BOULDER — Colorado claimed sole possession of no worse than 10th place in the Big 12 Conference standings Saturday, but Buffaloes coach Jeff Bzdelik viewed the 75-72 victory over Iowa State as much more than that.
A young Colorado squad (13-15, 4-10 Big 12) that had lost four league games by six points or fewer — including to top-10 teams Kansas and Kansas State — finally figured out how to win a tight one.
And, Bzdelik said afterward, this allowed for another opportunity to peek toward a brighter future. “We’re closer than people think,” he said. “With our strength of schedule and the Big 12 being the No. 1 RPI league, if you just win a couple of those (close losses), you’re in the hunt for the NCAA Tournament. That’s what a fine line it is. And we’re starting to close that gap.”
Colorado junior guard Cory Higgins made believers of everyone, scoring a season-best 33 points. As it turned out, CU needed a monster game from Higgins because freshman Alec Burks struggled to find open looks. Higgins exploded for 21 points in the second half, baffling Iowa State defenders with his slashing drives and pull-up jumpers.
Burks, a 6-foot-6 guard already catching the eyes of NBA scouts, entered the game averaging almost 17 points but was hounded by 6-7 Marquis Gilstrap, a wiry forward who led the Cyclones (14-15, 3-11) at the other end with 26 points. Burks made only three field goals and finished with 11 points.
“We were getting a little stagnant on offense,” Higgins said of the second half, “but I wasn’t trying to score. I was just trying to attack.”
Bigger and stronger, Iowa State answered every CU spurt down the stretch, often making it look easier with power moves in the paint. But the Cyclones’ size advantage couldn’t help at the foul line, where Higgins and Burks combined for 6-of-6 free throws in the final 1:16, including four by Burks.
A Coors Events Center crowd of 6,613 held its breath while Higgins made his pair with 6.7 seconds to play. Iowa State still had a chance to tie the game, but a desperation 3-pointer by 6-4 Diante Garrett — with CU’s 6-6 Marcus Relphorde in his face — bounced off the front of the rim as the buzzer sounded.
Iowa State grabbed 18 offensive rebounds compared with only three for Colorado, but the Buffs found a way to hang on.
“We’re still a developing team, so this is huge for us,” Higgins said.
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
