CU Buffs dominate Utah 72-58, advance to Pac-12 semifinals
In the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 Tournament, the Colorado Buffaloes secured a 72-58 victory over the Utah Utes in Las Vegas. Colorado, seeded third, saw strong performances from KJ Simpson, who notched 18 points along with 10 rebounds, and Eddie Lampkin Jr., who contributed 17 points and 12 rebounds. The Buffaloes have now extended their winning streak to seven games.
Despite a resilient effort from Utah, which included a 16-3 run to narrow the gap, Colorado maintained control with a lead that fluctuated between two and three possessions for most of the second half. The Utes, who are the sixth seed, struggled with their shooting accuracy throughout the game, finishing with 33% from the field and 27% from the three-point range. Branden Carlson and Hunter Erickson led the scoring for Utah with 13 points each.
Looking ahead, Colorado is set to face second-seeded Washington State in the semifinals. The team's momentum is further bolstered by the return of Cody Williams, a projected 2024 NBA draft lottery pick, who scored six points after missing four games due to injury. This win for Colorado also keeps alive their hopes for securing an NCAA Tournament at-large bid.
