5-star freshman Cody Williams scores 23, Colorado snaps Oregon's 6-game win streak, 86-70
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Freshman Cody Williams scored a season-high 23 points on 10-of-13 shooting Thursday night, KJ Simpson added 22 points and Colorado beat Oregon 86-70, snapping the Ducks' six-game win streak.
Williams — Colorado's first 5-star recruit since David Harrison in 2001 — hit three 3-pointers, one from NBA range, and consistently scored at the rim, including a two-hand dunk and layup through heavy contact. The 6-foot-8, 180-pound forward was active on the defensive end and finished with a career-high tying two blocks and a steal.
Tristan da Silva had 13 points and eight rebounds for Colorado (13-5, 4-3). J’Vonne Hadley scored 11 points and Luke O’Brien 10.
Da Silva hit a 3-pointer to give Colorado the lead for good with 10:26 to play and spark a 17-2 run, capped by a Williams 3, that made it 73-61 about five minutes later.
Tracey led Oregon (13-4, 5-1 Pac-12) with 14 points and Couisnard scored 11. Shelstad — who had scored 10-plus points in 11 consecutive games, the longest streak by an Oregon freshman since Tyler Dorsey (11) in 2015-16 — finished with nine points.
Williams scored 14 first-half points, the last of which sparked an 8-2 spurt that gave the Buffaloes a 43-29 lead after da Silva grabbed a rebound and went coast to coast for a dunk with 1:25 left until halftime. Keeshawn Barthelemy answered with a jumper before Jackson Sheltad hit a 3 to cut the deficit to single digits at intermission. Shelstad, Jermaine Couisnard and Barthelemy each made a 3-pointer as Oregon scored 15 of the first 21 second-half points to take a one-point lead about five minutes into the period and Jadrian Tracey’s layup with 11:20 left gave the Ducks a 57-56 lead.
Williams is the younger brother of former Santa Clara star and current Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen (J-Dub) Williams — the No. 12 pick in the 2022 draft.
Oregon plays at Utah on Sunday. Colorado wraps up a three-game home stand Sunday when the Buffs play host to Oregon State.
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