forth battle that tested their poise and execution on the road.
The game featured plenty of momentum swings, with both teams trading runs and big shots. But when it mattered most, Kansas delivered on consecutive possessions late in the second half to pull away and seal the win.
Melvin Council Jr. led the way for KU with 18 points on an efficient 7-for-13 shooting night. He came through with a couple of critical buckets in the second half and added seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals. As a team, Kansas shot 46% from the field and knocked down 42% of their threes - numbers that look solid on paper, but don’t quite tell the full story of how uneven the performance was at times.
Let’s dig into three key takeaways from the Jayhawks’ road win:
1. Kansas’ Defense Looked Shaky - Especially Early
If you’ve followed Kansas’ conference play so far, you’ve seen a tale of two defenses - one that locks down at home, and one that’s struggled mightily on the road. Tuesday night in Boulder felt more like the latter, especially in the first half.
Coming into this one, Bill Self had been vocal about his team’s defensive inconsistencies. After a 1-2 start in conference play, he pointed out that KU simply wasn’t making opponents uncomfortable. That trend showed up again in the first 20 minutes against Colorado.
The Jayhawks gave the Buffaloes far too much space on the perimeter early. Colorado, a team that shoots a respectable 35.5% from deep, was given the green light - and they took advantage.
In the first 11 minutes alone, the Buffs launched 11 threes, many of them uncontested or only lightly challenged. They finished the half hitting 6-of-14 from deep, despite not attempting a single three in the final eight minutes of the half.
It wasn’t just perimeter defense that was lacking. Kansas also failed to generate turnovers - a key ingredient in their more successful defensive efforts this season.
In games against Iowa State and Baylor, KU’s active hands helped limit those teams to 62 and 63 points, respectively. But in the first half against Colorado?
Just one turnover forced - a lone deflection by Tre White.
The contrast between home and road defense remains stark. In KU’s four true road games before Tuesday, they had allowed at least 77 points in each.
The only time they’ve given up more than that at home was in an overtime win over TCU. At halftime in Boulder, they were on pace to surrender 76.
Bottom line: Kansas still hasn’t found a consistent defensive identity away from Allen Fieldhouse, and that’s something they’ll need to figure out if they want to make a deep run come March.
2. The Offense Hit a Wall After a Hot Start
Kansas opened the game looking like they might pick up right where they left off last week - when their offense clicked in wins over Iowa State and Baylor. Early on, they broke Colorado’s zone defense with quick ball movement and timely threes from Darryn Peterson and Tre White. The Jayhawks put up 10 points in the first three minutes, and it looked like another efficient night was coming.
But that early rhythm didn’t last.
As the game wore on, KU’s offense slowed down. The ball didn’t move as crisply, and the energy - on both ends - started to wane.
The zone that had been ineffective early began to cause problems. Kansas struggled to generate clean looks, and when they did, they couldn’t string together enough makes to build momentum.
Late in the first half, the offense essentially boiled down to Tre White drawing contact and getting to the line. There wasn’t much else happening in terms of flow or creation.
In the second half, things picked up a bit - thanks in part to some hustle plays and energy boosts from Flory Bidunga and Peterson. But overall, this wasn’t the fluid, high-efficiency offense we saw in recent games. Despite shooting 42% from three and 46% overall, the Jayhawks had long stretches where they looked stagnant and out of sync.
This group has shown it can be elite offensively, but Tuesday night was a reminder that energy and execution have to be consistent - especially on the road, where the margin for error is much slimmer.
3. Flory Bidunga’s Second-Half Spark Changed the Game
Flory Bidunga’s night was a tale of two halves.
In the first 20 minutes, the Kansas big man looked out of sorts. He played 17 minutes but had just one shot attempt (a miss) and didn’t make much of an impact outside of grabbing five rebounds. Whether it was Colorado’s size or the altitude at the CU Events Center - which sits more than 4,500 feet higher than Lawrence - Bidunga just didn’t look like himself.
That changed midway through the second half.
Around the 11:30 mark, Bidunga scrapped for a defensive rebound, lost it momentarily, then dove to the floor to recover it. It was the kind of hustle play that doesn’t always show up in the box score but can shift momentum. And it did.
On the very next possession, Bidunga scored through contact and drew a foul. That bucket seemed to wake something up. Over the next few minutes, he added another layup, a dunk, and came up big on the defensive end with a pair of blocks and some strong boards.
He finished the game with 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 blocks - most of that coming in the second half. More than the stats, though, it was the energy he brought that helped Kansas regain control.
When Bidunga is locked in, he’s a difference-maker on both ends. Tuesday night showed that even on an off night, he’s capable of flipping the switch - and when he does, KU becomes a much tougher team to beat.
Final Word
This wasn’t a dominant performance by Kansas, but it was a gritty, road-tested win that required toughness and timely execution. The Jayhawks still have work to do - especially defensively on the road - but they showed resilience and found a way to close out a quality opponent in a tough environment.
As the season rolls on, performances like this one could prove valuable. Not just in the win column, but in the lessons they provide.