Thursday, January 4
Tucson, Ariz.
7:30 PM
Colorado
at
Arizona
Luke O'Brien
Photo by: Tony Harman
Buffs Open Three-Game Pac-12 Road Swing At No. 10 Arizona
January 03, 2024 | Men's Basketball
Game 14 - Arizona, Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024
McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz.
Tip: 7:40 p.m. MT
TV: ESPN (Dave Pasch, Bill Walton)
Watch Online: WatchESPN
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Satellite: Sirius XM 384 & SXM App (974)
Listen Online: CUBuffs.com
Live Statistics: https://statb.us/v/colo/483311
THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 11-2 overall and 2-0 in the Pac-12 Conference after sweeping Washington and Washington State at home last week. The Buffaloes start conference play 2-0 for just the fourth time in the Pac-12 era and first since 2014-15. Colorado's 11-2 mark overall is its best since hitting the same mark in 2019-20
The Buffaloes have won six-straight and seven of their last eight. The six-game winning streak is the program's best since a six-game run late in the 2020-21 Tournament season. The win over Washington State gave Colorado a perfect 6-0 record in December, the first time going undefeated in the 12th month since 2005-06 (also 6-0).
Colorado is one of the top all-around shooting teams in the country, ranking in the top 12 nationally in all three percentage categories: overall field goal, 3-point and free throws. The Buffaloes are fourth in the nation in overall shooting at 51.8 percent, rank sixth in 3-point percentage (.408) and 12th from the line (.780).Â
Colorado is one of only two programs in the nation top 12 of all three categories (through games of Dec. 29) along with Miami (Fla.) which the Buffaloes defeated in Brooklyn on Dec. 10. The Buffaloes lead the Pac-12 Conference in all three as well.
The Buffaloes also sport top 30 marks nationally in rebound margin (12th, +11.2), assists (13th, 18.4 apg), scoring offense (25th, 84.2 ppg), scoring margin (27th, +15.4) and win percentage (19th, .846). Â
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 all 13 games this season with a margin of plus-11.2 per game. Colorado had a season-high 49 rebounds in the win over Washington.
Along with leading the Pac-12 in all major shooting categories, the Buffaloes are second in scoring, scoring margin, rebound margin and assists and third in scoring defense (68.9 ppg).
INDIVIDUALLY SPEAKING: Junior KJ Simpson tops Colorado atÂ
21.1 points, 4.5 assists and 2.1 steals per game while ranking fourth in rebounding (4.7 rpg). He had an impressive opening league week averaging 27.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.0 steals against the Washington schools.
Simpson had a career-high 34 points, hitting 10 of 18 from the field and 13 of 14 from the line, against Washington State. It was his fourth career 30-point game and second this season (30 vs CSU). Simpson scored the most points by a Buffalo since Derrick White had 35 at Arizona State on Jan. 5, 2017. Most by a CU player in the CU Events Center since Alec Burks had 36 vs. Missouri on Jan. 8, 2011. The 34 points tie for the most in the Pac-12 this season.
Against Washington, Simpson had a game-high 21 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists - with just one turnover - and three steals. It was his second career double-double and matched his personal-best in rebounds (both figures vs. Tennessee last season).Â
In all Simpson has scored at least 20 points in five-straight games averaging 23.8 points in that span.
On the season, Simpson is shooting 56.2 from the field, 47.1 percent from 3-point range and 87.2 percent from the free throw line. He is one of two players in the country (with Colorado State's Patrick Cartier) shooting at least 55-45-85 from those three spots (with a minimum five field goals made per game).
On the Pac-12 charts, Simpson is first in scoring, second in 3-point shooting, third in steals and free throw percentage, four in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio and ninth in overall shooting.
Senior Tristan da Silva, who missed the Washington homestand with an injured ankle, is averaging 15.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game, ranking second on the team in all three categories. He is shooting 54 percent from the field, 39 percent from 3-point range and 84 percent from the free throw line.
Da Silva had 15 points and grabbed seven boards in the win over Utah Tech. Over his last six games, he is averaging 16.5 points while his rebounding average has jumped to nearly six per game.
On the Pac-12 charts, da Silva ranks sixth in free throw percentage, ninth in scoring and 13th in 3-point percentage.
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. Over his last four games Williams is averaging 17.8 points while shooting 68.3 percent from the field (28-41). He has missed the last five games with a wrist injury.
Junior Julian Hammond III is averaging 9.8 points and is fifth on the team in assists with 30. He had nine points and matched his career-high with six rebounds against Washington State. He's averaging 5.0 rebounds over the last four games, up a full three boards over his career average (2.0 rpg).
Against Washington, Hammond had 11 points, hitting 3 of 6 from 3-point range, with five rebounds and a pair of assists.Â
Hammond leads the Pac-12 in 3-point percentage (.477) and ranks 12th in overall shooting (.540). He has made 11 of his last 20 from the field (.550) and 5 of 9 from 3-point range (.556).
Senior J'Vonne Hadley averages 10.2 points per game while ranking second on the team in rebounding (5.5 rpg) and steals (18). 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. Hit 3 of 5 from long range the last two games after going 1 of 12 in his first 46 NCAA I games.
On the Pac-12 charts, Hadley is 10th in shooting (.543), 13th in free throw percentage (.789), 14th in steals (1.4 spg) and 20th in overall rebounds.
Senior Eddie Lampkin, Jr., leads the Buffaloes and ranks fourth in the Pac-12 in rebounding at 7.7 per game. Lampkin recorded his third-straight double-double, and fourth of the season, with a season-high 17 points and 12 rebounds vs. Washington.
In all he has six double-digit rebounding games for the Buffaloes, including four of the in the last six games. The Washington double-double was the 10th of his collegiate career, adding his six from TCU.
On the Pac-12 leaderboard, Lampkin is also second in offensive rebounds (2.7 orpg) and eighth in defensive boards (5.0 drpg).
Lampkin has been getting to the line recently, and cashing in. Over the last three games he is 19 of 27 from the free throw line including an 8 for 10 performance against Utah Tech.
Senior Luke O'Brien is averaging 7.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. He leads the team in blocked shots with seven and ranks fourth in steals (10) and fifth in rebounding.Â
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.Â
O'Brien ranks eighth in the Pac-12 in 3-point shooting at 40.6 percent. He has made 10 of his last 16 (.625) from long range. O'Brien made a career-high four 3-point field goals against Northern Colorado.Â
ABOUT THE WILDCATS: No. 10 ranked Arizona is 10-3 overall and 1-1 in the Pac-12 after splitting its road trip in the Bay Area. The Wildcats are 2-3 in their last five contests after starting 8-0 and rising to No. 1 in the national polls. Arizona leads the Pac-12 at 92.3 points per game, shooting 49.5 percent from the field. Defensively, the Wildcats have allowed opponents 73.4 points and 42.3 percent from the field.
Guard Caleb Love leads Arizona at 17.4 points per game and is tied for the team lead in 3-pointers with 27. Center Oumar Ballo tops the Wildcats in rebounding (8.2 rpg) and field goal percentage (.637) while averaging 13.2 points per contest. Pelle Larsson averages 12.1 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
SERIES RECORDS: This will be the 41st meeting between Colorado and Arizona with the Wildcats holding a 24-16 series lead. Arizona won the only meeting last year, a 78-68 decision in Tucson on Feb. 18. Â Arizona holds a 14-3 all-time lead in Tucson. The Buffaloes last win at Arizona came on Dec. 20, 1965.
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McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz.
Tip: 7:40 p.m. MT
TV: ESPN (Dave Pasch, Bill Walton)
Watch Online: WatchESPN
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Satellite: Sirius XM 384 & SXM App (974)
Listen Online: CUBuffs.com
Live Statistics: https://statb.us/v/colo/483311
THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 11-2 overall and 2-0 in the Pac-12 Conference after sweeping Washington and Washington State at home last week. The Buffaloes start conference play 2-0 for just the fourth time in the Pac-12 era and first since 2014-15. Colorado's 11-2 mark overall is its best since hitting the same mark in 2019-20
The Buffaloes have won six-straight and seven of their last eight. The six-game winning streak is the program's best since a six-game run late in the 2020-21 Tournament season. The win over Washington State gave Colorado a perfect 6-0 record in December, the first time going undefeated in the 12th month since 2005-06 (also 6-0).
Colorado is one of the top all-around shooting teams in the country, ranking in the top 12 nationally in all three percentage categories: overall field goal, 3-point and free throws. The Buffaloes are fourth in the nation in overall shooting at 51.8 percent, rank sixth in 3-point percentage (.408) and 12th from the line (.780).Â
Colorado is one of only two programs in the nation top 12 of all three categories (through games of Dec. 29) along with Miami (Fla.) which the Buffaloes defeated in Brooklyn on Dec. 10. The Buffaloes lead the Pac-12 Conference in all three as well.
The Buffaloes also sport top 30 marks nationally in rebound margin (12th, +11.2), assists (13th, 18.4 apg), scoring offense (25th, 84.2 ppg), scoring margin (27th, +15.4) and win percentage (19th, .846). Â
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 all 13 games this season with a margin of plus-11.2 per game. Colorado had a season-high 49 rebounds in the win over Washington.
Along with leading the Pac-12 in all major shooting categories, the Buffaloes are second in scoring, scoring margin, rebound margin and assists and third in scoring defense (68.9 ppg).
INDIVIDUALLY SPEAKING: Junior KJ Simpson tops Colorado atÂ
21.1 points, 4.5 assists and 2.1 steals per game while ranking fourth in rebounding (4.7 rpg). He had an impressive opening league week averaging 27.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.0 steals against the Washington schools.
Simpson had a career-high 34 points, hitting 10 of 18 from the field and 13 of 14 from the line, against Washington State. It was his fourth career 30-point game and second this season (30 vs CSU). Simpson scored the most points by a Buffalo since Derrick White had 35 at Arizona State on Jan. 5, 2017. Most by a CU player in the CU Events Center since Alec Burks had 36 vs. Missouri on Jan. 8, 2011. The 34 points tie for the most in the Pac-12 this season.
Against Washington, Simpson had a game-high 21 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists - with just one turnover - and three steals. It was his second career double-double and matched his personal-best in rebounds (both figures vs. Tennessee last season).Â
In all Simpson has scored at least 20 points in five-straight games averaging 23.8 points in that span.
On the season, Simpson is shooting 56.2 from the field, 47.1 percent from 3-point range and 87.2 percent from the free throw line. He is one of two players in the country (with Colorado State's Patrick Cartier) shooting at least 55-45-85 from those three spots (with a minimum five field goals made per game).
On the Pac-12 charts, Simpson is first in scoring, second in 3-point shooting, third in steals and free throw percentage, four in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio and ninth in overall shooting.
Senior Tristan da Silva, who missed the Washington homestand with an injured ankle, is averaging 15.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game, ranking second on the team in all three categories. He is shooting 54 percent from the field, 39 percent from 3-point range and 84 percent from the free throw line.
Da Silva had 15 points and grabbed seven boards in the win over Utah Tech. Over his last six games, he is averaging 16.5 points while his rebounding average has jumped to nearly six per game.
On the Pac-12 charts, da Silva ranks sixth in free throw percentage, ninth in scoring and 13th in 3-point percentage.
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. Over his last four games Williams is averaging 17.8 points while shooting 68.3 percent from the field (28-41). He has missed the last five games with a wrist injury.
Junior Julian Hammond III is averaging 9.8 points and is fifth on the team in assists with 30. He had nine points and matched his career-high with six rebounds against Washington State. He's averaging 5.0 rebounds over the last four games, up a full three boards over his career average (2.0 rpg).
Against Washington, Hammond had 11 points, hitting 3 of 6 from 3-point range, with five rebounds and a pair of assists.Â
Hammond leads the Pac-12 in 3-point percentage (.477) and ranks 12th in overall shooting (.540). He has made 11 of his last 20 from the field (.550) and 5 of 9 from 3-point range (.556).
Senior J'Vonne Hadley averages 10.2 points per game while ranking second on the team in rebounding (5.5 rpg) and steals (18). 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. Hit 3 of 5 from long range the last two games after going 1 of 12 in his first 46 NCAA I games.
On the Pac-12 charts, Hadley is 10th in shooting (.543), 13th in free throw percentage (.789), 14th in steals (1.4 spg) and 20th in overall rebounds.
Senior Eddie Lampkin, Jr., leads the Buffaloes and ranks fourth in the Pac-12 in rebounding at 7.7 per game. Lampkin recorded his third-straight double-double, and fourth of the season, with a season-high 17 points and 12 rebounds vs. Washington.
In all he has six double-digit rebounding games for the Buffaloes, including four of the in the last six games. The Washington double-double was the 10th of his collegiate career, adding his six from TCU.
On the Pac-12 leaderboard, Lampkin is also second in offensive rebounds (2.7 orpg) and eighth in defensive boards (5.0 drpg).
Lampkin has been getting to the line recently, and cashing in. Over the last three games he is 19 of 27 from the free throw line including an 8 for 10 performance against Utah Tech.
Senior Luke O'Brien is averaging 7.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. He leads the team in blocked shots with seven and ranks fourth in steals (10) and fifth in rebounding.Â
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.Â
O'Brien ranks eighth in the Pac-12 in 3-point shooting at 40.6 percent. He has made 10 of his last 16 (.625) from long range. O'Brien made a career-high four 3-point field goals against Northern Colorado.Â
ABOUT THE WILDCATS: No. 10 ranked Arizona is 10-3 overall and 1-1 in the Pac-12 after splitting its road trip in the Bay Area. The Wildcats are 2-3 in their last five contests after starting 8-0 and rising to No. 1 in the national polls. Arizona leads the Pac-12 at 92.3 points per game, shooting 49.5 percent from the field. Defensively, the Wildcats have allowed opponents 73.4 points and 42.3 percent from the field.
Guard Caleb Love leads Arizona at 17.4 points per game and is tied for the team lead in 3-pointers with 27. Center Oumar Ballo tops the Wildcats in rebounding (8.2 rpg) and field goal percentage (.637) while averaging 13.2 points per contest. Pelle Larsson averages 12.1 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
SERIES RECORDS: This will be the 41st meeting between Colorado and Arizona with the Wildcats holding a 24-16 series lead. Arizona won the only meeting last year, a 78-68 decision in Tucson on Feb. 18. Â Arizona holds a 14-3 all-time lead in Tucson. The Buffaloes last win at Arizona came on Dec. 20, 1965.
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