KANSAS CITY, Mo., March 10 (UPI) -- Cory Higgins and Alec Burks combined for 52 points Thursday in pacing Colorado to an 87-75 Big 12 Championship upset of No. 23 Kansas State.
It was the third time this season Colorado (21-12) beat Kansas State (22-10), putting the Buffaloes into Friday's tournament semifinals against No. 2 Kansas.
Will Spradling's layup with 1:29 to go had Kansas State within 73-72 but Burks started a Colorado free-throw string with two shots. Higgins contributed a pair himself as the Buffaloes made 8-of-9 free throws down the stretch.
Kansas State's only points in the final 1:29 came on a 3-point shot from Jacob Pullen, but Colorado was ahead by eight by then.
Higgins scored 28 points while hitting 10-of-15 from the field and 7-of-9 free throws. Burks's 24 points came on 7-of-14 shooting from the floor and 8-of-8 from the line. As a team, Colorado hit 58 percent for the game.
Pullen and Curtis Kelly scored 18 points for Kansas State.
