Buffs keeping winning, knock off Utah with balanced attack

In a high-scoring, up-tempo affair, the Colorado Buffaloes pulled away late from the Utah Utes for their 12th win of the season. Neither team could guard each other, nor protect the rim, but it was the Buffs who made winning plays down the stretch to ultimately win 85-73.

Colorado had a balanced attack in the first half, running their motion offense through off-ball screens and backdoor cuts, with their guards finding incisive passes or drives. Sebastian Rancik did his usual best drawing fouls, Josiah Sanders had some shifty drives, and star guards Barrington Hargress and Isaiah Johnson hit timely jumpers.

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Utah’s scoring was more star-driven, but it was no hero ball. Don McHenry and Terrence Brown scored 30 of 38 first half points, with McHenry particularly hot making 7 of 9 shots. Where head coach Alex Jensen succeeded was countering CU’s 1-2-2 zone press. Utah kept the ball moving and worked their way to open shots, sometimes taking one or two dribbles total per possession.

CU switched to a 2-3 zone and found some success there, at least until the Utes cracked the code to that one too. During this brief stretch of solid defense, the Buffs enjoyed a 10-point lead for seven or eight minutes. Bangot Dak had some nice inside finishes and a triple, Felix Kossaras and Alon Michaeli hit catch-and-shoot threes, and the Buffs had some exciting fast breaks after causing turnovers.

Utah hung around a bit too long. That 2-3 zone didn’t last long before Tad Boyle oscillated between man-to-man and the same zone press as before. None of them worked, as the Utes’ sharp passing beat the zone, while CU’s lackadaisical help defense left the perimeter defenders exposed. The Utes cut the deficit to 65-63 and remained down 2 or 4 for the next five minutes.

That was as close as Utah got before the Buffs pulled away. They certainly had their chances, but were denied at the rim, twice by Kossaras, and then again by Dak who followed up his rejection with a put-back slam on the other end. Once CU had some breathing room, it was Rancik and Johnson getting to the rack and drawing fouls, just as they did last weekend in Tempe.

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There’s a lot to be desired on the defensive end, but it’s another deserved win for the Buffs. They’re now 12-3 on the season, 2-0 in Big 12 play, and looking like they can compete in a loaded conference. It helps when you assist more than half your baskets, even better when you shoot 19/21 from the free throw line.

Colorado will be tested on Saturday (5 PM, CBS Sports Network) when they host the #14 Texas Tech Red Raiders, an elite offensive unit led by consensus All-American JT Toppin and the shifty Christian Anderson who’s averaging 19.6 points and 7.5 assists per game.