Driving to the hoop junior guard Cory Higgins takes charge against Iowa State During Saturday's game in the Coors Events Center. Higgins had a game high 33 points and went 12-15 from the floor. The Buffs beat the Cyclones 75-72. (CU Independent/Phil McMichael)
Junior guard Cory Higgins had a season high 33 points, as his golden scoring performance led CU to a 75-72 win over Iowa State.
Sporting new, aptly-colored gold kicks in front of a crowd of 6,613 during the Saturday afternoon game, Higgins wowed the Buff faithful at the Coors Events Center.
Higgins shot 12 of 15 from the field, three of four from deep and a perfect six for six from the free throw line.
After the game, Higgins said that he started feeling it in the second half.
“After a while I felt like I got into the zone,” Higgins said, who scored 21 points in the second half. “I started out just trying to attack the basket. My shot felt good, so I was able to get into a rhythm.”
Colorado (13-15, 4-10 Big 12) had great team shooting performance, shooting 55.1 percent form the field, 45 percent from beyond the arc and a perfect 12 for 12 from the charity stripe.
While Higgins had a great game from the field, freshman Alec Burks had an off-day, by his standards. Burks was held to 11 points, five points lower than his season average.
Alec attributed his slow offensive day to Iowa State’s Marquis Gilstrap’s tough defense.
“It wasn’t my day today, I’m just happy we got a win,” Burks said. “[Gilstrap] is a great player. Athletic, inside, outside, he can do it all.”
Senior forward Marquis Gilstrap led Iowa State (14-15, 3-11 Big 12) with 26 points and added seven rebounds.
Junior forward Craig Brackins added 13 points and nine rebounds for the Cyclones, who have lost 10 of their last 12 games.
The match started off as a back and forth game, with the Buffs and Cyclones exchanging baskets.
Higgins had an emphatic dunk at the 15:47 mark, which led to a short run for the home team. Senior Dwight Throne hit a three to give CU their biggest lead of the game at 23-15.
Iowa State had a nice run capped off by junior forward LaRon Dendy’s lay-up after three offensive rebounds that gave the Cyclones back the lead at 29-27.
After a Brackins’ dunk put Iowa State up 37-31 with 44 seconds left, Higgins hit a long two, and Relphorde hit a three as the clock expired, bringing CU within two going into halftime.
The second half started just like the first half, with seven lead changes throughout the game.
Junior Casey Crawford had a huge second half, knocking down two threes in a row and finished with 10 points.
“My roll is to come off the bench, and be ready when coach needs me,” Crawford said.
Down the stretch, the Buffs shot 8 for 8 from the line, with Burks and Higgins making clutch free throws as their dads watched from the stands.
Gilstrap made a lay-up with 7.2 seconds left in the game to pull the Cyclones within one.
Higgins recorded his final points by knocking down two free throws, icing the game for the Buffs, wearing his golden shoes.
“I guess the shoes helped me, that’s what everyone is saying,” Higgins said. “I’ll probably wear them next game.”
Colorado will hit the road to face rival Nebraska in Lincoln before returning home to Boulder to host Texas Tech at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Coors Event Center.
Tim McGinnis is a freshman at Broomfield High School, who is writing for the CU Independent as part of a high school journalism workshop the CU Independent hosted on Feb. 26 and 27.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer David Starcer on behalf of Tim McGinnis at david.starcer@colorado.edu
