LINCOLN, Neb. — Finally, after four years, Colorado left a Big 12 opponent’s arena happy.
Reserve forward Casey Crawford had career highs with 20 points and six 3-pointers, and the Buffaloes ended their 36-game conference road losing streak with an 81-68 victory over Nebraska on Tuesday night.
“It’s a strange feeling,” Crawford said. “We usually go home on the plane, and we’re all mad and a little upset and coaches are upset with us. You know what, we’re going to go home smiling. It’s a good thing.”
Colorado’s previous Big 12 road win was an 80-78 overtime victory at Oklahoma State on Jan. 21, 2006.
The Buffaloes also ended a 28-game road losing streak against Division I opponents, having not won since a 73-70 victory at Colorado State on Dec. 22, 2007.
“I can at least look out the window of this plane I’m flying on tonight and enjoy myself,” coach Jeff Bzdelik said.
Alec Burks and Cory Higgins added 19 points apiece and Marcus Relphorde 12 for the Buffs (14-15, 5-10 Big 12).
Colorado had runs of 19-4 in the first half and 19-5 in the second. After Crawford hit his sixth 3, putting the Buffaloes up 65-45 with 7:48 left, fans started leaving the Devaney Sports Center.
Crawford, who averages 4.2 points a game, seemed to catch the Huskers by surprise. He was 1-for-3 on 3s with five points in Colorado’s 72-60 win in January.
“It’s always nice when you have a hot hand,” Crawford said.
Remember when . . .
A look at what was going on in sports on Jan. 21, 2006, the last time the CU men’s basketball team won on the road in Big 12 play, beating Oklahoma State 80-78 in overtime:
AFC championship game: The Broncos were in final preparations for the next day’s big game at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Denver lost 34-17 and Pittsburgh went on to win the Super Bowl.
Marshall stars: Central Florida receiver Brandon Marshall caught five passes for 101 yards and a touchdown, leading the East to a 10-7 win over the West in the Hula Bowl.
Stastny helps DU: Paul Stastny had an assist for the DU hockey team, which completed a sweep of top-ranked Wisconsin with a 4-2 win in Madison.
Avs bow to Red Wings: Colorado lost 4-3 to Detroit at home and Denver Post columnist Mark Kiszla wrote that, for the first time since arriving in Denver in 1995, Colorado was a pretender and not a contender for the Stanley Cup. The Avs reached the playoffs as the Western Conference’s No. 7 seed and upset No. 2 Dallas in the first round, but were swept by Anaheim in the next series.
The Denver Post
