BOULDER, Colo. — In an impressive display, Andrej Jakimovski scored 15 points and Julian Hammond III added 11, leading Colorado to secure its first victory in the Big 12 Conference in nearly 14 years by defeating UCF 76-63 on Saturday.
Before this victory, Colorado had not celebrated a win in the Big 12 since March 10, 2011, when they triumphed over Kansas State during the Big 12 Tournament. The Buffaloes’ recent success also broke a 13-game losing streak since rejoining the conference.
In addition to Jakimovski and Hammond’s contributions, Sebastian Rancik chipped in with 10 points for Colorado (10-15, 1-13). The team showcased their dominance on the boards, out-rebounding UCF (13-12, 4-10) with a remarkable 52-29 advantage, including 16 offensive rebounds that translated into 17 crucial points.
For UCF, Keyshawn Hall led the scoring with 19 points, while Darius Johnson and Nils Machowski contributed 15 and 13 points, respectively.
Colorado held a 25-18 lead after Rancik’s layup with 8:07 remaining in the first half, but UCF responded with a strong effort. Machowski electrified the crowd with a dunk, followed by a 3-pointer and a layup that fueled a 13-2 run, allowing the Knights to take a 31-27 lead with 2:49 left in the half.
Undeterred, Colorado finished the first half on a positive note, outscoring UCF 11-5 in the final two and a half minutes. A layup by Bangot Dak right before the halftime buzzer calmed any lingering nerves as the Buffaloes headed into the break with a slim 38-36 edge.
During this exciting matchup, NBA champion Derrick White from the Boston Celtics was also present. His jersey was officially unveiled on Colorado’s Wall of Honor, with the ceremony occurring during a media timeout just before halftime began.
Looking ahead, UCF is set to visit Stillwater, Oklahoma, to take on Oklahoma State on Wednesday, while Colorado will be traveling to face 10th-ranked Iowa State on Tuesday.
