Colorado University Athletics
Colorado, Arkansas-Pine Bluff Notes
November 14, 2009 | Men's Basketball
General
- - Tonight's game is the first of three home games in six days for the Buffaloes. It matches the 2004-05 season when CU also played three times in six days (Colorado State, UMKC, Radford - all wins).
- - Colorado improves to 2-1 in season openers under the Bzdelik coaching staff. CU defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff last year, 76-56, and the previous year, lost to New Mexico, 54-47. In season openers in the Big 12 era (since 1996), the Buffaloes are now 13-1. At home they are 10-1; on the road, 2-0; and on neutral courts, 1-0.
- - Interim Head Coach Steve McClain improves to 2-0 as a head coach at the Coors Events Center. As the head coach of the Wyoming Cowboys,he won for the first time back on Nov. 26, 2006 when the Cowboys defeated the Buffs, 76-73. McClain's overall D-1 college record improves to [158-115].
- - Tonight marked the first time in 18 years the Colorado men's basketball team will don new home uniforms. This season's new look will be silver, a first since the 1990-91 season under first-year head coach Joe Harrington. The CU team wore black and silver for both home and away games.
- - Colorado opened the first 4:44 of the game without a field goal. The streak was broken with a Dwight Thorne 3-pointer which gave CU a 5-4 lead; their first lead of the game.
- - Colorado went on an 8-0 run from 13:18 to 10:18 of the first half. Casey Crawford and Austin Dufault scored three points each.
- - Colorado closed out the final 5:02 of the first half on a 17-6 run. Nate Tomlinson and Alec Burks led the team with 5 points apiece in that span.
- - CU has made a three-pointer in 227-consecutive games.
- - Colorado had five players score in double digits tonight Cory Higgins [26] led the way followed by, Alec Burks [13], Casey Crawford [10], Dwight Thorne II [10], and Austin Dufault [10]. This is the first time that CU has had five players score in double digits since January 5, 2009 at SMU.
led the team with 26 points. In his career, Higgins has now led the team in scoring 21 times. This is his 44th career game scoring over 10 points; 13 career game scoring over 20 points.
Higgins was a perfect 16-for-16 from the free throw line. That ties Chauncey Billups' 16-for-16 performance February 17, 1996 (Oklahoma). This is his 4th career game in which he connected on 10 or more free throws. It also eclipses his previous career high in both free throws made and attempted. His previous high in free throws made was a 12-for-12 performance against Kansas January 17, 2009.
started in his collegiate debut (13 pts, 3 Assists, 2 reb put his stats here). It's the third straight year, Coach Bzdelik and his staff have started a true freshman to open the season. Cory Higgins started his first game (Nov. 9, 2007) with a 10-point, five rebound, three assist performance against New Mexico; and last year, Austin Dufault (13 pts.) and Nate Tomlinson (12 pts.) started against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
- recorded two blocks to lead the team in that category in his debut as a Buff. He joins a list headlined by Jermyl Jackson-Wilson, Richard Roby, and D.J Harrison as other Buffs to record two blocks in seeing their first action for CU.
- is the first juco for Colorado Men's Basketball since Dominique Coleman (2005-06).
- - did not play in the season opener tonight and will miss an undetermined amount of time after injuring his right hip during a pre-season scrimmage against Utah. Knutson has played in 62 games with two starts. Tonight was the second game he has missed in his two years. Knutson did not play against Kansas (Jan. 17, 2009) last season.
13th career game scoring in double digits. He recorded 10 pts tonight.
first game action since March 9, 2008 at Nebraska. In that game he had one rebound in four minutes. Beckley missed the 2008-09 season with a stress fracture in his lumbar spine.
matched a career high in assists [7]. He previously set this mark against Texas A&M on March 4, 2009.
Tomlinson matches his career high in rebounds [6]. His previous came against Iowa State on January, 2, 2009.
