In a 2008 photo, junior guard Cory Higgins faces off against Texas Christian University. Higgins hit back-to-back 3-pointers against Arizona. (CU Independent file/Jason Suder)
If the Colorado Buffaloes men’s basketball team was angry about losing to Oregon State last Friday, they sure knew how to release their frustration.
The Buffs built a 30-point lead in the first half and never trailed en route to an 84-65 stomping of Division II Colorado Christian in front of 2,992 on Monday at the Coors Events Center.
CU started the contest with the game’s first eight points. The Cougars then scored the next five points, but the Buffs exploded on a 33-6 run before settling for a 47-27 halftime lead.
As quickly as CU built its lead, it almost lost it. Justin Neuhaus’ dunk and Jobi Wall’s 3-pointer cut the Buffs lead to 10 with 9:03 left in the game. However, CU had Cory Higgins, the best player on the floor.
Higgins scored the Buffs’ next 13 points to push the lead back to 18 and CU cruised from there. The junior guard finished with a game-high 25 points.
Head coach Jeff Bzdelik told cubuffs.com his team needs to mature quickly in order to avoid second-half struggles later this season.
“It is always a battle, and that is where we have to grow as a basketball team,” Bzdelik said. “You are going to have periods where you are not so good offensively, but you cannot take possessions off defensively, like when you see the hands drop, or we are a step or two behind. We need all five guys to play together. That is where we have to grow.”
Alec Burks and Levi Knutson chipped in with 11. Burks also had a team-high six rebounds and four assists.
The Buffs will head north to Fort Collins on Thursday to battle in-state rival Colorado State at 7:30 p.m. in Moby Arena. A CU win will snap the team’s 19-game road losing streak to Division I foes. Some players are already looking forward to the challenge.
“It’s always big, they’re our in-state rival,” Higgins said on cubuffs.com. “That just comes with going to school at Colorado, it’s going to be a big deal, and everyone is going to be hyped up for it. So we need to come out and win.”
Contact CU Independent Co-Sports Editor Cheng Sio at Cheng.sio@colorado.edu.
