Colorado University Athletics
MBB Hosts Dartmouth Saturday at 1 p.m.
TODAY (Dec. 31): CU enters todayGÇÖs matinee with an 8-1 record their best start to a season since the 1979-80 season (26 years ago). The last time the Buffs started 9-1 was 1978-79, the same season they began 10-1.
SCOUTING DARTMOUTH: The Big Green enters todayGÇÖs game on a seven-game losing streak with their average margin of defeat 11.4 points. Coach Dunn returns nine letterwinners and two starters from last yearGÇÖs 10-17 team. Dartmouth is the ninth-oldest college (1769) in the United States with an enrollment of 4,300 students. Complete notes attached.
CU vs. DARTMOUTH: Today is the first-ever meeting with the Big Green. Dartmouth head coach Terry Dunn, a CU assistant for seven years is in his second year with the Ivy League school that resides in Hanover, N.H. CU is 4-1 lifetime against the Ivy League.
THE STREAK: CUGÇÖs win streak is up to seven wins, their longest since 1996-97 campaign when they won eight straight. With Savannah State just ahead and 1-39 in the last two years, CUGÇÖs consecutive win streak will be nine games, their longest since winning 12 in a row back in 1961-62.
WHATGÇÖS AHEAD: After a nine-day break CU wraps up non-conference play with Dartmouth (today) and Savannah State (1-11) on Jan. 3.
#33 RETURNS: Julius Ashby, CUGÇÖs 6GÇÖ9" senior forward from Trinidad & Tobago officially returned to the lineup after being academically ineligible for the fall semester. Ashby returned to the CU line up 6:27 of the first half scoring six points and five rebounds in 11 minutes. Ashby averaged 7.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in 22 games last season. He also had 33 blocked shots. Ashby was one of the key ingredients at last yearGÇÖs Big 12 Tournament helping CU upset No. 6 Texas (81-69) and a near upset of No. 3 Oklahoma State (87-85). Ashby averaged 16.5 points, seven rebounds, and set a tournament record with a 9-of-10 shooting from the field against the Cowboys. HeGÇÖs the final piece to a CU team that returns 10 seniors, the most of any school nationally.
NCAA Leaders: As of Dec. 19, CU was in a number of team categories. TodayGÇÖs updated statistics are not updated to present day NCAA categories. The next NCAA update will be January 3. Individual: Richard Roby, 9th, 3-point percentage (52.6). Team: Scoring Offense: 23rd (81.6); Scoring Margin: 22nd (16.1); 3-point field goals per game: 47th (7.9); Rebounding Margin: 16th (+9.1); Assists per game: 35th (17.4); Steals: 11th (11.1); Winning Percentage: 31st.
TOP 25 RANKINGS ... almost: Hey, weGÇÖre getting votes, 21 to be exact in this weekGÇÖs ESPN/USA Today poll (week eight). CU is currently 12th in the Sagarin ratings. The last time the Buffs were ranked in either poll came in 1997 at No. 24 (Associated Press). The others were 1969 (#18), 1963 (#10), 1962 (#9) and 1955 (#15). The highest opponent played from the Sagarin Ratings in Colorado State at No. 30 and UNC Wilmington, No. 53rd. On the downside, of the 334 schools rated, four of CUGÇÖs non-conference opponents fall from No. 312-334. Dartmouth (No. 312), Cal Poly (No. 313), Mercer (No. 315), and Savannah State (No. 333).
NOTES: The Buffs are ahead of last yearGÇÖs 3-point record pace (223 made) with 74-of-198 after eight games (last yearGÇÖs eight-game total was 58-of-148) ... CU tied a season-high with 12 treys against Mercer, with a season-best nine was made in the first half ... CU ranks first in the Big 12 in scoring (85.0), steals (10.89) and 3-pointers made (8.22) ... Scoring 117 points against Mercer was the seventh time CU has scored that many in its history ... CU has held five of their eight opponents under 70 points -- all wins ... CU is 5-0 at home and has won 14- straight non-conference games dating back to Jan. 8, 2004 ... The current senior class is 22-3 in non-conference home games (.880) ... CU is 65-7 since 1996-97 in home non-conference games (.903) ... CU has out-rebounded the opponent in all nine games (+9.3) ... Marcus Hall had five assists against Mercer moving him into 18th place all-time at CU (209) ... Glean Eddy (100) has tied current CU Director of Basketball Operations Will Smith (100) for consecutive games played without fouling out. Antoine McGee is close behind (99). However, Smith played 2,178 minutes, Eddy has only played 1,502 and McGee (1,417) ... Jayson Obazuaye scored a career-best 19 points against Mercer. If J.O. makes his free throws (1-of-4) he would have made 20 points, a first for his career. In fact, free throws cost Obazuaye at least 20 points three times last year.