Buffaloes stampede past Texas A&M 103-75 in second round of Myrtle Beach Invitational

CONWAY, SC (Nov. 18, 2022) – Anybody who has ever seen Ralphie the buffalo come charging onto the field before a Colorado football game knows that once that animal builds up some momentum, it’s hard to slow it down.

The Colorado basketball team was the same way against Texas A&M in Friday’s second round of the Myrtle Beach Invitational. The Buffaloes scored nine consecutive points midway through the second half, and kept right on rumbling, building as much as a 33-point lead on the way to a 103-75 victory.

“When we put our offense and defense together, we can get a game like this,” Colorado coach Tad Boyle said after his team set the Myrtle Beach Invitational tournament record for most points scored in a game.

The Buffaloes (3-2) led 18-16 before embarking on their initial 9-0 run. It was expected that the 24th-ranked Aggies (2-2) would make a comeback, but it never happened. Instead, Colorado went on a 20-8 run to build a 54-33 halftime lead, then kept up the pace in the second half, eventually pushing the score all the way to 79-46.

“We handled adversity well today,” said Colorado guard KJ Simpson, who finished with 30 points, seven rebounds and six steals. “When we faced pressure, we didn’t scatter. We just kept playing at our pace and under control. When we do that, it’s hard to beat us.”

The Buffaloes made 57.6 percent of their shots from the field (34-of-59) and 50 percent of their 3-point attempts (16-of-32), stats that surprised Texas A&M coach Buzz Williams after his team allowed Murray State to shoot 50 percent from the field in the Aggies’ opening-round loss.

“I did not expect our response to yesterday to be what it was today,” Williams said. “We did not have nearly enough competitive character from start to finish. In many respects, they ran their offense as if there was not a defense. To shoot 58 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3, whatever level of defense that would be considered, it’s not nearly good enough.

Individual Tournament Records

Steals – 6, KJ Simpson, Colorado vs. Texas A&M (5, Nick Rutherford, Monmouth vs. West Virginia, 2018; Rayu Ona Embo, Tulane vs. Mississippi State, 2019, Jared Butler, Baylor vs. Ohio, 2019)

Team Tournament Records

POINTS – 103, Colorado vs. Texas A&M (98, Villanova vs. Middle Tennessee, 2019)

POINTS, 1st HALF – 54 (1st), Colorado vs. Texas A&M (53, (1st^t) Villanova vs. Middle Tennessee, 2019)