Defense helps UW Huskies build lead, hold on late in win over Colorado

The Washington Huskies’ reliable defense helped them keep Colorado within distance early on.

It helped them build a double-digit lead in the second half.

And, in the final moments Thursday night at Hec Edmondson Pavilion, it helped them hold off a late Buffaloes rally on their way to a 60-58 win.

Trailing by two points, Colorado brought the ball up the floor with 23 seconds left to play, but Jabari Walker was forced into a short contested jumper as the clock wound down, and Daejon Davis secured the rebound for UW and dribbled to safety as time expired.

UW combined for 16 steals in the contest — their second-highest in a game this season — outrebounded the Buffaloes, 42-35, added seven blocks and held Colorado to 18-of-53 shooting (34 percent) in the victory.

“I think overall our message is defense, and try to get stops, get those steals,” Huskies forward Emmitt Matthews Jr. said. “Do anything to create that energy, because defense is what’s going to create the energy. It’s going to create offense for us. And that’s kind of what we’re living by right now.”

The Huskies (10-8, 5-3 Pac-12) have won four of their past five conference games, opening this quick two-game homestand with a win after dropping their first loss since their earlier meeting with Colorado — the Buffaloes won in Boulder on Jan. 9 — against Oregon on Sunday night.

Colorado (13-7, 5-5) topped the Ducks two days later in Eugene, but the Huskies spoiled the second leg of the Buffaloes’ three-game trip to the Pacific Northwest with a decisive rally early in the second half here Thursday night.

After a sluggish first half, the Huskies opened the second on an 11-2 run, including adding three steals and six points off turnovers in the first four minutes.

Jamal Bey gave UW its first lead since the 11:36 mark in the first half on a layup following a Colorado turnover less than two minutes after the break.

Matthews gave the Huskies the definitive lead on the next possession on a short jumper with 17:59 left, and moments later threw down a one-handed turnaround dunk on the baseline.

The Huskies further extended their lead during a 16-second sequence not long after when a pair of steals led to a pair of quick layups from Terrell Brown Jr.

It all happened before the Buffaloes made their first shot of the half on a Luke O’Brien 3-pointer nearly five minutes in.

Colorado didn’t score again until Elijah Parquet sunk another triple at the 9:40 mark, but the Huskies had built a double-digit lead by then, outscoring the Buffaloes, 21-5 in the half to that point.

UW led by as many as 15 at multiple points — the first time when Nate Roberts slammed down an alley-oop from Cole Bajema at the end of that run, and a second when Matthews hit a 3-pointer with 8:27 to go to make it 57-42.

Colorado scored the next seven points, and closed the game on a 17-3 run, but it wasn’t enough.

“These guys are a really resilient group,” Huskies coach Mike Hopkins said. “We’re playing better. We’re showing signs. To be able to get up 15 points … against a really good Colorado team shows a lot.”

Brown, the Pac-12’s leading scorer, paced all scorers with 26 points — his 11th game this season with 20-plus points — while adding four rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Matthews was the only other player in double figures for the Huskies, adding 15 points and 11 rebounds. Six players contributed, with Bey and P.J. Fuller leading the way with four apiece.

The Huskies finished 24-of-61 (39.3 percent) shooting — including 12-of-26 (46.2 percent) in the second half — to build their final lead.

“We find ways, but we need to be better at not just getting leads, but extending leads, using the clock a little bit better,” Hopkins said.

Walker, who had 14 points, led Colorado in scoring, while Parquet, Keeshawn Barthelemy and Evan Battey each had nine points.

Neither side started particularly fast.

The first half included four ties, three lead changes and a combined 13 turnovers, though the Buffaloes held the advantage much of the way.

UW remained within reasonable distance boosted by seven steals and seven blocks on the defensive end, but Colorado led by as many as seven in the opening half before the Huskies closed on an 11-5 run.

Brown had more than half of the Huskies’ points at the break, heading into halftime with a game-high 17, dropping in a contested layup just before the buzzer to cut Colorado’s lead to 32-31.

The Huskies remain home this weekend, hosting Utah (8-13, 1-10) at 2 p.m. Saturday. The Utes are on a nine-game losing streak and haven’t won a contest since their nonconference victory over Fresno State in late December.