University of Colorado Athletics
MBB PREPARES FOR NO. 9 OKLAHOMA STATE SUNDAY
complete notes are on the web page: www.CUBuffs.com or at this link:
http://www.cubuffs.com/pdf7/11978.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=600&KEY=&SPID=257&SPSID=3890
Colorado (10-7, 2-4 Big 12) vs. Oklahoma State (14-3, 4-2 Big 12)
Sunday, Jan. 30, 2005, 2:00 p.m. (MST.)
Arena: Coors Events Center (11,064)
Television: ESPN Regional (Channel 53, KWHD)
Announcers: Dave Armstrong (P-by-P), Matt Doherty (analyst)
Radio: KKZN-760 AM, Mark Johnson (P-by-P), Charles Johnson (analyst)
Buff Bits ... Chris Copeland came off the bench to record his fifth double-double (12 pts., 11 rbs.) in the win over Mizzou ... Richard Roby continues to lead CU in scoring (14.5) and scoring 10 or more points 15 of 17 games ... Marcus Hall has led CU 11 times in assists, including the last five straight (5.0 apg.) ... Glean Eddy (279) and Copeland (221) are the lone players with over 200 career rebounds ... Roby ranks fourth all-time among CU freshmen with 14.5 ppg. ... Copeland and Hall are a combined 68-of-85 (.800) from the charity stripe, the rest of the team is .580 ... RobyGÇÖs 30 steals is eight from cracking the CU single-season top-30 list ... CopelandGÇÖs 25 blocks are 26th on the single-season list ... Julius Ashby is averaging 30 minutes, 5.0 ppg., 7.3 rpg. in his last three games since returning from a tendon tear in his left foot ... Glean Eddy is averaging 8.5 points and 9.0 rebounds in last four games in a starting role. Eddy was named CUGÇÖs Athlete of the Week recipient for his team-high 12 points with 11 rebounds in the overtime win at Iowa State ... Roby and Copeland are averaging 14.2 and 13.7 ppg., respectively in six conference games; Copeland is the team leader on the boards (8.3) ... Hall is the teamGÇÖs best FT shooter with under 2 minutes to play (14-of-16, .875) ... The bench is averaging 17 points in conference play and the starting line up has changed eight times ... Team Leaders: Roby (14.5 ppg.), steals (1.8); Ashby (7.3 rpg.); Copeland 3-pointers made (30), FG percentage (.479), blocked shots (1.5); Hall in assists (3.8).
Scouting THE COWBOYS - Oklahoma State enters todayGÇÖs matinee 4-2 in conference play with both losses coming on the road. However, OSU possesses a starting lineup comprised of five seniors led by All-America candidate Joey Graham and Big 12 media preseason selection John Lucas. Toss in senior Ivan McFarlin at forward and experience of five other letterwinners from last yearGÇÖs Final Four team, in addition to a head coach with 769 career victories in Eddie Sutton, the Cowboys are certainly one of the best teams in the nation ranked number nine in both the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN polls.
CU vs. OKLAHOMA STATE - The Cowboys hold a 55-45 advantage since 1948 and depending where the game is being played, the home team has been victorious every year since 1997. OSU has lost its last four in a row in Boulder and has not won at the Events Center since Feb. 24, 1996 (68-66). Coach Patton teams are 4-6 against OSU with all four wins coming at todayGÇÖs site. Will the fans be rushing the court???
Last TIME OUT - Richard Roby sank a 3-pointer with 21 seconds left to lift Colorado to a 64-62 win over Missouri Wednesday night. Seconds later, Jason Horton of Missouri (had a good look at a 3-pointer that would have given the Tigers the lead, but he missed and Mizzou remained winless (0-6) away from home this season. Roby led the Buffaloes with 15 points while Chris Copeland recorded his fifth double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds (game story and box, page 30).
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
FORMER HOOPSTER HODGES A TV STAR... On February 16, former Buff basketballer Poncho Hodges will star as the "principle character" in that eveningGÇÖs episode of the long running NBC television series "Law and Order." The episode will be titled "The Sixth Man," and PonchoGÇÖs character name is Silas Inwood, a professional basketball player accused of murdering an over zealous fan. After Poncho left the University of Colorado, he was in camp with the Los Angeles Lakers for the 1993-94 preseason but was one of the final players cut. Afterwards he played professional basketball for six years, in several of the top ranking European and Asian leagues. Poncho retired from professional basketball in 2000, and afterwards he began pursuing a career in acting. Since then Poncho has appeared in several independent films, a documentary, several short films, in an interactive military training film, the latter designed to instruct soldiers deployed to hot zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan in the art of urban and dessert warfare. Recently, Poncho wrapped production on a science fiction action adventure feature film "The Other Side", which is scheduled for release in 2005 (visit the official "The Other Side" website; http://www.entertheotherside.com/; PonchoGÇÖs character name is "OZ"). Poncho is also expected to be in Colorado for the NBA All-Star game on February 20.
WHAT THE NATIONAL MAGAZINES said about Oklahoma State last October:
Jan. 30 - Oklahoma State (Preseason ranking 8/7)
Athlon Sports: 2nd in conference; All-America Honorable Mention: Joey Graham; All-Big 12 First Team; Joey Graham and John Lucas; Third Team: Ivan McFarlin; Best Defensive Player: McFarlin; John Lucas is one of the best crunch-time players in the country; Nobody in the Big 12 returns as much experience or firepower as the Cowboys;
CBS Sportsline.com (5): 2nd in conference; All-America Second Team: Lucas; Conference First Team: Lucas and Graham; Second Team: McFarlin; It should be another banner year in Stillwater as Sutton welcomes back a strong team;
The Sporting News (5): 2nd in conference; All-America Second Team: Graham; All-Conference First Team: Lucas and Graham; Best Defender: McFarlin; JC recruit Aaron Pettway offers size and mobility, key ingredients that could give this team the look of an NCAA champion;
LindyGÇÖs (11): 2nd in conference; All-Conference First Team: Lucas and Graham; Third Team: McFarlin; Graham Top NBA prospect; Four starters return from Final Four team; As good as last season was in Stillwater, this season could be even better.
Street & SmithGÇÖs (9): 2nd in conference; All-America Third Team: Lucas; All-Big 12 Team: Lucas and Graham; Best defender McFarlin; High-scoring senior trio gives Sutton the goods for a second straight trip to the Final Four.
DOUBLE VISION - With his recent double-double, junior forward Chris Copeland has a team-best five of CUGÇÖs seven doubles. Earlier this season, Copeland and Richard Roby each recorded a double-double 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.
Double-Doubles this season
Chris Copeland 12pts., 11 rebs. vs. Mizzou
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).
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 15 of 17 games with 17 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 (30), minutes played (30.1), field goals made (90), and ranks third in rebounds (4.8). Roby has also led the team in rebounding three times.
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: 2-0 (at Iowa State, Missouri)
NOW THERE WERE 14 - CU redshirt-freshman Keith Smith was released from the team last week after violating team rules according to Coach Patton. Smith played a mere 19 seconds at California for his only action this season.
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 = 637 points (37.5), 329 rebounds (19.4), 142 assists (8.4)
Osborn, Freeman, Roby, Arrington, King-Stockton, Ashby = 491 points (28.9), 282 rebounds (16.6), 110 assists (6.5)
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 102 points from its bench in four games, an average 17 points.
Big 12 Conference (102 pts: 17.0 ppg.)
Missouri 32 pts.
at Iowa State 22 pts.
at Baylor 6 pts.
Kansas 14 pts.
Nebraska 8 pts.
at Oklahoma 20 pts.
Non-Conference (201 pts., 18.3)
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 33-6 (.846) at home during the last three seasons at the CECC (7-2 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.
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED - Congratulations are in order to former CU student assistant Jody Woodman who recently accepted a job with SI as the associate producer for the menGÇÖs college basketball web site in NYC. Jody worked with the media relations staff for two years and graduated from CU last May. Not a bad gig after graduating from CU seven months ago!
2008-09 CLASS - CU signed its lone scholarship student-athlete for next season adding Calvin Williams (6GÇÖ8, 200, Forward) from Hillcrest HS. The Memphis, Tenn. native signed a letter of intent during the early signing period in November. "Calvin is really a big-time athlete, a 6-8 guy who can run the floor and finish around the basket," said Patton.
5 PLAYERS = 10 OR MORE - Against California (Dec. 7) and Oregon State (Dec. 4), CU had five players reach double-figure points in both games. The last time CU had back-to-back games with five players scoring double figures was Dec. 12, 2000 (vs. UMKC) and Dec. 23, 2000 (Colorado State). Against Gardner-Webb, CU found itself with five players with 10+ or more.
STAR OF THE GAME - After each victory, the CU radio duo of Johnson & Johnson - no relation (just like the special agent JohnsonGÇÖs in the first Die Hard) will select their player of the game. Richard Roby was CUGÇÖs first honoree against Charleston; Chris Copeland (Northwestern), Marcus Hall (at California), Julius Ashby (Colorado State), Roby (UMKC), Copeland (Radford), Osborn (Gardner-Webb), Copeland (Richmond), Osborn (at Iowa State), Roby (Missouri).
Star of the game tally: Roby (3), Copeland (3), Osborn (2), Ashby (1), Hall (1).
STREAKINGÇÖ AT HOME - In the past few years, CU has engineered a pair of 15-game home winning streaks that has carried over from one season to another. In 2002-03 through 2003-04, the Buffaloes won 15-straight (snapped by Utah), and again from 2003-04 through this season, another 15-game home streak (ended by Nebraska). Listed below are the non-conference and conference win streaks over the decades.
Home non-conference winning streak:
27 straight: Dec. 17, 1977 - Dec. 8, 1981 (Tennessee won 64-63)
18: Dec. 20, 1981 - Dec. 30, 1983
(Loyola-Chicago won 77-75)
18: Dec. 18, 1965 - Dec. 19, 1969
(Washington State won 84-74)
17: Dec. 14, 1959 - Dec. 18, 1963
(Cincinnati won 82-64)
16: Nov. 28, 2000 - Dec. 3, 2002
(Georgia won 71-70)
Home conference winning streak:
29 straight: Jan. 8, 1936 - March 8, 1941
(Wyoming won 44-31)
17: March 9, 1917 - Feb. 3, 1922
(Colorado Mines won 32-31)
16: Feb. 20, 1961 - Jan. 11, 1964
(Kansas won 73-55)
15: Jan. 11, 1954 - Feb. 27, 1956
(Iowa State won 79-62)
15: Jan. 26, 1929 - Jan. 24, 1931
(Wyoming won 36-26)
PATTON AND CU - In 103 years of Colorado basketball, Coach Patton teams have engineered a pair of 20-win seasons and three 18-win campaigns. In addition to a pair of NCAA Tournament and a trio of NIT berths. CU has seen only 10 seasons with 18 or more victories in any season, PattonGÇÖs teams have garnered five of those.
NO CUPCAKES HERE - Colorado has won their fair share of games during the non-conference season (79) under Coach Patton, however, they have lost 29 overall. Below are the schools the Buffaloes have fallen short against in the non-conference season with their national rankings included. CU has one more non-conference game remaining on the schedule, Feb. 14 at home against South Dakota State.
CU/Patton in the Non-Conference
Year Rec. Non-Conference Losses
2004-05 8-3 at Michigan,
at Oregon St., at Utah
2003-04 8-3 at Pepperdine, Utah, Richmond
2002-03 10-3 at Rice, Georgia,
at New Mexico State
2001-02 9-2 at St. JosephGÇÖs (#19),
at Georgia
2000-01 10-3 vs. Austin Peay,
St. JosephGÇÖs, at California
1999-00 10-3 at Va. Commonwealth,
at Colorado State,
at HawaiGÇÖi
1998-99 9-4 vs. Kentucky (#4),
vs. Xavier (#10),
at Wyoming,
at Montana State
1997-98 6-4 Wyoming,
at Colorado State,
Georgia (#23),
vs. Massachusetts
1996-97 9-4 vs. Louisville, at Georgia, at George Mason, vs. North Carolina (#4)
10th in the Big 12 - The conference coaches are predicting CU to finish 10th overall in this seasonGÇÖs standings. In eight full years, not one Coach Patton team has finished 10th or lower. Since 1996-97, CU has finished in second place (once), fourth (twice), fifth (once), seventh (three times), and ninth (once).
MOVING UP THE CHARTS - Coach Patton moved into second place in victories at CU with the win over UMKC. HereGÇÖs the top-2 at CU:
1. Sox Walseth 261
2. Ricardo Patton 153
BUFFS TV - CU is making 23 appearances this season on the tube - believed to be the most ever. A total of eight telecasts will be featured on FSN (4 home, 4 away); 12 appearances (five away, six home, one neutral) on ESPN Plus, one game on ABC and one on ESPN Classic.
CU IN THE EXTRA SESSION - Under coach Patton, CU teams are 9-6 in the extra session since 1996. Their only double-overtime game was over Texas Tech (Feb. 11, 1998).
ELITE COMPANY - With 19 points in his college debut, Richard Roby recorded the fourth best scoring game as a freshman in a CU uniform. Here are some of the other performances in addition to the other categories:
1) 31 points, Emmett Lewis vs. New Mexico,
Nov. 29, 1975
2) 21, Donnie Boyce vs. Towson State,
Nov. 25, 1991
t3) 19, Richard Roby vs. College of Charleston, Nov. 15, 2004
t3) 19, Randy Downs vs. Oregon Tech, Nov. 26, 1982
5) 15, Matt Bullard vs. Fort Lewis, Nov. 23, 1985
6) 14, David Harrison vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Nov. 17, 2001
7) 14, Chauncey Billups vs. UC-Santa Barbara, Nov. 24, 1995
CU IN POST-SEASON PLAY - Under head coach Ricardo Patton, the Buffaloes are 4-8 in the Big 12 post-season. In 1998-99, 1999-2000,
2001-02, and 2002-03, CU advanced to the second round and finished 1-1. Last season was the highest a CU team is seeded since being No. 3 (11-5) back in 1996-97.
CU IN THE BIG DANCE - Colorado 2003-04 NCAA Tournament team was the first since the 1996-97 season to make the post season tourney. It was also the second appearance for head coach Ricardo Patton at CU. Back in 1968-69, CU garnered the NCAA post-season plateau, but havenGÇÖt reached back-to-back tournaments since the late-Sox Walseth achieved the two-fer in1961-62 and 1962-63 (42 years ago).
Colorado in the Polls - For colleges like Duke, Kansas, and North Carolina, being ranked among the nationGÇÖs top-25 is an every week occurrence. HereGÇÖs a look at the Buffs history of being a ranked team:
Associated Press USA Today
1955 - #15 1997 - #25
1962 - #9
1963 - #10 UPI
1969 - #18 1955 - #11
1997 - #24 1962 - #8
1963 - #9
1969 - t#14
During the week of Jan. 20, 1997, CU was ranked No. 18 in the AP Poll and earned its first national ranking since Dec. 30, 1969.
CU IN SEASON OPENERS - With their impressive 72-57 win over the College of Charleston, head coach Ricardo Patton remains perfect in season openers improving his record to 9-0 (6-0 at home, 2-0 on the road, 1-0 neutral).
INSIDE CU - Want to know a little more about the University of Colorado-Boulder? HereGÇÖs a few Q&AGÇÖs you might be asking:
Why is the University of Colorado know as CU and not UC or U of C?
(The same applies at Kansas-KU, Missouri-MU, Nebraska-NU, Oklahoma-OU and Denver-DU): "Midwestern casualness," says former CU historian and the late-Fred Casotti. It has always been this way at Colorado, for whatever reason, and at the other five listed above-but seemingly nowhere else in the USA. In the 1950s, there was a concerted effort to eliminate the use of "CU" on the Boulder campus, both as a symbol and in speech, but Casotti said that no one would buy into it. "Nobody would change," he said. "ItGÇÖs easier to say than U of C, UC sounds like slang or something (as in ?you seeGÇÖ), and it was traditional. By trying to eliminate it, they reinforced it."
What? Black is not an official CU color, what are the official colors?
The official colors of CU are silver and gold. According to the book Glory Colorado, these colors were adopted by the class of 1888, as a symbol of the mineral wealth of this state. But in 1921, as football became more popular, there were complaints from the students that silver and gold did not look good on football jerseys. In fact, silver and gold ended up looking like dirty gray and
dark yellow. It wasnGÇÖt until 1959 that the football team changed its jerseys to black with yellow. And although the football team seems to have set the trend with its color choice, CU still has the official colors of silver and gold.
What or who exactly is Ralphie?
The University of Colorado has the most unique mascot in all of intercollegiate athletics, a real buffalo named Ralphie. The live buffalo mascot, now "Ralphie IV," will continue the tradition of leading the football team out on the field both at the start of the game and the second half. The buffalo first appeared in 1934, and since 1966 has been a regular at CU home and bowl games, and even a select few road and neutral site.
Exactly what sports does CU offer?
The University of Colorado athletic department sponsors 17 intercollegiate, NCAA-affiliated sports. In alphabetical order, they are basketball (menGÇÖs/womenGÇÖs), cross country (menGÇÖs/womenGÇÖs), football (menGÇÖs), golf (menGÇÖs/womenGÇÖs), skiing (co-ed but counts as both a menGÇÖs and womenGÇÖs sport), soccer (womenGÇÖs), tennis (menGÇÖs/womenGÇÖs) track and field (counts as four sports, menGÇÖs and womenGÇÖs, indoor and outdoor) and volleyball (womenGÇÖs).
If the nickname Buffaloes started in 1934, what was CU known as before that and how did Buffaloes get it start?
A 1934 contest to select an official school nickname by the Silver and Gold newspaper gave us the mascot or nickname Buffaloes. The nickname was officially bestowed upon the schoolGÇÖs teams at halftime of the Homecoming game against Utah that season. Prior to 1934, CU athletic teams usually were referred to as the "Silver and Gold", but other nicknames teams were sometimes called included Silver Helmets, Yellow Jackets, Hornets, Arapahoes, Big Horns, Grizzlies and Frontiersmen. The campus newspaper announced the contest in the fall of 1934, with a $5 prize to go to the author of the winning selection. Claude Bates of New Madrid, Mo., and James Proffitt of Cincinnati, Ohio, were co-winners for the prize as both submitted Buffaloes as their entry. Athletic Director Harry Carlson, graduate manager Walter Franklin and Kenneth Bundy of the Silver and Gold were the judges. Through the years, synonyms which quickly came into use included "Bison", "Buffs", "Thundering Herd", "Stampeding Herd", "Golden Avalanche", and "Golden Buffaloes". Check out RalphieGÇÖs page at www.CUBuffs.com for a complete history!