Buffaloes Host UCF Saturday On Derrick White Day

Game 25 - UCF, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025
CU Events Center, Boulder, Colo.
Tip: 1:01 p.m. MT
Watch: ESPN+ (Lowell Galindo, Jess Settles) https://buffs.me/3QhYxVd
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Listen Online: Sirius XM 385, SXM App 975
Live Statistics: http://statb.us/b/546208

DERRICK WHITE DAY: NBA Champion Derrick White will be on hand for the unveiling of his jersey on Colorado's Wall of Honor. The ceremony will take place during the first media timeout (under 16:00 in the first half)

THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 9-15 overall and 0-13 in Big 12 Conference play after falling to No. 17/20 Kansas, 71-59, on Feb. 11. The Buffaloes have dropped their last 13, their longest losing streak since the 1985-86 season.

Colorado is averaging 70.2 points per game, shooting 44.9 percent from the field, but those numbers have dipped to 64.7 points on 42.9 percent shooting during conference games. Defensively, Colorado is allowing 72.0 points per game overall while opponents are shooting 43.7 percent. During Big 12 games, Colorado is allowing 75.0 points while opponents shoot 46.0 percent.

Colorado has scored exactly 59 points in each of its last three games and has failed to eclipse 60 in the last four. During that span the Buffaloes have faced the best scoring defense in the country in No. 6 Houston and two top 10 shooting defense teams in the Cougars (No. 6) and Kansas (No. 9). The last time Colorado went four games without reaching 60 points came in the final four contests of the 2013-14 season.

The Buffaloes will be looking to end a rare six-game home skid, their most since the 1985-86 season. Prior to the beginning of this streak, Colorado had won 24 of 25 at the CU Events Center dating back to last season.

The Buffaloes rank fourth in the Big 12 in free throw percentage (.756) and seventh in defensive rebounds (25.2 drpg). During Big 12 games, Colorado is in the top half of the team statistics in free throw percentage (4th, .747), blocked shots (6th, 3.8 bpg), rebounding defense (34.1 rpg) and steals (8th, 7.0 spg).

Julian Hammond III, the most experienced player in terms of games for the Buffaloes (played in his 113th career game at Kansas), leads Colorado at 13.2 points and 3.2 assists per game. Hammond also tops the Buffaloes in 3-point field goals made (42) and free throws made (62) and percentage (.899).

Hammond had a game-high 22 points against Houston, highlighted by a career-best five 3-point field goals. He broke out of a 1 for 10 slump from downtown the previous three games by making 5 of 7 against the Cougars. It was his team-best sixth 20-point game of the season.

Hammond is second in the Big 12 and ranks 20th in the nation in free throw percentage. He has made 62 of 69 on the season (.899) which includes consecutive made streaks of 21 (between UNC and UCF) and 18 which ended against Cincinnati.

Andrej Jakimovski, a four-year standout at old Pac-12 rival Washington State, is averaging 9.7 points ranking second on the team in 3-point field goals (33) and rebounding (4.3 rpg) and is third in steals (21). He had a team-high 13 points at TCU, leading the Buffaloes in scoring for the fourth time this season.

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 58.2 percent while averaging 8.0 points an outing. Malone is third on the team in blocks (14) and fifth in rebounding at 3.0 per game.

Malone had his best offensive game of the Big 12 season at Kansas. He had 10 points on 5 of 7 from the field. He had scored just 10 points the previous five games before that.

Against Harvard, he went over the 2,000-point milestone for his collegiate career.

Trevor Baskin, an NCAA Division II All-American at Colorado Mesa, leads Colorado in rebounding (5.3 rpg), and steals (29) and is second in blocks (16) and overall shooting at 51.1 percent.

Baskin led Colorado at Arizona State with a personal CU-high 23 points on 9 of 14 from the field. He added a game-high 10 rebounds for his second CU double-double and 24th overall in his collegiate career. It was also his 24th collegiate 20-point scoring game.

Baskin flirted with a triple-double against Pacific, finishing with 13 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. His seven assists were a team season-high and were an overall collegiate personal best (he had six in a game at New Mexico Highlands on Feb. 23, 2024).

Bangot Dak is averaging 7.5 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while shooting 51.1 percent from the field and leading the Buffaloes in blocked shots (36).

Dak is sixth in the Big 12 in overall blocked shots (1.5 bpg) and third in league only games (2.1 bpg). With his recent uptick in blocks - 12 in the last five games - he's entered the nation's top 100 in both overall blocks (36, 81st) and blocks per game (1.5 bpg, 89th).

Dak had 11 points, three rebounds and a pair of blocks at Kansas. He is averaging 10.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks over the last five games.

Dak just missed a double-double with nine points and a career and team season-high 12 rebounds at TCU. It was his first double-figure rebounding game of his career and the sixth overall for the Buffaloes this season.

Javon Ruffin is averaging 6.0 points and ranks second on the team in assists (50) and fourth in 3-point field goals (20). He led the Buffaloes in scoring for the first time this season with 13 at Utah while matching a personal best with three 3-point field goals. He has made 11 of his last 25 from 3-point range (.440).

Freshman Sebastian Rancik had a career-night at Kansas leading the Buffaloes with 19 points and nine rebounds, both personal bests. Since entering the starting lineup against Arizona State, he is averaging 9.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game while shooting 47 percent from the field during that five-game span.

ABOUT THE KNIGHTS: UCF is 13-11 overall and 4-9 in the Big 12. The Knights have lost their last five and 8 of 10 since their home win over Colorado on Jan. 8. UCF averages 79.0 points per game while shooting 42.2 percent from the field. The Knights are the top free throw shooting team in the Big 12 at 77.6 percent. Defensively, the Knights rank last in the Big 12 in scoring defense allowing 79.8 points, a number that bumps up to 84.7 points during conference game.

Junior forward Keyshawn Hall leads UCF at 18.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Senior guard Darius Johnson averages 14.8 points, leading the Knights in 3-point field goals (60), assists (101) and steals (57). Johnson's 2.4 steals per game average leads the Big 12 and ranks 12th in the nation. Freshman center Moustapha Thiam is 13th in the country in blocked shots at 2.4 per game while pitching in 10.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.

Johnny Dawkins is in his ninth season at UCF with a record of 161-114 (.585). He is in his 17th overall season as an NCAA Division I head coach with a 317-229 (.581) mark.

THE SERIES: This will be the fourth meeting between Colorado and UCF and second as conference opponents. UCF holds a 2-1 series lead after its 75-74 win in Orlando on Jan. 8. Colorado won the only prior meeting at the CU Events Center, a 96-87 decision on Jan. 3, 2007.

Tad Boyle is 0-2 against UCF as a head coach. Johnny Dawkins is 5-6 all time against Colorado as a head coach, 2-0 with UCF and 3-6 with Stanford from 2008-09 through 2015-16.

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Players Mentioned

Trevor Baskin

Bangot Dak

Julian Hammond III

Andrej Jakimovski

Elijah Malone

Sebastian Rancik

Javon Ruffin