AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Finally, Chris Mihm had some breathing room.

Given the unusual chance to take defenders 1-on-1 instead of facing double- and triple-teams, Mihm responded with 28 points and tied his career high with 17 rebounds as Texas (No. 14 ESPN/USA Today, No. 17 AP) beat Colorado 75-65 Saturday night.

Mihm, a 68 percent free-throw shooter this season, also went 10-of-11 from the line for Texas (14-5, 6-1 Big 12), which struggled to put Colorado away despite holding the lead most of the game.

"I had a little freedom and didn't get yanked every twist and turn," Mihm said. "I enjoyed it when it happened and I don't think it's going to happen too many more times.

"It allows me to do a lot more on the floor. Toward the end of the first half, I started to see (the defense) collapsing," Mihm said.

Mihm played just 29 minutes after getting into foul trouble in the second half. When he was in the game, the junior 7-footer often found himself matched up against Colorado's 6-11 freshman center Richard Fox.

Fox scored 10 points but could do little to stop Mihm from scoring or rebounding even when he had help. After watching his season rebounding average drop below 10, Mihm had 11 boards and 15 points by halftime.

"My first impression of him is that he is a really good player," Fox said of Mihm. "I think I did a fairly good job against him, but there are some things I thought I could have done better."

Mihm's short jumper put Texas ahead 16-11 before Kyle Williams' 3-pointer sparked a 9-0 Colorado run that gave the Buffaloes a short-lived 20-16 lead.

Mihm and Ivan Wagner hit four free throws before William Clay scored five straight on a fastbreak layup and the Longhorns' first 3-pointer to give Texas the lead for good 25-20. Texas led 35-30 at halftime.

Clay and Wagner were just as effective on defense, hounding Colorado guard Jacquay Walls to 1-of-6 shooting and two points in the first half. Walls, who came in averaging 26.3 points the previous three games, was just 4-of-12 from the floor with four turnovers and finished with 13 points.

Wagner scored 15 points and had five steals as Texas held Colorado (11-8, 2-5) to 36 percent shooting as a team.

Texas threatened to put it away early in the second half when the Longhorns took a 45-36 lead on Darren Kelly's jumper with 13:43 left. But Colorado closed the gap quickly with five straight points from Walls and a 3-pointer by Nick Mohr.

By that time, Colorado had begun collapsing its defense under the basket when Mihm and forward Gabe Muoneke, who scored 14 for Texas, got the ball.

"They made adjustments that made it harder for our guys in the post to move," Texas coach Rick Barnes said.

Colorado cut the deficit to one three times in the second half, the last time at 51-50 on another jumper by Mohr with 9:03 to play.

Mihm went to the bench with his fourth foul with Texas leading 61-55 before the Longhorns started pulling away late with free throws.

"Sometimes, you don't have enough to go over the hump," Colorado coach Ricardo Patton said. "Texas was able to maintain composure and poise."

The Longhorns, who finished 27 of 43 from the line, converted 12 of 16 foul shots over the final 4:43 of the game. Colorado was whistled for 30 fouls.

Stephane Pelle added 13 points and Mohr finished with 12 for Colorado.