The Denver Gazette

Buffs recover from slow start to beat Cal

The Associated Press

BOULDER • Tristan da Silva scored 20 points, Colorado leaned hard on its reserves and the Buffaloes staved off a season sweep against California by beating the Bears 59-46 on Thursday night.

The Bears beat Colorado 80-76 on New Year’s Eve for their first Pac-12 Conference win of the season.

Da Silva and KJ Simpson were the only Colorado (13-11, 5-8 Pac-12) starters to score for the Buffs in the first 30 minutes of play until 7-foot-1 center Lawson Lovering buried a jumper with 9:43 remaining. Simpson had 10 points and the bench scored 25 — led by nine points each from Jalen Gabbidon and Luke O’Brien.

Kuany Kuany was the only Cal (3-19, 2-9) player to score in double digits with 10 points.

The Bears piled up 22 turnovers and 22 personal fouls.

Despite that, Cal controlled the first half and built a 27-17 lead on a pair of Joel Brown foul shots with 2:38 left.

Colorado closed the half with a 7- 0 run and used runs of 13- 0 and 11- 0 in the second half to clinch the comeback victory.

Cal plays at Utah on Sunday. Colorado hosts Stanford on Sunday.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

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2023-02-03T08:00:00.0000000Z

2023-02-03T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://daily.denvergazette.com/article/282153590428713

The Gazette, Colorado Springs