Colorado vs Iowa State   Results, Match Player Stats & Records

Colorado's official debut Big 12 game still is scheduled to take place Dec. 30 at home against Iowa State. But the teams will face off for a preview from paradise in what will be the first of three games between the programs in the regular season.

The Buffaloes earned the honor with a signature victory Tuesday when they held off two-time defending champion UConn 73-72 in the second round in the Maui event. Julian Hammond III scored 16 points for the Buffaloes (5-1), while Andrej Jakimovski added 12 points and 10 rebounds.

No. 2 UConn led by as many as 11 points in the first half and was up 46-37 with 17:36 remaining before Colorado went on an 11-0 run to take a two-point lead with 14:02 left.

The Huskies appeared to wrest control by taking a 70-65 edge with 3:28 to go before the Buffaloes scored eight of the final 10 points. UConn played the final 4:40 after 6-foot-10 center Samson Johnson fouled and the final 2:04 after 6-10 center Tarris Reed Jr. also departed.

One of the best victories for Colorado's Tad Boyle in 19 seasons as a Division I coach came after he lost five double-digit scorers from last season's 26-11 team.

"I mentioned that we are going to learn a lot about (our) team in this tournament, and we learned from (Monday) night," Boyle said, referencing a loss to Michigan State in the first round. "The biggest thing I was disappointed in (against the Spartans) was our fight and our shot selection. We challenged (the team). I'm really proud of them."

Iowa State (4-1) fought to the end to secure its spot in the fifth-place game by holding off pesky Dayton 89-84. Iowa State trailed 78-77 with 3:33 remaining before the game was tied 81-81 with 1:20 to go. The Cyclones scored six of the next seven points.

Iowa State went 10-for-10 on free throws over the final 3:23 as it rallied from a nine-point, first-half deficit.

Keshon Gilbert scored a season-high 24 points for the Cyclones by going 6 of 8 from the floor and 12 of 14 from the free-throw line. Curtis Jones added 19 points, while Dishon Jackson scored 12 points and grabbed a team-high six rebounds.

"This is such a great tournament," Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said after his team shot a season-best 51.7 percent from the floor.. "I'm not sure there's ever been a stronger field here. And you know every game is gonna be a war -- and we've already had two."

The victory came after Iowa State blew an 18-point lead and lost in the first round to No. 4 Auburn on Monday.

"Our bench, I thought, was the best it's been so far this year," Otzelberger said after the reserve unit outscored Dayton's 30-12.

--Field Level Media