Utah
Buffaloes Roll Past Utah – University of Colorado Athletics
BOULDER — Colorado’s KJ Simpson scored 28 points Saturday and the Buffaloes’ men’s basketball team rolled to an 89-65 win over Utah at the CU Events Center.
Tad Boyle‘s Buffs improved to 14-1 at home this year while bumping their overall record to 18-9 and their Pac-12 mark to 9-7. The Utes fell to 16-11, 7-9.
Colorado led by nine at the half and the Utes were still within 10 with just under 14 minutes to play. But the Buffs used a 9-0 run to boost their cushion to 19, then quickly pushed the margin into the 20s and Utah never shaved the margin below 20 again.
Simpson led four Buffs in double figures while shooting 10-for-15 from the floor, including a 5-for-8 night from long range. J’Vonne Hadley added 20 points and nine rebounds, Eddie Lampkin Jr. scored 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds and Tristan da Silva chipped in 12 points.
Gabe Madsen led Utah with 18 points, but he scored just two in the second half thanks to stellar defense from Hadley.
Colorado had an outstanding shooting night, connecting on 54 percent of its shots (32-for-59), including a 10-for-21 effort from 3-point range. The Utes shot 44 percent (27-for-61) but hit just four of their 23 attempts from beyond the arc and were just 12-for-31 in the second half.
But perhaps the most important statistics for the Buffs came in the turnover department. Colorado entered the game dead last in the Pac-12 in turnovers, but gave the ball away just four times against the Utes — a season low and tying the fewest ever by CU in a conference game. The Buffs also forced 10 Utah turnovers that led to 10 CU points.
The turnover number produced a big smile on Boyle’s face.
“That was fantastic, and 19 assists to go with it,” Boyle said. “If you do that, you’re going to win a lot of games. We were efficient offensively, we showed great patience, we shared the ball and defensively we cranked it up in the second half. KJ did what he’s been doing for us all year and J’Vonne was phenomenal both offensively and defensively.”
HOW IT HAPPENED: The Buffs led by as much as 17 in the first half before the Utes cut the lead to nine, 43-34, at the break.
CU then pushed its lead back to 15 less than three minutes into the second half when a Simpson 3-pointer gave Colorado a 53-48 edge at the 17:20 mark.
Utah briefly cut the deficit back to 10 before the Buffs put together a 6-0 run to take control for good. Da Silva hit two free throws, Simpson added a driving layup and Assane Diop recorded a block on the defensive end before tipping in a miss on the offensive end to give Colorado a 63-47 lead with 12:06 to play.
The run was enough to convince Utah coach Craig Smith to call a timeout but the stoppage didn’t slow the Buffs. Simpson added his fourth 3-pointer out of the break to extend CU’s run to 9-0 and Colorado’s lead to 66-47, the Buffs’ biggest of the game to that point.
The Utes never threatened again as CU continued to build its lead. Lampkin rammed home a dunk and added two free throws and a Simpson three-point play with 8:48 to play gave the Buffs a 24-point lead, 75-51.
Colorado then maintained control down the stretch, pushing its cushion to as much as 31 in the final minutes.
Along with his 28 points, Simpson had just one turnover in 35 minutes on the floor.
“Coach challenged us,” Simpson said. “It was nice to go out there and live up to his expectations. We did a great job of being patient tonight and being well-disciplined and not forcing things.”
Simpson, who leads the Pac-12 with three 30-point games, continues to be a force for the Buffs in nearly every department.
“His maturity level as a player on the floor, off the floor, in the film room is just off the charts,” Boyle said. “He’s just really coachable.”
The Buffs were in control for virtually the entire game. After Utah scored first, Colorado rolled out a 12-0 run to take charge. Simpson had a pair of buckets in the surge, including a 3-pointer, as CU grabbed a 12-3 lead less than five minutes in.
The Buffs then continued to build their cushion. Simpson notched another 3-pointer from the corner to push CU’s lead into double digits and the Buffs then put together a 9-0 run. Luke O’Brien started the burst with a corner trey, Diop added a basket inside and Hadley and Simpson both added buckets to give Colorado a 17-point edge, 33-16, with 7:06 still to play in the half.
The Buffs kept the lead in double digits over the next several minutes before Utah closed the half with a 9-2 run to cut the Buffs’ lead to nine, 43-34, at the break.
Hadley led CU with 17 points and five rebounds in the opening half while Simpson added 14 points. CU’s Cody Williams left the game with an injury and did not return the rest of the half, but he did start the second half before leaving the game again.
DECISIVE MOMENT: After Utah pulled to within 10 early in the second half, the Buffs put together a 9-0 run, part of an 18-4 surge that gave Colorado a 24-point cushion. Utah never came closer than 22 again.
WHAT IT MEANS: The win keeps the Buffs squarely in contention for a top-four conference finish, which would mean a first-round bye in the Pac-12 tournament.
KEY STATISTICS: Colorado committed a season-low four turnovers, which also tied the program record for fewest turnovers in a conference game. … CU shot 54 percent (32-for-59), including a 10-for-21 effort from 3-point range … The Utes shot 44 percent (27-for-61) but hit just four of their 23 attempts from beyond the arc and were just 12-for-31 in the second half … Colorado also had 19 assists, tying their season high in Pac-12 play.
NEXT UP: The Buffs wrap up their home schedule for the season next week with a pair at the Events Center. CU plays host to Cal on Wednesday in a 6 p.m. matchup (Pac-12 Network), then welcomes Stanford to the Events Center on Sunday for a 7 p.m. game (FS1).
UTAH COUNTY, May 11, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — Two males, ages 14 and 19, were transported to area hospitals Sunday after the side-by-side they were riding rolled down the side of a mountain.
Utah County Sheriff deputies and Santaquin police responded to the 6:07 p.m. call. Two medical helicopters were called to the scene, in the Pole Canyon area, as was a Department of Public Safety helicopter with a hoist in case it was needed, Sgt. Austin Edwards, Utah County Sheriff‘s Office, told Gephardt Daily.
“Eventually, rescue workers were able to make it to the spot on the hill where the vehicle had come to rest, and they were able to secure the victims, stabilize the victims, and get them back down the hill again to where the helicopters were waiting,” Edwards said.
“The 19-year-old male was transported to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, and the 14 year old was transported to Primary Children’s in Lehi.”
Both were said to have critical injuries, which were not considered to be life threatening, Edwards said.
“The cause of the rollover is still under investigation, so we don’t have that information available just yet.”
Photos: Utah County Sheriff
In what has a chance to be one of the most important nights in Jazz history, the Utah Jazz jumped in the NBA Lottery to the #2 spot for the upcoming NBA draft.
Here are the final results, which show all the movement.
Aside from it being a massive night for the Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies, and Bulls, it was a devastating night for a few teams, but no one more than the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers, in their trade for Ivica Zubac, had a stipulation on their pick that if the pick was top-4 they kept it. But if it fell below 4, they would give it to the Clippers which is exactly what happened. Now, the Clippers, who are without Zubac, find themselves with a #5 pick to build around.
For the Jazz this is a culmination of four years of rebuilding that ends with an extremely satisfying end. Utah will now have one of the tier-1 players from this draft: AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson. The player Utah drafts will be one of their cornerstone pieces and will have the chance to not only play, but be a part of a team that will be competing for the playoffs this season.
The Utah Jazz now have a Sinister Six core: Darryn Peterson (If AJ Dybantsa goes #1), Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler (if he signs). It’s quite the core with a mix of youth and veterans in their prime. With this group, the Jazz will have a chance to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Yes, the Thunder and Spurs are going to be difficult to beat, but Utah has the mix of talent, coaching, and depth that could absolutely do the trick.
Now the Utah Jazz look forward to the NBA Draft that be on June 23rd. Let the posturing begin!!
PROVO — An organization that has been a beacon of hope for Utah children and families just got a big upgrade in Provo.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County on Friday held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its newest facility, marking the start of a new chapter in providing support for those who need it the most.
The new Kent B. Nelson Clubhouse, 131 N. Olympic Blvd., replaces the organization’s former Provo clubhouse, which had been in operation for more than 50 years. Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County leaders said they had outgrown the aging facility and needed a larger, more modern space to support more community members.
“This new clubhouse is more than a building — it’s a central place where we can coordinate programs, support our staff, and amplify our impact across the region,” said David Bayles, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County, in a statement.
The organization’s mission was something the late former Utah County Commissioner Tom Sakievich was passionate about. His wife Marji and daughter Emily Sakievich attended Friday’s grand opening ceremony just as if he would’ve wanted to.
“He loved this project, and it meant the world to him,” Emily Sakievich told KSL. “This was actually one of the last places he went before he passed. (He) and my mom stopped by to just see how progress was going; he would be so excited to see this come together.”
The former commissioner died last December at the age of 72. Tom Sakievich resigned from the seat in September 2024 after being diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer.
Emily Sakievich said her father was a big supporter of helping children in the Boys & Girls Clubs feel supported while he was in office.
“He would have all of them come to his office and talk about how government works and how they can be a part of it someday,” she said.
The new 20,000 square-foot facility expands on resources and programs offered at its previous site for community youth and families experiencing hardships.
The clubhouse will provide safe, engaging, and educational programs in a modernized building fit to serve more than 14,000 Utah children and teens.
A variety of programs including after-school, summer activities and STEM learning will be offered at the new facility. Other resources include internet safety programs, mental health support, nutrition initiatives, and housing assistance for families experiencing homelessness.
“We’ve been able to increase the capacity so much and add preschool and other things; we can even benefit more families — and we can benefit them for a longer period of time, from younger to older, where there are no gaps.” Provo City Council Chair Katrice MacKay told KSL. “So I’m really excited. It’s a fantastic thing for the city and for our residents.”
Leaders of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County say the new $6 million Provo clubhouse was designed as a welcoming space where children and teens can explore new interests, build life skills, and receive mentorship from caring staff.
“The Boys & Girls Clubs have been a cornerstone of youth development in Utah County for decades,” said Janet Frank, board president, in a statement “This new clubhouse strengthens that mission, allowing the organization to extend its reach and impact across the entire region.”
Friday’s event took place while children who attend the Boys & Girls Clubs were in school, so another ceremony for kids and their families is planned for the end of the month.
“The Boys & Girls Club is for every kid out there,” Bayles said. “We want to accomplish what every parent wants for their kids — we want them to have a safe place to learn and grow, to be successful in school, to build social skills and to go on and be great members of society.”
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.
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