Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
1-1
Georgia
2-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | 33 | 41 | 74 |
| Georgia | 33 | 50 | 83 |
Buffs Fight Back, Fall Short At Georgia
November 16, 2010 | Men's Basketball
ATHENS, Ga. - Colorado came back from a large first-half deficit, however Georgia's Gerald Robinson Jr. scored 21 points as the Bulldogs overcame poor free-throw shooting to edge Colorado 83-74 on Tuesday night.
Georgia won despite making only 28 of 43 free throws and blowing a first-half lead of 17 points.
Georgia led only 72-70 when Robinson scored on a layup to push the lead to four points with 1:32 remaining. After a turnover by Colorado, Dustin Ware made two free throws for a 76-70 lead.
"I thought our toughness and our grit and our competitiveness was good," said first-year CU head coach Tad Boyle. "We came out and we settled for the jump shot way too early in our possessions in the first half. And when those aren't going in you dig yourself a hole. But we climbed back out of it."
Alec Burks had a game-high 23 points for CU (1-1), which suffered its first loss under Boyle. Cory Higgins added 15 points and four steals.Â
Burks' 21 marked his tenth career game of 20-plus points and second in two games this season (20 against Idaho State on Nov. 12).
Travis Leslie had 19 points before fouling out for Georgia (2-0). Jeremy Price had 17.
Georgia continues to play without Trey Thompkins, the team's leading scorer and rebounder last season who is recovering from a high ankle sprain.
Georgia led 56-49 when Price went to the bench with four fouls. Georgia coach Mark Fox was forced to bring Price back 3 minutes later after Colorado took a 60-59 lead.
Fouls hurt Georgia again when the Bulldogs, leading 68-64, had Leslie foul out. Price responded with a quick basket to help Georgia retain its momentum.
Connor Nolte, Robinson and Leslie had 3-pointers in an early 13-0 run to give Georgia a 16-4 lead.
The Bulldogs stretched the lead to 17 points but collapsed after leading 31-14. Georgia's barrage of fouls, missed free throws and turnovers helped the Buffaloes close the half with a 19-2 run for a 33-33 halftime tie.
Leslie missed an attempt at an open one-handed breakaway jam during the Colorado run, the ball bouncing off the back of the rim out of bounds.
Nate Tomlinson and Levi Knutson completed the Colorado comeback with 3-pointers in the final minute of the half. Colorado scored 15 points off Georgia's 13 turnovers in the half.
CU falls to 1-6 all-time against the Bulldogs, dropping six straight. The last two times the Buffs have made it to the NCAA Tournament, they lost to Georgia during that season (62-52 in 1996-97 in Athens and 71-70 in Boulder in 2002-03).
The Buffs are next in action on Saturday night at San Francisco. The matchup against the Dons will tip at 8 p.m. MST.
