BOULDER, Colo. – Spencer Dinwiddie scored 21 points and freshman Xavier Johnson added a season-high 19 as Colorado avenged a bitter overtime loss at Arizona with a 71-58 rout of the ninth-ranked Wildcats on Thursday night.
Unlike last month's game in Tucson, there was no controversy at the end of regulation — just Colorado fans storming the court in celebration.
On Jan. 3, the Buffaloes' apparent game-winning 3-pointer was waved off at the end of regulation even though replays showed the shot was taken in time.
Dinwiddie scored 19 points in the second half, leading the Buffaloes (17-7, 7-5 Pac-12) to their 11th win in 12 home games and sending the Wildcats (20-4, 8-4) to their second straight loss.
Johnson also had nine rebounds.
Solomon Hill led Arizona with 12 points and Mark Lyons had 11.
The Buffaloes led 30-23 at halftime and were never seriously threatened over the final 20 minutes.
They started the second half with three free throws from Dinwiddie that gave them a double-digit lead. Dinwiddie added a dunk off a steal by Johnson and Andre Roberson's 3-pointer made it 38-23 with 17:50 left, forcing Arizona coach Sean Miller to call his second timeout.
The Wildcats got back in it with consecutive 3s from Lyons and Nick Johnson, and when Grant Jerrett hit a 3-pointer from the top of the circle, the Wildcats had chipped the lead down to 45-39 with 10:43 remaining.
After Colorado coach Tad Boyle's timeout, the Buffs went on an 8-0 run to restore their double-digit lead. Dinwiddie had a fastbreak basket and a 3-pointer during the spurt that reserve Xavier Talton started with a 3 that got the crowd going again.
Every time the Wildcats cut the deficit into single digits, the Buffaloes went on a run to restore the cushion. Talton's fastbreak bucket made it 56-41, and Booker's bucket made it 68-53.
The Buffs avenged their heartbreaking loss at Tucson last month when Sabatino Chen's apparent game-winning 3-pointer at Arizona was waved off at the end of regulation even though replays showed the shot was taken in time. The Wildcats went on to win in overtime, capping a comeback from 17 points down.
The Buffaloes didn't let go of that loss very easily, or very quickly. Several weeks later, Colorado's game notes showed they were still smarting over the call when the school said the Buffs had 11 3-pointers against the Wildcats — only 10 of which counted.
Chen got one of the loudest ovations from the sellout crowd at the Coors Events Center — an audience that included John Elway at courtside — when he entered the game early in the first half.
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