Colorado University Athletics
BUFFS GO FOR SECOND MBB BIG 12 WIN TONIGHT
Complete notes located under the game notes category or at this link:
http://www.cubuffs.com/pdf5/11733.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=600&KEY=&SPID=257&SPSID=3890
Colorado (9-7, 1-4 Big 12) vs. Missouri (10-8, 2-3 Big 12)
Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2005, 7:05 p.m. (MST.)
Arena: Coors Events Center (11,064); Television: ESPN Regional; The Game will be on Altitude and tape delayed starting at 9 p.m.
Announcers: Fred White (P-by-P), Paul Splittorff (analyst)
Radio: KKZN-760 AM, Mark Johnson (P-by-P), Mike Rice (analyst)
Buff Bits ... Glean Eddy scored a team-high 12 points with 11 rebounds for his career double-double in the overtime win at Iowa State ... Julius Ashby grabbed 13 rebounds at Iowa State, his second best since 17 at Cal ... Richard Roby has scored in double figures 14 of 16 games ... Eddy (275) and Chris Copeland (210) are the lone players with over 200 career rebounds ... Roby ranks fourth all-time among CU freshmen with 14.5 ppg ... Copeland and Roby are averaging 17.0 ppg. in five conference games; Copeland is the team leader on the boards (7.8) ... Marcus Hall has led CU 10 times in assists, including last four straight (4.8 apg.) ... Copeland and Hall are a combined 61-of-77 (.792) from the charity stripe, the rest of the team is .581 ... RobyGÇÖs 29 steals is nine from cracking the CU single-season top-30 list ... CopelandGÇÖs 25 blocks are 26th on the single-season list ... TEAM: Ironically CU scored 54 points at Iowa State, they also grabbed 54 rebounds ... 54 boards are the most since 57 at Texas Tech (Jan. 29, 2003) ... In Big 12 play, CU has scored only 70 points from its bench in five games, an average of 14 points ... In five Big 12 games, the offense has scored under 61 points all five times, last in the conference (58.0 ppg.) ... CU won in Ames for the first time since 1991 and in the Patton era won its first game when scoring under 59 points (1-20) ...The offense has made 96 3-pointers compared to 91 after 16 games last year ... Team Leaders: Roby (14.5 ppg.), steals (1.8); Ashby (7.4 rpg.); Copeland 3-pointers made (30), FG percentage (.484), blocked shots (1.6); Hall in assists (3.6).
SCOUTING THE TIGERS - Missouri enters tonightGÇÖs match up having lost three of its last five in conference play. The Tigers lost two of those at Oklahoma State and Kansas State, with a home loss to Texas Tech; wins were at home against Iowa State and Nebraska. Sophomore forward Linas Kleiza leads on the scoreboard and the boards with 16.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. Mizzou has claimed all its wins at home, while suffering two losses on the road and three on neutral courts, including a six-point loss to top- ranked Illinois.
CU vs. MISSOURI - Mizzou has dominated the overall series holding an 88-51 advantage, however, CU leads in Boulder, 33-26 including the last two in a row. Since Coach Patton took the reigns at CU, he is 7-3 against Missouri at home (7-10 overall). Against Tiger head coach Quin Snyder, CU is 2-8 overall. Coach Snyder enters his sixth in Columbia with a 110-71 record.
LAST TIME OUT - Andy Osborn hit a 3-pointer with 15.9 seconds left in overtime to give CU the lead and the Buffaloes held on through a frantic finish to beat Iowa State 54-52 Saturday night for their first Big 12 victory. The win was CUGÇÖs first victory in Ames since Feb. 19, 1991, ending a streak of 13 consecutive losses (game story and box, page 29).
65th BEST HOOPS PROGRAM - According to the latest edition of Street & SmithGÇÖs, CU is the 65th greatest program of all time. Kentucky tops the list, followed by UCLA and North Carolina. Other Big 12 schools residing in the top-100 are: Kansas (4th), Oklahoma State (13th), Kansas State (22nd), Texas (23rd), Oklahoma (24th), Missouri (38th), and Iowa State (84th).
ROBY AMONG GREATNESS - Freshman guard Richard Roby is setting his mark among the all-time greats at CU. Roby ranks third among the top freshmen scorers in Buffs history:
1) Chauncey Billups 17.9 1995-96
2) Emmett Lewis 15.0 1975-76
3) Donnie Boyce 14.9 1991-92
Richard Roby 14.5 2004-05
5) David Harrison 13.9 2001-02
6) Matt Bullard 12.7 1985-86
7) Randy Downs 11.9 1982-83
WHAT THE NATIONAL MAGAZINES are saying about CUGÇÖs opponent tonight against Missouri:
Jan. 26 - Missouri
Athlon Sports: 6th in conference; All-Big 12 Second Team: Linas Kleiza; Low expectations are a good thing as Tigers try to rebuild
CBS Sportsline.com (38): 5th in conference; Conference Second Team: Kleiza; The team hopes to start anew, and the christening of a new gym (15,000-seat Paige Sports Arena) will help
The Sporting News: 6th in conference; All-Conference Second Team: Kleiza; Missouri signed a Top 20 class, and all four freshmen need to be part of the rotation
LindyGÇÖs: 7th in conference; All-Conference Third Team: Kleiza; Deep backcourt gives Tigers a chance to put underachieving ways behind them
Street & SmithGÇÖs: 5th in conference; Power forward Linas Kleiza is a coachGÇÖs dream, a hard-nosed banger with a scorerGÇÖs touch
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
CU IN 8th PLACE - In the final fall NACDA/United States Sports Academy DirectorsGÇÖ Cup Standings, the Colorado is in eighth place as the gears switch into the winter sports competitions. Notre Dame leads a tight race with 337 points, followed by Michigan (333), Stanford (332) and Duke (327) as just 10 points separate the top four schools. The fifth through eighth schools are bunched together by just 22 points: UCLA (5th, 297), Maryland (6th, 280), Ohio State (7th, 286) and Colorado (8th, 275).
The Buffs earned 100 points each for national championships in menGÇÖs and womenGÇÖs cross country, only the fourth sweep of those crowns by the same school in one year. CU also earned 50 points when the womenGÇÖs soccer team reached the second round of the NCAA tournament, and 25 more when volleyball earned an invitation to the NCAA postseason. Football, despite an 8-5 record, the Big 12 North Division title and a EV1.Net Houston Bowl win over UTEP, did not earn any points as only those schools that were the final Top 25 received points; CU was 31st in the coaches and 32nd in the Associated Press. CU is atop the Big 12 standings, just ahead of Texas (9th, 262) but well up on Nebraska (31st, 137), Missouri (48th, 107) and Kansas and Texas A&M (tied for 49th, 100).
LIFE Without Ashby - In the seven games and 33 minutes that Julius Ashby was sidelined with a tendon tear, CU went 4-4 and 1-4 in its last five. Chris Copeland was 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 14.5 ppg. He has scored in double figures in 14 of 16 games with 15 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 (29), minutes played (29.9), field goals made (86), and ranks third in rebounds (4.9).
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. Results also include the end of regulation and overtime at Iowa State. 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
Andy Osborn 1-of-2 .500
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 3-of-6 .500
Marcus Hall 2-of-6 .333
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. CU is on its EIGHTH 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: 0-2 (Kansas, at Baylor)
8) Eddy, Roby, Ashby, McGee, Obazuaye: 1-0 (at Iowa State)
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 = 607 points (37.9), 309 rebounds (19.3), 134 assists (8.4)
Osborn, Freeman, Roby, Arrington, King-Stockton, Ashby = 457 points (28.6), 266 rebounds (16.6), 109 assists (6.8)
BENCH SCORING - CU matched its highest bench point total of the season with 38 points against Gardner-Webb. In Big 12 play, CU has only scored 70 points from its bench in four games, an average 14 points.
at Iowa State 22 pts.
at Baylor 6 pts.
Kansas 14 pts.
Nebraska 8 pts.
at Oklahoma 20 pts.
at Richmond 8 pts.
at Utah 21 pts. Gardner-Webb 38 pts.
Radford 17 pts.
UMKC 23 pts.
Colorado State 21 pts.
at Cal 6 pts.
at Oregon state 4 pts.
Northwestern 6 pts.
at Michigan 38 pts.
Col. of Charleston 19 pts.
DEFENDING THE COURT - CUGÇÖs an impressive 44-10 (.815) at home during the last three seasons at the CECC (6-2 this season), including a school best 14-1 back in 2002-03. Last season they were 12-3 overall (7-1 in the Big 12) with losses to Kansas, Utah, and Richmond - all NCAA Tourney teams.