BOULDER, Colo.—Cookie Miller had no definitive reason for a second low scoring game in four days for Nebraska. Nor for a reason neither the Cornhuskers or Colorado could shoot better than 39 percent in Nebraska’s 55-51 loss Tuesday.
“I’ve never played in this conference before, but I understand conference games tend to turn into dogfights,” the Nebraska guard said. “Especially in a backyard battle like this one.”
Cory Higgins scored 13 points and Richard Roby added 12 points and 10 rebounds to lead Colorado.
“It wasn’t pretty offensively but Nebraska is an excellent defensive team,” Colorado coach Jeff Bzdelik said of often times ugly offensive play. “They are one of the nation’s best defensive teams in points allowed.”
The Cornhuskers do allow only 53 points a game. This one exceeded that in terms of lack of offense for both teams.
It was the lowest scoring game between these two schools in nearly 28 years since Nebraska won 53-44 on Jan. 19. 1980.
Colorado (9-7, 1-1 Big 12) ended it’s two-game losing streak as the Buffaloes held the Cornhuskers to a season low 51 points.
Miller led Nebraska (11-4, 0-2) with 18 points. Aleks Maric had 14 points and nine rebounds for the Cornhuskers who lost back-to-back games after winning six straight.
“We came out sluggish and you saw what happened,” Miller said.
Nebraska last won in Boulder on Jan. 12, 2005.
The game was tied at 34 on Ade Dagunduro’s rebound basket for Nebraska with 12:23 left in the second half, but two driving layups by Marcus Hall put the Buffaloes up 38-34. Roby extended it to 41-34 with a 3-pointer before Nebraska closed the gap to 41-39 with a 5-0 run and a free throw by Paul Velander with 7:48 to play.
The Cornhuskers had only two free throws from Maric over the next five minutes and 13 seconds while Colorado got baskets from Higgins, Jermyl Jackson-Wilson and a free throw from Marcus King-Stockton to build a 48-41 advantage.
“That stretch was unacceptable,” Maric said. “What I did was unacceptable.”
Miller ended the drought with a 3-pointer to get Nebraska within 49-44. The Cornhuskers were within 51-49 after Velander’s 3-pointer with 59 seconds to play, but Roby closed the door with a layup with 29 seconds left.
“I wanted it I in my hands,” Roby said of the final 29 seconds. “I told Marcus (Hall) to give me the ball, he gave it to me and I came up with a bucket.”
Defenses dominated the first half. Colorado led 25-22 after shooting 32 percent from the field while the Cornhuskers were slightly better at 33 percent.
Roby converted a free throw and an off balance jump shot in the final 1:15 of the first half for the difference.
“That’s the first time a team came, looked us in the eye and kicked our butt,” Nebraska coach Doc Sadler said. “That same team beat up on us here last year.”
