CU gets Bzdelik first Big 12 win

By B.G. Brooks, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published January 16, 2008 at 12:45 a.m.

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Reflective, maybe optimistic, University of Colorado students unfurled a 65-51 banner at the Coors Events Center, a reminder of the Buffaloes' mostly defenseless football victory against Nebraska in late November.

For Jeff Bzdelik's first CU men's basketball team, averaging 65 points in Big 12 Conference play could be a welcome norm. His Buffs, holding steady at 64.7 through their first 15 games, didn't reach it Tuesday night against the Cornhuskers - but then again, they didn't need to.

CU scored 55, limited Nebraska to 51 and presented their new coach with his first Big 12 victory, which Bzdelik said would result in this, ah, outrageous celebration: "I'm going to take my wife to Champs and have a cheeseburger."

Holding the Cornhuskers to their lowest point total since Jan. 27 (45 against Kansas State), the Buffs managed to win despite shooting only 39.1 percent - a dramatic comedown from the season-best 62 percent they shot Saturday in their league opener (an 86-69 loss at No. 11 Texas A&M).

"I want to score, but I also want to defend," Bzdelik said. "Against A&M, we scored but didn't defend. Maybe one day we'll put it all together. I want a little more pop to our offense."

If not pop, CU at least got some snap and crackle from freshman Cory Higgins (13 points) and senior Richard Roby (12 points, 10 rebounds for his eighth career double- double).

Leading 25-22 at the half, the Buffs labored to put away the Cornhuskers. Their biggest lead was 49-41 with 3:35 to play, but Nebraska closed to 51-49 in the final minute.

On a clearout in the final half-minute, Roby drove the lane, twisted by 6-foot-11 Aleks Maric and scored to put the Buffs up 53-49.

With 5.2 seconds remaining, Maric (14 points, nine rebounds) cut the margin to 53-51 with a follow dunk, but CU guard Xavier Silas' two free throws with 4.4 seconds to play sealed it for the Buffs.

Colorado 55, Nebraska 51

NEBRASKA (11-4, 0-2 Big 12) - Maric 5-9 4-5 14, Henry 2-3 3-4 7, Dagunduro 1-3 0-0 2, Miller 6-10 2-2 18, Anderson 1-6 3-4 6, Harley 0-5 0-0 0, Strowbridge 0-6 0-0 0, Ping 0-1 0-0 0, Velander 1-4 1-2 4, Balham 0-0 0-0 0, Salomon 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-47 13-17 51.

COLORADO (9-7, 1-1 Big 12) - King-Stockton 0-0 3-5 3, Hall 4-11 0-2 9, Higgins 5-10 1-2 13, Silas 2-8 4-5 8, Roby 4-10 3-4 12, Thorne II 0-0 0-0 0, Knutson 2-5 2-2 8, Jackson-Wilson 1-2 0-2 2, Beckley 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-46 13-22 55.

Halftime - Colorado 25-22. Three-point attempts - Nebraska 6-20 (Miller 4-8, Velander 1-3, Anderson 1-4, Harley 0-1, Henry 0-1, Strowbridge 0-3), Colorado 6-19 (Higgins 2-4, Knutson 2-5, Roby 1-4, Hall 1-5, Silas 0-1). Fouled out - None. Rebounds - Nebraska 32 (Anderson, Maric 9), Colorado 37 (Roby 10). Assists - Nebraska 9 (Henry, Maric, Miller 2), Colorado 11 (Hall 4). Total fouls - Nebraska 20, Colorado 14. A - 5,773.

brooksb@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5466

Colorado Christian 91, Metro State 66

The host Cougars scored 58 points in the second half to break open a tie game and rout the Roadrunners in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference game Tuesday.

Rory Morgan led four double-figure Colorado Christian scorers with 30 points. Marquise Carrington had 20 points to lead Metro State.

METRO STATE (10-9, 3-5 RMAC) - Carrington 8-17 0-1 20, Burgess 3-10 0-0 7, Billings 3-7 4-4 10, Wagstaff 6-13 2-2 15, Bass 4-9 0-0 11, Martin 0-2 0-0 0, Smith 0-1 0-0 0, Ciancio 5-8 0-0 13. Totals 29-67 6-7 76.

COLORADO CHRISTIAN (9-6, 7-1 RMAC) - Long 2-5 0-0 5, Morgan 8-13 8-8 30, Puckett 2-6 0-0 6, Stamer 6-9 6-9 18, Bailey 6-11 0-0 15, Olson 2-4 2-2 7, Neuhaus 4-4 2-5 10, House 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-52 18-24 91.

Three-point goals - MS, Carrington 4, Bass, Ciancio 3, Burgess, Wagstaff; CC, Morgan 6, Bailey 3, Puckett 2, Long, Olson.

Women

Metro State 69, Colorado Christian 51

LAKEWOOD

The Roadrunners held the Cougars to 14 first-half points to take a 21-point lead and never were threatened in the final 20 minutes as they earned their sixth RMAC victory of the season.

Stephanie Sauter scored 18 points to lead the way for Metro State. Talmai Aguirre topped Colorado Christian with 19 points.

METRO STATE (10-6, 6-2 RMAC) - Mickens 2-7 3-4 7, Powers 2-3 0-1 4, Sauter 6-11 0-0 18, Dennee 3-6 0-1 7, Bratton 3-5 6-6 12, Sullivan 0-0 1-2 1, Benson 1-8 2-2 4, Williamson 1-3 0-0 2, Bean 2-3 1-2 5, Torp 2-5 0-0 4, Gill 0-1 0-0 0, LeFebre 1-4 3-6 5. Totals 23-56 16-24 69.

COLORADO CHRISTIAN (9-10, 5-3 RMAC) - Krall 0-2 1-2 1, Davis 2-8 0-0 4, Barratt 0-4 3-4 3, Rosenthal 3-6 2-3 8, Aguirre 4-11 7-9 19, Braasch 1-4 0-0 3, Finley 1-1 0-0 3, Verbitsky 1-2 0-0 3, Chase 1-1 0-0 2, Valdez 0-1 0-0 0, Bray 0-1 2-2 2, Miller 1-2 1-1 3. Totals 14-43 16-20 51.

Three-point goals - MS, Sauter 6, Dennee; CC, Aguirre 4, Braasch, Finley, Verbitsky.

Air Force at Wyoming men

* When: 6:30 tonight.

* Where: Arena Auditorium (15,000 capacity), Laramie.

* Records: Air Force, 9-6, 1-1 in the Mountain West Conference; Wyoming, 6-8, 0-2.

* TV/radio: the mtn.; KVOR-AM (740) in Colorado Springs.

* Leaders: Air Force - Tim Anderson, 14.8 points; Andrew Henke, 4.7 rebounds; Anderson, Anwar Johnson, 2.9 assists. Wyoming - Brandon Ewing 17.3 points, five assists; Joseph Taylor, 6.9 rebounds.

* Stat that matters: Anderson, the reigning Mountain West player of the week, has averaged 18 points in the past seven games.

* Etc.: The Falcons ended a two-game losing streak with a 65-53 win against Nevada-Las Vegas on Saturday. . . . Anderson made 8-of-9 shots in a 27-point effort against UNLV. . . . The Falcons swept the Cowboys last season and have won six of the past eight regular-season matchups. . . . Wyoming upset Air Force in the first round of the MWC tournament last year at the Pepsi Center. . . . The Falcons are 1-5 away from home. . . . Air Force has shot at least 50 percent in five of its past six games. . . . Wyoming has lost four of its past five games. . . . The Falcons play at New Mexico on Saturday.

No. 19 Texas A&M at No. 25 CU women

* When: 7 tonight.

* Where: Coors Events Center (11,064 capacity), Boulder.

* Records: Texas A&M, 12-4, 0-2 in the Big 12 Conference; Colorado, 12-3, 1-1.

* TV/radio: No television; KKZN-AM (760).

* Leaders: Texas A&M - Takia Starks; 17.3 points; Danielle Gant, seven rebounds; A'Quonesia Franklin, 4.5 assists. CU - Jackie McFarland, 18 points; Aija Putnina,  8.1 rebounds; Susie Powers, 4.5 assists.

* Stat that matters: The teams are among six in the conference currently ranked. Four other Big 12 schools also received votes.

* Etc.: CU dropped two spots in the rankings after an 84-77 double-overtime loss against Iowa State on Sunday. The home loss halted the Buffaloes' 11-game winning streak. . . . McFarland and Powers matched a school record by playing all 48 minutes. The only previous CU player to log that many was Tracy Tripp in 1989. . . . The Aggies started conference play with a home loss to Kansas State and a 59-56 loss at No. 6 Baylor. . . . Putnina and McFarland are in a three-way battle for CU's blocked-shots lead with 21 apiece.

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