Colorado University Athletics
MBB LOOKS FOR FIRST CONFERENCE WIN TONIGHT
Game Notes: http://www.cubuffs.com/pdf7/11444.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=600&KEY=&SPID=257&SPSID=3890
Colorado (8-6, 0-3 Big 12) vs. Baylor (8-5, 0-2 Big 12)
Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2005, 6 p.m. (MST.)
Arena: Ferrell Center (10,284)
Television: ESPN Classic
Announcers: Jim Simpson (P-by-P), Jud Heathcote (analyst), Bill Raftery (analyst)
Radio: KKZN-760 AM, Mark Johnson (P-by-P), Charles Johnson (analyst)
Buff Bits - Chris Copeland netted his fourth career double-double with 22 points, 11 rebounds against Kansas. He is averaging 18.4 ppg., 7.6 rpg. in his last five games with two double-doubles ... Glean Eddy (255) and Copeland (202) are the lone players with over 200 career rebounds ... Eddy grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds against the Jayhawks ... Richard Roby leads CU in points (14.9), steals (1.8 apg.), minutes played (29.9), field goals made (77), shot attempts (173) ... Copeland and Marcus Hall are a combined 60-of-75 (.800) from the charity stripe, the rest of the team is .579 ... Without Julius Ashby in the paint for the last eight games, CU is 4-4. Copeland is CUGÇÖs step-up leader with 16.4 points, 6.4 rpg., 15 blocks ... Ashby is still sidelined up to 4-to-5 weeks after suffering a tendon tear in his left foot against UMKC. He COULD return in February or not all ... Eddy made his third start of the season vs. KU (third overall) ... Hall has led in assists eight times (two shared) ... RobyGÇÖs 25 steals is 13 from cracking the CU single-season top-30 list ... CopelandGÇÖs 22 blocks are 29th on the single-season list ... TEAM: CU is 0-3 in the Big 12 for the first time since the 1999-2000; havenGÇÖt started 0-4 in conference play since 1995-96 (Big 8) ... Since 1996-97, CU is 17-48 in Big 12 road play ... The three conference losses are an average of 17.3 points with a scoring average of 59.0 ppg. ... CU leads the Big 12 in blocks (6.1) ... Team Leaders: Roby (14.9 ppg.), steals (1.8); Copeland (6.4 rpg.), 3-pointers made (27), FG percentage (.504), blocked shots (1.6); Hall in assists (3.4).
SCOUTING THE BEARS - Baylor brings an 8-5 overall record and a 0-2 mark in conference play into WednesdayGÇÖs game that will be featured on ESPN Classic. Freshman guard Aaron Bruce leads four players in double figures (16.7 ppg.) and has led the Bears to six wins in its last eight games. Second-year head coach Scott Drew has already equaled last yearGÇÖs win total of eight and is 16-26 in a year-and-a-half with the green and Gold.
CU ON ESPN CLASSIC - The CU/BU game is part of ESPN ClassicGÇÖs "Turn Back the Clock" series. The telecast is part of a new weekly program on ESPN Classic that will air live college basketball games each Wednesday. The Bears-Buffs contest is the third of nine planned games in the weekly series. The cable network hopes to capture the look and feel of a 1979 telecast, the first year ESPN was on the air. The series utilizes retro graphics, 1970s-era music and "throwback" announcers. Jim Simpson, an original ESPN commentator, has come out of retirement to do play-by-play announcing for the game. Simpson will be joined by one of college basketballGÇÖs best analysts Bill Raftery and former coaching great Jud Heathcote.
CU vs. BAYLOR - CU holds an 11-4 series advantage with a 3-2 record in Waco. Coach Patton teams are 7-2 overall and 3-1 on the road at Waco. The Buffs have won the last three in a row in the series with two of those wins in Boulder.
IOWA STATE IS NEXT - After their every other year visit to Waco, CU travels to a not-so favorite place, Ames, Iowa. Colorado has failed to claim a victory at Hilton Coliseum since Feb. 19, 1991, thatGÇÖs 13-straight. Patton and the boys are 0-9 since 1996-97.
Last TIME OUT - Wayne Simien had 23 points and 17 rebounds and Keith Langford hit a handful of big shots Saturday to help No. 2 Kansas to a 76-61 victory over surprisingly persistent Colorado. The Buffaloes (8-6, 0-3) rallied from a 17-point deficit in the first half narrowing its margin to 45-44. Glean Eddy finished with five points and a career-high 12 boards, six on the offensive glass. Chris Copeland had 22 points and 11 rebounds for his fourth career double-double and Richard Roby scored 14 points for Colorado. Story and box on page 27.
WHAT THE NATIONAL MAGAZINES are saying about CUGÇÖs opponent tonight's against the Baylor:
Athlon Sports: 12th in conference; Baylor brings in two promising foreign prospects, along with three JUCO transfers.
CBS Sportsline.com: 12th in conference; Young staff is hoping to find overachievers the way it did with Harvey Thomas and Carl Marshall.
The Sporting News: 12th in conference; No two players expected to be in the rotation ever have played together, so chemistry is the foremost issue next to talent.
LindyGÇÖs: 12th in conference; Drew will find his second season in Waco more challenging than his first; Baylor has youngest coaching staff in country.
Street & SmithGÇÖs: 12th in conference; Best newcomer could be 7-foot center Mamadou Diene of Senegal.
THIRD YEAR CHARM - The following is a list of the national Division I players with the biggest scoring improvement from last season to this season. CU junior Chris Copeland fits this category.
Biggest Scoring Improvement, Last Year to This Year (minimum 18 games played last season & 9 games played this season).
Through Games of 01/16/05
Source: STATS, Inc. ? Chicago
Last Year, This Year, Improve
1) Dan Grunfeld, Stanford: 3.4, 18.1, 14.7
2) Will Whittington, Marist: 4.0, 17.6, 13.6
3) Pele Paelay, Coastal Carolina: 5.5, 17.5, 12.0
4) Chad Maclies, Centenary: 7.4, 19.1, 11.8
5) Chris Copeland, Colo.: 2.9, 14.2, 11.4
6) Levi Rost, Western Michigan: 6.9, 18.0, 11.13
7) Anthony Harris, Miami (FL): 1.4, 12.4, 11.0
8) Matthew Knight, Loyola Marymount: 4.9, 15.7, 10.8
9) Josh Almanson, Bowling Green: 8.0, 18.7, 10.7
10) Peter Mulligan, Manhattan: 10.9, 21.5, 10.6
SEEING DOUBLE - Richard Roby and Chris Copeland each recorded double-doubles in the home win over Northwestern. The last time CU had a pair of double-doubles was Jan. 17, 2004 at home against Iowa State (CU, 88-70), David Harrison 16 pts., 10 reb., Lamar Harris 10 pts., 19 rebounds. So far this season, CU has recorded SIX double-doubles with Copeland recording a team-best four:
Double-Doubles this season
Chris Copeland 22 pts., 11 rebs., vs. KU
Chris Copeland 22 pts., 14 rebs., vs. NU
Chris Copeland 12 pts., 13 rebs. vs. CSU Julius Ashby 11 pts., 17 rebs. at Cal
Chris Copeland 15 pts., 10 rebs. vs. NGÇÖWestern
Richard Roby 16 pts., 13 rebs. vs. NGÇÖWestern
LIFE Without Ashby - In the last seven games and 33 minutes of the UMKC game (Dec. 21) when junior Julius Ashby was sidelined with a tendon tear, CU is 4-4 and 1-4 in its last five. Chris Copeland is the leading scorer (16.4), rebounder (6.4), shot blocker (15), and FGs made (46-of-96, .479).
FROSH PHENOM - Freshman Richard Roby is making huge strides during his initial season leading the Buffaloes in scoring at 14.9 ppg. He has scored in double figures in 13 of 14 games with 13 starts. Not since the 1995-96 season has a freshman led CU in scoring (Chauncey Billups, 17.9 ppg.). Roby also leads CU in steals (25), minutes played (29.9), field goals made (77), and ranks third in rebounds (5.1).
WHOGÇÖS COOL AT THE FREE THROW LINE??? - Here are the updated stats of the CU players who have been at the charity stripe under five minutes to play. Richard Roby, Marcus Hall, and Chris Copeland are the best trio of the bunch.
Free Throws in last 2 minutes
Marcus Hall 14-of-16 .875
Richard Roby 10-of-12 .833
Chris Copeland 9-of-11 .818
Julius Ashby 3-of-4 .750
Glean Eddy 6-of-11 .546
Jayson Obazuaye 8-of-15 .533
Free Throws in the last 3-5 minutes
Chris Copeland 2-of-2 1.000
Jayson Obazuaye 3-of-5 .600
Richard Roby 5-of-9 .556
Glean Eddy 2-of-4 .500
Marcus Hall 2-of-5 .400
Julius Ashby 1-of-3 .333
Martane Freeman 1-2 .500
Lamont Arrington 0-1 .000
STARTING LINEUPS - There are no seniors on the current roster with the exception of walk-on Mac Mattingly. With the injury to Julius Ashby, CU is on its SEVENTH combination this season. Here are the different lineups against the opponent and record:
Starting Lineup Combinations
1) Eddy, Osborn, Ashby, Obazuaye, Roby:
1-0 (vs. Charleston)
2) Eddy, Osborn, Arrington, Obazuaye, Roby: 0-1 (at Michigan)
3) Copeland, Ashby, Obazuaye, Hall, Roby: 4-1 (vs. Northwestern, at Oregon St.,
at California, Colorado State, UMKC)
4) Copeland, King-Stockton, Obazuaye, Hall, Roby: 1-0 (Radford)
5) Copeland, Arrington, Obazuaye, Hall, Roby:
1-2 (Gardner-Webb, at Utah. Nebraska)
6) Copeland, Arrington, Obazuaye, McGee, Roby: 1-1 (at Richmond, at Oklahoma)
7) Copeland, Eddy, Obazuaye, Hall, Roby: 0-1 (Kansas)
NEWCOMERS vs. RETURNEES - There are six players each representing the returnees and newcomers (walk-ons donGÇÖt count). The Buffs are broken down into their respective groups of production. The returnees have a slight advantage over the newcomers:
Eddy, Obazuaye, Senger, Copeland, Hall, McGee = 533 points (38.1), 260 rebounds (18.6), 118 assists (8.4)
Osborn, Freeman, Roby, Arrington, King-Stockton, Ashby = 418 points (29.9), 238 rebounds (17.0), 104 assists (7.4)