Colorado University Athletics

BUFFS MEET TEXAS TECH IN BIG 12 QUARTERFINALS

BUFFS MEET TEXAS TECH IN BIG 12 QUARTERFINALS
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DALLAS -- Colorado's quest to reach the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year started on an upswing in Boulder on Feb. 18 with a solid 85-75 win over then No. 22 ranked Texas Tech. Since then, the Buffs have won five of six and finished the regular season in sole possession of fourth place in the Big 12 Conference with their best league record (10-6) since the 1996-97 season.

The two teams meet again on Friday in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Conference Tournament. The No. 4-seeded Buffs are scheduled to tip-off against the No. 5-seeded Red Raiders at 1:20 MST at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Friday's game will be televised in the Denver metro area on KHWD Channel 53. Internet listeners can also access live game audio through the Buffs Backstage Pass at CUBuffs.com.

Colorado is led by All-Big 12 junior center David Harrison, who is averaging 19.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.5 blocks over the last six games. Texas Tech will counter with senior guard/forward Andre Emmett (20.8 ppg), the Big 12's all-time leading scorer and a three-time all-league selection.

Harrison had 24 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocked shots against the Red Raiders back in February while Emmett had 16 points and six rebounds.

"We played them here at our place and I'm sure some of their players have some revenge on their minds," CU head coach Ricardo Patton said. "They are just a really good basketball team. Everyone talks about Emmett but I think that (Jarrius)Jackson, their point guard, is a terrific player. They have a cast of guys that play well together."

Jackson, who is second on the Raiders in scoring at 11.3 points per game, was held to just seven against CU in Boulder. Nearly half of Texas Tech's points in that game came from either Emmett or forward Devonne Giles. Despite hitting just 5-of-13 from the field, Giles had a huge game against CU recording 18 points and 18 rebounds. Giles averages 8.7 points and 4.9 rebounds on the season.

Harrison is a big reason for CU's recent success, but his supporting cast has proved to be just as key. Senior forward Michel Morandais, who was named to the All-Big 12 second team, ranks fourth in the league in scoring (16.4 ppg) and free-throw percentage (.860). Senior guard Blair Wilson, CU's all-time leader in 3-point field goals, is averaging 15.1 points over the last nine games. Forward Lamar Harris, recently named to the Big 12's All-Underrated team, leads the conference in defensive rebounding (6.15 drpg) and is averaging double digits (10.8 rpg) over the past seven outings.

"Colorado is a well put together team," Texas Tech head coach Bobby Knight said. "They play at both ends of the court well and any team that does that is always going to be a difficult team to play.  I think any time you play a team again, no matter how you played the first time, you hope you have a better focus and improve over the mistakes that you made. And that would be not simply because we lost the game up there, I feel exactly that way even if we won that game."

Friday's winner will play either top-seeded Oklahoma State or No. 8 seed Iowa State in the Big 12 semifinals on Saturday at 12 p.m. MST.