Colorado University Athletics
Wednesday, February 5
Salt Lake City, Utah
7 p.m.
Colorado
at
Utah
Buffs Continue Big 12 Play At Utah Wednesday
February 04, 2025 | Men's Basketball
Game 22 - Utah, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025
Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
Tip: 7:01 p.m. MT
Watch: ESPN+ (Mark Neely, Corey Williams)
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Listen Online: Sirius XM 380, SXM App 970
Live Statistics: https://buffs.me/3Cy0g5K
THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 9-12 overall and 0-10 in Big 12 Conference play after at TCU, 68-57, on Feb. 2. The Buffaloes have dropped their last 10, their longest losing streak since falling in the final 12 games of the 2008-09 season. It's Colorado's first 0-10 start to conference play since a similar start to the 1985-86 season (finished 0-14 in the Big Eight).
Colorado is averaging 71.8 points per game, shooting 45.7 percent from the field, but those numbers have dipped to 66.4 points on 44.0 shooting during conference games. Defensively, Colorado is allowing 72.1 points per game overall while opponents are shooting 43.2 percent. During Big 12 games, Colorado is allowing 76.3 points while opponents shoot 45.5 percent.
The Buffaloes will be playing in their sixth true road game of the season and looking for their first win. Colorado is 1-7 away from Boulder this season, that win coming at the Maui Invitational against defending NCAA champion UConn.
The Buffaloes rank fourth in the Big 12 in free throw percentage (.758) and sixth in rebounding defense (32.2 rpg), seventh in defensive rebounds (25.7 rpg) and eighth in assists (15.4 apg).
Julian Hammond III, the most experienced player in terms of games for the Buffaloes (played in his 109th career game at TCU), leads Colorado at 13.5 points and 3.4 assists per game. Hammond also tops the Buffaloes in 3-point field goals made and attempted (36-93) and free throws made (58) and percentage (.906).
Hammond is second the Big 12 and ranks 16th the in the nation in free throw percentage. He has made 58 of 64 on the season (.906) which includes consecutive made streaks of 21 (between UNC and UCF) and 18 which ended against Cincinnati.
Hammond has five 20-point games this season including a career-high 26 at UCF.
Andrej Jakimovski, a four-year standout at old Pac-12 rival Washington State, is averaging 10.2 points ranking second on the team in 3-point field goals (29) and is third in steals (20) and rebounding (4.3 rpg). 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 57.5 percent while averaging 8.6 points an outing. Malone is third on the team in blocks (13) and fifth in rebounding at 3.3 per game.
Malone grabbed six rebounds off the bench at Arizona, his most against a Big 12 opponent. He had recorded just five rebounds over his previous four appearances combined.
Malone had 15 points and a personal CU-high nine rebounds against South Dakota State. He hit 7 of 8 from the field, matching the team's best this season in terms of percentage (.875) with at least four field goals made.
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 (5.7 rpg), is tied for the team lead in steals (26) and is second in blocks (16) and overall shooting at 53.3 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 7.2 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while shooting 51.8 percent from the field and leading the Buffaloes in blocked shots (29).
Dak is ninth in the Big 12 in overall blocked shots (1.4 bpg) and is fifth in league only games (2.0 bpg).
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.
ABOUT THE UTES: Utah is 12-9 overall and 4-6 in the Big 12. The Utes have dropped three of their last four games. Utah averages 76.2 points while shooting 45.9 percent from the field. The Utes lead the Big 12 and rank sixth in the nation in assists at 18.5 per game. Defensively, Utah allows 70.6 points per game while opponents shoot 40.4 percent. Utah ranks second in the Big 12 and 28th in the nation in rebounds at 39.5 per contest.
Gabe Madsen leads Utah at 15.0 points per game with a team-best 57 3-point field goals. Ezra Ausar is second on the team in scoring at 11.4 points per contest while shooting 53.1 percent from the floor. Keanu Dawes tops the Utes in rebounding at 5.3 per game.
Craig Smith is in his fourth season at Utah with a record of 62-59 (.512). He is in his 14th season overall as a collegiate head coach with a 287-167 mark (.632).
THE SERIES: This will be the 63rd meeting between Colorado and Utah with the Buffaloes holding a 35-27 advantage. Colorado won two of three meetings last year. The teams split their regular season Pac-12 Conference series, both winning at home. The Buffaloes won the rubber match with a 72-58 decision in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 Tournament. Utah holds a 19-10 series lead in Salt Lake City.
Tad Boyle is 16-14 as a head coach against Utah. Craig Smith is 2-5 against Colorado as a head coach.
Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
Tip: 7:01 p.m. MT
Watch: ESPN+ (Mark Neely, Corey Williams)
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Listen Online: Sirius XM 380, SXM App 970
Live Statistics: https://buffs.me/3Cy0g5K
THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 9-12 overall and 0-10 in Big 12 Conference play after at TCU, 68-57, on Feb. 2. The Buffaloes have dropped their last 10, their longest losing streak since falling in the final 12 games of the 2008-09 season. It's Colorado's first 0-10 start to conference play since a similar start to the 1985-86 season (finished 0-14 in the Big Eight).
Colorado is averaging 71.8 points per game, shooting 45.7 percent from the field, but those numbers have dipped to 66.4 points on 44.0 shooting during conference games. Defensively, Colorado is allowing 72.1 points per game overall while opponents are shooting 43.2 percent. During Big 12 games, Colorado is allowing 76.3 points while opponents shoot 45.5 percent.
The Buffaloes will be playing in their sixth true road game of the season and looking for their first win. Colorado is 1-7 away from Boulder this season, that win coming at the Maui Invitational against defending NCAA champion UConn.
The Buffaloes rank fourth in the Big 12 in free throw percentage (.758) and sixth in rebounding defense (32.2 rpg), seventh in defensive rebounds (25.7 rpg) and eighth in assists (15.4 apg).
Julian Hammond III, the most experienced player in terms of games for the Buffaloes (played in his 109th career game at TCU), leads Colorado at 13.5 points and 3.4 assists per game. Hammond also tops the Buffaloes in 3-point field goals made and attempted (36-93) and free throws made (58) and percentage (.906).
Hammond is second the Big 12 and ranks 16th the in the nation in free throw percentage. He has made 58 of 64 on the season (.906) which includes consecutive made streaks of 21 (between UNC and UCF) and 18 which ended against Cincinnati.
Hammond has five 20-point games this season including a career-high 26 at UCF.
Andrej Jakimovski, a four-year standout at old Pac-12 rival Washington State, is averaging 10.2 points ranking second on the team in 3-point field goals (29) and is third in steals (20) and rebounding (4.3 rpg). 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 57.5 percent while averaging 8.6 points an outing. Malone is third on the team in blocks (13) and fifth in rebounding at 3.3 per game.
Malone grabbed six rebounds off the bench at Arizona, his most against a Big 12 opponent. He had recorded just five rebounds over his previous four appearances combined.
Malone had 15 points and a personal CU-high nine rebounds against South Dakota State. He hit 7 of 8 from the field, matching the team's best this season in terms of percentage (.875) with at least four field goals made.
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 (5.7 rpg), is tied for the team lead in steals (26) and is second in blocks (16) and overall shooting at 53.3 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 7.2 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while shooting 51.8 percent from the field and leading the Buffaloes in blocked shots (29).
Dak is ninth in the Big 12 in overall blocked shots (1.4 bpg) and is fifth in league only games (2.0 bpg).
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.
ABOUT THE UTES: Utah is 12-9 overall and 4-6 in the Big 12. The Utes have dropped three of their last four games. Utah averages 76.2 points while shooting 45.9 percent from the field. The Utes lead the Big 12 and rank sixth in the nation in assists at 18.5 per game. Defensively, Utah allows 70.6 points per game while opponents shoot 40.4 percent. Utah ranks second in the Big 12 and 28th in the nation in rebounds at 39.5 per contest.
Gabe Madsen leads Utah at 15.0 points per game with a team-best 57 3-point field goals. Ezra Ausar is second on the team in scoring at 11.4 points per contest while shooting 53.1 percent from the floor. Keanu Dawes tops the Utes in rebounding at 5.3 per game.
Craig Smith is in his fourth season at Utah with a record of 62-59 (.512). He is in his 14th season overall as a collegiate head coach with a 287-167 mark (.632).
THE SERIES: This will be the 63rd meeting between Colorado and Utah with the Buffaloes holding a 35-27 advantage. Colorado won two of three meetings last year. The teams split their regular season Pac-12 Conference series, both winning at home. The Buffaloes won the rubber match with a 72-58 decision in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 Tournament. Utah holds a 19-10 series lead in Salt Lake City.
Tad Boyle is 16-14 as a head coach against Utah. Craig Smith is 2-5 against Colorado as a head coach.
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