Brey scores 26 as Colorado beat Washington State 92-60
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Colorado put a tough road stretch in the rear-view mirror with a big win at home.
Tyler Bey scored a career-high 26 points, Shane Gatling had 17 and the Colorado Buffaloes routed short-handed Washington State 92-60 Thursday night for its first conference win of the season.
"I think that we just played for each other today, we found our groove," Bey said. "The groove that we had at the beginning of the season when we were winning games. Then we had that slump but we are working through it. On Saturday (against Washington) we are going to have an even better game. I guarantee it."
Bey added 10 rebounds for his seventh career double-double. D'Shawn Schwartz added 16 points and McKinley Wright IV had 10 for Colorado (10-5, 1-2 Pac-12), which opened conference play last week with losses at Arizona and Arizona State and finish 2-4 on a six-game road trip.
"It feels great. We definitely needed that for our confidence but we're not satisfied," Schwartz said.
It was the fifth straight loss for Washington State, which was held to a season low in points and remained winless away from home this season, dropping to 0-7. Washington State (7-8, 0-2) was without its leading scorer, Robert Franks Jr., who missed a fourth game due to a hip contusion.
Marvin Cannon had 14 points to lead the Cougars, who have yet to win in eight trips to Boulder. Jeff Pollard and Isaiah Wade added 12 points apiece.
"They ran waves and waves of athletes at us and really took control of the game again," Cougars coach Ernie Kent said. "It's a learning lesson for particularly these new guys. We are going to have to regroup out here on the road and play with a lot more toughness."
Trailing by 16 at the half, the Cougars put together a 7-0 burst, including a 3-pointer by Ahmed Ali to narrow the deficit to 43-34. But the Buffaloes regrouped after a timeout, scoring nine of the next 11 points, with Schwartz chipping in a couple of baskets as Colorado rebuilt its lead to 14 points.
By the time Bey converted a 3-point play with 7:16 left, the Buffaloes were in front by 26 points and Washington State was without Wade and CJ Elleby after they fouled out within a minute of each other.
Washington State scored the first five points before the Buffaloes responded with a 16-0 run capped by Wright' fast-break layup off a steal. By halftime, the Buffaloes had stretched their lead to 41-25, helped by the hot-shooting Bey, who scored 15 before the break.
TAKING HIS SHOTS
Gatling also scored a career-best, a product in part, he said, of a film review with coaches in which he realized he had passed up on some open looks. "I am definitely feeling more confident now, especially after watching film with my coaches," he said. "They kept telling me to stop passing up on shots, and when I have a little bit of space to shoot it. I have been putting in extra hours in the gym. My teammates keep trusting me, and whenever I am open, I shoot it."
BIG PICTURE
Washington State: The Cougars came in as the highest scoring team in the Pac-12 but were overcome by their struggles on the road and continued to miss their top scorer, Robert Franks, who remains sidelined by injury.
Colorado: The Buffaloes returned from a six-game road swing — their longest in the regular season since 1986 — with a big effort at home to regain their footing. Their defense figured prominently in the win, limiting the Cougars to 2-of-18 shooting from 3-point range. Washington State came in averaging 9.9 made 3s per game.
UP NEXT
Washington State: Wraps up a road swing at Utah on Saturday night.
Colorado: Hosts Washington on Saturday night.
