Colorado Buffaloes ahead Evan Battey (21) celebrates after Utah drew a foul cost through the recreation on the Huntsman Heart in Salt Lake Metropolis on Saturday, March 5, 2022. Spenser Heaps, Deseret Information
SALT LAKE CITY — It’s March Insanity in lots of components of the nation. Sadly for the Utah Utes, the one thrilling place on the Jon M. Huntsman Heart Saturday night time was close to the Colorado bench.
Evan Battey scored a season-high 27 factors and Jabari Walker had 22 factors and 12 rebounds because the Buffaloes dominated a lot of the recreation and earned a convincing 84-71 win over Utah within the Pac-12 common season finale for each groups.
With the win, the Buffs improved to 20-10 total and 12-8 in league play, claiming fourth place within the convention standings and incomes a first-round bye within the league event, which begins subsequent Wednesday in Las Vegas.
The Utes fell to 11-19 and 4-16 in coach Craig Smith’s inaugural yr and acquired the 11 seed within the event.
The Utes will play sixth-seeded Washington at 9:30 p.m. MST Wednesday. Utah will want a miracle to observe within the footsteps of the ladies’s crew, which additionally accepted an underdog standing however is taking part in for the Pac-12 title Sunday.
“Basketball could be extremely humbling,” mentioned Utes head coach Craig Smith, “however now everyone is 0-0 and it’s win or go dwelling. To win within the postseason, each participant needs to be on board and we don’t should beat 11 (different groups); we simply should beat 4.”
There was no likelihood of that Saturday. An early night snowstorm might need thinned the group, however it didn’t have an effect on Battey, a senior from Los Angeles who has battled vital well being issues together with a stroke and a few seizures, to proceed his basketball profession.
Battey, a 6-foot-8 senior who has trimmed from 280 to 260 kilos within the final couple of years, made 10 of 17 pictures, together with 6-for-9 from 3-point vary.
Whereas the Utes had been honoring 4 seniors by placing them within the beginning lineup, Battey compelled a fast lineup change with a sequence of pictures from effectively past the 3-point stripe.
“I believed beginning the 4 seniors was the precise factor to do,” Smith mentioned, “however they began off by hitting these haymakers and we needed to name timeout straight away.
“It’s a troublesome matchup when their bigs are exterior hitting the 3s. To win, you've got to have the ability to guard individuals and we didn’t do a great job of that.”
Colorado constructed the result in as many as 24 factors, and it may have been extra if not for a short scoring spurt by David Jenkins, one of many Utes’ seniors.
Jenkins had 14 of his 18 factors within the first half. Colorado nonetheless put up 50 factors by intermission and had a cushty lead.
“A great win for us,” mentioned Colorado coach Tad Boyle. “We may have let down (after final week’s win over No. 2 Arizona), however we didn’t. That is the primary time in 53 years a Colorado crew has had a profitable file on the highway. I challenged them with that, they usually rose to the problem.”
The Utes had a pair of second-half rallies, led by Branden Carlson (additionally 18 factors) and a flurry of spectacular scoring shows by Lazar Stefanovic (12 factors) and Jaxon Brenchley (eight).
Each Utah scoring spurt, although, was virtually all the time answered by an extended 3 by Battey or Walker. As a crew, Colorado shot simply over 50% and made 14 of 23 (60.8%) from lengthy vary.
“(The Buffs) are extra recognized for his or her protection,” Smith mentioned. “They're taking part in very well proper now and are doing a great job with their (offensive) spacing.
“We have now not less than three NCAA (Event) groups in our league, and proper now they’re taking part in proper up there with them.”
One of many few shiny spots for the Utes was their bench play, which accounted for 30 factors.
Apart from Brenchley, guard Rollie Worster carried out effectively together with his common batch of hustle performs. Gabe Madsen additionally tried to mild a fireplace below his teammates, however was simply 1-for-6 from 3-point vary.