MADISON, WIS. — Richard Roby scored 17 points as Colorado beat Savannah State 58-43 in the America’s Youth Classic on Friday.
Roby was 6-for-9 from the field as Colorado (2-1) continued to rebound from a season-opening loss to New Mexico. Joseph Flegler scored 14 to lead Savannah State (2-3).
Flegler hit a jumper and a 3-pointer as Savannah State went on a 7-1 run to cut Colorado’s lead to 42-37 with just more than five minutes left in the game.
But Colorado pulled away with hot 3-point shooting, as Marcus Hall hit from outside to put Colorado ahead 45-37 with 4:17 remaining and Levi Knutson hit a pair of 3-pointers in the final three minutes.
Knutson scored 12 for the Buffaloes and Hall added 10. Jermyl Jackson-Wilson had a team-high 13 rebounds for Colorado.
Colorado will face tournament host Wisconsin on Saturday, with Savannah State playing Florida A&M.
Wisconsin trounced Savannah State 79-32 on Thursday, the first night of the tournament, and Colorado beat Florida A&M 83-59.
Savannah State’s top three scorers Friday – Flegler, Chris Linton and Anthony Jones – shot a combined 12-for-34 as Savannah State shot 27 percent from the floor. Linton had 10 points and 13 rebounds.
Savannah State led 13-12 after a jumper by Jones at the 10:46 mark in the first half.
But Colorado went on a 13-3 run near the end of the first half and took a 25-16 lead into halftime.
Roby had nine points on 3-of-4 shooting at halftime. Colorado was 1-for-7 from 3-point range in the first half.
