Colombia beat Mexico 112 to 86 in the FIBA World Cup on Thursday night, a result that settles nothing in the standings but tells you something about tonight's shooting. The hosts took control early and never let the visitors back in, and here's the thing — Mexico failed to match Colombia's intensity from the opening tip.
Colombia's defence locked in from the start. They forced 13 turnovers against Mexico's 12, and while the margin is small, the quality of those stops mattered. Mexico couldn't find their rhythm, and by then Colombia had built a cushion they wouldn't surrender.
The three-point line told the story. Colombia made 13 of 31 attempts while Mexico managed 28 from 48 — higher volume, but Colombia's efficiency kept them ahead. To be fair, Mexico's assist total of 29 showed they moved the ball, but the shots simply weren't falling at the right moments.
Colombia's defensive rebounding held firm at 25, and their six blocks disrupted Mexico's interior game. Mexico pulled 8 offensive boards but couldn't convert those second chances into momentum. Colombia had nothing to lose and played accordingly.
Statistics after the fact: Colombia shot 31 of 66 from the field with 11 free throws, while Mexico finished 37 of 71 with 10 from the line. Mexico had 48 three-point attempts compared to Colombia's 31, and the difference in conversion rates decided the outcome.
Recent form adds context. Colombia lost 56-94 to Canada in their last meeting, and Mexico beat Canada 98-94 in February — two games ago. Tonight's result shows Colombia defending better than those earlier performances, and Mexico struggling to close out leads when they had them.
