BOULDER, Colo. — In a compelling display of talent, Andrej Jakimovski led the Colorado Buffaloes with 20 points while Elijah Malone contributed 16, guiding the team to an easy 88-66 victory over Harvard on Sunday. This marks Colorado’s fourth consecutive win this season, showcasing their impressive start.
The Buffaloes have also extended their home game dominance with this victory, claiming their seventh straight win at home, a streak that dates back to the previous season. Impressively, they have secured 20 wins out of their last 21 home games since the beginning of the 2023-24 campaign.
Harvard, trailing in the first half, managed to narrow the score to 31-26 with four minutes remaining due to a three-pointer by Evan Nelson. However, Colorado responded robustly; Javon Ruffin fired back with two three-pointers, and Jakimovski delivered a critical three-point play, pushing the lead to 46-34 at halftime.
As the second half commenced, Colorado continued to dominate. Malone converted two free throws and Trevor Baskin added a three-pointer, swiftly increasing their lead to 51-34 in under two minutes.
Overall, Colorado displayed exceptional shooting skills, connecting on 51.8% of their field goals (29 out of 56) and sinking 9 of 19 attempts from beyond the three-point line. Three out of the four players who scored in double figures were new members of the team. Jakimovski, a graduate transfer from Washington State, made 7 of 14 shots including 2 of 6 from three-point territory. Another new addition, Moore, a graduate transfer from Grace College, was perfect from the free-throw line, converting all six attempts while securing seven rebounds. Baskin, also a graduate transfer from Colorado Mesa, contributed 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while junior Javon Ruffin rounded out the scoring with 15 points and four assists, going a flawless 5-for-5 from the charity stripe.
For Harvard, which has now lost four consecutive games on the road this season, Chandler Pigge and Nelson each scored 11 points. Bench players Dutch Dowdell and Tey Barbour added 10 points each to the scoreline.
In summary, Colorado’s strong performance, especially from its newcomers, positions the team favorably as they look to build on this momentum in their upcoming games.