BOULDER, Colo.—Freshman Alec Burks hasn’t wasted any time making an impact for Colorado.
Playing in his second college game, Burks scored 18 points. He joined three other Colorado players in double figures in helping the Buffaloes emphatically hand Coppin State its first loss of the season Monday night, 82-58.
The 6-foot-6 Burks, from the Kansas City area, already has drawn comparisons to fellow guard junior Cory Higgins, Colorado’s top scorer from last season and do-it-all star. Higgins chipped in 21 points to lead the team in its latest victory, with Marcus Relphorde adding 14 and Dwight Thorne 13.
“I get called Cory all the time around here, so I guess you could say we are similar,” said Burks, who has brought to Colorado the same sort of athleticism, offensive firepower and defensive intensity as Higgins. “He likes to score, get to the line, shoot, pass. He likes to do it all.”
Coach Jeff Bzdelik, back on the bench for Colorado (2-0) after missing the team’s opener Friday to attend to a family emergency, liked what he saw from Burks enough to put him in the starting lineup immediately.
“Now, Cory is not our only (scoring) option. I think you can see that,” Bzdelik said of Burks’ quick start. “Alec Burks is talented. He just needs experience, strength and maturity.”
Lenny Young’s 15 points led Coppin State (2-1), which began the season by winning its own tournament. Jonathan Landry came off the bench to add 11 for the Eagles, who were without returning letter winners Michael Harper (broken wrist) and Mike Buckley (ineligible).
“They didn’t come out with any type of intensity,” Coppin State coach Ron Mitchell said of his team. “You’ve got to credit Jeff’s team for coming out ready to play, ready to take on the challenge. I have some talent. I just need to make a few attitude adjustments.”
Burks, who moved into the lineup ahead of incumbent Nate Tomlinson, said he did not come to Colorado expecting to start right away.
“I wanted to, but I knew Nate was here,” he said. “I thought I was going to come off the bench and create a spark. Coach put me in to start, so I just ran with it.”
That included being a big part of Colorado’s dominating start against Coppin State. The Buffaloes scored the game’s first 15 points before Young finally scored for Coppin State. The Eagles went 1-for-11 from the floor during the opening nine minutes, unable to handle Colorado’s pressure defense while falling behind 24-4.
Burks, Higgins, Thorne, Relphorde and Keegan Hornbuckle all hit 3-pointers to ignite the early surge, which ballooned to a 45-20 halftime lead.
Colorado led by as many as 39 points in the second half in improving to 3-0 all-time against Coppin State.
