Colorado was only favored by 1.5 points Tuesday night, and rightfully so. They haven't performed well on the road in Big 12 play, entering tonight's game with a 1-8 record and that one win at Arizona State.
They dominated the first half, building a commanding 51-25 lead by shooting 68% from the field and connecting on 5-of-8 (63%) from downtown while holding Utah to an 0-9 performance from three-point range.
Colorado's third-leading scorer, Sebastian Rancik (12.3 points per game), was ruled out for Tuesday night's game due to an undisclosed injury he suffered at practice.
Three takeaways from Colorado's 92-78 win over Utah.
Starting lineup production
Colorado had two players score 22 points apiece: Isaiah Johnson and Bangot Dak
The team shot 60.8% from the field and 52.9% from beyond the arc, finishing with an impressive 91% from the free-throw line, converting 21 out of 23 attempts.
All but one starter scored in double figures, with Barrington Hargress adding 19 points and Jalin Holland finishing with 11. Josiah Sanders scored 8 points on 4-of-4 shooting.
This was the first time since Jan. 3 where Colorado scored 90+ points.
This was a game they needed to win
They needed to show they could win on the road, particularly against a struggling Utah team entering the game with only two conference wins this season.
A key lesson learned on the fly is that no lead is secure. Colorado built a 26-point lead and ultimately won by 14. This pattern was also evident against Kansas State, where Colorado led by as many as 22 points but secured a win by just nine.
The Buffs turned the ball over only seven times, compared to Utah's ten, making it a relatively clean game for both teams.
They kept Utah neutral on the glass
While not a high-rebounding game, Colorado controlled the glass with a +7 margin. Dak capitalized on Rancik's absence, delivering a double-double with ten rebounds.
Colorado's guards combined for ten rebounds, led by Jalin Holland with four.
Colorado has one regular season game left, hosting No. 2 Arizona. It's a crucial test before the Big 12 Tournament. The game is scheduled for 9:00 PM MST on Saturday.