MBB Continues Homestand Against Pepperdine Monday

FOR STARTERS: Tonight will be the second game in three days for the Buffaloes. After MondayGÇÖs game, CU will be idle until in-state rival Colorado State comes to town this Saturday, Dec. 9 in a game broadcast on Fox Sports Net Rocky Mountain. CU starts a six-game homestand wrapping up the nonconference season until Jan. 3. The last time CU had a losing record in the nonconference portion of the schedule was the 1988-89 season (5 wins, 13 losses). Complete Notes located at the bottom of the page.

CU vs. PEPPERDINE: CU and Pepperdine (West Coast Conference) are tied at three in the head-to-head series dating back 1944. The Buffs hold a 3-1 advantage in Boulder and have played twice in recent memory (1999: NIT: CU, 65-61 in Boulder) and 2003, at Pepperdine, L, 94-77). The Buffs are 19-11 against the West Coast Conference with Saint MaryGÇÖs the last school CU has played from there (Nov. 26, W, 73-54 at Pepsi Center).

HOLIDAY STAY: No more frequent flyer miles for the CU MBB team for the next six games and/or five weeks. CU will not leave the state of Colorado until Jan. 9GÇÖs travel day to Norman, Okla. (Jan. 10 at Oklahoma, FSN RM). Prior to visiting OU, the Buffaloes open the Big 12 Conference season against Texas on Jan. 6.

HOOK SHOTS: Xavier Silas made his first collegiate start last Saturday scoring 17 points (8-for-9 FT) ... Jeremy Williams made his third career start pouring in 12 points ... Richard Roby moved into 20th place on the schoolGÇÖs all-time scoring list (1,103 points); he also netted 20 points for the third time this season, all CU victories ... Kal Bay leads the team in 3-pointers (12); without his 12 treys, the team is 22-for-106 (.208) ... Dwight Thorne is looking for his first trey this season (0-for-14 from the 3-point arc and 1-for-17 from the field) ... Jermyl Jackson-Wilson is averaging 9.4 ppg., 8.3 rpg.; JJW leads the team in rebounding, blocks (13), third in steals (8) ... The Buffs are 68-10 (.872) versus non-conference opponents at home since 1996-97; they have won 17 of their last 20 games at home against non-conference opponents (losses: Wyoming, Air Force and Old Dominion in the NIT last season) ... CU has made only 34 3-pointers this season, compared to 55 last year ...The Buffs have not won two in a row since defeating Iowa State (84-82) and Baylor (65-61) March 4 and 9 last season ... CU has used three different starting lineups.

LAST TIME OUT: CU broke a two-game losing streak defeating the University of Northern Colorado, 88-86 Saturday night at the Coors Events Center. The Bears kept it close for most of the game until Jermyl Jackson-Wilson grabbed an offensive rebound and scored the game-winning shot for an exciting 88-86 victory at the buzzer. It was Jackson-WilsonGÇÖs only field goal of the night. Richard Roby and Dominique Coleman each scored game-highs of 21 points, leading three other players in double-figures, Xavier Silas (17 points), Jeremy Williams (12 points) and Kal Bay (10 points). Roby also grabbed 10 rebounds, giving him his first double-double of the year, fifth career.

SURPRISE LINEUP ADDITION: Chase Perkowski came off the bench in the early stages of the first half at UNCW. The sophomore from San Juan Capistrano, Calif. took a charge in four minutes at running the point. Aside from on again, off again scholarship and former student-athlete Scott Senger (May 2006 graduate), Perkowski is the first walk on to play quality minutes in the last six years when the game hasnGÇÖt been decided.

CU on Top: The Division I Sports Academy DirectorsGÇÖ Cup standings kicked off the 2006-07 season with 20 total points separating the first, second and third place spots. Colorado opens the year on top with 190 total points after capturing the menGÇÖs cross country national championship and a runner-up finish in womenGÇÖs cross country.

Twelve-time defending champion Stanford is currently in second with 180 points, finishing first in womenGÇÖs cross country and fourth overall in menGÇÖs cross country.

Just 10 points behind, with 170 points, is Wisconsin, with a runner-up finish in menGÇÖs cross country and a fourth place stop in womenGÇÖs cross country. The Sports Academy DirectorsGÇÖ Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. The United States Sports Academy, based in Daphne, Alabama, is the programGÇÖs sponsor. Points are awarded based on each institutionGÇÖs finish in up to 20 sports ? 10 womenGÇÖs and 10 menGÇÖs. The next Division I standings will be released Thursday, December 14. Complete standings and the scoring structure can be found on NACDAGÇÖs web site at www.nacda.com.

"YOUNG GUNS" Eight of the teamGÇÖs 13 players are freshmen and are know as another name of the 2006-07 roster, the GÇÖYoung Guns." If you havenGÇÖt already done so, check out the back cover of the 2006-07 media guide, theyGÇÖre the future of CU Basketball. After seven games, Kal Bay and Xavier Silas have made the most of the opportunity in the CU lineup. Bay has started six of seven games at the point, leads the team in treys (12), second in assists (21; 3.0 apg.) and is sixth in scoring (6.7 ppg.).

"X" Marks The Spot: Xavier Silas is averaging an impressive 27.0 minutes in a reserve role and one start. He is averaging 9.6 points (third in scoring) and 3.1 rebounds. He led CU in scoring at New Mexico with 14 points and netted a career-high 17 points against Northern Colorado.

20 shots+20 pts.=CU WIN: Twice this season when Richard Roby shoots 20 times in a game, he scores 20 points AND CU wins. Over his career, CU is 5-1 in this trend. Last season, he did it three times, all wins and his freshman season, he did it once and lost (at Texas Tech). Here are RobyGÇÖs 20 shots=20 points and the result:

2006-07 (2-0)

vs. Denver: 8-for-21, 20 pts., W, 78-64

at Utah: 8-for-22, 22 pts., W, 60-59

2005-06 (3-0)

vs. St. MaryGÇÖs, 10-for-20, 29 pts., W, 73-54

at Missouri, 11-for-24, 33 pts., W, 74-71

at Oklahoma St.,12-for-21, 27 pts.,W, 80-78, ot

2004-05 (0-1)

at Texas Tech, 11-for-20, 29 pts., L, 90-97

WHO IS THAT MASKED MAN? ThatGÇÖs 6GÇÖ3" freshman guard James Inge, who broke his nose in practice. Inge will get his nose fixed after the season and will wear a protective mask.

THIS DAY in BUFF MBB HISTORY: The Buffaloes are 11-9 on this date in history. Most recently, CU played on this date in 2004 falling at Oregon State, 98-87. Marcus Hall scored the last 18 points in the first half and the first two points of the second half, tying Donnie BoyceGÇÖs mark (Mar. 5, 1994) of consecutive points by one player).

CHARITY STRIPE: Performance at the free throw line isnGÇÖt a CU best either after seven games. Although the Buffs defeated Northern Colorado by two points at the buzzer, they really won the game at the line (22-for-31, .721). That improved their team percentage to .612 percent, still the lowest in 11-years under Patton.

vs. Denver 11-for-21 (.524)

at New Mexico 9-for-14 (.643)

vs. Air Force 8-for-19 (.421)

at Utah 6-for-9 (.667)

vs. Wyoming 15-for-25 (.600)

at UNCW 13-for-21 (.619)

NORTHERN COL. 31-for-43 (.721)

Century Mark Points: Allowing New Mexico to score 100 points on Nov.14, was the first time CU allowed that many in a game since falling to Oklahoma State, Jan. 30, 2004 (L, 86-104). Prior to that it was Jan. 7, 1998 (at Kansas, L, 62-111). Wondering where the 41-point loss at New Mexico ranks? ItGÇÖs the most since losing by 32 points at Utah (80-48) on Dec. 30, 2004 and by 43 to Texas at the Big 12 Tournament, March 10, 2000 (78-35).

This year: 2-5 minutes to play

Jermyl Jackson-Wilson 2-2 1.000

Chase Perkowski 2-2 1.000

Jeremy Williams 2-2 1.000

Sean Kowal 3-4 .750

Richard Roby 3-4 .750

Dominique Coleman 2-3 .667

Xavier Silas 1-2 .500

Dwight Thorne II 1-2 .500

King-Stockton 0-1 .000

last 2 minutes remaining

Xavier Silas 2-2 1.000