Colorado Tops Utah At Home, 69-65

Thursday, February 1

Salt Lake City, Utah

7:00 PM

University of Utah

14-8, 5-6

Colorado

12-10, 3-8

Colorado

UTAH

Photo by: Steve C. Wilson

2/1/2018 9:55 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah women's basketball team fell to the Colorado Buffaloes on Thursday night, 69-65. The Utes are 14-8 overall this season and 5-6 in Pac-12 play.

Utah jumped out to an early 16-0 lead, but Colorado fought back to tie the game in the third quarter and eventually take the lead for good. Utah out-rebounded Colorado 49-42, but only shot 35-percent from the floor and just 21-percent from the three.

Despite the team offensive struggles, the Utes had two players finish with double-doubles and three in double figure scoring. Megan Huff led with 18 points and 13 rebounds with Emily Potter adding 14 points and 11 boards. With her output against the Buffaloes, Potter became the first player in Utah history to have 1,500-plus career points, 900-plus career rebounds and 200-plus career blocks. Daneesha Provo also chipped in 15 points and nine rebounds.

"In that second half we just got away from the game plan and you can't do that," head coach Lynne Roberts said. "It is upsetting. You have to give Colorado credit though. We came out and jumped on them early and they hung in there and fought back and I have a lot of respect for that. They showed a lot of fight."

Utah started the first quarter on a 16-0 run, holding Colorado scoreless until the 4:20 mark and without a field goal until 3:10. Potter scored nine of her points and grabbed six of her rebounds in the first quarter, proving to be a force in the paint, but the Buffaloes had an answer, hitting three straight three-pointers, eventually cutting Utah's lead to six heading into the second.

The offensive struggles started in the second quarter when Utah only shot 23-percent from the field. With 4:34 left in the quarter, Provo hit a three-pointer to make it 29-22, but Colorado answered with a deep bucket of their own, turning it into a 5-0 run to whittle down the Utah lead to just two points.

The Utes started the third quarter with a six-point lead and gained some momentum by scoring five straight points, including a big three from Tori Williams to give Utah a 38-27 advantage. It turned into a game of runs, with Colorado going on an 8-2 run to make it a five-point game with 6:11 left to play in the quarter.

It was a 16-0 run late in the third quarter that gave Colorado its first lead of the game, heading into the final minute of the period up 49-44. Erika Bean pulled up for a three with 27 seconds on the clock and was able to convert, sending Utah into the fourth quarter down 49-47.

Utah continued to fight back against the Buffaloes late in the fourth quarter, cutting their lead once again to two points on a 6-0 run with 4:38 remaining in the game. It was Utah's paint presence that continued to be successful with less than two minutes to go, drawing fouls and getting layups, including one from Huff with 54 seconds left to make it just 62-61.

A great move under the basket by Tilar Clark made it a one-point game again with 15 seconds on the clock, but the Utes were then forced to foul the remainder of the game. Two free throws from Clark made it 66-65 with six seconds left to play, but it was Colorado free throws that closed out the game and sealed the victory for the Buffaloes.

Utah returns to action when they travel to Boulder, Colo. to face the Buffaloes for the second time this week. The game is set for a 12 p.m. MT tip and will air on Pac-12 Networks.