INDIANAPOLIS — It was a frustrating and forgettable end to what otherwise was a stirring run by McKinley Wright IV and the Colorado Buffaloes.
Unable to solve a smothering defensive effort by Florida State while committing far too many little mistakes for a big stage, CU’s Sweet 16 dreams ended Monday night with a 71-53 second-round defeat against the Seminoles at Indiana Farmer’s Coliseum.
The Buffs, who had been seeking their first Sweet 16 berth in the modern history of the NCAA Tournament, finish the season at 23-9.
Wright found little room to operate while Florida State ran taller, wide-armed defenders at him like the 6-foot-6 Anthony Polite and 6-foot-9 freshman Scottie Barnes.
It was an ugly first half for the Buffs, who finished the opening frame with a 9-for-29 mark from the field, zero free throw attempts, and nearly as many turnovers (11) as they committed the entire game two days earlier during the first-round win against Georgetown.
Despite those struggles, the Buffs trailed just 24-20 at the break, and though the Seminoles extended their edge to 28-20 shortly after halftime, consecutive 3-pointers from Keeshawn Barthelemy and D’Shawn Schwartz kept the Buffs within 36-35 with more than 11 minutes to play.
However, Florida State responded with a 19-6 run that sealed CU’s fate. The Buffs finished with 19 turnovers, their second-highest total of the season, and allowed FSU to shoot .625 after halftime.
In the final game for Wright, CU’s all-time assists leader and the program’s No. 6 all-time scorer, he finished with a 4-for-12 mark and 10 points. After posting 13 assists without a turnover against Georgetown, Wright was held to just one assist while matching a season-high with five turnovers.
It also was the finale for Schwartz, the Colorado Springs native who enjoyed one of the Buffs’ few solid nights offensively, going 5-for-9 with 13 points and six rebounds.
This story will be updated.
No. 14 Florida St. 71, No. 22 Colorado 53
COLORADO (23-9)
Battey 3-4 5-7 11, Walton 0-0 0-0 0, Parquet 1-3 0-0 2, Wright 4-12 2-2 10, Schwartz 5-9 0-0 13, J.Walker 0-5 0-0 0, Horne 1-9 0-0 3, Daniels 2-4 0-0 5, Barthelemy 3-8 0-0 7, da Silva 1-2 0-0 2, Clifford 0-0 0-0 0, O’Brien 0-0 0-2 0. Totals 20-56 7-11 53.
FLORIDA ST. (18-6)
Gray 2-8 5-7 9, Koprivica 2-2 1-1 5, Evans 0-2 2-2 2, Polite 8-12 2-2 22, M.Walker 2-4 3-4 7, Barnes 2-2 2-2 6, Osborne 4-8 2-3 11, Calhoun 2-4 0-0 4, Wilkes 2-2 0-0 5, Jack 0-3 0-0 0, Ngom 0-0 0-0 0, Ballard 0-0 0-0 0, Light 0-0 0-0 0, Miles 0-0 0-0 0, Prieto 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-47 17-21 71.
Halftime – Florida St. 24-20. 3-Point Goals_Colorado 6-25 (Schwartz 3-5, Daniels 1-1, Barthelemy 1-5, Horne 1-6, Battey 0-1, Parquet 0-1, J.Walker 0-2, Wright 0-4), Florida St. 6-17 (Polite 4-7, Wilkes 1-1, Osborne 1-4, Calhoun 0-1, Evans 0-1, Jack 0-3). Fouled Out – Koprivica. Rebounds – Colorado 29 (Horne 8), Florida St. 24 (Gray 6). Assists – Colorado 12 (Daniels 4), Florida St. 16 (Barnes 5). Total Fouls – Colorado 23, Florida St. 15.
