Field Level Media
Feb 11, 2024
Caleb Love scored 19 points and Oumar Ballo had a double-double as No. 8 Arizona handed Colorado its first home loss of the season with a 99-79 victory on Saturday night in Boulder, Colo.
The Wildcats (19-5, 10-3 Pac-12) quickly expanded a 47-40 halftime lead by hitting 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to start the second half, and they were never threatened after that. Colorado (16-8, 7-6) was 13-0 on its own floor, the best home start in program history.
Pelle Larsson contributed 18 points for Arizona, and Ballo posted his sixth double-double in the past nine games with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Kylan Boswell added 15 points and Jaden Bradley scored 14 for the Wildcats, who snapped a five-game losing streak in Boulder.
KJ Simpson and Tristan da Silva each scored 20 points for the Buffaloes, with Simpson also assisting on nine baskets.
The Wildcats, coming off a triple-overtime victory at Utah on Thursday night, showed plenty of energy and never relented on offense. They didn't miss more than three shots in a row and shot 52.9 percent for the game, including 10 of 22 from 3-point range.
For the first time since 2015, Arizona swept its road trip to Utah and Colorado, two teams that entered the week a combined 25-0 at home. The Wildcats also swept the season series against the Buffaloes, having posted a 97-50 win on Jan. 4, when Colorado was without injured da Silva and Cody Williams.
Williams, a freshman projected as one of the top prospects in the 2024 NBA Draft, was not much of a factor on Saturday night. His first points came with 4:48 left in the first half on a fastbreak dunk, and he finished with eight points and five turnovers.
Arizona was in control for most of the game, using an early 16-2 run for an 18-10 lead. The Buffaloes scored the next seven points, but the Wildcats never surrendered the lead and went up by as many as 12 in the first half.
--Field Level Media