BOULDER, Colo. –While digging his way out of Sean Miller’s doghouse Saturday, Bennedict Mathurin also helped the Arizona Wildcats erase an early 19-2 deficit to Colorado at the CU Events Center.

Powered by Mathurin’s 22 points, the aggressive drives of guard James Akinjo and their old standby, rebounding, the Wildcats even came back to hold slight leads for nearly all of the final 10 minutes.

But then Colorado’s Evan Battey took that handy storyline and flipped it over in just 15 seconds, hitting all four free throws he took over that period to give Colorado an 82-79 win over Arizona.

The loss dropped Arizona to 13-6 overall and 7-6 in the Pac-12, continuing the Wildcats’ tough history in Boulder. They have now lost four straight at the CU Events Center and are 2-6 at Colorado since the Buffs joined the conference in 2011-12.

Arizona coach Sean Miller gestures during the first half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Colorado on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Arizona also has now lost three of its past four games and has three games out of its next four scheduled against three of the conference’s top teams: Oregon, UCLA and USC.

Colorado improved to 14-5 overall and 8-4 in the Pac-12.

But despite all that, UA coach Sean Miller expressed considerably more optimism than he had on Thursday after the Wildcats’ 73-58 loss at Utah, saying the Wildcats had energy and focus and togetherness that they didn’t have against the Utes.

“Obviously it would have been beneficial if we had played the way we played after the first 10 minutes all the way to the final buzzer,” Miller said. “But there’s no denying our effort level. There’s no denying our togetherness. There was no denying our offensive play or our defensive play. We played with tremendous effort.

“We have some holes. We’re not a perfect team.”

Arizona guard James Akinjo, front, pulls in a loose ball as Colorado guard Eli Parquet defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

That was not only clear over the first eight minutes of the game, when Arizona missed its first 10 field goals and CU took a 19-2 lead, but also in the final minutes. Miller cited some defensive mistakes, while final drive from Akinjo failed to produce a shot or foul, and guard Terrell Brown missed the first of two free throws that could have sent the game into overtime with five seconds left.

The game had been tied at 76 entering the final minute before Akinjo drove inside and tried to pick up a foul but the Wildcats lost the ball on the possession arrow when it was ruled a jump ball. Colorado's McKinley Wright then drove downcourt for a 12-footer before UA’s Christian Koloko dunked, leaving the game tied again at 78 with 23 seconds left.

But Mathurin fouled Battey on CU’s ensuing possession and Battey hit both resulting free throws to make it 80-78 with 15 seconds left.

Colorado forward Evan Battey gestures as he walks off the court after the team's win over Arizona in an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

That gave UA a final possession to win on a 3-pointer or send the game into overtime with two points. Kerr Kriisa inbounded the ball to Brown and then raced to the right corner, while Brown drove inside and picked up a foul with 5.6 seconds left.

Miller said the Wildcats’ first choice was to pave a route for Akinjo to get to the basket. That made sense, of course, because at that point, Akinjo had 16 points, mostly by driving in or getting fouled. He shot 4 of 12 from the field and hit all eight free throws he took.

But Colorado also knew Akinjo might try to get inside again, so they stopped him.

“We really had kind of a clear-out set for James but the court was spread and they just denied him at 40 feet,” Miller said. “You deny him that high out on the court and it really allowed Terrell to get a good straight-line drive.”

Miller said Brown did what he was supposed to in that situation, driving inside and picking up a foul by Colorado’s Eli Parquet, but he missed the first of two free throws, meaning Arizona had to foul even after he made the second one to pull UA within 80-79.

Arizona forward Azuolas Tubelis, back, looks to pass the ball as Colorado forward Tristan da Silva defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

After Battey took the inbounds pass, Brown then dove at Battey, knocking him over, and Battey hobbled around the court before stepping to the line and making both free throws to give the Buffaloes the final three-point margin.

“I want the ball in my hands down the stretch,” Battey said. “Me and McKinley practiced every day on just doing the right thing every time and making the right plays, so I feel like we earned that right to put the game away.

“My teammates were behind me and they really gave me strength to shoot those through. I shouldn't even really walk. I tip my hat off to my guys and my teammates who are so special. I love them.”

It was no surprise that Battey made the free throws. Colorado was already leading the nation in free-throw percentage at 84.1% entering the game when it made 12 of 12 in the second half after going 1 of 4 in the first half from the line.

The Buffs also shot well from the field, hitting 55.8% overall and making 11 of 20 3-pointers, surpassing the 49.1% Arizona managed to put up despite missing its first 10 shots. Arizona did outrebound CU 29-22, however.

Mathurin had his 22 points on 7 for 9 shooting, making 4 of 5 3-pointers, while Azuolas Tubelis had 18 points on 7-for-11 shooting and a third freshman, Kerr Kriisa, also scored his first points as a Wildcat, making a 3-pointer that gave UA a 60-59 lead late in the second half.

For Mathurin, it was a move toward getting back on good terms with Miller. The coach did not start Mathurin the second half of the Wildcats' 73-58 loss at Utah on Thursday and said afterward he was disappointed in Mathurin's attitude.

Miller also did not start Mathurin on Saturday but put him in after just 47 seconds, swapping out Koloko to go with a smaller lineup in near the beginning of what turned out to be the Buffs' 19-2 run. Mathurin played a total of 16 minutes in the half.

Miller said he had “two or three” hard discussions with Mathurin since the Utah game, but was impressed with how Mathurin responded.

“I think he took some ownership of some things that we really challenged him on,” Miller said.

Mathurin actually didn’t start either half, but he still helped Arizona gradually cut into Colorado’s double digit leads late in the first half and early in the second, then was there again to help Arizona take its first lead with 10:48 left. Mathurin hit a 3-pointer with 11:39 left and Tubelis made a short jumper with 10:48 left.

Mathurin later returned for another jumper to put UA up 55-54, while Kriisa scored his first college points when he drained a three straight into the next with 9:01 left. Christian Koloko then rebounded a miss by Wright and scored on the other end to make it 62-59 entering the eight-minute mark.

Arizona guard Kerr Kriisa, left, looks to pass the ball as Colorado guard Keeshawn Barthelemy defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Arizona held a one-possession lead for most of the rest of the way, while Colorado’s Eli Parquet tied it at 76 on a 3-pointer with 1:11 left and the Buffs went ahead a minute later on Battey’s free-throw heroics.

It took plenty of effort for Arizona just to get there. Having cut their early 17-point deficit to just nine at halftime, the Wildcats continued to tighten it during the early minutes of the second half thanks to some aggressive play from Akinjo and Kriisa.

Akinjo picked up fouls that resulted in four free throws within the first six minutes, pulling UA within 45-41 and, in between those possessions, while Kriisa picked up a charge while Wright was approaching the Buffs’ basket on the break. That led to Akinjo’s chance to get fouled by Parquet and hit the second set of two free throws.

Akinjo went on to drive inside for layups that cut Colorado’s lead to 48-46 and 60-48 before the Wildcats took their first lead on Tubelis’ jumper.

In the first half, after Arizona missed its first 10 shots from the field to trail 19-2, the Wildcats immediately went on a 7-0 run to make their task a bit more manageable. Then they went on a 9-0 run near the end of the half to cut Colorado’s lead to 38-32 before Parquet hit a buzzer-beating 3 to give Colorado a 41-32 lead at halftime.

None of it turned out to be enough, but Miller said the game could still be a confidence-builder for the Wildcats.

“We didn’t have quite enough to finish this one,” Miller said. “But in no way are we, or I, disappointed.”

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Contact sports reporter Bruce Pascoe at 573-4146 or bpascoe@tucson.com. On Twitter @brucepascoe