Colorado 90-88 Northern Colorado (Nov 8, 2024) Game Recap

Buffaloes Survive Scare, Clips UNC 90-88

The Colorado Buffaloes survived a late scare from the Northern Colorado Bears on Tuesday night to emerge with a hard-fought 90-88 victory at the CU Events Center.

Sophomore guard KJ Simpson led the way for the Buffaloes with 25 points, followed by senior forward Tristan da Silva’s 18 points and junior guard Jalen Gabbidon’s 15. UNC was paced by junior guard Daylen Kountz’s 22 points and senior forward Dalton Knecht’s 19.

Key Moments

The Buffaloes clung to a slim 3-point lead with less than 10 minutes remaining in regulation when Simpson drained a go-ahead 3-pointer to put his team up 80-77. UNC fought back and tied the game at 82, but Colorado answered with a 6-0 run to seize a 4-point edge with 1:31 left on the clock.

Simpson’s clutch play

Simpson’s 25-point performance proved crucial for the Buffaloes, particularly down the stretch. The sophomore guard knocked down four 3-pointers in the second half, including the go-ahead shot with less than 10 minutes remaining.

Bears nearly complete comeback

Trailing 90-86 with 15 seconds left, UNC had the chance to tie the game with a potential game-tying three-pointer. However, the shot went off the mark, and Colorado escaped with the 2-point victory.

Aftermath

With the win, the Buffaloes improved to 3-0 on the season, while UNC fell to 1-2. Colorado will next face the Saint Mary’s Gaels on Saturday, November 12 at the CU Events Center, while UNC will host the Utah Valley Wolverines on Friday, November 11 at the Bank of Colorado Arena.