Boulder, Colo. ? Don’t call it Border War II just yet.

“I wouldn’t call it a rivalry unless there’s a win on both sides. They’ve owned us for 10 years,” shrugged Colorado center David Harrison, not about to elevate the Kansas University-Colorado men’s basketball series to KU-Missouri status.

KU has beaten the Buffaloes 27 consecutive times entering tonight’s 8:05 p.m. Big 12 battle at cozy Coors Events Center, where the Jayhawks have claimed 11 straight victories.

Colorado, at times, has kept it close in its 11,064-seat arena, falling to the Jayhawks by six points in 1999, two points in 1996 and one point in 1992.

Yet the Buffs’ last win over the Jayhawks — and only win over a Roy Williams-coached team in 33 games — was a 79-71 decision on Feb. 20, 1991.

“I think this is Colorado’s best team since I’ve been here. They’re good. We know we’ll have to play as well as we can to beat them,” said Williams, 16-0 versus CU coach Ricardo Patton’s squads.

KU went 3-0 against the Buffaloes last season. The only close contest was the Jayhawks’ 97-85 victory in Boulder — a game in which KU’s Drew Gooden and CU’s D.J. Harrison exchanged heated words.

After the contest, Harrison’s younger brother, David, infuriated KU fans by saying the Jayhawks would “get theirs” during the rematch in Lawrence. After that game, a 100-73 KU victory, a middle-aged Kansas fan shouted insults at David Harrison outside the Buffs’ locker room.

Harrison defused the situation by shaking the fan’s hand.

In a third meeting, KU blistered the Buffaloes, 102-73, in the first round of the Big 12 tournament at Kemper Arena. Before the game, Gooden refused to shake hands with David Harrison.

Colorado's David Harrison, left, gets an earful from CU coach Ricardo Patton during a game against Kansas in last season's Big 12 tournament. The Jayhawks will face Harrison and the Buffaloes at 8:05 tonight in Boulder, Colo.

“That was bad blood between my brother, me and Drew,” 7-foot, 260-pound David Harrison said. D.J. Harrison and Gooden, of course, have moved on and won’t be playing tonight.

“Last year, I didn’t like Drew at all. I still don’t like him, but that’s between me and him. The whole handshake incident was characteristic of him in my view.”

His view of Gooden doesn’t carry over to the current Jayhawks.

“I am now friends with a lot of their players,” Harrison said. “Nick (Collison), Keith (Langford), Aaron (Miles), Wayne (Simien) … we all get along great. I have nothing against any of these players or their coach. It’s just going to be a hard- fought, physical game. That’s all it is to me.”

Those four KU players all worked as counselors with Harrison at last summer’s Nike camp in Indianapolis.

“He is cool. I talked to him a lot at Nike camp,” Miles, KU’s point guard, said. “He gets a bad rep because he kind of speaks his mind or whatever every now and then. … I think he tries to make the game more fun, more interesting.”

Harrison averaged 13.9 points and 7.0 rebounds a game his freshman season. In three games against KU, he scored a combined 38 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.

Harrison brings a 14.5-point, 8.8-rebound average into tonight’s game. He’s averaged 7.6 points and 8.0 boards in Big 12 games for the Buffs, 11-5 overall and 1-2 in conference play.

“I’m trying to get used to playing at a lighter weight,” said the former McDonald’s All-American, who lost 30 pounds during the offseason.

“Last year, teams doubled me with a smaller person. It was easier to split. Now they are doubling big, big. It’s OK. I pass to my teammates and let them play.”

Colorado's David Harrison, left, is defended by Wayne Simien (23) and Kirk Hinrich during last season's Big 12 tournament at Kemper Arena. The Jayhawks and Buffaloes square off tonight in Boulder, Colo. Tipoff is 8:05 p.m.

Harrison showed off his new-and-improved look at Nike camp.

“He really has trimmed down. He’s in a lot better shape. At Nike camp this summer, he played well,” Collison said.

Harrison returned the compliment: “Nick is a top-five draft pick. He is very skilled in every aspect of the game.”

Harrison is one part of an imposing CU frontline. Michel Morandais, a 6-5, 200-pound junior, averages 17.1 points and 5.8 rebounds. Stephane Pelle, a 6-8, 250-pound senior, averages 10.3 points and 8.8 boards.

CU guard Blair Wilson, who has hit 44 of 130 three-pointers, averages 13.5 points per contest.

“They will be tough. We always have a tough time winning up there,” Collison said. “Their frontline is as good as anybody’s in the league. Pelle is one of the toughest guys in the league.”

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KU at home on the road: Normally 3,000 or more Kansas fans attend the KU-CU game at Coors Center.

“It’s definitely different when we play Kansas. I think we sold 7,000 tickets to Kansas fans,” Harrison said. “It’s weird. I want to wear black (road colors) because it won’t even be like a home game. I remember last year we got booed (at home). I see people walking around wearing Kansas stuff.

“You don’t see anybody wear Nebraska stuff when the football team plays Nebraska.”

Of the KU contingent of fans, Miles said: “I mean we’ve got some great fans who come with us. Hopefully it’ll be the same way this year.”

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Suspended: Mookie Wright is out at least the next six weeks as he awaits a hearing on charges he made unwanted sexual advances toward a CU student.

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Williams on Colorado: “David is such a talent. Pelle seems like he’s been there as long as I’ve been here. He’s a force. Morandais is their leading scorer; Blair Wilson a heck of a three-point shooter. The freshman point guard (Antoine McGee) has given them a huge lift with Mookie not able to play right now.”