Sunday, November 26
Boulder, Colo.
12:00 PM
Colorado
vs
Iona
KJ Simpson
Photo by: Tony Harman
Colorado Set To Battle Iona
November 25, 2023 | Men's Basketball
Game 6 - Iona, Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023
CU Events Center, Boulder, Colo.
Tip: 12:06 p.m. MT
TV: Pac-12 Network (Drew Goodman, Casey Jacobsen)
Watch Online: Pac-12 Now App, Pac-12.com
Radio: KHOW 630 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Satellite: Sirius XM 373 & SXM App (Pac12Radio)
Listen Online: CUBuffs.com
Live Statistics: http://statb.us/b/483967
THE BUFFALOES: No. 18 (Associated Press) / 21 (USA Today Coaches) ranked Colorado is 4-1 on the season after placing second at the 2023 Sunshine Slam in Daytona Beach, Fla., last week. The Buffaloes edged out Richmond 64-59 in the semifinal game on Nov. 20, before dropping their first game of the season, 77-71 in overtime to Florida State.
Colorado is averaging 82.2 points per game, ranking third in the Pac-12 Conference. The Buffaloes are hitting 48.5 percent from the field including a league-best 43.3 percent mark from 3-point range. Colorado also leads the Pac-12 in free throw accuracy at 77.5 percent..
SHARING THE BALL: Colorado enters the weekend ranking second in the Pac-12 and 13th in the nation in assists at 19.4 per game. With 25 assists in the Milwaukee game, the Buffaloes dished out at least 20 dimes in three-straight games, their longest streak of that nature since the first three games of the 2001-02 season.Â
Prior to that run, Colorado had three games with 20-plus assists over the previous 44 contests dating back to the 2021-22 season.
Colorado dished out 28 assists against Grambling State, the program's most since dishing out 29 vs Mercer on Dec. 22, 2005. It ties for the 19th most in a single game in team history.
Colorado has won 28-straight when dishing out at least 21 assists and has won 75 of its last 79 dating back to the 1996-97 season.
INDIVIDUALLY SPEAKING: Junior KJ Simpson tops Colorado at 19.0 points and 4.4 assists per game while ranking second in steals (1.4 spg) and third in rebounding (4.8 rpg). Simpson has made 24 of 27 from the line (.889) leading the Buffaloes in all three categories.
Simpson was named to the Sunshine Slam All-Tournament Team, averaging 19.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in the two games in Daytona Beach. He led the Buffaloes with 23 points against Richmond, matching a team season-high. Simpson had 15 points and a season-best nine rebounds against Florida State.
On the Pac-12 charts, Simpson is third in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.7), fourth in free throw percentage, fifth in scoring, six in assists and 10th in steals.
Senior Tristan da Silva is averaging 14.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists while hitting 54 percent from the field and 44 percent from 3-point range. He had 15 points and a season-best eight rebounds in the Sunshine Slam win over Richmond.
On the Pac-12 charts, da Silva ranks 12th in 3-point percentage, 13th in field goal shooting, 14th in blocks and 15th in scoring.
Senior J'Vonne Hadley averages 10.0 points per game while leading the Buffaloes in shooting (.593) and steals (eight) and ranking second in rebounding (6.6 rpg). Hadley had six points, six rebounds and a team season-high four steals against Richmond. He had eight points and seven rebounds against Florida State.
Hadley is fifth in field goal percentage, eighth in steals, ninth in overall rebounds, defensive rebounds (4.6 drpg) and free throw percentage (.818) and 14th in offensive rebounds (2.0 orpg) on the Pac-12 charts.
Senior Eddie Lampkin, Jr., leads the Buffaloes and ranks fourth in the Pac-12 in rebounding at 8.4 per game. He had a game-high 11 rebounds along with eight points and four assists in the Sunshine Slam championship game against Florida State.
The 11 rebounds against FSU marked Lampkin's second double-figure rebounding game of the season. He had his first double-double in a Colorado uniform with 14 points and a team season-high 12 rebounds against Milwaukee. It was the seventh overall double-double for Lampkin who had six with TCU.Â
Lampkin is second in the Pac-12 in offensive rebounds (3.2 orpg) and fifth in defensive boards (5.2 drpg).
Freshman Cody Williams is third on the team in scoring at 11.0 points per game while shooting 53 percent from the field. He earned Sunshine Slam All-Tournament Team honors averaging 11.5 points in the two games in Daytona Beach. Williams tied his collegiate best with a team-high 17 points against Florida State.
Junior Julian Hammond III is averaging 9.8 points and is second on the team in assists with 15. Hammond is second in the Pac-12 in 3-point shooting at 50 percent and also ranks eighth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.1) and 14th in assists (3.0 apg).
ABOUT THE GAELS: Iona is 2-3 overall, preparing for its fifth game away from home to start the season. The Gaels went 1-2 at the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Fla, last week falling to High Point (82-68) and Long Beach State (80-76) before defeating Buffalo in their final game, 89-64.
Iona is averaging 78.0 points per game while shooting 44.7 percent from the field. The Gaels allow 75.6 points with opponents shooting nearly 46 percent from the field. Iona leads the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in steals at 9.4 per game.
Graduate Idan Tretout leads Iona at 16.8 points per game shooting 45.2 percent from the field. Greg Gordon leads the Gaels in rebounding at 7.0 per game while pitching in 11.4 points per contest. Wheza Panzo averages 13.6 points and leads Iona in 3-pointers with 18.Â
THE SERIES: This will be the second meeting between Colorado and Iona. The Buffaloes cruised in the only other meeting, a 99-54 decision on Dec. 29, 2019. Colorado tied its school record of 17 3-pointers in that contest which also serve as the 200th win at Colorado for head coach Tad Boyle.
NATIONALLY RANKED: Colorado jumped seven spots into 18th in the second regular season Associated Press Top 25 Poll released on Nov. 20. The No. 18 AP ranking is the program's best since hitting No. 18 on Feb. 7, 2020. Colorado debuted at No. 25 in the first regular season Associated Press Top 25 Men's Basketball Poll released on Nov. 13.
It was just the second time since 1970 the Buffaloes appeared in the first regular season AP Poll. Colorado appeared in the exact same spot, No. 25, on Nov. 11, 2019; a season where the Buffaloes were ranked for a school-record 13 weeks, climbing as high as No. 16.
Overall this week's recognition marks Colorado's 57th all-time appearance in the AP Poll. The Buffaloes were second among teams receiving votes in this year's preseason poll.
Colorado debuted at No. 21 in the second USA Today Sports Coaches Top 25 Poll released on Nov. 20.
NONCONFERENCE NUMBERS: Colorado is 122-38 (.763) in nonconference regular season games under head coach Tad Boyle including a 75-21 mark (.781) since the beginning of the 2014-15 season.
Colorado is 92-8 (.920) in nonconference home games under Boyle, a record which includes a 7-2 mark in postseason action.
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CU Events Center, Boulder, Colo.
Tip: 12:06 p.m. MT
TV: Pac-12 Network (Drew Goodman, Casey Jacobsen)
Watch Online: Pac-12 Now App, Pac-12.com
Radio: KHOW 630 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Satellite: Sirius XM 373 & SXM App (Pac12Radio)
Listen Online: CUBuffs.com
Live Statistics: http://statb.us/b/483967
THE BUFFALOES: No. 18 (Associated Press) / 21 (USA Today Coaches) ranked Colorado is 4-1 on the season after placing second at the 2023 Sunshine Slam in Daytona Beach, Fla., last week. The Buffaloes edged out Richmond 64-59 in the semifinal game on Nov. 20, before dropping their first game of the season, 77-71 in overtime to Florida State.
Colorado is averaging 82.2 points per game, ranking third in the Pac-12 Conference. The Buffaloes are hitting 48.5 percent from the field including a league-best 43.3 percent mark from 3-point range. Colorado also leads the Pac-12 in free throw accuracy at 77.5 percent..
SHARING THE BALL: Colorado enters the weekend ranking second in the Pac-12 and 13th in the nation in assists at 19.4 per game. With 25 assists in the Milwaukee game, the Buffaloes dished out at least 20 dimes in three-straight games, their longest streak of that nature since the first three games of the 2001-02 season.Â
Prior to that run, Colorado had three games with 20-plus assists over the previous 44 contests dating back to the 2021-22 season.
Colorado dished out 28 assists against Grambling State, the program's most since dishing out 29 vs Mercer on Dec. 22, 2005. It ties for the 19th most in a single game in team history.
Colorado has won 28-straight when dishing out at least 21 assists and has won 75 of its last 79 dating back to the 1996-97 season.
INDIVIDUALLY SPEAKING: Junior KJ Simpson tops Colorado at 19.0 points and 4.4 assists per game while ranking second in steals (1.4 spg) and third in rebounding (4.8 rpg). Simpson has made 24 of 27 from the line (.889) leading the Buffaloes in all three categories.
Simpson was named to the Sunshine Slam All-Tournament Team, averaging 19.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in the two games in Daytona Beach. He led the Buffaloes with 23 points against Richmond, matching a team season-high. Simpson had 15 points and a season-best nine rebounds against Florida State.
On the Pac-12 charts, Simpson is third in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.7), fourth in free throw percentage, fifth in scoring, six in assists and 10th in steals.
Senior Tristan da Silva is averaging 14.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists while hitting 54 percent from the field and 44 percent from 3-point range. He had 15 points and a season-best eight rebounds in the Sunshine Slam win over Richmond.
On the Pac-12 charts, da Silva ranks 12th in 3-point percentage, 13th in field goal shooting, 14th in blocks and 15th in scoring.
Senior J'Vonne Hadley averages 10.0 points per game while leading the Buffaloes in shooting (.593) and steals (eight) and ranking second in rebounding (6.6 rpg). Hadley had six points, six rebounds and a team season-high four steals against Richmond. He had eight points and seven rebounds against Florida State.
Hadley is fifth in field goal percentage, eighth in steals, ninth in overall rebounds, defensive rebounds (4.6 drpg) and free throw percentage (.818) and 14th in offensive rebounds (2.0 orpg) on the Pac-12 charts.
Senior Eddie Lampkin, Jr., leads the Buffaloes and ranks fourth in the Pac-12 in rebounding at 8.4 per game. He had a game-high 11 rebounds along with eight points and four assists in the Sunshine Slam championship game against Florida State.
The 11 rebounds against FSU marked Lampkin's second double-figure rebounding game of the season. He had his first double-double in a Colorado uniform with 14 points and a team season-high 12 rebounds against Milwaukee. It was the seventh overall double-double for Lampkin who had six with TCU.Â
Lampkin is second in the Pac-12 in offensive rebounds (3.2 orpg) and fifth in defensive boards (5.2 drpg).
Freshman Cody Williams is third on the team in scoring at 11.0 points per game while shooting 53 percent from the field. He earned Sunshine Slam All-Tournament Team honors averaging 11.5 points in the two games in Daytona Beach. Williams tied his collegiate best with a team-high 17 points against Florida State.
Junior Julian Hammond III is averaging 9.8 points and is second on the team in assists with 15. Hammond is second in the Pac-12 in 3-point shooting at 50 percent and also ranks eighth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.1) and 14th in assists (3.0 apg).
ABOUT THE GAELS: Iona is 2-3 overall, preparing for its fifth game away from home to start the season. The Gaels went 1-2 at the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Fla, last week falling to High Point (82-68) and Long Beach State (80-76) before defeating Buffalo in their final game, 89-64.
Iona is averaging 78.0 points per game while shooting 44.7 percent from the field. The Gaels allow 75.6 points with opponents shooting nearly 46 percent from the field. Iona leads the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in steals at 9.4 per game.
Graduate Idan Tretout leads Iona at 16.8 points per game shooting 45.2 percent from the field. Greg Gordon leads the Gaels in rebounding at 7.0 per game while pitching in 11.4 points per contest. Wheza Panzo averages 13.6 points and leads Iona in 3-pointers with 18.Â
THE SERIES: This will be the second meeting between Colorado and Iona. The Buffaloes cruised in the only other meeting, a 99-54 decision on Dec. 29, 2019. Colorado tied its school record of 17 3-pointers in that contest which also serve as the 200th win at Colorado for head coach Tad Boyle.
NATIONALLY RANKED: Colorado jumped seven spots into 18th in the second regular season Associated Press Top 25 Poll released on Nov. 20. The No. 18 AP ranking is the program's best since hitting No. 18 on Feb. 7, 2020. Colorado debuted at No. 25 in the first regular season Associated Press Top 25 Men's Basketball Poll released on Nov. 13.
It was just the second time since 1970 the Buffaloes appeared in the first regular season AP Poll. Colorado appeared in the exact same spot, No. 25, on Nov. 11, 2019; a season where the Buffaloes were ranked for a school-record 13 weeks, climbing as high as No. 16.
Overall this week's recognition marks Colorado's 57th all-time appearance in the AP Poll. The Buffaloes were second among teams receiving votes in this year's preseason poll.
Colorado debuted at No. 21 in the second USA Today Sports Coaches Top 25 Poll released on Nov. 20.
NONCONFERENCE NUMBERS: Colorado is 122-38 (.763) in nonconference regular season games under head coach Tad Boyle including a 75-21 mark (.781) since the beginning of the 2014-15 season.
Colorado is 92-8 (.920) in nonconference home games under Boyle, a record which includes a 7-2 mark in postseason action.
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Players Mentioned
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