Things are going wrong on the floor in just about every way imaginable for the Colorado men’s basketball team.

Yet there remains a program directive to handle matters the right way. And older players like Javon Ruffin are intent on making sure that happens, regardless of the misery of an extended losing streak.

On Tuesday, in the moments after the buzzer sounded on CU’s ninth consecutive defeat — a 70-68 loss against Arizona State that extended the program’s longest losing streak in 15 seasons under head coach Tad Boyle — freshman Sebastian Rancik was understandably frustrated.

In the waning seconds, Rancik had an opportunity to cap his first collegiate start in dramatic fashion, but his potential go-ahead 3-pointer rattled in and out. When the buzzer sounded, Rancik did what most young players would do, pulling his jersey over his frustrated eyes before heading toward the locker room.

Ruffin, a fourth-year guard, quickly retrieved the youngster and made certain he joined the postgame handshake line.

It was an unintentional gesture by Rancik but a very intentional one by Ruffin, a veteran who hopes a recent rekindling of his long-range shooting touch can help the Buffs eventually end their Big 12 misery, a quest that continues Sunday at TCU (2 p.m., ESPN+).

“It’s my job to make sure, and the guys that have been here, to make sure we’re representing ourselves in a good way,” Ruffin said.

“We all know what type of player Sebi is. We know he wasn’t walking off because he was saying forget about the team or anything like that. He gave us opportunities to win the game. It (stinks) that he put something on himself when it was a team outing.

“As a returning guy, it’s definitely my job to make sure that in those situations that we represent ourselves in a good way.”

After a tough start to the season, Ruffin’s 3-point touch lately also has represented in a good way.

Hampered by a sore ankle early in the season, Ruffin tried to play through the injury but his long-range impact suffered. Ruffin eventually missed the home win against Bellarmine on Dec. 21 to rest the ankle, and through his first 11 games of the season, Ruffin sported a 5-for-21 mark (.238) from the 3-point arc. In his seven games since, Ruffin has shot .409 on 3-pointers (9-for-22). That includes a 5-for-10 showing in the past three games.

Ruffin was a .358 shooter (24-for-67) from the arc in 24 games two years ago, when he last was a regular rotation player.

Ruffin returned to the starting lineup the past two games for the first time since CU’s upset win against UConn on Nov. 26. CU (9-11, 0-9 Big 12) takes the program’s longest winless start within conference play since 1986-87 into the first visit to TCU in more than 19 years.

“The other thing that happens sometimes when you get hurt is you get out of rhythm a little bit. You try to adjust,” Ruffin said.

“Getting my confidence, getting back into rhythm, it took a little longer than it should’ve. But now, my shot’s feeling good again. I feel a little bit more confident out there, offensively and defensively.”