Wednesday, March 8
Las Vegas, Nev.
1:00 PM
Colorado
vs
Washington
Colorado Opens Pac-12 Tournament Wednesday Against Washington
March 07, 2023 | Men's Basketball
PAC-12 POSTSEASON FACTS: Colorado is in its 12th Pac-12 Tournament, coming in as the No. 9 seed. The Buffaloes tied with Washington for eighth in the final Pac-12 standings (8-12), but the Huskies took the No. 8 seed due to a sweep of the season series. Colorado is a No. 9 seed for the first time in this tournament and its the program's lowest since 2015, when the Buffaloes were the No. 10 seed. Colorado also tied for eighth in the 2014-15 standings, but lost tiebreakers to drop to No. 10.
Colorado holds an overall record of 16-10 in the championship. The Buffaloes have two Pac-12 Tournament championship game appearances, winning the inaugural Pac-12 Tournament title in 2012, as the No. 6 seed, winning four games in four days in Los Angeles. The Buffaloes were the runner up in 2021.Â
Colorado is 7-8 in the championship as the lower seeded team, 9-2 as the higher seed. Six of Colorado's 10 Pac-12 Tournament losses have come to the top two seeds.
The Buffaloes were the last Pac-12 program to walk away from the annual event without a win. Colorado had won eight-straight first round games before falling to Washington State in 2020, just hours before the rest of the Pac-12 Tournament, and NCAA Tournament, was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Buffaloes followed up that setback with a run to the 2021 championship game and the 2022 semifinals.
Colorado is 29-45 all-time in conference postseason tournaments. The Buffaloes were 4-20 in the Big Eight Tournament between 1977-96 and 9-15 in the Big 12 Championship between 1997-2011.
Head coach Tad Boyle owns more than half of Colorado's all-time conference tournament wins. He is 18-11 in conference tournament action, including a 2-1 mark in Colorado's final year of the Big 12.Â
THE SEASON: Colorado is 16-15 overall coming off a 69-60 triumph over Utah on Senior Day at the CU Events Center that snapped a three-game losing skid. The win clinched a winning record in regular season play for the eighth-straight season and 12th time in 13 years under head coach Tad Boyle.
The Buffaloes finished 8-12 in league play, tying with Washington for eighth place in the final league standings. Colorado finished sub-.500 in league play for the first time since the 2017-18 team was 8-10. The 12 league losses are the most in the Boyle era (7-11 in 2014-15).
Colorado is 2-2 on a neutral floor this year, with both wins coming over ranked opponents. The Buffaloes knocked off No. 11 Tennessee, 78-66, on Nov. 13, at a "neutral" Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Colorado defeated then No. 24 ranked Texas A&M, on Nov. 18, at the Myrtle Beach Classic in Conway, S.C.
On the Pac-12 leaderboard, Colorado is second in steals (7.8 spg) and offensive rebounds (11.3 orpg), third in overall rebounding (37.6 rpg), defensive boards (26.3 drpg) and turnover margin (+0.5), fourth in scoring defense and 3-point defense (.321) and fifth in rebounding margin (+3.9).
Colorado allowed 64.5 points during conference play, ranking second on the league charts. Colorado held California to 46 points, tying for the fourth-fewest by the Buffaloes against a conference opponent in the Pac-12 era. The Buffs have held five conference opponents to 46 or fewer in the Pac-12 era, three have come this season.
46 Points Or Fewer Allowed In Pac-12 Games
Date - Opponent, Result
12/31/2011 – vs. Utah, W 73-33
3/4/2017 – vs. California, W, 54-46
1/5/2023 – vs. Oregon, W 68-41
1/7/2023 – vs. Oregon State, W, 62-42
2/2/2023 – vs. California, W, 59-46
In addition, the Buffaloes gave up just 59 points at Arizona State, the lowest by an opponent on their own home floor this season. It's the fewest allowed by Colorado in a Pac-12 road game since Stanford had 53 on Feb. 19, 2022.
Colorado led the Pac-12 during conference play in 3-point defense, allowing opponents just 30.2 percent from long range. The Buffaloes held UCLA to just one 3-point field goal and shot just 7.1 percent (1 for 14), both opponent season lows.
Junior forward Tristan da Silva leads Colorado at 15.9 points per game on 50.7 percent shooting from the field while averaging 4.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals an outing. He had 15 points on 5 of 8 shooting against Utah, coming off the bench for the first time during Pac-12 play. He was limited during the week after an sustaining an ankle injury against UCLA, but shook it off to play 23 minutes against the Utes, giving a munch needed boost to the Colorado lineup.
Da Silva has scored 20-plus points in 11 games this season, the most since Derrick White had 15 in 2016-17. He had a string of five-straight 20-plus games, the first by a Buffalo since Josh Scott had five in a row from Dec. 2-19, 2015.Â
On the Pac-12 charts, da Silva is fifth in 3-point shooting (.402), sixth in scoring, eighth in overall field goal percentage, ninth in steals and 15th in free throw percentage (.747).
Sophomore Lawson Lovering leads Colorado in blocks (29) while ranking fourth in rebounding (4.7 rpg) and averaging 4.1 points per contest. Lovering had six points, five rebounds and a pair of blocks against Utah in the regular season finale. Over his last four games, Lovering has upped his numbers to 7.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. During conference games, Lovering led the Buffaloes in shooting at 56.9 percent (41-72).
Lovering is 10th in blocked shots (1.0 bpg) and 12th in offensive rebounds (2.0 orpg) in the Pac-12.
Luke O'Brien is averaging 5.8 points and is third on the team in rebounds at 5.1 rebounds per game. He led Colorado in rebounding in Pac-12 play at 6.2 per game, which ranked 12th on the league leaderboard.
O'Brien recorded his first career double-double with a season-high 13 points and 10 rebounds against UCLA. He led Colorado in rebounding for the ninth time this season and has done so in seven of the last 111 games. He is averaging 9.4 points and 7.1 rebounds over the last eight games.
Nique Clifford is averaging 6.3 points and 3.9 rebounds while ranking second on the team in blocks (20), third in assists (47) and fifth in steals (23). He recorded his first career double-double with 14 points and a personal-best 11 rebounds against Utah. After being held without a rebound against USC, he has 20 the last two games (10.0 rpg).
Julian Hammond III is averaging 6.1 points and is second on the team in assists with 56. He stepped into the starting role against Utah, his second of the season, and had a big game. Hammond co-led the Buffaloes in scoring with 15 points while adding five assists and five steals.Â
It was the first 15-5-5 game by a Pac-12 player this season and the first by a Buffalo in exactly 15 years. Marcus Hall had 22 points, seven assists and six steals against Kansas State on Mar. 4, 2008. Hammond's five steals were a personal best and his five assists tied a career high (vs. Arizona, Mar. 11, 2022)
In his two starts this year - both games KJ Simpson has missed entirely - Hammond has averaged 15.5 points, 4.0 assists and 3.5 steals.
Graduate seniors Ethan Wright and Jalen Gabbidon had good showings in their CU Events Center farewells on Senior Day against Utah. Wright had 10 points against the Utes, his first double-figure scoring game against a Pac-12 opponent and second-best overall this season. Gabbidon had five points and four rebounds against Utah after missing the previous two games with an injury.
MISSING BUFFS: Sophomore KJ Simpson missed the Utah game, and will miss the Pac-12 Tournament after being diagnosed with mononucleosis last week. Simpson leads Colorado in assists (111) and steals (43) and is second in scoring at 15.9 points per game.Â
On the Pac-12 charts Simpson is sixth in free throw percentage (.817) and steals (1.5 spg), seventh in scoring and assists, 12th in minutes played (31.8 mpg) and 13th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5).
Junior J'Vonne Hadley has missed the last seven games and is expected to miss the remainder of the season with an injury to his right (shooting) hand. Â Hadley averaged 8.0 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 52.5 percent from the field. He was Colorado's leading rebounder and ranked second on the team in field goal shooting and third in scoring and steals at the time of his injury
Javon Ruffin has missed the last three games with a knee injury. He was averaging 6.0 points and is second on the team in 3-point percentage (.358) and third in 3-pointers made (24).Â
Colorado has featured eight different starting lineups this season, its most since the 2017-18 team had 11.
ABOUT THE HUSKIES: Washington finished the 2022-23 season with identical records to Colorado - both overall (16-15) and in league play (8-12). The Huskies have dropped their last two and six of nine overall. Washington averages 69.2 points on 43.1 percent from the field. Defensively, the Huskies have allowed 70.2 points per game. Washington is the top overall 3-point defense in the Pac-12 (.298) and ranks second in free throw percentage (.746) and blocked shots (5.3 bpg).
Senior forward Keion Brooks, Jr., leads Washington and ranks third in the Pac-12 in scoring at 17.8 points per game. He is eighth on the league charts in rebounding at 6.9 per contest. Cole Bajema averages 8.5 points per game and has a team-best 46 3-point field goals. Braxton Meah is averaging 9.0 points  and leads the Huskies in rebounds (7.2 rpg), blocks (1.7 bpg) and overall shooting (.711).
SERIES RECORDS: This will be the 36th meeting between Colorado and Washington with the Huskies holding a 21-14 advantage. Washington swept the season series and has won nine of the last 12 overall. This will be the second meeting between the two teams at the Pac-12 Tournament. No. 1 seeded Washington defeated the No. 5 seeded Buffaloes, 66-61, in the semifinals of the 2019 Pac-12 Tournament. Overall on a neutral floor the series is tied at 2-2.
CONFERENCE HONORS: Tristan da Silva and KJ Simpson received All-Pac-12 Conference honors, voted on by coaches, the league office announced on Mar. 7.
Da Silva, a junior forward, was one of 10-members of the All-Pac-12 First Team while Simpson, a sophomore guard, was selected to the All-Pac-12 Second Team.
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Da Silva is the eighth different Buffalo to be named to the All-Pac-12 First Team and the 12th honor overall. The Buffaloes have had at least one All-Pac-12 First Team member each of the last five seasons.
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The Buffaloes have had at least one player on either the All-Pac-12 First or Second Team all 12 seasons of their conference membership. It's the fourth time in the last five years Colorado has had multiple players on one of the all-conference teams, and sixth time overall.
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Colorado holds an overall record of 16-10 in the championship. The Buffaloes have two Pac-12 Tournament championship game appearances, winning the inaugural Pac-12 Tournament title in 2012, as the No. 6 seed, winning four games in four days in Los Angeles. The Buffaloes were the runner up in 2021.Â
Colorado is 7-8 in the championship as the lower seeded team, 9-2 as the higher seed. Six of Colorado's 10 Pac-12 Tournament losses have come to the top two seeds.
The Buffaloes were the last Pac-12 program to walk away from the annual event without a win. Colorado had won eight-straight first round games before falling to Washington State in 2020, just hours before the rest of the Pac-12 Tournament, and NCAA Tournament, was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Buffaloes followed up that setback with a run to the 2021 championship game and the 2022 semifinals.
Colorado is 29-45 all-time in conference postseason tournaments. The Buffaloes were 4-20 in the Big Eight Tournament between 1977-96 and 9-15 in the Big 12 Championship between 1997-2011.
Head coach Tad Boyle owns more than half of Colorado's all-time conference tournament wins. He is 18-11 in conference tournament action, including a 2-1 mark in Colorado's final year of the Big 12.Â
THE SEASON: Colorado is 16-15 overall coming off a 69-60 triumph over Utah on Senior Day at the CU Events Center that snapped a three-game losing skid. The win clinched a winning record in regular season play for the eighth-straight season and 12th time in 13 years under head coach Tad Boyle.
The Buffaloes finished 8-12 in league play, tying with Washington for eighth place in the final league standings. Colorado finished sub-.500 in league play for the first time since the 2017-18 team was 8-10. The 12 league losses are the most in the Boyle era (7-11 in 2014-15).
Colorado is 2-2 on a neutral floor this year, with both wins coming over ranked opponents. The Buffaloes knocked off No. 11 Tennessee, 78-66, on Nov. 13, at a "neutral" Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Colorado defeated then No. 24 ranked Texas A&M, on Nov. 18, at the Myrtle Beach Classic in Conway, S.C.
On the Pac-12 leaderboard, Colorado is second in steals (7.8 spg) and offensive rebounds (11.3 orpg), third in overall rebounding (37.6 rpg), defensive boards (26.3 drpg) and turnover margin (+0.5), fourth in scoring defense and 3-point defense (.321) and fifth in rebounding margin (+3.9).
Colorado allowed 64.5 points during conference play, ranking second on the league charts. Colorado held California to 46 points, tying for the fourth-fewest by the Buffaloes against a conference opponent in the Pac-12 era. The Buffs have held five conference opponents to 46 or fewer in the Pac-12 era, three have come this season.
46 Points Or Fewer Allowed In Pac-12 Games
Date - Opponent, Result
12/31/2011 – vs. Utah, W 73-33
3/4/2017 – vs. California, W, 54-46
1/5/2023 – vs. Oregon, W 68-41
1/7/2023 – vs. Oregon State, W, 62-42
2/2/2023 – vs. California, W, 59-46
In addition, the Buffaloes gave up just 59 points at Arizona State, the lowest by an opponent on their own home floor this season. It's the fewest allowed by Colorado in a Pac-12 road game since Stanford had 53 on Feb. 19, 2022.
Colorado led the Pac-12 during conference play in 3-point defense, allowing opponents just 30.2 percent from long range. The Buffaloes held UCLA to just one 3-point field goal and shot just 7.1 percent (1 for 14), both opponent season lows.
Junior forward Tristan da Silva leads Colorado at 15.9 points per game on 50.7 percent shooting from the field while averaging 4.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals an outing. He had 15 points on 5 of 8 shooting against Utah, coming off the bench for the first time during Pac-12 play. He was limited during the week after an sustaining an ankle injury against UCLA, but shook it off to play 23 minutes against the Utes, giving a munch needed boost to the Colorado lineup.
Da Silva has scored 20-plus points in 11 games this season, the most since Derrick White had 15 in 2016-17. He had a string of five-straight 20-plus games, the first by a Buffalo since Josh Scott had five in a row from Dec. 2-19, 2015.Â
On the Pac-12 charts, da Silva is fifth in 3-point shooting (.402), sixth in scoring, eighth in overall field goal percentage, ninth in steals and 15th in free throw percentage (.747).
Sophomore Lawson Lovering leads Colorado in blocks (29) while ranking fourth in rebounding (4.7 rpg) and averaging 4.1 points per contest. Lovering had six points, five rebounds and a pair of blocks against Utah in the regular season finale. Over his last four games, Lovering has upped his numbers to 7.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. During conference games, Lovering led the Buffaloes in shooting at 56.9 percent (41-72).
Lovering is 10th in blocked shots (1.0 bpg) and 12th in offensive rebounds (2.0 orpg) in the Pac-12.
Luke O'Brien is averaging 5.8 points and is third on the team in rebounds at 5.1 rebounds per game. He led Colorado in rebounding in Pac-12 play at 6.2 per game, which ranked 12th on the league leaderboard.
O'Brien recorded his first career double-double with a season-high 13 points and 10 rebounds against UCLA. He led Colorado in rebounding for the ninth time this season and has done so in seven of the last 111 games. He is averaging 9.4 points and 7.1 rebounds over the last eight games.
Nique Clifford is averaging 6.3 points and 3.9 rebounds while ranking second on the team in blocks (20), third in assists (47) and fifth in steals (23). He recorded his first career double-double with 14 points and a personal-best 11 rebounds against Utah. After being held without a rebound against USC, he has 20 the last two games (10.0 rpg).
Julian Hammond III is averaging 6.1 points and is second on the team in assists with 56. He stepped into the starting role against Utah, his second of the season, and had a big game. Hammond co-led the Buffaloes in scoring with 15 points while adding five assists and five steals.Â
It was the first 15-5-5 game by a Pac-12 player this season and the first by a Buffalo in exactly 15 years. Marcus Hall had 22 points, seven assists and six steals against Kansas State on Mar. 4, 2008. Hammond's five steals were a personal best and his five assists tied a career high (vs. Arizona, Mar. 11, 2022)
In his two starts this year - both games KJ Simpson has missed entirely - Hammond has averaged 15.5 points, 4.0 assists and 3.5 steals.
Graduate seniors Ethan Wright and Jalen Gabbidon had good showings in their CU Events Center farewells on Senior Day against Utah. Wright had 10 points against the Utes, his first double-figure scoring game against a Pac-12 opponent and second-best overall this season. Gabbidon had five points and four rebounds against Utah after missing the previous two games with an injury.
MISSING BUFFS: Sophomore KJ Simpson missed the Utah game, and will miss the Pac-12 Tournament after being diagnosed with mononucleosis last week. Simpson leads Colorado in assists (111) and steals (43) and is second in scoring at 15.9 points per game.Â
On the Pac-12 charts Simpson is sixth in free throw percentage (.817) and steals (1.5 spg), seventh in scoring and assists, 12th in minutes played (31.8 mpg) and 13th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5).
Junior J'Vonne Hadley has missed the last seven games and is expected to miss the remainder of the season with an injury to his right (shooting) hand. Â Hadley averaged 8.0 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 52.5 percent from the field. He was Colorado's leading rebounder and ranked second on the team in field goal shooting and third in scoring and steals at the time of his injury
Javon Ruffin has missed the last three games with a knee injury. He was averaging 6.0 points and is second on the team in 3-point percentage (.358) and third in 3-pointers made (24).Â
Colorado has featured eight different starting lineups this season, its most since the 2017-18 team had 11.
ABOUT THE HUSKIES: Washington finished the 2022-23 season with identical records to Colorado - both overall (16-15) and in league play (8-12). The Huskies have dropped their last two and six of nine overall. Washington averages 69.2 points on 43.1 percent from the field. Defensively, the Huskies have allowed 70.2 points per game. Washington is the top overall 3-point defense in the Pac-12 (.298) and ranks second in free throw percentage (.746) and blocked shots (5.3 bpg).
Senior forward Keion Brooks, Jr., leads Washington and ranks third in the Pac-12 in scoring at 17.8 points per game. He is eighth on the league charts in rebounding at 6.9 per contest. Cole Bajema averages 8.5 points per game and has a team-best 46 3-point field goals. Braxton Meah is averaging 9.0 points  and leads the Huskies in rebounds (7.2 rpg), blocks (1.7 bpg) and overall shooting (.711).
SERIES RECORDS: This will be the 36th meeting between Colorado and Washington with the Huskies holding a 21-14 advantage. Washington swept the season series and has won nine of the last 12 overall. This will be the second meeting between the two teams at the Pac-12 Tournament. No. 1 seeded Washington defeated the No. 5 seeded Buffaloes, 66-61, in the semifinals of the 2019 Pac-12 Tournament. Overall on a neutral floor the series is tied at 2-2.
CONFERENCE HONORS: Tristan da Silva and KJ Simpson received All-Pac-12 Conference honors, voted on by coaches, the league office announced on Mar. 7.
Da Silva, a junior forward, was one of 10-members of the All-Pac-12 First Team while Simpson, a sophomore guard, was selected to the All-Pac-12 Second Team.
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Da Silva is the eighth different Buffalo to be named to the All-Pac-12 First Team and the 12th honor overall. The Buffaloes have had at least one All-Pac-12 First Team member each of the last five seasons.
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The Buffaloes have had at least one player on either the All-Pac-12 First or Second Team all 12 seasons of their conference membership. It's the fourth time in the last five years Colorado has had multiple players on one of the all-conference teams, and sixth time overall.
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