Buffs Return Home, Host USC Saturday

Game 17 - USC, Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024
CU Events Center, Boulder, Colo.
Tip: 8:05 p.m. MT
TV: ESPN2 (Dave Pasch, Bill Walton)
Watch Online: WatchESPN
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Satellite: Sirius XM 373 & SXM App (Pac12)
Listen Online: CUBuffs.com
Live Statistics: http://statb.us/b/483975

THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 11-5 overall and 2-3 in the Pac-12 Conference after dropping three-straight on tough seven-day road trip. The Buffaloes were swept by the Arizona schools last week and fell 82-78 at California on Jan. 10, dropping three in a row for the first time since late in the 2022-23 season. Colorado has lost its last five true road games, three of those coming against ranked opponents.

Colorado returns to the friendly confines of the CU Events Center where the Buffaloes are a perfect 9-0 this season. A win over USC would mark Colorado's 500th in the facility which opened for the 1979-80 season (499-190, .724).
In its nine home games this season, Colorado is averaging 87.4 points and winning by a margin of nearly 20 per game (+19.8). The Buffaloes are shooting 53.8 percent from the field, including 45.3 percent from 3-point range, while enjoying a plus-12 advantage on the boards.

Overall, Colorado is one of the top all-around shooting teams in the country, ranking in the top 21 nationally in all three percentage categories: overall field goal, 3-point and free throws. The Buffaloes are 10th in the nation in 3-point shooting (.396), 11th in overall field goal percentage (.505) and 21st from the line (.769).

Colorado is one of only three programs in the nation's top 21 of all three categories (through games of Jan. 11) along with Alabama and Miami (Fla.), the latter which the Buffaloes defeated in Brooklyn on Dec. 10. Colorado also sports top 50 marks nationally in rebound margin (+8.4, 21st), assists (17.2, 26th) and scoring (81.0, 49th).

In the last home game against Washington State, Colorado shot exactly 50 percent (24 for 48), hitting at least that mark for the ninth time, the most in one season since the 2017-18 team had nine in 32 games. Colorado is 102-8 in the Tad Boyle era (since 2010-11) when shooting at least 50 percent.

As for rebounding, a program staple, the Buffaloes have outrebounded their opponent in 15 of 16 games this season with a margin of plus-8.4 per game. Colorado had a season-high 49 rebounds in the win over Washington.

Along with leading the Pac-12 in 3-point and free throw percentage, the Buffaloes are second in overall shooting and rebound margin, third in scoring and scoring margin and fourth in rebounding (37.8 rpg) and assists.

INDIVIDUALLY SPEAKING: Wooden Award midseason top 25 watch list member KJ Simpson tops Colorado at 19.9 points, 4.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game while ranking fourth in rebounding (4.9 rpg). Simpson had 12 points at California, extending his streak of scoring in double digits to 23-straight games. He had a game-high 23 points at Arizona State and in the process became the 40th player in team history to reach 1,000 career points hitting that milestone on a layup with 5:38 left in the game.

On the season, Simpson is shooting 52.2 percent from the field, 45.3 percent from 3-point range and 86.7 percent from the free throw line. He is one of four players in the country shooting at least 50-45-85 from those three spots (with a minimum five field goals made per game) and is the top scorer among those players at 19.9 per game.

On the Pac-12 charts, Simpson is third in scoring and free throw percentage, fifth in assists and steals, sixth in 3-point shooting and seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0).

Senior Tristan da Silva is second on the team in scoring at 16.2 points per game while ranking third in rebounding (5.2 rpg) and fourth in assists (36). Da Silva had 20 points at California, hitting the 20-point mark for the fourth time this season. He returned to the lineup at Arizona State after missing the first three Pac-12 games with an injured ankle, scoring 17 points with three rebounds and three assists.

On the Pac-12 charts, da Silva ranks eighth in scoring, 11th in free throw shooting (.813), 12th in defensive boars (4.4 drpg), 15th in 3-point percentage (.391) and overall shooting (.529), and 20th in overall rebounding.

McDonald's All-American Cody Williams is third on the team in scoring at 14.3 points per game while shooting a team-best 58.1 percent from the field. He returned to the lineup at California after missing the previous seven games with a wrist injury, scoring 16 points with four rebounds, two assists and matching a personal best with two blocks. Over his last five games, the first four occurring before his injury, he is averaging 17.4 points while shooting 61.1 percent (33-54).

Senior J'Vonne Hadley averages 10.3 points per game while ranking second on the team in steals (21) and rebounding (5.4 rpg). He had a career-high 19 points at Arizona State hitting 6 of 7 from the field and all six free throw attempts.

He had 12 points, including 2 of 2 from 3-point range, against Washington State. It was the first game in his NCAA I career with multiple 3-pointers made. He has hit 5 of 7 from long range the last five games after going 1 of 12 in his first 46 NCAA I games.

On the Pac-12 charts, Hadley is ninth in field goal percentage (.560), 13th in free throw shooting (.792) and steals (1.3 spg) and 18th in rebounding.

Senior Eddie Lampkin, Jr., leads the Buffaloes and ranks fourth in the Pac-12 in rebounding at 7.6 per game. Lampkin recorded his team-best fifth double-double of the season, with a career-high 22 points and 11 rebounds at California.

In all he has seven double-digit rebounding games for the Buffaloes. The California double-double was the 11th of his collegiate career, adding his six from TCU.

On the Pac-12 leaderboard, Lampkin is also third in offensive rebounds (2.6 orpg), eighth in defensive boards (4.9 drpg) and 13th in field goal percentage (.532).

Senior Luke O'Brien is averaging 6.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. He leads the team in blocked shots with seven and is tied for third in steals (13) and is fifth in rebounding.

O'Brien had 11 points and a season-high nine rebounds against Washington, scoring in double-figures for the fourth-straight time, the longest span of his career. He had 18 points on eight field goals made against Utah Tech, both career-highs.

Sophomore guard Javon Ruffin has returned to the lineup for the Pac-12 season after missing the nonconference portion of the schedule recovering from offseason knee surgery. He was initially expected to miss the season, but his rehab went better than expected and began basketball activities Dec. 19.

Ruffin had 11 points and four rebounds at Arizona, leading Buffaloes in scoring for the first time in his career. It was his seventh-career double-figure scoring game and he matched a career-high with 10 field goal attempts.

Junior Julian Hammond III is averaging 9.2 points and is fifth on the team in assists with 32. He is fourth in the Pac-12 in 3-point percentage (.457). Hammond has missed the last two contests with a back injury.

ABOUT THE TROJANS: USC is 8-8 overall and 2-3 in the Pac-12 coming off a 72-64 home loss to Washington State on Jan. 10. The Trojans are 1-3 in true road games this season, with the lone win coming at Alabama State on Dec. 19. USC averages 77.9 points while shooting 45.6 percent from the field. Defensively, the Trojans
have allowed 74.8 points while opponents shoot 43.7 percent. USC ranks third in the Pac-12 in blocks at 4.6 per game.

Fifth-year senior Boogie Ellis leads USC at 18.7 points per game. One of the nation's top 3-point shooters, Ellis has 51 on the season hitting 45.5 percent from long range. His 3.4 made per game ranks ninth in NCAA Division I. Freshman guard Isaiah Collier averages 15.4 points and leads the team in assists with 61. Kobe Johnson averages 11.6 points with a team-best 30 steals. Joshua Morgan averages 6.3 points on 69.2 percent shooting and is 15th in the country in blocks at 2.3 per game.

SERIES RECORDS: This will be the 27th meeting between Colorado and USC with the Buffaloes holding a 16-10 series lead. USC has won the last three, including a season-sweep in 2022-23. Colorado has won eight of 12 all-time meetings against the Trojans in Boulder.

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Players Mentioned

Tristan da Silva

J'Vonne Hadley

Julian Hammond III

Luke O'Brien

Javon Ruffin

KJ Simpson

Cody Williams