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Baylor-Colorado Preview

Jan 11, 2010 - 8:46 PM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Baylor (13-1) at Colorado (9-6), 9:00 p.m. EDT

Baylor ended a lengthy losing streak against one Big 12 rival, but that game was at home. Winning on the road, however, is what will most likely determine success in the conference this season.

The No. 22 Bears look for a 10th straight victory Tuesday night as they try to hand Colorado its first home loss of the season.

Baylor (13-1, 1-0) ended a 30-game slide to Oklahoma with a 91-60 victory Saturday before moving into the Top 25 for the first time this season Monday. The Bears were ranked for seven weeks last season from Dec. 1-Jan. 12.

LaceDarius Dunn scored 23 of his 28 points in the second half and Tweety Carter added 18 and 10 assists for the Bears, who celebrated the historic victory before quickly looking ahead to this road trip.

"We have to enjoy this one, but we also have to get prepared for Colorado," Carter said. "Like I said the other day we take one game at a time and we took care of this one. We have to get prepared for Colorado."

With nearly every team in the Big 12 unbeaten at home, road victories look like they will come at a premium. Colorado (9-6, 0-1) has won its eight home games by an average of 17.6 points, although none have been against ranked teams.

Baylor has won three straight regular-season meetings with Colorado, including a 75-57 victory last season. The Bears, though, are 1-6 all-time at the Coors Event Center.

Another big second half from Dunn would help Baylor's cause. After shooting 34.8 percent in his previous nine games and making 2 of 7 shots in the first half Saturday, the junior guard bounced back to make 7 of 9 after the break.

"I went into halftime with five points and came out second half and did a good job of taking good shot and making them," Dunn said. "And my teammates did a great job getting me the ball."

Baylor is riding its longest win streak since opening 12-0 in 2000-01 thanks in part to its defense, which is limiting opponents to 35.3 percent shooting in that span.

"Again I think all year long we have had great balance and the most balance comes on the defensive end," coach Scott Drew said.

That defense will be tested by a Colorado team coming off a strong shooting effort in defeat. The Buffaloes lost 103-86 at then-No. 2 Texas on Saturday despite shooting 53.6 percent.

Colorado was undone by a 39-23 rebounding disadvantage and 15 turnovers.

"We never were able to finish possessions by grabbing a defensive rebound and gave them some easy points off some bad turnovers," coach Jeff Bzdelik said. "But offensively, if we didn't turn it over we were able to find ways to score."

Marcus Relphorde scored a team-high 24 points, but was one of four Colorado players to foul out in the Buffaloes' 12th straight Big 12 loss.

"I think we let up a little bit with our physicality," Relphorde said. "It was tough, but we will learn from it and take it into the rest of our Big 12 games."