Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
3-0
Texas Southern
1-2
Buffs Defend Home Court, Defeat Tigers
November 19, 2009 | Men's Basketball
BOULDER- Junior Cory Higgins and freshman Alec Burks each scored 23 points to lead the University of Colorado to an 88-77 victory over Texas Southern on Wednesday night.
It was a career-high for Burks in only his third collegiate game and the first time since Nov. 17, 2008 against Montana State (Higgins and senior Dwight Thorne II each scored 21) that CU had two players score 20 in the same game.
"Alec is a great player. I have said that from day one. He's a very gifted player offensively," head coach Jeff Bzdelik said of Burks. "He scores in a variety of ways, and he is an intelligent player."
Higgins scored 15 in the first half and has eclipsed the 20-point mark in every game this season. Through three games he is shooting 70 percent from the field (21-of-30).
Junior Marcus Relphorde contributed 11 points and Thorne added 10. Relphorde led the team with four assists for the second straight game and Higgins had a team-high six rebounds.
CU shot 60.8 percent from the field. The last time the Buffs shot over 60 percent in a game was Jan. 12, 2008 against Texas A&M (61.7 percent).
Freshman Keegan Hornbuckle's fade away jumper off a rebound beat the buzzer to give Colorado a 43-36 halftime lead. CU carried the momentum into the second half, opening the period with a 16-7 run to take their largest lead of 16 points.
Texas Southern fought back though, narrowing the CU lead to 71-69 with 4:53 remaining. The Tigers were fueled by Travele Jones' game-high 31 points.
Burks took over down the stretch, scoring eight points after the lead dwindled to two including a long three-pointer from the top of the arc to give CU a 76-69 lead. Burks scored 15 of his 23 points in the second half.
With the victory, Bzdelik notched his 99th collegiate win and the Buffs improve to 3-0 for the first time since the 2001-02 season.
The Buffs now head to Hawaii for three games in the EA Sports Maui Invitational. CU will play Gonzaga on Monday at 1:00 p.m. (MST) on ESPN2.
