Colorado Wraps Up Nonconference Schedule Wednesday

BOYLE MILESTONE: Head coach Tad Boyle, in his 13th season, has 261 wins at Colorado, tied with Russell "Sox" Walseth for the most in program history.

Boyle-led teams own nine of the 13 20-win seasons in team history, the top five single-season win totals and six of the top seven. With a record of 261-160 at CU, his 62.0 winning percentage is second all-time just behind Forrest "Frosty" Cox at 62.3 from 1936-50.

Boyle has 110 Pac-12 regular season wins, tying California's Ben Braun (1997-08) for 19th in conference history.

CELEBRATING SOX: As the baton is passed to Tad Boyle as the winningest coach in Colorado men's basketball history - whether it be on Wednesday or in the near future - a look at Sox Walseth's historic career.

Walseth was likely the first and one of just a few to have coached both the men's and women's program at the same NCAA school.

His time at CU spanned 38 years, starting as an athlete in the 1940s when he lettered in both basketball and baseball. He then worked as the head freshman coach for five years (three under his coach, Frosty Cox, and two under H.B. Lee); after two years as head coach at South Dakota State, he replaced Lee for the 1956-57 season and would proceed to coach 20 Buffalo teams.

Posting a 261-245 record, the Buffs won three Big Eight titles and advanced to three NCAA Tournaments under his direction, in 1961-62, 1962-63 and 1968-69. He was the Big Eight Conference coach of the year on five occasions, and his star players included Ken Charlton, Jim Davis, Cliff Meely and Scott Wedman.

He then coached the women's team between 1980-83, then known as the "Lady Buffs," compiling an impressive 77-21 record. That mark included an incredible 43-0 record at home, and once again, he earned coach of the year accolades. The basketball floor at the CU Events Center is named after him.

Walseth, who passed away on Jan. 28, 2004, at the age of 77, is a member of the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame and the CU Athletic Hall of Fame.

THE SEASON: Colorado is 7-5 overall and winners of its last three after defeating Northern Colorado 88-77 on Dec. 18, its third of a four-game home stand to finish off nonconference play.

During this three-game win streak, the Buffaloes are averaging 88.3 points per game while shooting 54.7 percent from the field (104-190). Colorado has committed just 29 turnovers (9.7 topg) over the last three games while enjoying a plus-39 advantage on the boards (+13.0 per game). The Buffaloes have won 35 straight home games when scoring at least 80 points.

Colorado had 35 field goals against UNC, hitting 30-plus field goals for the second-straight game and fifth time this season. The Buffaloes have won 14-straight when hitting that mark dating back to the 2020-21 season. In the Pac-12 era, Colorado is 56-7, when making 30 or more field goals.

Colorado leads the Pac-12 Conference offensive rebounds (12.0 orpg) while ranking second in steals (8.1 spg), third in scoring (75.6 ppg), fourth in turnover margin (0.0), defensive rebounds (27.8 drpg), overall rebounding (39.7 rpg) and rebound margin (+6.2) and fifth in 3-pointers made (7.3 3mpg), 3-point percentage (.337) and scoring margin (+7.2).

Sophomore KJ Simpson leads Colorado at 16.9 points, 3.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He also tops the Buffaloes in field goals (73), 3-pointers (25) and free throws made (32).

Simpson, who has scored in double-figures in all 12 games, had 18 points on an efficient 7 of 10 shooting in the win over Northern Colorado. His 70 percent shooting performance is a personal-best single-game mark with double-digit attempts. He added four assists against the Bears and has a 4.3 assist-to-turnover ratio the last three games (13:3).

Simpson had 27 points, including a career-high five 3-pointers, to lead Colorado over Colorado State. It was his third career 20-point game - all coming this season. His five 3-pointers ties a team season-high as well (Ethan Wright vs. Texas A&M).

On the Pac-12 charts Simpson is fourth in scoring, seventh in steals, eighth in assists, 10th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5) and 12th in 3-point percentage (.385).

Junior forward Tristan da Silva is averaging 15.5 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 52.7 percent from the field. Da Silva scored 26 points against Northern Colorado, his second-straight game eclipsing his previous career high. He had multiple career highs against North Alabama, scoring 25 points on 11 of 18 shooting along with nine rebounds and three steals.

Da Silva is the first CU player since George King to record back-to-back games of 25 or more points. King had 25 in consecutive games against Mercer and Air Force Nov. 19 & 26, 2017.

Over the last six games da Silva is averaging 18.2 points while shooting 55 percent (45-82).

On the Pac-12 charts, da Silva is 11th in scoring, 13th in steals (1.2 spg) and 14th in 3-point percentage (.375) and overall shooting percentage.

Junior J'Vonne Hadley leads the Buffaloes and ranks fifth in the Pac-12 in rebounding (7.3 rpg). Hadley tops CU in field goal shooting at 55.4 percent while averaging 10.2 points per game.

Hadley just missed a double-double against Northern Colorado with nine points and a team-high nine rebounds. It was his second 9-9 game in three outings (CSU).

In his last six games Hadley is shooting 65 percent, having made 26 of 40 shots. He leads the Pac-12 in offensive rebounds (3.2 orpg) while ranking ninth in field goal percentage.

Graduate senior Jalen Gabbidon is averaging 6.6 points while ranking third on the team in steals with 12. Gabbidon had eight points and tied his CU-high with five rebounds against North Alabama.

Sophomore Lawson Lovering leads Colorado in blocks (14) while ranking fourth in rebounding (4.3 rpg) and assists (16). Lovering tied his career-best and team season-high with three blocks against Northern Colorado. He ranks 11th in the Pac-12 in blocks at 1.2 per game.

Nique Clifford is averaging 6.1 points and 4.2 rebounds while ranking second on the team in assists with 21. Clifford had 13 points, hitting 6 of 9 from the field against Colorado State along with a pair of blocked shots. He had a season-high eight rebounds against Northern Colorado.

Luke O'Brien is averaging 4.5 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. O'Brien had 11 points and six rebounds against North Alabama. Along with pitching in 10 points against Colorado State, O'Brien scored in double-figures in back-to-back games, a mark he hit just once in his first 52 collegiate games.

Javon Ruffin is tied for seventh in the Pac-12 in 3-point shooting at 42.9 percent. Ruffin scored 12 points on 4 of 5 shooting against Northern Colorado. Julian Hammond III had a season-high 11 points vs. UNC.

ABOUT THE THUNDERBIRDS: Southern Utah is 8-4 overall and has won four straight and five of six. The Thunderbirds are coming off a 106-101 overtime thriller against Northern Arizona on Dec. 17. That game marked the fourth time SUU has broken 100 points this season for a squad that ranks second in the nation in scoring at 91.0 points per game. Southern Utah also ranks seventh nationally in free throws made at 19 per game and shoots 73.3 percent from the line. Defensively, Southern Utah allows 71.8 points while opponents shoot 42.5 percent. The Thunderbirds rank eighth in the nation in steals at 10.8 per game.

Senior guard Tevian Jones leads Southern Utah at 20.3 points per game and paces the squad in field goals (70), 3-pointers (28) and free throws (55) made. Senior guard Harrison Butler averages 13.5 points and leads the Thunderbirds in rebounding at 6.6 per game. Sophomore center Jason Spurgin averages 10.0 points and 4.9 rebounds while shooting 61 percent from the field.

SERIES RECORDS: This will be the second meeting between Colorado and Southern Utah. The Thunderbirds claimed the only previous meeting with an 82-80 overtime decision on Jan. 16, 1996, in Boulder.

NONCONFERENCE NUMBERS: Colorado is 117-37 (.760) in nonconference regular season games under head coach Tad Boyle including a 70-20 mark (.778) since the beginning of the 2014-15 season.

Colorado is 87-7 (.926) in nonconference home games under Boyle, a record which includes a 6-1 mark in postseason action.

The 10 nonconference opponents Colorado has played have combined to win 66.4 percent of their games through Dec. 18. Add the Buffaloes' Pac-12 games with Washington and Arizona State, Colorado has an average opponent NET rank of 100 - the ninth best mark in the nation.

CU Nonconference Opponents (through Dec. 18)
Opponent (CU's Result)                W-L (Conf.)                     NET Rk
UC Riverside (W, 82-66)                6-4 (0-0 Big West)            119
at Grambling State (L, 74-83)         6-4 (0-0 SWAC)                128
vs. Tennessee (W, 78-66)             9-2 (0-0 SEC)                   4
vs. UMass (L, 63-66)                     8-3 (0-0 A-10)                 108
vs. Texas A&M (W, 103-75)           6-4 (0-0 SEC)                   87
vs. Boise State (L, 55-68)               10-2 (0-0 MWC)               39
Yale (W, 65-62)                           9-3 (0-0 Ivy)                    45
Colorado State (W, 93-65)             8-4 (0-0 MWC)                79
North Alabama (W, 84-60)             6-5 (0-0 ASUN)                270
Northern Colorado (W, 88-77)        5-6 (0-0 Big Sky)             199
Total      73-37 (.664)

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Players Mentioned

Nique Clifford

Tristan da Silva

Jalen Gabbidon

J'Vonne Hadley

Julian Hammond III

Lawson Lovering

Luke O'Brien

Javon Ruffin

KJ Simpson

Ethan Wright