Colorado University Athletics

ROBY NETS 22 TO LEAD CU IN EXHIBITION WIN

ROBY NETS 22 TO LEAD CU IN EXHIBITION WIN

BOULDER ? Freshman guard Richard Roby scored 22 points to lead four Colorado players in double figures as the Buffaloes defeated Northern State, 99-71, in their first exhibition game to start the 2004-05 season at the Coors Events Center Thursday night.

 

Northern State jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the first two minutes of the first half but Colorado came back to tie it at 15 on a jumper by junior Jayson Obazuaye with 12:20 remaining.  Despite 17 first half points by Northern State’s Matt Hammer, Colorado managed to end the half down by one.

 

CU is 16-1 in exhibition games under Patton including 11 straight victories since 1998.

 

“It was a great first test, particularly the way we came out in the second half,” said CU head coach Ricardo Patton. "We turned up the defensive intensity and things started to go our way."

 

The Buffaloes opened up the second half with an 11-0 run over the first 3:08 and continued to outscore the Wolves 58-29, after being down 42-41 at half time.

 

Colorado shot 63 percent (35-of-57) from the floor, including 53 percent behind the three-point arc (9-of-17) compared to Northern State’s 34 percent.  Although Colorado committed 19 turnovers, they out-rebounded the Wolves 49-23, including 17 on the offensive glass.

 

Obazuaye finished the night with 15 points and junior Glean Eddy scored 11.  In his first appearance for Colorado, Julius Ashby was two rebounds shy of a double-double, finishing with 10 points and eight rebounds in only 19 minutes of play.  Northern State was paced by Hammer’s 22 points and eight rebounds.

 

“(Obazuaye) came around and he played a lot better in the second half,” said Patton.  “He started doing things like getting into the paint.”

 

The Buffs conclude exhibition play Monday, November 8th against Regis at 7 p.m. at the Coors Events Center.