Thursday, December 1
Boulder, Colo.
6:30 PM
Colorado
vs
Arizona State
Ethan Wright
Photo by: Joel Broida
Buffaloes Open Pac-12 Action Thursday Against Arizona State
November 30, 2022 | Men's Basketball
THE SEASON: Colorado is 4-3 overall, coming off a 65-62 home win over Yale on Nov. 27. It was the Buffaloes first home game in nearly three weeks. CU had been on a 12-day, three-state, five-game road trip. It's the first time Colorado has played five of its first six games of any season on the road since the 1955-56 season (see details later in the notes).
Colorado's trip was up and down to say the least. The Buffaloes were 2-3 during that span, but both of those wins came against ranked opponents. Colorado defeated then No. 11 (AP & Coaches) ranked Tennessee at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Nov. 13. During the Myrtle Beach Invitational, Colorado blitzed then No. 24 (AP) ranked Texas A&M 103-75 on Nov. 18.
While Colorado is 2-0 against ranked SEC opponents, the Buffaloes  find themselves at 2-3 against the rest of their schedule. Colorado hasn't put back-to-back wins together since the final game of the 2021-22 regular season (at Utah) and quarterfinal of the Pac-12 Tournament (Oregon) - a span of nine contests.
Colorado is averaging 74.3 points per game, ranking fourth in the Pac-12 Conference. The Buffaloes are shooting 43 percent from the field and 32 percent from 3-point range. Colorado is allowing 69.4 points per game, ranking second-to-last in the Pac-12. Opponents are shooting just above 40 percent. Colorado is second in the Pac-12 in steals, recording nearly nine per contest.
Sophomore KJ Simpson leads Colorado at 17.1 points, 3.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game. He paced the Buffaloes at the Myrtle Beach Invitational at 19.0 points with a team-best 19 rebounds (6.3 rpg).
Simpson logged career highs in points (30), field goals made (11) and steals (6) against Texas A&M. It was the first 30-point game for the Buffaloes since McKinley Wright IV had 30 against South Dakota State on Dec. 15, 2017. His six steals are the most by a Buff since Tyler Bey had six against UC Irvine, exactly three years ago on Nov. 18, 2019. The six steals set a Myrtle Beach Invitational single-game record.
On the Pac-12 charts Simpson is second in steals, fourth in scoring, seventh in defensive rebounds (4.6 drpg), eighth in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4) and 13th in free throw percentage (.767).
Junior forward Tristan da Silva is averaging 12.1 points while shooting 50 percent from the field. Da Silva led Colorado against Yale with a season-high 20 points, the second 20-point game of his career. He also matched season highs with six rebounds and eight field goals made. Â Da Silva averaged 11.7 points and shot an even 50 percent (14-28) at the Myrtle Beach Invitational.
Junior J'Vonne Hadley leads the Buffaloes in rebounding (8.0 rpg) and is tied (with da Silva) for the lead in field goal shooting at 50 percent while ranking third in scoring at 10.4 per game. He returned to the lineup against Yale after missing two games with a shoulder injury, coming off the bench to score 13 points on 5 of 6 shooting.Â
Graduate senior Jalen Gabbidon is averaging 7.9 points while ranking second on the team in steals with 10. The Yale graduate has started the last three games. He had two points against his former team, but they were huge. Yale had the ball down three with five seconds left, but Gabbidon stole the ball, was fouled, and clinched the game at the line. Gabbidon is tied for seventh in the Pac-12 in steals at 1.4 per game.
Sophomore Lawson Lovering leads Colorado in blocks (nine) while ranking second in assists (12) and third in rebounding (4.4 rpg). Lovering recorded a career-high and matched a team season-best with three blocked shots against Yale. He has a block in all seven games this season but it was his first time with multiple blocks in any one contest. On the Pac-12 charts, Lovering is 10th in offensive rebounds (2.1 orpg) and 11th in blocks.
Lovering averaged 4.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists at the Myrtle Beach Invitational He dished out a career-best four assists against Texas A&M, one better than his previous-best three a day earlier against UMass. Lovering has made 6-of-9 from the field after making just 2-of-11 in his first three games.
Graduate senior Ethan Wright is averaging 6.1 points, hitting a team-best 50 percent from 3-point range (8-16). Â Wright recorded CU highs with 15 points, hitting 5-of-6 from 3-point range against Texas A&M.Â
After a 3-for-8 start from downtown, Wright has made 8-of-14 from long range over the last four games. He hit at least five 3-pointers for the fourth time in his career. Wright has two games with seven 3-pointers made, both for Princeton during the 2021-22 season. Wright is sixth in 3-point shooting and tied for 14th in steals (1.0 spg) on the league leaderboard.
Nique Clifford is averaging 6.6 points and 3.6 rebounds while ranking second on the team in assists with 12. He tied with Wright for 14th in the Pac-12 in steals (1.0 spg).
ABOUT THE SUN DEVILS: Arizona State is 6-1 overall and has won its last four including a 87-62 win over then-No. 20 ranked Michigan to claim the Legends Classic title. Arizona State averages 74.0 points while shooting 44 percent from the field. Defensively, the Sun Devils are holding opponents to 59.7 points on 34 percent shooting, both numbers ranking second in the Pac-12.
Junior guard DJ Horne leads ASU at 13.1 points per game with a team-best 13 3-point field goals. Sophomore guard Frankie Collins averages 12.9 points and ranks fourth in the Pac-12 at 5.1 assists per game. Senior forward Warren Washington averages 8.3 points and leads the Sun Devils in rebounding (6.7 rpg) and blocked shots (2.0 bpg) while shooting 72 percent from the field.
SERIES RECORDS: This will be the 25th meeting between Colorado and Arizona State with the Buffaloes holding a 14-10 series lead. The Buffaloes have won seven of the last 10 meetings. Arizona State took the last battle, an 82-65 decision at the CU Events Center, giving the Sun Devils just their second win in 11 tries in Boulder.
CONFERENCE OPENERS: Colorado is 5-6 in Pac-12 openers and 49-61 all-time in conference openers. The Buffaloes have won their last five home conference openers.
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Colorado's trip was up and down to say the least. The Buffaloes were 2-3 during that span, but both of those wins came against ranked opponents. Colorado defeated then No. 11 (AP & Coaches) ranked Tennessee at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Nov. 13. During the Myrtle Beach Invitational, Colorado blitzed then No. 24 (AP) ranked Texas A&M 103-75 on Nov. 18.
While Colorado is 2-0 against ranked SEC opponents, the Buffaloes  find themselves at 2-3 against the rest of their schedule. Colorado hasn't put back-to-back wins together since the final game of the 2021-22 regular season (at Utah) and quarterfinal of the Pac-12 Tournament (Oregon) - a span of nine contests.
Colorado is averaging 74.3 points per game, ranking fourth in the Pac-12 Conference. The Buffaloes are shooting 43 percent from the field and 32 percent from 3-point range. Colorado is allowing 69.4 points per game, ranking second-to-last in the Pac-12. Opponents are shooting just above 40 percent. Colorado is second in the Pac-12 in steals, recording nearly nine per contest.
Sophomore KJ Simpson leads Colorado at 17.1 points, 3.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game. He paced the Buffaloes at the Myrtle Beach Invitational at 19.0 points with a team-best 19 rebounds (6.3 rpg).
Simpson logged career highs in points (30), field goals made (11) and steals (6) against Texas A&M. It was the first 30-point game for the Buffaloes since McKinley Wright IV had 30 against South Dakota State on Dec. 15, 2017. His six steals are the most by a Buff since Tyler Bey had six against UC Irvine, exactly three years ago on Nov. 18, 2019. The six steals set a Myrtle Beach Invitational single-game record.
On the Pac-12 charts Simpson is second in steals, fourth in scoring, seventh in defensive rebounds (4.6 drpg), eighth in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4) and 13th in free throw percentage (.767).
Junior forward Tristan da Silva is averaging 12.1 points while shooting 50 percent from the field. Da Silva led Colorado against Yale with a season-high 20 points, the second 20-point game of his career. He also matched season highs with six rebounds and eight field goals made. Â Da Silva averaged 11.7 points and shot an even 50 percent (14-28) at the Myrtle Beach Invitational.
Junior J'Vonne Hadley leads the Buffaloes in rebounding (8.0 rpg) and is tied (with da Silva) for the lead in field goal shooting at 50 percent while ranking third in scoring at 10.4 per game. He returned to the lineup against Yale after missing two games with a shoulder injury, coming off the bench to score 13 points on 5 of 6 shooting.Â
Graduate senior Jalen Gabbidon is averaging 7.9 points while ranking second on the team in steals with 10. The Yale graduate has started the last three games. He had two points against his former team, but they were huge. Yale had the ball down three with five seconds left, but Gabbidon stole the ball, was fouled, and clinched the game at the line. Gabbidon is tied for seventh in the Pac-12 in steals at 1.4 per game.
Sophomore Lawson Lovering leads Colorado in blocks (nine) while ranking second in assists (12) and third in rebounding (4.4 rpg). Lovering recorded a career-high and matched a team season-best with three blocked shots against Yale. He has a block in all seven games this season but it was his first time with multiple blocks in any one contest. On the Pac-12 charts, Lovering is 10th in offensive rebounds (2.1 orpg) and 11th in blocks.
Lovering averaged 4.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists at the Myrtle Beach Invitational He dished out a career-best four assists against Texas A&M, one better than his previous-best three a day earlier against UMass. Lovering has made 6-of-9 from the field after making just 2-of-11 in his first three games.
Graduate senior Ethan Wright is averaging 6.1 points, hitting a team-best 50 percent from 3-point range (8-16). Â Wright recorded CU highs with 15 points, hitting 5-of-6 from 3-point range against Texas A&M.Â
After a 3-for-8 start from downtown, Wright has made 8-of-14 from long range over the last four games. He hit at least five 3-pointers for the fourth time in his career. Wright has two games with seven 3-pointers made, both for Princeton during the 2021-22 season. Wright is sixth in 3-point shooting and tied for 14th in steals (1.0 spg) on the league leaderboard.
Nique Clifford is averaging 6.6 points and 3.6 rebounds while ranking second on the team in assists with 12. He tied with Wright for 14th in the Pac-12 in steals (1.0 spg).
ABOUT THE SUN DEVILS: Arizona State is 6-1 overall and has won its last four including a 87-62 win over then-No. 20 ranked Michigan to claim the Legends Classic title. Arizona State averages 74.0 points while shooting 44 percent from the field. Defensively, the Sun Devils are holding opponents to 59.7 points on 34 percent shooting, both numbers ranking second in the Pac-12.
Junior guard DJ Horne leads ASU at 13.1 points per game with a team-best 13 3-point field goals. Sophomore guard Frankie Collins averages 12.9 points and ranks fourth in the Pac-12 at 5.1 assists per game. Senior forward Warren Washington averages 8.3 points and leads the Sun Devils in rebounding (6.7 rpg) and blocked shots (2.0 bpg) while shooting 72 percent from the field.
SERIES RECORDS: This will be the 25th meeting between Colorado and Arizona State with the Buffaloes holding a 14-10 series lead. The Buffaloes have won seven of the last 10 meetings. Arizona State took the last battle, an 82-65 decision at the CU Events Center, giving the Sun Devils just their second win in 11 tries in Boulder.
CONFERENCE OPENERS: Colorado is 5-6 in Pac-12 openers and 49-61 all-time in conference openers. The Buffaloes have won their last five home conference openers.
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