Burks scores 29, Colorado edges Iowa State 77-75

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - As a former player and executive in the NBA, Fred Hoiberg knows a future professional star when he sees one.

On Wednesday, the Iowa State coach saw all he wanted of Colorado's Alec Burks.

Locked in a shootout with Iowa State's Jake Anderson, Burks had 29 points, 15 rebounds, six assists and three steals, leading the Buffaloes to a hard-fought 77-75 first-round victory over Hoiberg's Cyclones in the Big 12 tournament.

"I thought Alex Burks was a lottery pick before today," Hoiberg said. "And nothing changed my mind he way he went out there and performed today. He's a big-time player."

Anderson had a career-high 33 points, the second-highest total ever scored by a college player in the Sprint Center.

"He was awful good today. My hat goes off to that kid," Colorado coach Tad Boyle said. "He's been getting better and better."

Burks scored 25 points in the second half and keyed a 12-2 run in the final minutes for the Buffaloes (20-12). In the second round on Thursday, Colorado will meet No. 19 Kansas State, a team it beat twice in the regular season.

"I stayed aggressive," said Burks, a 6-foot-6 sophomore from the Kansas City area who was virtually ignored coming out of high school by Kansas, Missouri and Kansas State.

"I don't think I played really aggressively in the first half. I tried to come into the second half with a different mindset. I tried to get to the free-throw line and get some easy baskets."

Anderson, a senior, was 13 for 20 from the floor, including 3 of 5 from 3-point range, but the Cyclones (16-16) lost their sixth straight Big 12 tournament game.

"I've been capable of doing this the whole year," Anderson said. "I've been doing this the whole year. Tonight, Colorado had a lot of focus on (Diante Garrett), Scottie (Christopherson) and Jamie (Vanderbeken). I just took what they were giving me."

The Cyclones were leading 66-64 when Garrett's 3-pointer from the baseline and a foul shot by Vanderbeken gave them their biggest lead, 70-64, with 3:02 to play.

But Burks came right back with a bucket and Levi Knutson, after an Iowa State miss, swished a 3-pointer that made it 72-69 as the Buffaloes went on their game-clinching run.

Cory Higgins had 16 points and Knutson had 12 for Colorado, which is gunning for its first postseason invitation in five years. Garrett, extending his school record of 128 games played, had 19 points and six assists for Iowa State.

Burks, making one acrobatic, off-balance shot after another, tied it 72-all with a three-point play and then gave Colorado a 74-72 lead with an awkward 10-footer from the lane.

Burks was 7 for 10 from the floor in the second half

"He does such a good job of drawing fouls," Hoiberg said. "He handles the ball extremely well, and he's great in transition. He really shoots the ball."