Copeland's 3-pointer lifts Colorado past Missouri

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Richard Roby hit most of Colorado's big shots before Chris Copeland hit the biggest.

Roby scored a career-best 33 points and Copeland hit the last of the Buffaloes' season-high 13 3-pointers with two-tenths of a second to go in a 74-71 victory at Missouri on Saturday night.

"It felt smooth coming off my hands," Copeland said. "I felt the laces around the ball. It was just all good."

Copeland had 15 points for Colorado (11-3, 1-2 Big 12), which ended an eight-game losing streak at Missouri (9-5, 2-1). The Buffaloes, who were 13-for-29 from 3-point range, had lost 33 of their previous 34 at Missouri and this time ended the Tigers' eight-game overall home winning streak.

Thomas Gardner had 22 points for Missouri, shrugging off a mild concussion sustained two days earlier in practice, and Jimmy McKinney also had 22.

But a traveling call with 8.2 seconds left on Gardner after he took an inbound pass and then slipped gave Colorado the opening it needed.

Coach Quin Snyder noted that Gardner was dribbling the ball when the call was made. He also said Marshall Brown had been open for a layup, and Gardner said he was pushed.

"Obviously, I'm not supposed to comment on officials' calls," Snyder said. "We got a tough break."

Copeland got a nice look on the baseline in front of the Colorado bench before draining his third 3-pointer of the game on the winner.

Colorado had lost its first two Big 12 games after winning nine straight before conference play.

The Buffaloes overcame 50 percent shooting by Missouri by getting 18 offensive rebounds.

The finish stunned a season-best crowd of 10,684.

"We got the lead and let them back in it with Roby," Snyder said. "I told them about him every timeout."

---

COLORADO 74, MISSOURI 71

COLORADO (11-3)

Freeman 1-2 2-2 4, Copeland 6-12 0-1 15, Ashby 0-1 0-0 0, Roby 11-24 5-6 33, McGee 0-1 0-0 0, Eddy 0-1 0-1 0, Osborn 3-6 0-0 8, Obazuaye 1-2 1-2 3, Coleman 4-6 1-1 11, Hall 0-3 0-0 0, Arrington 0-1 0-0 0, King-Stockton 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 26-61 9-13 74.

MISSOURI (9-5)

Brown 3-9 4-5 10, Watkins 0-0 0-0 0, Young 1-3 2-4 4, McKinney 7-11 8-10 22, Gardner 7-14 5-6 22, Lyons 0-0 0-0 0, Horton 1-3 0-0 3, Dandridge 3-4 1-2 8, Lawrence 0-0 0-0 0, Grimes 0-0 2-4 2. Totals 22-44 22-31 71.

Halftime--Missouri 35-30. 3-point Goals--Colorado 13-29 (Roby 6-11, Copeland 3-6, Coleman 2-3, Osborn 2-5, McGee 0-1, Hall 0-3), Missouri 5-16 (Gardner 3-9, Dandridge 1-2, Horton 1-3, McKinney 0-1, Brown 0-1). Fouled out--None. Rebounds--Colorado 31 (Ashby 5), Missouri 30 (Dandridge 7). Assists--Colorado 18 (Coleman 6), Missouri 12 (McKinney 6). Total fouls--Colorado 22, Missouri 19. A--10,684.