The team that lost at Grambling and also was good enough to hand No. 6 Tennessee its only loss of the season, continues its search for consistency.
Colorado aims for its first three-game winning streak of the season on Sunday when it hosts in-state foe Northern Colorado at Boulder.
The Buffaloes (6-5) dumped North Alabama 84-60 on Thursday night at home to earn consecutive wins for the second time. They got 25 points and nine rebounds from Tristan da Silva, plus 12 points and six assists from KJ Simpson and a 33-18 advantage in bench points.
“It was a workmanlike effort,” Colorado coach Tad Boyle said. “Coming out of finals, you never know what you’re going to get from your team emotionally and how sharp they’re going to be. Not often do you win by 24 and feel like your team could have played better, but that’s how I feel.”
Developments that pleased Boyle came when his team held North Alabama to season lows of 39 percent shooting and 60 points. The Buffaloes have played solid defense at times, limiting opponents to 41.2 percent from the field and 31.6 percent on 3-pointers.
Simpson’s 16.8 points-per game lead the offense, while da Silva chips in 13.5 points and J’Vonne Hadley hits for 10.3.
Northern Colorado (5-5) used the 3-point line and the foul line to post a 70-63 win in its last game at Cal State Northridge on Dec. 10. The Bears canned 11 of 28 from distance and went 21 of 27 at the line, including 15 of 18 in the second half, to square their record at .500.
Daylen Kountz scored 19 points for Northern Colorado, while Dalton Knecht earned a 16-point, 14-rebound double-double. Matt Johnson added 18 points, converting 8 of 9 free throws.
The Bears have won four of their last five games since a 1-4 start that included losses to former No. 1 Houston and then-No. 5 Baylor.
Kountz leads Northern Colorado in scoring at 17.4 points-per game while Knecht adds 17.3.
–Field Level Media