This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Like Utah and Colorado on Saturday, coach Larry Krystkowiak had a hard time getting started in his postgame news conference.
It wasn't so much the 55-48 loss that left him stammering; his team knows all about losses and has now recorded seven in a row. Krystkowiak's frustration, as he sat in a red tie and light blue shirt, had more to do with the fact the Utes (5-21, 2-12) lost their third game by single digits. Saturday the Utes fought back from a nine-point deficit against the Buffaloes and were tied with 4:14 remaining.
"Yeah," Krystkowiak said, trying to address the question of his team's mounting couldas. "It's … uhhhh … we talked … we just … "
Krystkowiak finally found the words he was looking for.
"The moral victories are kinda wearing on us," he said.
For final box score, click here: http://bit.ly/wEehl0
In the New Year's Eve game between the Utes and Colorado (18-8, 10-4) in Boulder, Utah was dealt its most embarrassing defeat of the season, and the most lopsided one in generations. It was 73-33.
Saturday, the Utes acquitted themselves much better against their travel partner and theoretical rival. After neither team scored until the 14:34 mark of the first half, Utah trailed just 22-19 at halftime and went on a 14-5 run in the second half to tie the game at 40.
"It's another one that we were in at the end and it just got away from us," junior center Jason Washburn said. "We're proud of our team's effort, but at the end of the game, it doesn't really fix the feeling of losing. Losing is losing."
Washburn recorded his third double-double of the season, finishing with 16 points and 10 rebounds. He has scored in double figures in three of Utah's past four games.
Forward Andre Roberson led the Buffs with 12 points and 16 rebounds. Former Ute Carlon Brown, in his first game in the Huntsman Center since transferring to CU after the 2010 season, finished with 5 points on 2-of-12 shooting and was booed every time he touched the ball.
Utah fell behind 35-24 in the second half, scoring in transition, as Utah couldn't keep up. But the Utes climbed back with a flurry of baskets from Washburn, guard Chris Hines, guard Cedric Martin and freshman Anthony Odunsi, who played 19 minutes off the bench and scored six points.
It was Odunsi who capped the Utes' comeback on a breakaway layup that tied the game at 40 with 6:25 remaining.
"Our confidence was sky-high," Martin said, "and we were trying to push it and get our lead, but we gave up a lot of offensive rebounds and gave them a lot of second-chance opportunities."
The Utes never led in the second half. And while Utah was significantly improved from its last game against the Buffaloes, the imperfections of play that have marred their first season in the Pac-12 were not entirely absent.
Colorado attempted 19 free throws; the Utes shot three. Colorado recorded 46 rebounds (11 offensive); Utah had 28.
In the final minutes, though, the Utes were in position to steal the win.
"We put ourselves in a position, battled back," Krystkowiak said. "Super proud of the team, there's absolutely no quit in the them."
Twitter: @oramb —
Colorado 55, Utah 48
R The Utes lose their seventh game in a row and host California and Stanford next week.
• Jason Washburn records his third double-double of the season, finishing with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
• Colorado is held to its third-lowest scoring output of the season and is held to 35.8 percent shooting. The Utes shoot 35.7 percent.