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Utah men’s basketball team surrenders 10-point lead as Colorado rallies for 81-76 victory

Ute forward Dusan Mahorcic is dismissed from team

Colorado forward Jabari Walker, right, drives past Utah center Branden Carlson for a basket late in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  | Feb. 13, 2022, 12:30 a.m.
| Updated: 4:52 a.m.

Boulder, Colo. • Jabari Walker scored 11 straight Colorado points in the final five minutes to push his team into the lead and Tristan da Silva added four straight free throws as the Buffaloes held off Utah for an 81-76 win on Saturday night.

Rollie Worster’s trey with 10:36 remaining put Utah in front, 59-49, but KJ Simpson scored at the basket and Nique Clifford hit from behind the arc to halve the Colorado deficit. Marco Anthony hit a jumper, but Simpson again scored at the basket and Keeshawn Barthelemy hit from deep to get the Buffs within two, 61-59, with 7:23 left.

Walker hit from deep to get Colorado within a point, but Braden Carlson answered for the Utes with a layup. Barthelemy and Walker each hit two free throws to put Colorado in front, 66-65, but Worster answered with a layup to give Utah the lead one final time. Walker scored three consecutive layups and turned the third one into a three-point play to give the Buffaloes a 73-67 lead.

Walker finished with a double-double, combining 22 points with 13 rebounds to lead Colorado (15-9, 7-7 Pac-12). Evan Battey contributed 16 points and Barthelemy and da Silva each added 14.

Carlson had 25 points and eight rebounds to lead Utah (9-16, 2-13). Anthony finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Gabe Madsen added 14 points and Worster contributed 12.

Colorado travels to Oregon State Tuesday. Utah plays at Stanford Thursday.

UTAH COACH SMITH DISMISSES MAHORCIC

Dusan Mahorcic’s time with the University of Utah men’s basketball program is over.

Mahorcic, a 6-foot-10 Serbian forward who transferred this season from Illinois State, has been dismissed from the program, Utes coach Craig Smith announced Saturday, roughly an hour before Utah tipped off at Colorado.

Smith originally suspended Mahorcic indefinitely on Jan. 29, three days after he was benched for the second half of a loss at Washington State.

In 13 games prior to the suspension, Mahorcic averaged 5.5 points and 4.1 rebounds in 14.2 minutes per game. He missed eight games and most of a ninth earlier in the season due to a right knee injury.

Mahorcic’s departure unofficially gives Smith one open scholarship for 2022-23, although more defections to the NCAA Transfer Portal are possible once this season ends next month.