Wolverines outlast Colorado, advance to NIT Quarterfinals
After blowing out the University of New Mexico in the first round of the NIT, the Wolverines took care of business on the road, defeating Colorado and advancing to face Cincinnati in the NIT Quarterfinals.
Trey Woodbury scored 25 points helping lead Utah Valley to an 81-69 win on the road over Colorado in the second round of the National Invitational Tournament. The Wolverines will host the Cincinnati Bearkats Wednesday at the UCCU Center for their quarterfinal matchup.
Four Wolverines scored in double-figures on the night, as Justin Harmon scored 18, Le’Tre Darthard scored 13 and Aziz Bandaogo scored 12 points. The Wolverines shot a blistering 55.9% from the field and 52.9% from beyond the arch.
Harmon and Woodbury got the ball rolling offensively for the Wolverines early, helping the team jump to a quick 11-6 lead. The Buffaloes rallied, however, and roughly midway through the first half, both teams were tied at 17. The Buffaloes responded, taking their largest lead of the night, leading 32-27, however, the Wolverines fired back with a run of their own, taking a three-point lead just before halftime. After a three-pointer from CU’s Ethan Wright, the teams went into the locker room knotted at 38 apiece.
The second half was all Wolverines. Despite managing to tie the game twice, they never led for the remainder of the game after the first half. Coming out of the break, Aziz Bandaogo’s steal and slam sparked a 7-0 run for the Wolverines. After the Buffaloes managed to tie the game for the second time with 8:45 remaining, the Wolverines closed the game on a 23-11 run, with Woodbury scoring nine of those points himself. The Wolverines overwhelmed the Buffaloes with their dynamic offense led by Woodbury and Harmon and coasted to an 81-69 victory.
UVU’s NIT Quarterfinal matchup will be held at the UCCU Center in Orem, Utah on Wednesday. The game tips off at 7 p.m. MT and will air on ESPN2. Public tickets for the game will cost $20 and students may receive a discounted rate of $10 per ticket.
Sports Editor and Senior Staff Writer
Senior at Utah Valley University majoring in applied communications.