Junior guard Cory Higgins goes in for a lay-up during a game against Baylor on Jan. 12, 2010. Higgins scored 18 points during the game, leading the Buffs to their 78-71 victory. (CU Independent file/Sara Fossum)
At halftime the CU men’s basketball team trailed the ninth-ranked team in the country by two points on the road. But the final score told a different story.
Trailing 28-26 heading into second half, Colorado couldn’t get any closer, and a 20-6 run by Kansas State to begin the final 20 minutes doomed the Buffaloes as they dropped their 26th straight road game, 68-51 at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kan. on Saturday.
Junior Cory Higgins led Colorado (11-13 overall, 2-8 Big 12) with 21 points while freshman Alec Burks chipped in 17. The loss not only marked the Buffaloes’ 34th straight in conference play, but also their ninth straight to Kansas State (20-4 overall, 7-3 Big 12).
The Wildcats had a balanced scoring attack for the game, led by junior guard Jacob Pullen’s 15 points and 10 assists. Forward Curtis Kelly added a double-double of his own, scoring 12 points and adding 11 rebounds to help Kansas State sweep the season series from Colorado.
The first half of the game resembled the first matchup of the two teams, full of sloppy play and lots of turnovers on both sides. But the Buffaloes were unable to capitalize off of the Wildcats’ poor shooting and K-State’s hot start to begin the second half was too much for Colorado.
The Buffs were without junior forward Marcus Relphorde, who has tendinitis in his left knee and is listed as day-to-day. Relphorde had started all 23 games for Colorado going into the game and was replaced in the starting lineup by sophomore Trey Eckloff, who made his first career start as a Buffalo.
Colorado returns home to host Oklahoma at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at the Coors Events Center.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer David Starcer at David.starcer@colorado.edu.
