Jeff Bzdelik doesn't own a red marker.

Tonight's game against Nebraska at the Coors Events Center (7 p.m., Fox Sports Net) was never circled on the schedule by Colorado's first-year head coach.

The only "R" word Bzdelik is worried about when it comes to the Cornhuskers is rebounding.

"I don't see this as a rivalry game," Bzdelik said before the Buffs' Monday afternoon practice. "I never understood the term 'stepping up.'

"Why should an athlete step up for a particular game? Every time you step on the court you should be at your very best."

Interestingly, just as the players finally seem to be on the same page with the coaching staff as far as executing the offense goes, they couldn't disagree more about what facing Nebraska means.

"I think there's already a decent rivalry with them," Xavier Silas said. "Every game that we play against them means more and it's a lot harder than some other games that we play."

The last meeting between the programs was very emotional for the Buffs before theopening tip because it was Ricardo Patton's final game in Boulder. And during the game the outgoing head coach had to break up an altercation between Silas and Nebraska's Ryan Anderson.

Both players were ejected and suspended for the first game of the Big 12 Tournament.

"I don't even remember what happened. All I know is there was a little tussle and we both got ejected and then suspended for a game," Silas said. "But that's over and it's a new year. It was such a long time ago that I don't even think about it."

The Buffs beat the Huskers 73-69 for their seventh and final victory of the season. CU's football team defeated Nebraska 65-51 on Nov. 23 at Folsom Field.

"I think the fans really get up for this game just because the football rivalry kind of carries on to basketball," Richard Roby said. "It's going to be intense and we have to protect our home court."

With apologies to Bzdelik, it seems that Roby has stepped up against the Huskers at home. In his three previous games against Nebraska at the Coors Events Center the senior guard has averaged 24.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists.

Roby has struggled in Lincoln throughout his career and scored one point there in a blowout loss last season.

"It's always about us," Roby said. "If we do things right we're going to have an opportunity to win the game."

CU did a lot of things very well on offense during Saturday's loss at Texas A&M, including making 17 of 22 shots (77.3 percent) in the second half.

"I think we gained confidence in knowing that if we run our stuff hard and right we'll manufacture some pretty good looks," Bzdelik said.

If Bzdelik can get the Buffs (8-7, 0-1) to put together a complete game on both ends of the floor they will have a chance to even their Big 12 record. The Huskers (11-3, 0-1), who dropped their conference opener to Kansas at home, have not won a road game this season.

"We have to find a balance to be able to win. Sometimes we play great defense and struggle on the offensive end," Silas said. "We haven't really had a game where both ends were just clicking. I think we need to start doing that and we're getting close."