BOULDER — Colorado coach Tad Boyle ended any suspense about the availability of 6-foot-10 junior center Josh Scott this week for road games against Southern California (Thursday) and at UCLA (Saturday).
Boyle said Tuesday that Scott will not make the trip. A preseason all-Pac-12 first team selection, Scott has been sidelined for almost a month with an injury to his back.
Scott, averaging 13.8 points and 7.2 rebounds, has missed six of the past seven games. He played 28 minutes in a Jan. 7 Buffaloes loss at Utah but was ineffective, recording just three points and two rebounds.
Scott did not practice Tuesday.
“His back spasms have gone away, but the pain and discomfort is still there,” Boyle said. “We have to get the pain to zero, especially in the lower back.
“He could be a little stiff, a little sore. But the pain has to go away. But he’s getting better.”
Colorado (10-9, 3-4 Pac-12) has played all but one of its conference games without Scott. The Buffs are 3-3 without him, including a sweep of UCLA and USC in Boulder to open the conference schedule and a victory over visiting Washington State on Saturday night.
The status of junior forward Xavier Johnson (12.8, 5.4) remains day-to-day, Boyle said. Johnson, who has missed the past three games with a high ankle sprain, practiced Monday but was not able to participate in Tuesday’s session. Johnson is expected to make the trip to Los Angeles.
Tom Kensler: tkensler@denverpost.com or
