MBB Hosts No. 19 Oklahoma on ESPN2 Wednesday Night - University of Colorado Athletics

CU vs. OKLAHOMA: OU (16-5, 7-3 Big 12) has dominated the Buffaloes in Big 12 play holding a commanding 11-2 advantage. CU’s last victory over OU was Feb. 25, 2004 in overtime (94-87), and the other was Feb. Jan. 19, 2000 (88-80), both in Boulder. Since then, the Sooners have won five of six including a Big 12 Tournament game in Dallas. Television: ESPN2 (NATIONAL), Announcers: Dave Pasch, Stephen Bardo. KKZN Radio 760-AM: Mark Johnson, Charles Johnson.

QUICKLY ON THE SOONERS: The Sooners are one-point from being unbeaten in their last eight games, however fell at Kansas by a point on Feb. 5 (59-58). OU is one of three teams that has a winning record on the road in conference play (5-3) along with Texas and Kansas. The Sooners are nationally ranked in both polls (No. 19) and hold the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament if the season ended today. OU dominated the Buffs last year in Norman, 85-55 as Kevin Bookout scored a career-best 27 points and 11 rebounds. Taj Gray wasn’t far behind with 19 pts., 11 rebounds. Both players are four (Gray) and five (Bookout), respectively in conference rebounding. As a team, OU ranks second behind Texas in rebounding margin (+8.8).

CU vs. RANKED TEAMS: In the last three years at home, CU has defeated at least one nationally team in Boulder. Last year, it was No. 23/22 Texas (88-79); in 2003-04, it was No. 22/23 Texas Tech (85-75); and of course the last NCAA Tournament season, 2002-03, the Buffaloes defeated four schools, No. 3/3 Texas (93-80), No. 6/6 Kansas (60-59), No. 20/18 Oklahoma State (68-56), nr/No. 22 Missouri (89-68).

BUFF TIDBITS: Richard Roby ranks second in Big 12-only scoring (20.7 ppg.). He has led CU in scoring seven of his last eight games (22.3 ppg., 6.5 rpg.) and ranks 31st on the school’s all-time scoring list with 862 pts. (16.9 in 51 games). He ranks first in Big 12 (all games) 3-pt. FG% (52-of-117, .444)...Chris Copeland is ninth at CU all-time in blocks (82)...Andy Osborn has made at least one 3-pointer in 18-straight games (2.1 a game)...Marcus Hall leads the team in assists (4.0 apg.), Big 12 assist-turnover ratio (all games, 2.02) and 10th in conference-only games (1.79). Hall is averaging 13.2 points, 3.9 assists in his last five...Roby’s 15 rebounds against TTU were the most of any CU player since Julius Ashby (10 reb.) and Marcus King-Stockton (11 reb.) against Baylor...Martane Freeman is averaging 12.0 pts., 4.7 rpg.in his last three games...Roby is the only CU player to have started all games in two years (51-straight)...Roby notched his second double-double (4th career) with 17 pts., 15 boards vs. TTU...TEAM: CU has shot over 40.0 percent eight times from the 3-point arc (Big 12 high .545 at A&M)...Conference-only stats, CU ranks first in blocks (6.8), offensive rebounds (15.7) and 3-pointers made (9.8)...CU is 10-1 when holding opponent under 70 points (Texas A&M)...CU is 34 treys from breaking last year’s school record of 223...The Buffs are 4-1 at home in conference play, 11-1 overall.

TOP 25 RANKINGS: Colorado was ranked for two weeks as the No. 25 school in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. The back-to-back weekly ranking were the first since the 1996-97 season. This week the Buffs received 22 votes in the coaches’ poll, while in the AP poll, received 13 votes. Prior to last week, CU last made either poll in 1997 at No. 24 (Associated Press). The others were 1969 (#18), 1963 (#10), 1962 (#9) and 1955 (#15).

FREE THROW WOES: Yeah, we’re pretty bad at the free throw line in conference all games, (.629) and in conference-only games (.616). Here’s CU at the charity stripe with the game on the line with five minutes remaining:

With 2-5 minutes to play...

Chris Copeland, 5-5, 1.000

Marcus Hall, 3-3, 1.000

Julius Ashby, 1-1, 1.000

Martane Freeman, 14-18, .778

Dominique Coleman, 4-6, .667

Richard Roby, 8-13, .615

Calvin Williams, 3-6, .500

Antoine McGee, 1-2, .500

Jayson Obazuaye, 1-2, .500

Scott Senger, 1-2, .500

Lamont Arrington, 0-1, .000

last 2 minutes remaining ...

Andy Osborn, 3-4, .750

Dominique Coleman, 3-4, .750

Marcus Hall, 5-7, .714

Chris Copeland, 3-5, .600

Martane Freeman, 4-7, .571

Richard Roby, 5-11, .455

Calvin Williams, 1-3, .333

Jayson Obazuaye, 1-2, .500

Overtime

Richard Roby, 0-1, .000

STUDYING HALL: Junior Marcus Hall has averaged 13.6 ppg. over his last six games, compared to 8.1 ppg in his previous 15 contests. He has also made more three-pointers (15) during the same stretch than in his previous 15 games (13). A look at how Hall’s production had improved over the Buffs’ last six games.

Min. Pts. Reb. Ast

First 15 games 21.3 8.1 1.5 3.8

Last six games 32.7 13.6 2.8 3.8

STREAKS, RUNS, TRENDS: Marcus Hall has at least one assist in 20 of 21 games, and two or more in 19 of 21 Richard Roby has at least one steal in each game, and two or more in 12 of 21:

has at least one assist in all 21 games

has at least three rebounds in all 21 games

- Andy Osborn has made a three-pointer in his last 18 games, and in 19 of 21 overall

- Chris Copeland has blocked a shot in 15 of 21 games

- Marcus King-Stockton has at least one rebound in 20 of 21 games

- Julius Ashby has at least one rebound in all 13 games he’s played in

TRIPLE THREAT: Not only are the Buffs on pace to break their record of 223 three-pointers in a season, set last year, but their .384 percentage from behind the arc is easily CU’s best since the introduction of the three-point line in 1986-87. The best three-point percentage for an entire season was in 2003-04 when the Buffs made 188-of-505 treys (.372).

GUARDING THE GLASS: Richard Roby’s 15 rebounds against Texas Tech were the most in a game by any CU player since Julius Ashby pulled down 17 boards against California on Dec. 7, 2004. In case you’re wondering the last time a guard had that many rebounds, here you go: Roughly 11 years ago, on March 4, 1995, CU’s Donnie Boyce grabbed 18 rebounds in a 70-51 win over Kansas State.

SHOOTING THE THREE: CU has made the 3-pointer as their preferred offensive weapon of choice with 10 or more treys in six of their last eight games (only seven vs. TTU, eight vs. K-State). The Buffaloes are inching closer to last year’s school record of 223. Entering tonight, CU is 189-of-492; last year at this time they were 148-of-406!

BIG 12 Start: Colorado has opened Big 12 play with six wins in its first 10 games. The last time CU won that many after the first 10 games was 1996-97 (8-2). That was also the same year that CU won their 17th game in 22 attempts.

NCAA STATS: As of Feb. 6, the Buffs are ranked among the best statistically in the 12 national team categories:

8th Scoring Offense 81.2

11th Scoring Margin 13.2

11th Blocked Shots 6.0

13th Assists 17.5

14th 3-point FG Made 9.1

23rd Steals 9.4

46th 3-pt. FG% .388

CHAUNCEY: The Chauncey Kid’s Roundup wall graphic is complete in the CECC and officially was acknowledged at the CU-TTU game. Chauncey Billups parents, Faye and Ray Billups, attended and were honored on Chauncey’s behalf in the first half of the game (first media timeout). Chauncey donated $100,000 over four years to the Athletic Department to create a program to provide tickets for children from his native Denver and surrounding communities to attend men’s basketball games. The wall graphic is 25’ tall by 68’ wide.

REBOUNDING BY COMMITTEE: Five Buffs are averaging at least four rebounds per game in conference play: Richard Roby (6.1), Chris Copeland (4.7), Calvin Williams (4.7), Julius Ashby (4.5), and Martane Freeman (4.2).

BIG 12 ROAD WINS: In five road conference games, CU has won only two of those. The last time they won at least three Big 12 road games came in 2003-04 (NIT), 2000-2001 (non post-season), and 1996-97(NCAA Tournament). Here are the highlites of those two wins: Richard Roby scored 27 points, including the decisive basket in overtime as CU beat Oklahoma State 80-78 (Jan. 21). It was the Buffaloes’ second Big 12 Conference road win of the season. CU hadn’t won at Gallagher-Iba Arena since Jan. 12, 1980, a stretch of 20 games. The Buffs also hadn’t won at Missouri since the 1996-97 season and only the second time in Columbia since Jan. 15, 1973 (32 games). Roby scored a career-best 33 points and Chris Copeland hit the last of CU’s season-best 13 3-pointers with two-tenths of a second to go, giving the Buffaloes a 74-71 victory.

RAINING THREE’S: After topping the 40 percent mark for three-pointers twice in non-conference play (.533 at Penn; .632 vs. Mercer), the Buffs have shot over the mark in five of their 10 conference games. CU has reached double-digit totals in three-point field goals made six of their last eight conference games. CU performed a school-first with four-straight games with 10 or more since the introduction of the three-point line in the 1986-87 season.

THE STEAL CURTAIN: With a conference high 10 steals against the Cornhuskers, CU’s season total stands at 193. The single-season record is 285 by the 1994-95 Buffs, led by Keith Higgins (72) and Donnie Boyce (66). This season, the Buffs are on pace for 247, led by Roby (45) who has registered at least one steal in every game this season, capped by his six-steal performance against Oklahoma State. If he continues his 2.1 steals-per-game average, he will finish the season with 57, 11th in seaosn steals at CU.

BETTER from the arc than the field: For the fifth time this season (at Texas A&M), CU shot better from the 3-point arc than it did from the rest of the field. The other games were at Penn, Mercer, Kansas, and at Missouri. In fact, only one time the Buffs have shot better from the 3-point arc than the free throw line (Mercer).

"LS" INITIALS: If you notice the "LS" initials on each of the CU player uniforms that’s in memory of senior walk-on Scott Senger’s mother, Linda died of cancer last July. Scott played at nearby Monarch High School where set the school record for 3-pointers made in a season and most points scored.

MAKING A RUN at TREY HISTORY: CU is inching closer to the school record in treys made in a season. What about the Big 12 Conference record? Here’s a look at each year to see how far the Buffs need to go. CU is first in the Big 12 as of Monday, Feb. 13 (Texas played on Tuesday).

2005-06: Colorado 189 (1st in Big 12)

2004-05: Texas 243

2003-04: Texas 227

2002-03: Baylor 254

2001-02: Nebraska 267

2000-01: Missouri 279

1999-00: Missouri 291

1998-99: Oklahoma 274

1997-98: Baylor 217

1996-97: Baylor 227

CLEANING THE GLASS: Marcus King-Stockton (career-best 11) and Julius Ashby (season-high 10) performed a CU first this season and the first since last year at Iowa State (Jan. 22, 2005), two players with 10 or more rebounds. Against the Cyclones, Ashby grabbed 13 and Glean Eddy had 11 in CU’s 54-52 overtime win in Ames. A CU win in Ames since Feb. 19, 1991.

MORE BUFF Tidbits: Richard Roby has scored double figures in 24 of his 26 career conference games (the other two were nine points) ... Roby holds the top four of CU’s top scoring games this season (33, 30, 29, 27) ... CU has played with a different starting line up seven times (see page 5) ... Chris Copeland (377) and Glean Eddy (374) career rebounds, 37th and 38th, respectively in all-time rebounding at CU ... Roby has led CU from the 3-point arc 10 times this season (three shared) ... The Buffaloes have made 10 or more treys in 10 games this season, including the last six of eight games ... With the return of Julius Ashby to the team after being academically ineligible for the fall semester, the Buffaloes resemble what a box of Total cereal looks like, they return 100% of their scoring, 100% rebounding, 100% blocked shots, 100% of everything from a year ago ... CU went 18+ minutes without committing a turnover in the second half against Kansas State (just had one in the second half), nine for the game, a Big 12 Conference low this season ... CU’s nine-game winning streak Nov. 26-Jan. 3) was the longest in school history since the 1961-62 season when the Buffaloes won 12-straight ... CU has made a 3-pointer in 126-straight games (last time CU they didn’t was Jan. 16, 2002, Iowa State, W, 63-61) ... Of the nine national categories kept by the NCAA, Roby leads CU in seven of them. The only exceptions are blocked shots (Copeland) and assists (Hall) ... Against OSU, Roby tied a CU record with six steals in a half (1st); his six steals also tied a CU conference high, a first for a CU player in the Big 12; And his six steals, tied five others as a sophomore best ... Andy Osborn recorded his second career double-double at CU, 17 pts., 10 rebounds against Cal Poly (four at Loyola Marymount) ... Roby failed to make a 3-pointer against SSU, ending his streak of 30 games going back to last season ... On page 9, a handful of CU players are moving upward on career school lists ... Seniors Chris Copeland, Glean Eddy, Antoine McGee, and Jayson Obazuaye close out their final year in 2005-06. It’s also the first senior class under Head Coach Ricardo Patton that four players will have played their freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years at CU.