Kansas University basketball fans enjoy booing Colorado junior David Harrison, who in the past has made controversial remarks about the Jayhawks.

KU’s players, however, have no beef with the Buffs’ glib 7-foot, 250-pounder, who figures to be berated during pregame introductions before today’s KU-CU game at Allen Fieldhouse.

Tipoff is 1:05 p.m. with a live telecast on channels 4 and 13. A replay will air at 10:30 p.m. on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6.

“I heard he liked to talk a lot, but he was cool. He was fine on the court,” KU freshman center David Padgett said about Harrison in the Jayhawks’ 77-62 victory over the Buffs Jan. 5 in Boulder, Colo.

In that game, Harrison scored 13 points off 2-of-7 shooting, sinking nine of 14 free throws and grabbing 11 rebounds. Afterward, Harrison graciously shook the hand of KU players and even hugged a few of his rivals.

“I didn’t hug him,” KU junior Keith Langford said with a grin, “but he’s always been a cool guy. Sometimes you get a little heated (in games). It’s all on the court, no personal problems off the court.”

Harrison, who had words in 2002 with ex-KU standout Drew Gooden and said Oklahoma had a better team than Big 12 Conference champion KU, last Wednesday said a win at KU was “doable. I’m not saying they are a pushover or anything, but it’s doable.”

Not exactly major bulletin-board material for the Jayhawks, who have won 20 straight over the Buffs in Lawrence, but Charles Barkley-esque, nonetheless.

“He’s a good player,” KU senior center Jeff Graves said. “I thought he played better than he did last year. He’s a big body to guard. He was a lot more physical than last year, but it was all clean.”

Overall, Harrison is 1-5 versus KU, averaging 13.8 points and 5.0 boards and hitting 27 of 49 shots for 55.1 percent.

“He’s so strong,” KU coach Bill Self said. “We’ll definitely give him plenty of attention.”

Harrison, who averages a team-leading 16.4 points and 8.6 boards, isn’t CU’s only threat. Senior guard/forward Michel Morandais averages 15.0 points, and senior shooting guard Blair Wilson, CU’s all-time three-point leader, contributes 12.6.

“Their ‘big three’ is playing great,” Self said, “and Harris (Lamar, 9.1 rpg) has been a beast on the glass.”

Jayson Obazuaye took over at point guard for Antoine McGee after the KU loss and has helped the Buffs to a 4-1 record. He’s a greater offensive threat than McGee, averaging 12.8 points in the past five contests.

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“I think what really helped him is the fact we had two games sandwiched in between Big 12 games to get that point guard experience under his belt,” CU coach Ricardo Patton said.

Obazuaye, a 6-2 sophomore from San Jose, Calif., earned the starting spot after strong showings against Savannah State and Northern Colorado. After those victories, he started victories at Nebraska and at home against Iowa State, and also Wednesday’s loss at Oklahoma State.

“I thought he passed the test at Nebraska running the point,” Patton said of Obazuaye, who had eight points and four assists versus NU. “Since he’s been our point guard, we’re getting point guard production on the offensive end. Your point guard has to give you maybe eight to 10 points a game to keep defenses honest.”

McGee averages 1.8 points per game to Obazuaye’s 6.4.

Wilson, who iced six threes versus Iowa State, now ranks first in CU history with 222 career threes. He’s eighth in Big 12 annals.

“I did the math probably after my sophomore year,” said Wilson, a 6-6 senior from Broomfield, Colo. “I thought if I could keep up this pace I’d probably break the record (Stevie Wise hit 214 threes from 1987-91). I had some rough games in there. It took a little longer than I hoped. It all came out right in the end.”

For the year, he’s made 40 of 102 threes for 39.2 percent. What’s his secret?

“Just spending time in the gym with just you and your ball,” Wilson said. “Try to simulate shooting which is very tough to do, just strive to make every shot in practice drills rather than just throw it up there.”

He’ll need his A-game today if the Buffs (10-5, 2-2 Big 12) hope to snap their 20-game losing streak in Lawrence. KU (11-3, 3-0) is coming off a 69-68 home loss to Richmond.

The Buffs, who have had major problems on the road in the past, this year are 4-2 in enemy gyms. The Buffs have won at Nebraska, 68-60, and lost at OSU, 71-62.

“Just concentrate, have confidence and understand teams will make runs,” Wilson said. “We can’t panic, have to execute and play our style of basketball. The way the Big 12 is this year, who knows what is going to happen?”

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Familiar foes: It’s been 20 days since KU’s 77-62 win over CU in Boulder.

“Actually, it feels like it’s been a while since we played them,” KU’s Langford said.

KU is 2-1 since that game; the Buffs are 4-1.

“I think we are having longer stretches of playing solid defense,” Patton said. “Early on, particularly against Utah and Richmond (pair of losses in Boulder), we didn’t play but maybe one half against those teams. It’s something we struggled with early on. We’re starting to put together two halves.”

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Good shooter: CU’s Harrison has made 88 of 143 shots this year for 61.5 percent. He’s 16-of-31 in Big 12 play for 51.6 percent.

“David has faced double teams all year long. We don’t expect anything different,” Patton said.

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Self on today’s matchup: “They are playing a lot better than when we played them the first time. We caught them at a good time. Since then, they’ve won at Nebraska and played great against Iowa State at home (88-70 win).”