Colorado University Athletics

Buffaloes Host South Dakota State Wednesday

Buffaloes Host South Dakota State Wednesday

THE GAME: The University of Colorado (4-6) will host South Dakota State University (7-4) on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at 7 p.m. in the Coors Events Conference Center.

BROADCAST: ColoradoGÇÖs game against SDSU will be broadcast live on KKZN AM 760, BoulderGÇÖs Progressive Talk station. Tim Smile will handle play by play duties and is joined by USA BasketballGÇÖs Carol Callan with the color commentary. Internet audio streaming of the game will be available through Yahoo! Sports. Video streaming of the contest will be available through CUBuffs.com and The Stampede Online subscription service.

THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 4-6 overall after a third place showing at the San Juan Shootout Dec. 19-21. All three of CUGÇÖs wins have come at the Coors Events Conference Center, where the Buffs are 3-2 overall.

When Colorado is winning, it is winning big. CU is averaging 86.8 points per game in its four wins and outscoring the opponent by 30.3 points an outing. The Buffs are shooting 48.1 percent from the field (124x258) in those games and outrebounding the opposition by 14.3 rebounds per game. In contrast, CU is averaging just 68.7 points per game in its six losses, shooting just 39.1 percent (135x345) while opponents are shooting 44.6 percent (161x361) from the field.

Four of CUGÇÖs six losses have been tight ones, two of which went to overtime. ColoradoGÇÖs fell to Northern Iowa 74-65 in overtime at the CECC and in overtime to Northern Arizona, 84-83 at the San Juan Shootout. In the BuffsGÇÖ two road losses, CU had a chance to tie or take the lead in the closing seconds in both games.

Sophomore post Jackie McFarland, the 11th best scorer in the nation (through games of Dec. 19), is just a few rebounds shy of averaging double-double over the first 10 contests. She ranks third in the Big 12 in scoring at 21.1 points per game and is fourth in rebounds at 9.7 per contest. Junior Jasmina Ilic is seventh in the Big 12 at 17.4 points per game, and has scored at least 20 points in four of the last seven contests. McFarland and Ilic have scored 20 or more points in the same game four times this season and the Buffs are 3-1 in those outings (lone loss at Creighton). After a relatively slow start, junior forward Anna Nedovic is heating up. She is averaging 9.7 points over the last six games while hitting 57.1 percent from the field (24x42). ColoradoGÇÖs back-court trio of senior Whitney Law and sophomores Lauren Lubin and Yari Escalera have put up some impressive numbers. Law, who missed the Utah State game with a sprained ankle, rebounded in a big way with a career-high 22 points against Colorado State. She is seventh among Big 12 players in assists, and 23rd in the nation, with 5.33 per game. Escalera, the fourth-best foul shooter in the Big 12 at 87.1 percent, tied a career-high with 19 points to lead CU against Northern Iowa. Lubin, who has started the last six games, has responded with two double-doubles and is averaging 8.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists over her four starts. Colorado has four of the top 15 free-throw shooters in the Big 12.

ColoradoGÇÖs freshman duo of forward Caley Dow and guard Hannah Skildum are getting some key minutes off the bench for the Buffaloes. Dow is averaging just over 15 minutes a game and has at least four rebounds in eight of 10 contests. Skildum has scored in each of the last six games and has recorded at least one rebound in all 10 outings and one assist in nine of 10 games.

LAST TIME OUT: Colorado placed third in the 2005 San Juan Shootout, played in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, a suburb of San Juan. The Buffaloes lost an 84-83 heartbreaker to Northern Arizona in overtime on Dec. 19, rebounded with a 90-42 victory over Puerto Rico-Mayaguez on Dec. 20, then fell to tournament champion South Florida, 72-59 on Dec. 21.

Jackie McFarland was named to the San Juan Shootout All-Tournament team as she averaged 15 points, 8.3 rebounds and shot 56 percent from the field (14x25) and 88.9 percent from the foul line (16x18) over the three games. Jasmina Ilic averaged 17.7 points over the three games and equalled McFarlandGÇÖs output from the charity stripe at 88.9 percent (16x18).

Junior Anna Nedovic had her top game of the season as she scored a career-high 25 points on a team season-high 11-of-15 from the field (.733) in the overtime loss to Northern Arizona.

Statistically Colorado had solid numbers in the tournament, but some of that was due in part to the 48-point win over UPR-Mayaguez. The Buffaloes shot 46.1 percent from the floor over the three games (76x165) and an outstanding 81.9 percent from the free-throw line (68x83). CU held a 44-31 rebounding edge over the three games, but struggled in the turnover category giving up six more turnovers per game than its opponent.

FIRST TEN GAMES: Comparing statistics from ColoradoGÇÖs first 10 games last year, and the first 10 games this year, the most significant improvements for the Buffaloes are in scoring, rebounding and free-throw shooting. CU is averaging 9.5 more points per game than at the same time last year. The Buffs have scored 80 or more points five times in 10 games this season as opposed to once in the entire 2004-05 campaign. Many of those points are coming off free throws. Colorado is getting to the line 6.8 more times per game and making good on 6.6 of those attempts reflecting a solid .739 free-throw percentage -- currently second in the Big 12 -- as opposed to .667 last season. Colorado is also averaging just over five more rebounds than this time last year and enjoying an even greater rebounding margin. CUGÇÖs averaging 8.1 more rebounds per game than its opponent this year while it was only +0.4 through 10 games in 2004-05.

CU has fallen off on its 3-point field-goal shooting, down 3.9 percent from last year. The Buffs are actually giving up fewer turnovers from last year (+1.2) and have a better assist/turnover ratio (+0.22) but their turnover margin is nearly twice as high as this time last year.

Colorado Statistics Through 10 Games

2004-05 2005-06
Record 6-4 4-6
Points 66.4 75.9
Points Allowed 65.8 68.5
Scoring Margin +0.5 +7.4
Field Goals 24.0 25.9
Field Goal Att. 56.3 60.3
Field Goal Pct. .426 .430
3-pt Field Goals 5.1 4.8
3-pt Field Goal Att. 14.6 15.5
3-pt Field Goal Pct. .349 .310
Free Throws 13.2 19.3
Free Throw Att. 19.8 26.1
Free Throw Pct. .667 .739
Offensive Rebounds 11.2 16.1
Defensive Rebounds 27.1 27.5
Total Rebounds 38.3 43.6
Rebounding Margin +0.4 +8.1
Fouls 16.3 18.6
Assists 12.5 15.4
Turnovers 18.6 17.4
Assist/TO Ratio 0.67 0.89
Turnover Margin -1.4 -2.6
Blocks 3.3 2.8
Steals 7.5 8.0

McFARLAND 20-10: Jackie McFarland is the first player in CU womenGÇÖs basketball history to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds over the first seven games of a season, in fact, she was the first to do it in the first four games of a season. McFarland just dipped below the double-double numbers while at the San Juan Shootout, currently residing at 21.1 points and 9.7 rebounds per game.

McFarlandGÇÖs 21.1 points per game average over the first 10 games is second all-time in school history trailing only Tera Bjorklund who averaged 21.5 points over the first 10 games of the 2003-04 season.

POINTS AVERAGE FIRST SEVEN GAMES

Name (Season) PPG

1. Tera Bjorklund (2003-04) 21.5
2. Jackie McFarland (2005-06) 21.1
3. Jamillah Lang (1993-94) 20.7
4. Tera Bjorklund (2002-03) 19.9
5. Lisa Van Goor (1980-81) 18.8

LUBIN BACK-TO-BACK DOUBLES: With her performances against Utah State and Colorado State sophomore guard Lauren Lubin became just the fifth true guard in team history to record two or more points-rebounds double-doubles in a career and only the second to do it back-to-back games. Former Big Eight Conference MVP Bridget Turner did it in back-to-back games during the 1988-89 season and leads all CU guards with nine total points-rebounds double-doubles. Lubin joins three other guards with two points-rebounds double-doubles and included in that list is teammate Whitney Law who had a pair last season. Lubin had 13 points and 13 rebounds against Utah State and had 15 points and 10 rebounds at CSU.

CLIMBING THE ?3GÇÖ LADDER: Junior Jasmina Ilic hit three 3-point field goals at the San Juan Shootout and currently resides in 11th place on CUGÇÖs all-time list with 60, needing just five more to reach the 10th spot currently held by former teammate Veronica Johns-Richardson who had 65 from 2001-05.

Junior Anna Nedovic is 15th on the all-time list with 43, needing two to pass Shelley Garcia (1994-99) for 14th.

ABOUT THEJACKS: South Dakota State, 7-4 overall, is a provisional NCAA Division I program with a proud tradition of NCAA II womenGÇÖs basketball including the 2003 national championship. The Jacks are in their second season of the transition to Division I and eligible for the post season WNIT this year. SDSU will be NCAA eligible for the first time in 2008-09. The Jacks are 15-11 overall against Division I teams since last year and have wins this season at Nebraska, 68-49 on Nov. 19, and at Colorado State, 82-75 on Nov. 25. Junior guard/forward Megan Vogel leads a balanced SDSU scoring attack at 14.3 points per game. Vogel is complimented by sophomore guard Andrea Verdegan who is averaging 9.6 points an outing and hitting a solid 47.5 percent from the 3-point arc (19x40). SDSU as a team likes to shoot from down town averaging 21.7 attempts per game, hitting on 33.1 percent.

SERIES RECORDS: This will be the first ever meeting between Colorado and South Dakota State.

Kathy McConnell-Miller has never faced South Dakota State as a head coach.

CHRISTMAS WINNERS: Colorado is 23-8 since the 1975-76 season in its first game back from the Christmas holiday. The Buffaloes have won seven in a row in their first game back from the Christmas break including wins over LSU in 2001, Illinois in 1999 and Stanford in 1998.

MILESTONES GALORE IN SEASON OPENER: Several milestones were reached in ColoradoGÇÖs season-opening 100-71 win over Cal State-Fullerton.

Junior Jasmina Ilic and sophomore Jackie McFarland each had 34 points, both career highs, marking the first time in team history two players hit the 30-point mark in the same game. McFarland recorded her sixth career double-double, grabbing a personal-high 15 rebounds. Ilic also had a personal-best 12 field goals and tied a career mark with 10 rebounds.

Senior Whitney Law dished out a school record 15 assists, breaking the previous record of 14, which was done twice, last by La Shena Graham vs. Missouri in 1998. She also had nine assists in the first half, breaking a 26-year old school record. Sandy Bean recorded eight assists in a half against Northern Colorado on Feb. 1, 1979.

Colorado recorded its first 100 point game since a 114-52 win over St. Francis (Pa.) on Nov. 28, 1994. CUGÇÖs 58 first-half points tied for the sixth-most in team history, a feat also achieved against TCU on Dec. 7, 1993 and vs. St. Francis (Pa.) on Nov. 28, 1994.

CLASSIC IN REVIEW: Colorado placed third in the 19th Annual Coors Classic Tournament Nov. 25-26 at the Coors Events Conference Center. The Buffaloes fell to Northern Iowa, 74-65, in overtime marking the first time in Coors Classic history that CU lost a first round match up. Colorado rebounded to take the consolation game from Utah State, 73-56. Northern Iowa would go on to take the tournament title by defeating Illinois 71-47.

Jackie McFarland was named to the All-Tournament team as she averaged 18 points, 8.5 rebounds, four steals and two blocks. Northern Iowa senior center Cassie Hager, who had 21 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks against CU, was the tournament MVP.

WALLACE ACTIVATED: Junior forward Courtney Wallace has waited more than a year to put on the Buffaloes uniform and now laces them up with the rest of the squad. Wallace, a walk-on transfer from CU-Colorado Springs, was officially added to the active roster on Nov. 17. Wallace practiced with the Buffs for most of last season as she sat out her NCAA mandated redshirted year after transferring from the Springs campus. She has been practicing and conditioning with the Buffaloes since the start of the school year. Wallace played two years for the Mountain Lions and was a two-year letterwinner for Air Academy High School in Colorado Springs, graduating in 2004.

ON THE MEND: Sophomore center Kara Richards, who has missed the first 10 games of the regular season due to a Jones fracture in her left foot suffered in practice on Nov. 15, is scheduled to be evaluated this week and will miss another two weeks, which is consistent with the original timeline of 4-8 weeks. Richards started in 26 of 28 games for the Buffaloes as a true freshman last winter, averaging nine points, 5.3 rebounds and one block per game. She earned a spot on the Waco Tribune-HeraldGÇÖs All-Big 12 Conference Freshman team in 2004-05 and was named the BuffsGÇÖ Rookie of the Year. A native of Graham, Texas, Richards averaged 12 points and 6.5 rebounds in CUGÇÖs two exhibition games earlier this month.

McCONNELL-MILLER 100 IN DEBUT: Kathy McConnell-Miller led Colorado to the century mark in her first game as head coach, by far the best total of any current Big 12 Conference coach in their debut at their school. Bill Fennelly of Iowa State was the closest as he led the Cyclones to an 82-55 win over Idaho State in his debut in 1995. Ironically, McConnell-Miller is not the first Colorado womenGÇÖs coach to debut with a 100-point performance. Sox Walseth led the Buffs to a 107-73 win over Colorado WomenGÇÖs College in his first game as womenGÇÖs head coach on Nov. 18, 1980.

BUFFS IN OPENERS: With its win over Cal State-Fullerton, Colorado moved to 27-5 (.844) all-time in season openers and a whopping 31-1 (.969) all-time in home openers. CU has won six straight season debuts and 19 of its last 20 with the lone loss in that span coming at Denver on Nov. 19, 1999.

TIS THE SEASON FOR WINS: Colorado has been dominant in December over the years compiling a 140-58 (.707) overall record. The Buffaloes are a whopping 67-14 (.827) at home in the 12th month.

ON THIS DATE: Colorado is 8-4 on Dec. 28 in its history and 5-2 at home. During the 1994-95 season, the No. 9 ranked Buffaloes had their lowest scoring output of the season, but still managed to squeak by No. 13 Washington on the road, 55-51. The win was No. 4 in CUGÇÖs school record 25-game winning streak that ended with a 82-79 loss to Georgia in the 1995 Elite Eight.

BUFFS IN PRESEASON: Colorado has had five straight seasons with a record of .500 or better during the non conference schedule. The Buffs have only finished below .500 twice during the nonconference schedule in the Big 8/Big 12 era going 5-6 in 1999-2000 and 4-9 in 1984-85. A five-game winning streak last December allowed CU to keep the string alive at with a 7-6 preseason mark. The Buffaloes will need a similar rally to reach the .500 mark as CU stands at 4-6 with just three nonconference games remaining, all of which are at home.

BUFFS PICKED 12TH: Colorado was picked to finish 12th in the annual Big 12 Conference Coaches Preseason Poll. CU received 14 points meaning no less than eight Big 12 coaches picked the Buffaloes to finish in the 12th spot (coaches do not vote for their own teams). It is the first time the Buffaloes have been picked lower than eighth since the coaches poll began in 1997. Defending NCAA champion Baylor was picked to win its second consecutive Big 12 title, landing six first place votes and 113 total points to edge out second place Texas with two first place nods and 110 points. Texas Tech was a close third with the four remaining first place votes and 108 points. Oklahoma was fourth (91), followed by Nebraska (70), Kansas (66), Texas A&M (59), Kansas State (56), Iowa State (45), Missouri (37), Oklahoma State (23) and Colorado.

TOUGH SCHEDULE: Colorado once again faces a tough schedule, featuring at least 14 games against 2005 NCAA or WNIT tournament teams. Defending national champion Baylor, who the Buffs will face in Waco on Feb. 22, is the highest ranked team on the schedule, checking in at No. 4 in the most recent Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN coaches polls. Oklahoma is No. 20 in the coachesGÇÖ poll and No. 20 in the AP poll. Texas is No. 19 in the AP poll and No. 23 in the coachesGÇÖ poll. South Florida is receiving votes in both polls while Kansas is receiving votes in the AP poll.

HOME AT THE CECC: Colorado is traditionally tough at home with a 292-80 all-time record at the Coors Events/Conference Center (.785). The Buffaloes have won 10 or more games in a season at the CECC in 18 of the previous 27 years including five undefeated seasons (1980-83, 1992-94). Colorado had a rare sub-.500 season last winter at 5-9, marking just the second time the Buffs have been below .500 for a season in the 27-year history of the CECC.

BUFFS ON TV: ColoradoGÇÖs schedule features seven games that will be televised either regionally or nationally by Fox Sports Net. All but one of the FSN games is in Boulder, with the lone exception at Colorado State on Nov. 30. Buffs fans will see a familiar face on their TV sets during those games as longtime CU coach Ceal Barry is scheduled to provide the color commentary on a majority of the broadcasts.

UP NEXT: Colorado will host Oregon on Friday, Dec. 30, at 7 p.m., in the BuffsGÇÖ final game before the Big 12 Conference season begins on Jan. 4 against Nebraska.

For the complete release, statistics and player notes click on the link below (.pdf).