Colorado
7-4
New Mexico
10-1
Buffs Drop Semifinal of Las Vegas Classic 89-76 to New Mexico
December 23, 2010 | Men's Basketball
LAS VEGAS--Colorado fought until the end, but could never get over the hump as New Mexico led the entire game in defeating the Buffs 89-76 in the semifinals of the Las Vegas Classic at the Orleans Arena.
The Buffs (7-4) got off to a slow start as New Mexico (10-1) jumped out to an 18-6 lead in the first six minutes of the game by making three of their first four three-point attempts. CU was stuck playing catch-up the rest of the way.
"We let them in for easy baskets and we weren't getting back," said CU head coach Tad Boyle on New Mexico's early run. "They were running and dunking and getting to the rim whenever they wanted. We put some pressure on our offense by giving them easy baskets."
The second half went back-and-forth as the Buffs could never get closer than six points but didn't trail by more than 12 until the final minute. UNM never scored more than four consecutive points after halftime.
CU last closed the deficit to six on two Marcus Relphorde free throws to make the score 59-53 with 9:25 remaining in the game. A pair of A.J. Hardeman layups put the Lobos ahead 63-53 with 8:33 left. Cory Higgins hit a jump shot, but after a Kendall Williams layup gave UNM another ten-point lead, Relphorde was called for a charge with 7:47 remaining and momentum shifted to the Lobos. Drew Gordon hit a layup for the Lobos and they took their first 12-point lead of the second half.
Trailing late in the game, CU had to resort to sending New Mexico to the free throw line, and the Lobos responded. UNM's last 14 points came from going 14-of-14 from the charity stripe. Dairese Gary and Williams each hit six free throws apiece over this stretch in the final 2:18.
"I feel like we were just letting them in the paint too much," said Colorado guard Alec Burks. "We would score but we kept trading baskets. That was the downfall of the game; we just let them score too much."
Burks led the Buffs with a game-high 25 points (7-of-14 from the field and 11-of-13 from the free throw line). Relphorde added 13 and Cory Higgins and Levi Knutson scored ten points apiece. Andre Roberson pulled down eight rebounds for the Buffs and is now averaging 7.6 per game for the season. He has led the team in rebounding eight times this season and coming into today ranked second among Big 12 freshmen in rebounds per game (behind Perry Jones III of Baylor who is averaging 8.9 boards per game). The Buffs shot 46.6 percent (27-of-58) from the field.
Gary and Williams led New Mexico with 18 points each, and Williams recorded a double-double by distributing 11 assists. Phillip McDonald added 14 and Alex Kirk pulled down ten rebounds. The Lobos shot 61.2 percent (30-of-49) from the field for the game.
After the Lobos took an 18-6 lead, CU responded with a 15-6 run from 13:18 to 9:42 in the half to close the deficit to three (24-21). Included in this run were five straight points by Knutson and Shannon Sharpe's first career three-point make.
 The Lobos stretched their lead back to as many as ten points in the half and Tony Snell hit a long two-pointer at the buzzer to give New Mexico a 41-33 lead heading into halftime. Burks led all scorers with 14 first-half points. McDonald led the Lobos with ten points at the break and New Mexico shot 65.2 percent (15-of-23) from the field in the half. CU was outrebounded 19-8 in the first half and 35-23 for the game.
The Buffs will next play Indiana tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. MST in the third-place game of the 10th Annual Las Vegas Classic. The game will be televised on CBS College Sports. CU is 1-1 all-time versus Indiana and most recently played them in the first round of the 1997 NCAA Tournament at Winston Salem, N.C. Â where Chauncey Billups and the Buffs defeated the Hoosiers 80-62. Former CU associate head coach Steve McClain (2007-2010) is now an assistant at Indiana. Northern Iowa defeated IU 67-61 in the other semifinal game earlier today.
