Six Colorado players scored in double figures and the Buffaloes, behind effective ball movement and a strong shooting performance, managed to run away from Stanford in the second half after outscoring them 16-5 run in the first three and a half minutes of the half.
The Buffaloes put up their highest point total of the season despite no one scoring more than 15 points in the game, a product of generously sharing the ball, as the Buffs recorded a season-high 25 assists to Stanford’s 13.
Meanwhile, Stanford’s offense functioned less efficiently than usual, shooting 45 percent from the field and 30 percent from beyond the three-point line. Senior forward Marcus Allen was the leading scorer for the Cardinal, tallying 15 points, with junior forwards Reid Travis and Michael Humphrey not far behind him with 14 and 13, respectively. Travis also grabbed eight rebounds in the game. Sophomore Marcus Sheffield, who has been averaging just under 7 points per game this season, also had a big night, putting up 10 points and two rebounds that made him the most impactful Cardinal off the bench.
Colorado finished the game shooting a solid 56.5 percent from the field, tying their highest percentage on the season. Senior guard Xavier Johnson, junior guard George King and freshman forward Lucas Siewert all tied for the highest scoring contribution, each netting 15 points for the Buffaloes. Johnson nearly earned a double-double, grabbing nine rebounds in the game.
The game began with frequent lead changes and both teams failing to create much separation from one another. However, Colorado managed to string together a few made shots with strong defensive stops to go on an 11-2 run that put them up 39-31 with just over two minutes left in the half. The Buffaloes maintained their lead into the intermission, leading 41-35 at halftime.
Colorado then picked up where it left off in the second half, racing out to a 50-37 lead two minutes into the second half after a 9-2 run that forced Stanford to call a timeout. The game would move forward with more of the same, as Colorado poured it on and held a 17-point lead with 16:27 remaining.
The Buffaloes then coasted to their seventh Pac-12 victory, maintaining around a 20-point margin while bench players on both sides got plenty of minutes in the later part of the second half.
Both teams now look ahead to their final game of the regular season, as Colorado will face off against the California Golden Bears on Saturday, while the Cardinal will travel to Salt Lake City to square off against Utah. Stanford’s contest against the Utes will tip-off at the Jon M. Huntsman Center at 1 p.m. Saturday and will be aired on the Pac-12 Networks.
Contact Samuel Curry at currys ‘at’ stanford.edu.