Kansas University dominated Colorado inside, and the Buffaloes didn’t have enough outside firepower to shock the Jayhawks again.
KU post players Nick Collison and Wayne Simien combined for 45 points and 27 rebounds in the Jayhawks’ 94-87 victory Wednesday at Allen Fieldhouse.
Their CU counterparts, David Harrison and Stephane Pelle, had just 25 points and six boards.
Harrison finished with 20 points, but he managed just one rebound. He came in averaging 8.8 boards per game.
“They had a combination in the post with Collison and Simien,” CU coach Ricardo Patton said. “And David was really our only effective post in the paint.”
Harrison, whose rift with KU was not forgotten by the 16,300 fans in attendance, wasn’t allowed to speak with reporters afterwards. The gag order stems from a Feb. 1 game at Missouri, where Harrison criticized officiating after CU lost, 73-70.
Patton, though, still praised the 7-foot sophomore’s play.
“I thought the biggest thing he did was play basketball,” Patton said. “He didn’t get caught up in the taunting that was going on, that actually started in warmups.”
Patton couldn’t give similar praises to Pelle.
Pelle, who lit KU up for 27 points and eight rebounds in CU’s 60-59 victory Jan. 22 at Boulder, Colo., scored just two points on 1-of-7 shooting Wednesday. He had twice as many turnovers as points.
Simien did not play in that first meeting at Colorado because of a shoulder injury, and junior Jeff Graves started in his place. CU had no answer for Simien, or Collison, Wednesday.
“(Simien) and Collison flat-out out-played us tonight,” said CU’s Blair Wilson, who had 21 points and 10 rebounds. “Graves is good, but he’s no Wayne Simien.”
Wilson scored nine of his points on three first-half three-pointers. CU hit seven of 17 three-pointers — enough to stay close, but not enough to win.
The Buffaloes (15-9 overall, 5-6 Big 12 Conference) are unbeaten in Big 12 play at home, but the loss at Allen Fieldhouse dropped them to 0-6 in the conference away from the Coors Events Center. They have two road games and three home games left with an invitation to the NCAA Tournament at stake.
“We get closer every game,” Wilson said. “We have two winnable road games coming up, and we need to get, for sure, one, to get into the tournament.”
Both of the Buffaloes’ road games, at Iowa State and at Baylor, take place next week. They’ll return home to play Missouri Saturday.
Box score: get the stats
Photos: Colorado game pix
Hear Roy: Colorado post-game
6Sports video: Jayhawks get revenge against CU, 94 -87
‘Big Dub’ keys big win – Kansas 94, Colorado 87