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Colorado takes down K-State in Big 12 quarters

Mar 11, 2011 - 1:06 AM Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Cory Higgins had 28 points to help Colorado take an 87-75 win over No. 19 Kansas State in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament.

Alec Burks had 24 points and six rebounds while Andre Roberson added 11 points and 14 rebounds for the Buffaloes (21-12), who have never won the Big 12 tournament but have now improved to 9-14 in the event.

"I mean, it means everything," said Higgins. "We came here with a goal to win the tournament, and to do it with the guys around me, especially the ones that have been through it all the past four years, it means a lot to me, personally."

Colorado will next face Kansas in Friday's semifinals.

Curtis Kelly had 18 points and 10 boards while Jacob Pullen added 18 points and seven assists for the Wildcats (22-10), who lost the title game to Kansas last year.

A pair of free throws from Levi Knutson with just over nine minutes to play gave Colorado the lead for good and he followed that with a three-pointer for a 61-57 lead.

That lead moved to 70-64 on a Higgins jumper with 3 1/2 minutes remaining, but Kansas State twice got back to within one with a Will Spradling layup making it a 73-72 contest with 1 1/2 minutes left.

Colorado, though, got seven straight free throws with Higgins' two giving the team an 80-72 lead and the squad cruised from there.

A closely contested first half saw Kansas State get a three-pointer from Rodney McGruder and a jumper by Spradling to take a 39-37 lead into the break.

The game stayed close over the first several minutes of the second half with Pullen's three-pointer with 13 minutes to play giving the Wildcats a 55-50 lead.

Game Notes

Kansas State fell to 9-15 in this event...Kansas State still leads the series with Colorado, 96-47...Colorado shot 58.0 percent (29-of-50) while Kansas State made just 42.4 percent (28-of-66) of its shots.