Kansas-Colorado Preview

Most times, a matchup with Colorado might have easily helped Kansas bounce back from a defeat.

The sixth-ranked Jayhawks, though, might have a tougher time with the Buffaloes on Tuesday night trying to regroup from their first loss this season thanks to the work of a former Kansas player.

The Jayhawks (18-1, 3-1 Big 12) scored the first 10 points against then-No. 10 Texas on Saturday but were outscored 51-28 over the final 20 minutes of a 74-63 loss, which ended the nation's longest home win streak at 69 games.

"It's a big game, but it's just one game," coach Bill Self said. "In the second half, (Texas was) terrific. Of course, we helped them be terrific. We give up 51 points in our building in a half. They deserve the outcome that they got today. We've got to rebound ... and hopefully not let one become two."

Judging by recent history, the Jayhawks would have a good chance to avoid consecutive defeats for the first time since Jan. 14-16, 2006.

Kansas has won 42 of 43 over Colorado and is searching for its 16th straight win in the series. It's won seven in a row in Boulder, Colo., but needed overtime there last season before prevailing 72-66 on Feb. 3.

The Jayhawks completed the sweep later that month, but coach Tad Boyle has the Buffaloes playing well in his first season.

Colorado (14-6, 3-2) is 11-0 at home and one win shy of matching its total from 2009-10. Boyle, who played for Kansas from 1981-85 and was team captain as a senior, led the Buffaloes past then-No. 9 Missouri on Jan. 8 to kick off a 3-0 start to Big 12 play, their best since going 6-0 to open 1996-97 - the conference's inaugural season.

Colorado, though, couldn't keep that momentum going as it dropped back-to-back road games at Nebraska and Oklahoma last week.

The Buffaloes had a season-low for points in Saturday's 67-60 loss to the Sooners. The team's two leading scorers Alec Burks (19.6 ppg) and Cory Higgins (16.1) scored 15 points apiece, but freshman guard Andre Robertson was the only other player to score more than seven.

Colorado shot 40.4 percent in the loss and has connected at only a 40.9 percent clip over the past three games after shooting 49.8 percent in its first 17.

"We should be ready for Kansas," Boyle told the school's official website. "We should have the eye of the tiger; we should have had (it) today. Today was the game. Now that this one's behind us, we've got KU. It's a great opportunity for our guys."

Burks, who is also the Big 12's second-leading scorer, sat out last season's home loss to Kansas with a sprained left knee and scored a team-best 17 points in the road loss. Kansas' Tyshawn Taylor and Markieff Morris were among five players in double figures in that victory.

His twin brother Marcus had five points in that game but scored 15 in the overtime win at Colorado. He enters this contest averaging 22.4 points over the last five games and as the Jayhawks' leading scorer (17.1 ppg).

The Jayhawks lead the series 119-39 heading into the final conference matchup in Boulder between the schools.

Colorado is heading to the Pac-10 next season. Barring a conference tournament contest, the teams meet for the final time as Big 12 foes Feb. 19 at Allen Fieldhouse.