Buffs Return Home To Host Pacific Monday

Game 8 - Pacific, Monday, December 2, 2024
CU Events Center, Boulder, Colo.

Tip: 7:01 p.m. MT

Watch: ESPN+ (Mark Neely, Corey Williams) https://buffs.me/3BjY4Oq

Radio: KHOW 630 AM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)

Listen Online: Sirius XM 84, SXM App 84

Live Statistics: http://statb.us/b/546196

THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 5-2 overall after placing sixth at the 2024 Maui Invitational. A thrilling 73-72 win over then-No. 2/2 ranked UConn on the tournament's second day (Nov. 26) highlighted the trip for the Buffaloes who eventually fell to No. 5/5 Iowa State 99-71 in the consolation final (fifth place game) on Nov. 27 to round out the event with a 1-2 record. The game against Iowa State counted as a nonconference game and the two long-time rivals are set for a rematch in the Big 12 Conference opener in Boulder on Dec. 30.

Colorado returns to the friendly confines of the CU Events Center for its next five games. The Buffaloes are 4-0 at home this season and have won seven-straight and 20 of their last 21 dating back to last season.

Colorado is averaging 76.7 points per game, shooting 47.1 percent from the field and 39.7 percent from 3-point range. Colorado's 3-point percentage ranks 20th in the nation and fourth in the Big 12.

Defensively, Colorado is allowing 72.3 points per game while opponents are shooting 43.4 percent.

At home the Buffaloes are averaging 84.3 points per game while shooting 50 percent from the floor and 40 percent from 3-point range. Colorado is holding its home opponents to 65.8 points on 37.3 percent shooting while enjoying a plus-12.5 advantage on the boards.

GRAND GRADS: As anticipated, Colorado's three graduate transfers, spanning all levels of collegiate basketball, have made immediate impacts for the Buffaloes.

Andrej Jakimovski, a four-year standout at old Pac-12 rival Washington State, leads the Buffaloes in scoring at 13.0 points per game and in steals with 10. He is second on the team in both rebounding (5.6 rpg) and 3-point field goals (13).

Jakimovski averaged 11.3 points and a team-best 6.0 rebounds at the Maui Invitational. He had Colorado's first double-double of the season, and the fifth of his collegiate career with 12 points and 10 rebounds against UConn. He also hit the eventual game-winning shot against the No. 2 ranked Huskies with under eight seconds remaining.

It was Jakimovski's eighth career double-figure rebounding game. One of his four previous double-doubles came against Colorado while he was at Washington State on Jan. 30, 2022.

Elijah Malone, the 2024 Bevo Francis Award winner as the best small-school player in the nation (Grace College [Ind.] - NAIA) tops the Buffaloes in shooting at 60.7 percent (34-56) and in blocked shots with eight while averaging 12.9 points an outing. Malone is also shooting 80.8 percent from the free throw line (21-26) and is fourth on the team in rebounding at 4.3 per game.

Malone tied for Colorado's game-high in scoring against UConn with 16 points on 6 of 10 from the field. He had 16 points, seven rebounds and a team season-high four blocked shots against Harvard. He went over the 2,000-point milestone for his collegiate career during the win over the Crimson.

Trevor Baskin, an NCAA Division II All-American at Colorado Mesa, leads Colorado in rebounding at 6.0 per game while averaging 6.9 points on 55.6 percent from the field. Baskin had a team-high eight rebounds and pitched in seven points and three assists against Iowa State.

HAMMOND TIME: Julian Hammond III, the most experienced player in terms of games for the Buffaloes entering the season, is averaging 12.7 points leads the team in assists (3.4 apg) and 3-point field goals (14).

Hammond led Colorado at the Maui Invitational averaging 17.0 points while shooting 54.5 percent from the field (18-33), 52.9 percent from 3-point range (9-17) and hitting a perfect 6 of 6 from the free throw line.

Hammond had a season-high 20 points against Iowa State, his second-career 20-point game and just one off his personal best of 21 set against Washington in the 2023 Pac-12 Tournament. He co-led the Buffaloes in scoring with 16 points against UConn hitting 6 of 11 from the field including 4 of 5 from 3-point range. His four 3-point field goals tied a career high.

Hammond caught fire in Maui from 3-point range, hitting 9 of 17 after a 5 for 14 start in his first four games.

SMITH'S RETURN: Sophomore guard RJ Smith is averaging 6.3 points while shooting 52 percent from the field in his return to action after missing the final 30 games of 2023-24 with a leg injury. In Maui, Smith averaged 5.3 points and was second on the team in assists with eight. He had eight points hitting a perfect 3 of 3 from the field against UConn.

OUT OF THE RUFF: Junior guard Javon Ruffin is averaging 7.7 points while shooting 47 percent from the field. He is second on the team in assists (18) and tied for third in steals (6). Ruffin scored a career-high 15 points against Harvard, on a very efficient game hitting 4 of 5 from the field and a perfect 4 of 4 from the line.

DIOP DOUBLE AND TRIPLE: Sophomore forward Assane Diop ranks third on the team in rebounding at 5.1 per game. He didn't score a single point, or take a shot for that matter, against Cal State Fullerton, but had eight rebounds, leading the Buffaloes for the second-straight game. Diop had 10 rebounds against Northern Colorado, three better than his previous best of seven vs. California (2/28/24). He led Led the Buffaloes in rebounding for the first time. In addition, Diop made his first career 3-point field goal. He had missed the first nine attempts of his career (first 33 games).

ABOUT THE TIGERS: Pacific is 5-4 overall and has won its last two, including a 64-55 home win over Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 30, a team the Buffaloes defeated by 30 (63-53) on Nov. 13. The Tigers have yet to win a true road contest this season with an 0-3 record. Pacific is averaging 73.8 points while shooting 45.8 percent from the field. The Tigers have been a solid rebounding team, ranking in the top 45 in the nation in both rebounding margin (+8.4, 40th) and rebounding average (40.6, 45th). Defensively, the Tigers allow 68.6 points while a opponents are shooting 40.2 percent. Pacific has been stingy on the perimeter, allowing only 27.0 percent from 3-point range, the second-best mark in the West Coast Conference.

Junior guard Elijah Fisher and senior forward Elias Ralph share the scoring lead for the Tigers each at 17.3 points per game. Both have been solid shooters, with Ralph hitting 55.8 percent and Fisher right behind at 51.0 percent. Ralph leads the Tigers in rebounding at 7.9 per game and has four double-doubles on the young season. Junior guard Lamar Washington is one of the nation's leaders in assists, ranking fifth in total assists (63) and ninth in assist-average (7.0 apg).

THE SERIES: This will be the first meeting between Colorado and Pacific in men's basketball. The Buffaloes last met a West Coast Conference opponent almost one year ago with a 91-66 decision over Pepperdine on Dec. 3, 2023. Excluding Washington State and Oregon State, which joined the WCC this season for basketball, the Buffaloes are 24-14 all-time against other WCC members.

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Players Mentioned

Trevor Baskin

Assane Diop

Julian Hammond III

Andrej Jakimovski

Elijah Malone

Javon Ruffin

RJ Smith