Colorado defeats Utah 85-73

Colorado Buffaloes Defend Home Court, Edge Past Utah Utes 85-73

In a tightly contested conference matchup at the CU Events Center, the Colorado Buffaloes (H) proved too strong for the visiting Utah Utes, securing an 85-73 victory on Wednesday night.

The home team took control from the outset, building a 42-38 lead at halftime that they would not relinquish. Despite Utah's late surge in the second half, Colorado maintained its comfortable margin throughout, never facing a deficit of more than 12 points.

Sebastian Rancik led the charge for the Buffaloes with 19 points on 45.5% shooting from the field and 0-5 three-point attempts. Bangot Dak provided a strong supporting cast, tallying 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 assists. Barrington Hargress chipped in with 9 points and 5 assists to round out Colorado's balanced attack.

For Utah, Don McHenry was the primary scoring threat, finishing with 24 points on 40.9% shooting from the field and 3-7 three-point attempts. However, his efforts were not enough to overcome the team's struggles from beyond the arc, where they connected on just 5 of 16 shots.

The Buffaloes' strong defensive effort was a key factor in their victory. Colorado held Utah to just 39.0% shooting overall, while its own offense shot an impressive 47.0% from the field. The home team also outrebounded Utah 41-35 and forced 7 turnovers against the Utes' offense.

In terms of advanced statistics, Colorado's true shooting percentage (59.7%) and effective field goal percentage (53.2%) were significantly higher than Utah's counterparts (48.0% and 43.2%, respectively). The Buffaloes also demonstrated strong efficiency in the paint, scoring 36 points against an Utah defense that struggled to contain them.

With this win, Colorado improves its chances of securing a top spot in the conference standings, while Utah falls back into contention after a tough loss on the road.