The 1997 Colorado Buffaloes football team had an interesting year. The team was 22-0 in Ricardo Patton’s first season. They were then just 5-1 under Bobby Knight. However, the team was unable to beat the Indiana Hoosiers in the 1997 NCAA Tournament, losing 80-62. Isaiah Thomas was the leader for Indiana, but the Buffaloes couldn’t overcome their late start to the tournament and were ultimately defeated in the finals.
Despite the loss, Colorado fought hard in the first half. The Buffaloes went 7-for-9 shooting three in the first period. Chauncey Billups was the team’s most prominent player. He scored twenty of his 24 points during the first half. The Buffaloes also had a strong defense, but foul calls cost them in the second half. The game ended in a tie with the Buffaloes’ last lead.