BOULDER, Colo.—Cory Higgins was hardly a factor in the first half. He didn’t change anything in the second half, and it paid dividends for the Colorado sophomore guard.
“I wanted to be aggressive within the offense,” Higgins said. “Opportunities presented themselves in the second half, and I knocked them down.”
Higgins scored 28 of his career-high 33 points as Colorado ended a two-game losing streak with a 75-56 victory over Colorado State on Wednesday night.
Higgins was 9-for-10 shooting in the second half after taking only six shots in the first half.
“The best part is, he got it within the scheme of the offense,” Colorado coach Jeff Bzdelik said. “He made an impact on our offense, and he was really terrific.”
“He has a sixth sense that you can’t coach,” Bzdelik said of Higgins.
Austin Dufault had 12 points for Colorado (4-3). Nate Tomlinson, who returned after missing a game with a sprained right foot, had 11 points.
Higgins became the first Colorado player to score 30 points since Richard Roby had 32 against Baylor on March 9, 2006.
The Buffaloes are now 51-7 all-time against Colorado State in Boulder.
Dan Vandervieren had a career-best 16 points for Colorado State (3-6). Jesse Carr had 12 for the Rams, losers of four straight.
“Our perimeter people never got in a rhythm in the second half,” Colorado State coach Tim Miles said. “Other than Jesse, we didn’t have anyone that could find shots from outside.”
Vandervieren contributed 10 points to a 12-4 run early in the second half as the Rams built a 40-32 lead, but Higgins scored seven points as Colorado responded with an 14-3 surge to lead 46-43 with 11:33 left.
Vandervieren’s layup got the Rams within 55-54 with 7:34 to play, and then Higgins took over, scoring Colorado’s next 10 points to pull the Buffaloes ahead 65-56. Higgins hit all three shots including a 3-pointer in that decisive stretch.
“If I knew why Higgins got away from us, I would have made an adjustment,” Miles said. “We didn’t have anyone to match up with him.”
Higgins had two more free throws before sitting down with a minute left and the Buffaloes ahead 74-56.
“Our offense offered so many opportunities,” said Higgins.
Colorado held Colorado State scoreless over the last 4:41. The Rams were 0-for-5 shooting with five of their 15 turnovers in that span.
“Turnovers,” Colorado State forward Andre McFarland said. “If we can limit them and do the hustle plays that other team do that we don’t, we might be able to win more games.”
The game was tied at 28 as Colorado State was 6-for-11 on 3-points attempts, three coming from Carr. The Buffaloes countered with 50 percent shooting, and neither team led by more than six in the half.
Dwight Thorne’s 3-pointer with 4:29 remaining put Colorado up 26-20, but the Rams went on a 7-1 run to move ahead 28-27. Default sent the game into halftime tied with a free throw in the final five seconds.
