Jabari Walker scored 22 points and collected 13 rebounds to rally host Colorado to an 81-76 victory over Utah on Saturday night in Boulder, Colo.
Evan Battey added 16 points for the Buffaloes. Tristan Da Silva and Keeshawn Barthelemy chipped in 14 apiece. Colorado (15-9, 7-7 Pac-12) improved to 11-0 when scoring 70 or more points this season.
Branden Carlson scored a career high 25 points and collected eight rebounds to lead Utah. Marco Anthony tallied 15 points, 12 rebounds and six assists for the Utes. Gabe Madsen chipped in 14 points and Rollie Worster added 12.
The Utes (9-16, 2-13) fell to 0-9 in true road games this season.
Colorado trailed for 35 1/2 minutes before going ahead for the first time on a pair of free throws from Walker with 4:29 left. Walker was just getting started. He scored three layups and added another free throw to fuel an 11-2 run that gave the Buffaloes a 73-67 lead with 1:47 remaining.
Utah cut the deficit to 75-73 on a jumper from Anthony with 28.8 seconds left. Da Silva hit four free throws to seal the comeback win.
Carlson matched his previous career high of 21 points by halftime. He went 9-of-12 from the field in the first half.
Carlson scored Utah’s first three baskets and helped the Utes open the game on an 8-0 run. Colorado made it a one-possession game again when Barthelemy hit back-to-back jumpers to trim Utah’s lead to 8-7.
Still, the Buffaloes did not take a lead because they couldn’t stop Carlson on offense. He hit back-to-back 3-pointers to punctuate 7-0 run and extend Utah’s lead to 25-14.
Colorado trailed from start to finish in the first half after committing nine turnovers. Still, the Buffaloes rallied after making four straight shots, capped off by Nique Clifford’s dunk, to cut the deficit to 36-33 at the half.
Utah built another double-digit lead early in the second half. Madsen capped a 11-3 run with back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Utes up 49-38.
–Field Level Media
