Colorado University Athletics
Basketball's Booker, Roberson Claim AOTW Honors
December 12, 2013 | General, Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball
BOULDER - Askia Booker and Arielle Roberson were named CU Athletes of the Week on Wednesday for the week of Dec. 2-8.
Booker, a junior guard from Los Angeles, Calif. (Price), helped the Colorado men's basketball team to a 75-72 defeat of the then-No. 6 Kansas Jayhawks at Coors Events Center on Saturday. Hitting a game-winning 30-footer as time expired, Booker's shot was his third three-pointer of the game. Tying for a team-high 15 points, it was the third time this season that Booker has made three treys in a single game.
Roberson, a sophomore forward from San Antonio, Texas (Wagner), recorded double-doubles in two Colorado wins over the week. Shooting 6-of-15 from the field and scoring 13 points against Wyoming, Roberson had a team season-high 12 rebounds, with eight of her rebounds coming in the offensive boards. Against Illinois, Roberson hit 7-of-12 from the field and tied a season high with 17 points in 24 minutes. Pulling down 10 rebounds against the Fighting Illini, Roberson put up her second straight double-double of the week, the fifth of her career.
In addition to their CU Athlete of the Week honors, both Booker and Roberson were named Pac-12 Conference Players of the Week on Monday by the Pac-12.
Also nominated for this week's Athlete of the Week honors: Taylor Simpson (volleyball), Brittany Lewis (track and field) and Alex Kizirian (track and field).
Simpson, a junior outside hitter, led the Buffs to their first NCAA Tournament win since 2006 on Friday against Iowa State. CU won the match 3-1 after dropping the first set, with Simpson leading the team with 16 kills. She hit .293 with only four errors on 41 attacks, also adding 13 digs and one block assist for 16.5 points. In the team's second-round loss to No. 10 Minnesota, Simpson again led the Buffs offensively with 14 kills. Recording her 14th double-double of the season with 12 digs, she also put up four block assists for 16.0 points. Simpson averaged 3.33 kills, 2.78 digs, 0.56 blocks and 3.61 points per set in the two matches. CU finished the year with an 18-14 overall record, the program's most wins since the 2001 season.
Lewis, a sophomore, won the pentathlon at the Orediggers Early Bird Multi over the weekend to record a successful first meet for the University of Colorado track program. Finishing with 3,707 points overall, Lewis finished first in the 60-meter hurdles, the long jump and the 800-meter run to claim the crown. She finished the 60-m hurdles in 9.06, jumped 19-2.50 and completed the 800 in 2:25.17.
Kizirian, a senior, led the way for the University of Colorado at the Wyoming Power Meet on Friday night, recording a school record in the weight throw. Kizirian recorded a mark of 67-2, surpassing the previous CU record of 63-9.50 (2007). Kizirian started the day off with a mark of 66-3.75, but his following toss was his best mark of the day, setting the program record. On his third attempt of the day, he threw 65-3.25. His next three attempts were 66-7.25, 66-11.25 and he fouled on his sixth and final try.
