Sunday, December 10
Brooklyn, N.Y.
12:00 PM
Colorado
vs
Miami (Florida)
J'Vonne Hadley
Photo by: Tony Harman
Buffs Set To Face #15 Miami In NABC Brooklyn Showcase
December 09, 2023 | Men's Basketball
Tip: 12 p.m. MT
TV: ESPN2 (Kevin Brown, Cory Alexander)
Watch Online: WatchESPN
Radio: KHOW 630 AM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Satellite: Sirius XM 161 or 198 & SXM App (960)
Listen Online: CUBuffs.com
Live Statistics: https://statb.us/b/494584Â
THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 6-2 following a 91-66 decision over Pepperdine at the CU Events Center on Dec. 10. The win moved the Buffaloes to a perfect 5-0 record at home and will be looking to take that success out on the road. Colorado is 1-2 away from home this year will all three of those contests being decided by six points or less. One of those games - the last neutral site game against Florida State went to overtime.
Colorado is one of the top all-around shooting teams in the country, ranking in the top 11 nationally in all three percentage categories: overall field goal, 3-point and free throws. The Buffaloes are fourth in the nation in 3-point accuracy at 41.8 percent, eighth in overall shooting (.516) and 11th from the line (.787). Colorado is the only program in the nation ranked in the top 11 in all three categories (through games of Dec. 6). The Buffaloes lead the Pac-12 Conference in all three as well.
Against Pepperdine, Colorado shot 57.4 percent (31-54), its third-straight game at 54 percent or better and sixth time above 50 percent in eight games. The Buffaloes had seven games at .500 or better in 35 games last season (6-1).Â
Colorado improved to 99-8 in the Tad Boyle era (since 2010-11) when shooting at least 50 percent.
Against Iona, Colorado shot 60.8 percent from the field (31-51), its best mark since shooting 63.3 percent (31-59) vs. Northern Colorado on Dec. 13, 2014. Â
Colorado's 54.5 percent shooting at Colorado State on Nov. 29 was its best in a true road game since shooting 58.6 percent in a win at Air Force on Nov. 24, 2018.
The Buffaloes also sport top 40 marks nationally in rebound margin (+10; 21st), assists (17.8 apg; 23rd), free throws made (18.0 ftmpg, 27th), scoring offense (83.8 ppg, 34th) and scoring margin (+14.1, 39th). Â
INDIVIDUALLY SPEAKING: Junior KJ Simpson tops Colorado at 19.4 points, 4.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game while ranking fourth in rebounding (4.5 rpg). He had 15 points, on 6 of 7 shooting, with four assists against Pepperdine.
Over the last three games, Simpson has shot 70.4 percent from the field (19-27).Â
Simpson scored a team season-high 30 points against Colorado State, hitting 9 of 13 from the field, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range, and a perfect 9 of 9 from the charity stripe. It was Simpson's second career 30-point game, just one point short of this 31-point performance at Stanford last season. Â
Simpson has made 41 of 45 from the line (.911) leading the Buffaloes in all three categories. He has made his last 14 from the free throw line.
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 and added 15 points and a season-best nine rebounds against Florida State.
On the Pac-12 charts, Simpson is third in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.2) and free throw percentage, fourth in scoring, seventh in assists, eighth in 3-point shooting (.452) and 13th in steals.
Senior Tristan da Silva is averaging 15.5 points and 4.5 rebounds while hitting 56 percent from the field and 46 percent from 3-point range.Â
Da Silva had a game-high 22 points in the win over Pepperdine, sporting a "perfect game" in the process. He was 5 of 5 from the field, including 2 of 2 from beyond the arc, and 10 of 10 from the free throw line. He's the only Colorado player since 1951-52 with at least five field goals and 10 free throws without a miss. Since the 1996-97 season, da Silva is the only Pac-12 player with those numbers and only one of 12 nationally. Da Silva had a 6 for 6 game from the field against Oregon State in 2020-21, but went 3 for 4 from the line finishing with 15 points.
On the Pac-12 charts, da Silva ranks seventh in 3-point accuracy (.455), eighth in free throw percentage (.844), 12th in scoring, 13th in overall field goal percentage and 15th in defensive rebounds (4.3 drpg).
Freshman Cody Williams is third on the team in scoring at 14.0 points per game while shooting a team-best 62.3 percent from the field. He is coming off his second-straight 21-point outing, hitting 9 of 13 from the field against Pepperdine.
His initial 21-point effort came at Colorado State, scoring all 21 in the second half.
Over the last four games Williams is averaging 17.8 points while shooting 68.3 percent from the field (28-41).
Williams earned Sunshine Slam All-Tournament Team honors averaging 11.5 points in the two games in Daytona Beach. He registered the first of his now four-straight double-figure scoring games with a team-high 17 points against Florida State.
On the Pac-12 charts, Williams is sixth in field goal percentage and 18th in scoring.
Junior Julian Hammond III is averaging 9.9 points and is second on the team in assists with 20. He had 10 points, of 4 of 6 shooting, with four assists in the win over Pepperdine.Â
Hammond is shooting 75 percent from the field over the last three games (12-16). He had nine points, on a perfect 4 of 4 shooting, along with a season-high four rebounds at Colorado State.Â
Hammond is third in the Pac-12 in 3-point shooting at 48.1 percent and tied for 10h in overall shooting at 57.1 percent.
Senior J'Vonne Hadley averages 9.1 points per game while ranking second on the team in rebounding (6.1 rpg) and steals (10) and third in free throws made and attempted (21-25, .840).Â
On the Pac-12 charts, Hadley is 10th in free throw shooting, 11th in overall rebounds, 13th in defensive boards (4.4 drpg) and 14th in field goal percentage (.553).
Senior Eddie Lampkin, Jr., leads the Buffaloes and ranks fifth in the Pac-12 in rebounding at 7.6 per game. Lampkin had 10 rebounds against Pepperdine, his third double-figure rebounding game of the season.Â
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 tied for third in the Pac-12 in offensive rebounds (2.5 orpg) and is eighth in defensive boards (5.1 drpg).
Senior Luke O'Brien is averaging 4.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. He's tied for the team lead in blocked shots with five and ranks fourth in steals (seven) and fifth in rebounding. O'Brien had a season-best four assists against Pepperdine which also matched a career-high.
ABOUT THE HURRICANES: Continuing the momentum from its Final Four run a year ago, Miami is 7-1 overall and ranked No. 15 in the latest Associated Press and USA Today Sports Coaches Top 25 polls. The Hurricanes have won their last two, including a 62-49 home win over Notre Dame in their Atlantic Coast Conference opener.
Like Colorado, Miami is off to a tremendous start offensively. The Hurricanes are averaging 84.6 points per game while shooting 51.3 percent from the field. Miami ranks second in the country in 3-point shooting at 42.5 percent and is also 10th nationally in 3-point defense, allowing opponents just 25.7 percent from deep. Overall opponents are averaging 69.5 points against the 'Canes while shooting 40.7 percent.
Junior guard Wooga Poplar leads the Hurricanes at 16.5 points per game and ranks fifth in the nation in 3-point shooting at 53.7 percent (22-41). Junior forward Norchad Omier tops Miami in rebounding at 9.8 per game while averaging 16.1 points on 57.7 percent shooting. Junior guard Matthew Cleveland averages 14.8 points on a team-best 64.8 percent from the field.
THE SERIES: This will be the second meeting between Colorado and Miami. The Buffaloes claimed the only other meeting, a 73-66 decision in Coral Gables, Fla., on Jan. 3, 1957. Colorado is 5-13 all-time against current ACC teams. This will be Colorado's second ACC opponent of the season, dropping a 77-71 decision to Florida State on Nov. 21, in the Sunshine Slam in Daytona Beach, Fla.
IN THE POLLS: Colorado was ranked in the first two Associated Press regular season polls, with a high of No. 18 on Nov. 20, 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 Colorado has 57 all-time appearances in the AP Poll. The Buffaloes were second among teams receiving votes in this year's preseason poll. Colorado received five points in the latest AP Poll on Dec. 4.
Colorado made its lone appearance this season in the USA Today Sports Coaches Top 25 poll on Nov. 20, coming in at No. 21.
AGAINST RANKED TEAMS: Colorado is 0-1 against ranked teams in 2023-24 after falling to No. 20/21 Colorado State on Nov. 29. It was the first time the Rams were ranked in the 131 games of the hardwood edition of the Rocky Mountain Showdown.
Colorado's 25 wins over ranked opponents in the Tad Boyle era is by far the best in team history. In fact Boyle coached teams, with a record of 25-47, have accounted for 36 percent of wins over ranked opponents (69) since 1949-50.
Â
TV: ESPN2 (Kevin Brown, Cory Alexander)
Watch Online: WatchESPN
Radio: KHOW 630 AM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Satellite: Sirius XM 161 or 198 & SXM App (960)
Listen Online: CUBuffs.com
Live Statistics: https://statb.us/b/494584Â
THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 6-2 following a 91-66 decision over Pepperdine at the CU Events Center on Dec. 10. The win moved the Buffaloes to a perfect 5-0 record at home and will be looking to take that success out on the road. Colorado is 1-2 away from home this year will all three of those contests being decided by six points or less. One of those games - the last neutral site game against Florida State went to overtime.
Colorado is one of the top all-around shooting teams in the country, ranking in the top 11 nationally in all three percentage categories: overall field goal, 3-point and free throws. The Buffaloes are fourth in the nation in 3-point accuracy at 41.8 percent, eighth in overall shooting (.516) and 11th from the line (.787). Colorado is the only program in the nation ranked in the top 11 in all three categories (through games of Dec. 6). The Buffaloes lead the Pac-12 Conference in all three as well.
Against Pepperdine, Colorado shot 57.4 percent (31-54), its third-straight game at 54 percent or better and sixth time above 50 percent in eight games. The Buffaloes had seven games at .500 or better in 35 games last season (6-1).Â
Colorado improved to 99-8 in the Tad Boyle era (since 2010-11) when shooting at least 50 percent.
Against Iona, Colorado shot 60.8 percent from the field (31-51), its best mark since shooting 63.3 percent (31-59) vs. Northern Colorado on Dec. 13, 2014. Â
Colorado's 54.5 percent shooting at Colorado State on Nov. 29 was its best in a true road game since shooting 58.6 percent in a win at Air Force on Nov. 24, 2018.
The Buffaloes also sport top 40 marks nationally in rebound margin (+10; 21st), assists (17.8 apg; 23rd), free throws made (18.0 ftmpg, 27th), scoring offense (83.8 ppg, 34th) and scoring margin (+14.1, 39th). Â
INDIVIDUALLY SPEAKING: Junior KJ Simpson tops Colorado at 19.4 points, 4.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game while ranking fourth in rebounding (4.5 rpg). He had 15 points, on 6 of 7 shooting, with four assists against Pepperdine.
Over the last three games, Simpson has shot 70.4 percent from the field (19-27).Â
Simpson scored a team season-high 30 points against Colorado State, hitting 9 of 13 from the field, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range, and a perfect 9 of 9 from the charity stripe. It was Simpson's second career 30-point game, just one point short of this 31-point performance at Stanford last season. Â
Simpson has made 41 of 45 from the line (.911) leading the Buffaloes in all three categories. He has made his last 14 from the free throw line.
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 and added 15 points and a season-best nine rebounds against Florida State.
On the Pac-12 charts, Simpson is third in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.2) and free throw percentage, fourth in scoring, seventh in assists, eighth in 3-point shooting (.452) and 13th in steals.
Senior Tristan da Silva is averaging 15.5 points and 4.5 rebounds while hitting 56 percent from the field and 46 percent from 3-point range.Â
Da Silva had a game-high 22 points in the win over Pepperdine, sporting a "perfect game" in the process. He was 5 of 5 from the field, including 2 of 2 from beyond the arc, and 10 of 10 from the free throw line. He's the only Colorado player since 1951-52 with at least five field goals and 10 free throws without a miss. Since the 1996-97 season, da Silva is the only Pac-12 player with those numbers and only one of 12 nationally. Da Silva had a 6 for 6 game from the field against Oregon State in 2020-21, but went 3 for 4 from the line finishing with 15 points.
On the Pac-12 charts, da Silva ranks seventh in 3-point accuracy (.455), eighth in free throw percentage (.844), 12th in scoring, 13th in overall field goal percentage and 15th in defensive rebounds (4.3 drpg).
Freshman Cody Williams is third on the team in scoring at 14.0 points per game while shooting a team-best 62.3 percent from the field. He is coming off his second-straight 21-point outing, hitting 9 of 13 from the field against Pepperdine.
His initial 21-point effort came at Colorado State, scoring all 21 in the second half.
Over the last four games Williams is averaging 17.8 points while shooting 68.3 percent from the field (28-41).
Williams earned Sunshine Slam All-Tournament Team honors averaging 11.5 points in the two games in Daytona Beach. He registered the first of his now four-straight double-figure scoring games with a team-high 17 points against Florida State.
On the Pac-12 charts, Williams is sixth in field goal percentage and 18th in scoring.
Junior Julian Hammond III is averaging 9.9 points and is second on the team in assists with 20. He had 10 points, of 4 of 6 shooting, with four assists in the win over Pepperdine.Â
Hammond is shooting 75 percent from the field over the last three games (12-16). He had nine points, on a perfect 4 of 4 shooting, along with a season-high four rebounds at Colorado State.Â
Hammond is third in the Pac-12 in 3-point shooting at 48.1 percent and tied for 10h in overall shooting at 57.1 percent.
Senior J'Vonne Hadley averages 9.1 points per game while ranking second on the team in rebounding (6.1 rpg) and steals (10) and third in free throws made and attempted (21-25, .840).Â
On the Pac-12 charts, Hadley is 10th in free throw shooting, 11th in overall rebounds, 13th in defensive boards (4.4 drpg) and 14th in field goal percentage (.553).
Senior Eddie Lampkin, Jr., leads the Buffaloes and ranks fifth in the Pac-12 in rebounding at 7.6 per game. Lampkin had 10 rebounds against Pepperdine, his third double-figure rebounding game of the season.Â
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 tied for third in the Pac-12 in offensive rebounds (2.5 orpg) and is eighth in defensive boards (5.1 drpg).
Senior Luke O'Brien is averaging 4.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. He's tied for the team lead in blocked shots with five and ranks fourth in steals (seven) and fifth in rebounding. O'Brien had a season-best four assists against Pepperdine which also matched a career-high.
ABOUT THE HURRICANES: Continuing the momentum from its Final Four run a year ago, Miami is 7-1 overall and ranked No. 15 in the latest Associated Press and USA Today Sports Coaches Top 25 polls. The Hurricanes have won their last two, including a 62-49 home win over Notre Dame in their Atlantic Coast Conference opener.
Like Colorado, Miami is off to a tremendous start offensively. The Hurricanes are averaging 84.6 points per game while shooting 51.3 percent from the field. Miami ranks second in the country in 3-point shooting at 42.5 percent and is also 10th nationally in 3-point defense, allowing opponents just 25.7 percent from deep. Overall opponents are averaging 69.5 points against the 'Canes while shooting 40.7 percent.
Junior guard Wooga Poplar leads the Hurricanes at 16.5 points per game and ranks fifth in the nation in 3-point shooting at 53.7 percent (22-41). Junior forward Norchad Omier tops Miami in rebounding at 9.8 per game while averaging 16.1 points on 57.7 percent shooting. Junior guard Matthew Cleveland averages 14.8 points on a team-best 64.8 percent from the field.
THE SERIES: This will be the second meeting between Colorado and Miami. The Buffaloes claimed the only other meeting, a 73-66 decision in Coral Gables, Fla., on Jan. 3, 1957. Colorado is 5-13 all-time against current ACC teams. This will be Colorado's second ACC opponent of the season, dropping a 77-71 decision to Florida State on Nov. 21, in the Sunshine Slam in Daytona Beach, Fla.
IN THE POLLS: Colorado was ranked in the first two Associated Press regular season polls, with a high of No. 18 on Nov. 20, 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 Colorado has 57 all-time appearances in the AP Poll. The Buffaloes were second among teams receiving votes in this year's preseason poll. Colorado received five points in the latest AP Poll on Dec. 4.
Colorado made its lone appearance this season in the USA Today Sports Coaches Top 25 poll on Nov. 20, coming in at No. 21.
AGAINST RANKED TEAMS: Colorado is 0-1 against ranked teams in 2023-24 after falling to No. 20/21 Colorado State on Nov. 29. It was the first time the Rams were ranked in the 131 games of the hardwood edition of the Rocky Mountain Showdown.
Colorado's 25 wins over ranked opponents in the Tad Boyle era is by far the best in team history. In fact Boyle coached teams, with a record of 25-47, have accounted for 36 percent of wins over ranked opponents (69) since 1949-50.
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Players Mentioned
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