A well-rounded performance showed Utah was ready to open up Pac-12 play at home. The Runnin’ Utes handily defeated the CU Buffs 76-60 Sunday night in the Huntsman Center.
The Utes shot 52.5 percent from the floor, and although head coach Larry Krystkowiak hasn’t been too pleased with his team’s assist to turnover ratio, Krystkowiak thinks the team did a better job of it against Colorado. The Utes finished with 18 assists and 10 turnovers.
“We really had an emphasis on moving the basketball and depending on each other,” Krystkowiak said.
Kyle Kuzma returned to the starting lineup as he was sidelined for two games in the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic due to an ankle injury, but the junior looked healthy after throwing down a couple dunks towards the end of the game. He finished with 14 points and six rebounds. Lorenzo Bonam led the team with 15 points, and David Collette and JoJo Zamora contributed 14 and 10 points, respectively.
Krystkowiak hopes that Collette can shape up to be a dependable post threat.
“This was our second game where we had every bullet loaded and ready to use,” Krystkowiak said. “I’d like to think we could get guys firing, our depth has improved a little bit, but we need a low post threat. Every team needs a low post threat, and Dave’s got a lot of experience.”
Colorado got off to a hot start from downtown, it was 2-of-2 from beyond the arc early on, and it took an early 10-2 lead.
After a Utah free throw, Zamora and Kuzma would make back to back three pointers to inch in on the Buffs’ 12-9 lead. Sedrick Barefield then get fouled shooting a three, and he went 3-of-3 from the line to tie the game at 12. Colorado would eventually go up 20-14, but following a pair of buckets from Devon Daniels and one from Kuzma, it was a tie game again.
Barefield eventually gave the Utes their first lead of the game when he finished off a three point play, giving Utah a 25-22 advantage. Utah worked its way to a five point lead, and it maintained that lead for a few minutes towards the end of the first half.
A Zamora three pointer and a layup from Bonam gave Utah a 34-26 lead with 2:17 left in the first half, and Utah went into the locker room with a 36-29 lead.
Bonam opened up the second half with a three pointer to give the Utes a 10 point lead. After a bucket from Collette and a layup Bonam, CU called a timeout with Utah leading 43-29.
Utah continued to build on its lead, and the Utes made it a 17 point game as they led 51-34. The Utes didn’t take their foot off the gas pedal, and with just over 12 minutes left to play in the game Utah had a 21 point advantage. Colorado struggled to find the bottom of the net as Utah continued to attack to the basket with ease, and Zamora increased Utah’s lead to 23 points, 62-39.
Trying to make it more of a game, Colorado came within 15 points, but Kuzma quickly quieted the comeback when he threw down a dunk, and Utah led 64-47. The Utes maintained control the rest of the way, and following a Bonam dunk the Utes had a 72-49 lead.
Adding more fire to the fuel, Barefield and Kuzma finished off an alley-oop to give the crowd something more to cheer about en route to a 16 point victory.
“[The win] feels good,” Kuzma said. “I was kind of angry I couldn’t play in Hawaii. I’m not really 100 percent, but it’s a start, and I’m glad we beat them by 16.”
Utah will travel to Arizona to face the Wildcats on Thursday night and ASU on Saturday.
@kbrenneisen