Colorado Buffaloes Triumph Over Utah Utes
In a standout performance, Bangot Dak propelled the Colorado Buffaloes to a 92-78 victory over the Utah Utes on Tuesday evening in Salt Lake City. The 7-foot sophomore recorded a personal best of 22 points and secured 10 rebounds, marking his fifth double-double for the season, and the second against Utah specifically.
Alongside Dak, Isaiah Johnson matched his scoring with another 22-point contribution, while Barrington Hargress added 19 points and Jalin Holland rounded out the scoring with 11 points for Colorado, who now holds a record of 17 wins and 13 losses, with 7-10 in the Big 12 Conference.
Utes’ Struggles and Second Half Surge
On the other side, Terrence Brown led the Utes with an impressive 26 points, and Don McHenry supported him with 19 points. The match started evenly, tied at 13 with just under 15 minutes left in the first half. However, Colorado soon took control, ending the first half with a commanding 51-26 lead after shooting an impressive 67.9% from the field, while Utah struggled significantly, shooting only 34.5% and failing to hit any of their nine attempted three-pointers.
The second half proved to be a different story as the Utes woke up offensively, shooting an outstanding 73.9% overall and converting 85.7% of their three-point attempts. Their surge included a momentum-shifting three-point play by McHenry, cutting Colorado’s lead to just nine points at 69-60 with 8:58 left on the clock. Despite this, the Buffaloes quickly responded and maintained a comfortable margin for the remainder of the game, with Dak showcasing his skills through multiple scoring plays.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, Colorado is set to host the highly ranked No. 2 Arizona in their regular season finale on Saturday, while Utah will wrap up their season at Baylor on the same day. The matchup between these teams highlights the varying fortunes they have experienced throughout the season, with Colorado striving to bolster their postseason positioning.
