University of Oklahoma Athletics
University of Oklahoma
Colorado
Starters Shine in OU's Second Straight Win
January 22, 2011 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 22, 2011
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Video Library | NORMAN, Okla. (AP)-- Cade Davis had 15 points and four other Oklahoma players scored in double figures as the Sooners defeated Colorado 67-60 Saturday.
Andrew Fitzgerald, Carl Blair Jr., and Cameron Clark each added 13 points for Oklahoma (10-9, 2-3 Big 12). Steven Pledger had 11.
Alec Burks and Cory Higgins scored 15 points apiece to lead the Buffaloes (14-6, 3-2), who have lost 24 straight in Norman.
"We're right in the muck of the Big 12," Colorado coach Tad Boyle said. "If you want to make a statement in this league you have to win on the road. They're not going to give it to you, you have to take it and we didn't take it today."
The Sooners went on a 13-4 run to take at a 32-26 lead into halftime, and they then scored the first five points of the second half to push their lead to 11.
Colorado rallied to tie it at 52 with 3:25 remaining, but Oklahoma pulled away by making 13-of-16 free throws down the stretch.
"They're a good team," said Davis, the team's lone senior, who was 7 for 14 from the field and led the Sooners with eight rebounds. "We knew they were going to make a run. We just had to fight through that stretch, keep our momentum and keep our heads up."
Burks and Higgins were both held under their season scoring averages. Burks came into the game averaging 19.8 points per game while Higgins was averaging 16.2. Burks had been playing particularly well for the Buffaloes, having scored 42 points in their previous two games.
However, the two were a combined 10 for 29 from the field Saturday.
"We wanted to try and get them out of transition as much as possible," Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel said. "They're a very good transition offensive team. We wanted them to play against our half-court defense, and we made some switches on some ball screens. (Burks and Higgins) are really good one-on-one players. We didn't want them to see a lot of open space."
Oklahoma shot 52.2 percent from the field, the first time it has shot over 50 percent in a Big 12 game this season. The Sooners have now won consecutive conference games after losing their first three of the season. The last of those losses extended their overall Big 12 regular season losing streak to 11.
"We're getting better," Capel said. "Our young group's getting better, and we're able to process things a little bit better. I'm pleased with the win, not satisfied, but pleased."
Oklahoma next plays at Iowa State, and the Sooners will be looking for their first Big 12 road win since beating Texas Tech on Feb. 28, 2009. They have lost 11 consecutive conference road games.
"This is a huge confidence builder," Davis said. "Hopefully these two wins will generate some momentum for us going into Iowa State and hopefully we'll be able to steal a win at their place."
