BOULDER, Colo.—Cory Higgins isn’t bashful when it comes to wanting the ball when the game is on the line.
“I want the ball in my hands in crunch time because that’s part of my nature,” Higgins said. “My mind-set at the end is to make plays.”
Higgins delivered at the end, scoring 19 points—including four of his team’s final 10—to lead Colorado to a 55-49 victory over Iowa State Tuesday night.
“The coach had the confidence to put the ball in my hands in crunch time,” Higgins said. “I want to make sure I show my appreciation by making plays in crunch situations.”
Nate Tomlinson and Dwight Thorne had nine points each for the Buffaloes (9-10, 1-4 Big 12), who ended a four game losing streak.
“Cory did his thing, and Dwight was battling out there,” Colorado coach Jeff Bzdelik said. “It was a great team effort because everybody contributed.”
Craig Brackins led Iowa State (12-8, 1-4) with 24 points and nine rebounds. The Cyclones have dropped the last four meetings with Colorado in Boulder.
No other Cyclone had more than six points. Lucca Staiger and Bryan Petersen had six each for the Cyclones as they extended their consecutive conference road losing streak to 11 games.
“You have to understand that if there is only one guy scoring baskets, then the ball needs to go to him every possession,” Iowa State coach Greg McDermott said. “And we don’t shoot until he touches it.”
That seemed to be the right strategy in the second half. Austin Dufault’s 3-pointer with 7:30 remaining put the Buffaloes ahead 41-38, but Iowa State regained the lead on Brackins’ short jumper. It was the first of four baskets by Brackins, who accounted for all of Iowa State’s points until Staiger’s 3-pointer with a second left.
“I can’t figure it out, why I was the only one scoring at the end,” Brackins said. “I talked to my teammates about it and told them they had to be more aggressive.”
While Brackins gave Iowa State its last lead of the game, 46-45, with a jumper with 4:01 left, Higgins took over. He sank two free throws to give Colorado back the lead, 47-46, and after Thorne’s 3-pointer, gave the Buffaloes an added cushion with a layup with 1:11 that made it 52-46 and sealed the win.
Diante Garrett’s layup with a second left after stealing the ball put Iowa State ahead 28-26 at the half. The first half featured 10 ties and seven lead changes.
Brackins, who had 11 points at the break, scored his team’s first five points, but the Cyclones couldn’t shake Colorado. Reserve Casey Crawford had a rebound basket and a 3-pointer to put the Buffaloes up 26-23 with 49 seconds left.
Iowa State closed the half with Petersen’s 3-pointer and Garrett’s steal and go-ahead layup.
“Defensively, we did enough to win the game,” McDermott said. “We turned the ball over nine times in the second half when we should have had a 10- or 12-point lead.”
