Colorado University Athletics
MBB Travels to Nebraska for Key Conference Game
CU vs. NEBRASKA: If CU hopes to break a three-game road losing streak and win their third conference road game of the season they’ll have to do it at the Devaney Center, an arena where CU is 2-7 since 1996-97. CU’s lone two wins came in 2001 (60-57) and 2004 (68-60). Earlier this season, the Buffs won, 81-59 (see page 35 for box, story). Overall, the Buffs are 11-12 against their Cornhusker rival since 1996 and have won four of their last six against the Huskers (three were in Boulder).
QUICKLY ON THE HSUKERSs: Nebraska has lost three of its last five games and recently are led by Aleks Maric (18.0 ppg., 11.6 rpg.) over the last five games. Overall, NU is 13-4 at home (3-3 in the Big 12) and has lost two straight (Texas Tech, Kansas). Wes Wilkinson leads the team in scoring (11.8 ppg.) and is third in rebounding (6.3 rpg.); Jason Dourisseau (10.6 ppg., 7.0 rpg.) is second, followed by Maric (10.5 ppg., 8.0 rpg.). Maric leads all conference players in offensive rebounding (3.7).
BIG 12 LEADERS: Marcus Hall still needs the conference (all games) in assist-turnover ratio (2.07) and is CU’s lone leader in any category. In all games played, CU ranks first in scoring (79.7), blocks (6.0), offensive rebounding (15.6, and 3-pointers made (8.8). In conference-only games, the Buffs are first in 3-pointers made (9.2), blocks (6.3), offensive rebounding (15.8) and 3-point FG defense (32.7).
BUFF TIDBITS: In their last three road games, Marcus Hall leads CU in scoring (15.7), rebounding (5.3), assists (3.0), 3-pointers (9)...Richard Roby ranks 30th on the school’s all-time scoring list with 904 pts. (17.1 in 53 games)...Roby holds the top-five of CU’s scoring games this season (33, 30, 29, 28, 27)...Roby is the only CU player to have started all games in two years (53-straight)...He has scored double figures in 26 of his 28 career conference games (the other two were nine points)...Andy Osborn has made at least one 3-pointer in 20-straight games (2.2 a game)...Roby has two of CU’s three double-doubles (Texas Tech, Utah); Osborn has the other (Cal Poly)...Hall grabbed a career-best nine rebounds (defensive) at K-State...Hall is 11 assists from 11th place (264) on CU’s assist list and 19 from 10th (Billups)...Hall led CU in scoring for the first time since doing it at TCU (16 games ago)...TEAM: CU is scoring 65.7 ppg. in their last three road games (allowing 76.3)...In the last three road games, the opponent starters have outscored CU 64-3-50.3...CU has begun the game with 10 made 3-pointers (see page 4) including the last four games with a trey made...CU has played with a different starting line up eight times (see page 5)...CU is 23 treys from breaking last year’s school record of 223...CU 51-of-59 (.864) from the free throw line in the last three games.
FREE THROWS WHEN IT COUNTS: For most of the season, CU was not very good from the charity stripe. In their last three games they ?re shooting with the best team nationally, .51-of-59 (.864) including 11-for-11 performance at Kansas State (Feb. 18). Here’s CU at the free throw line 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, 8-11, .727
Chris Copeland, 6-9, .667
Martane Freeman, 4-7, .571
Richard Roby, 7-13, .539
Calvin Williams, 1-3, .333
Jayson Obazuaye, 1-2, .500
Overtime
Richard Roby, 0-1, .000
Last time 17-5: The Buffs are 17-5 for the first time since the 1996-97 season ...The 1954-55 and 1968-69 teams were also 17-5 after 22 contests.
CU vs. Ranked Teams: Colorado is now 1-1 vs. ranked teams in 2005-06; the win over Oklahoma snapped a three-game losing streak against ranked teams; its last win was 88-79 over No. 23 Texas last February 8 in Boulder. CU last beat a ranked OU team on January 19, 2000, when the Buffs beat the No. 17 Sooners 88-80.
STUDYING HALL: Junior Marcus Hall has averaged 12.4 ppg. over his last seven games with 4.1 assists, 2.9 rebounds, 14 3-pointers. That ranks second behind Richard Roby’s (19.9 ppg.) and 18 3-pointers.
STREAKS, RUNS, TRENDS: Marcus Hall has at least five or more assists in 10 games; two or more steals in 10 games; two of more treys in eight games; and 50 percent of FGs made in nine games. Richard Roby has had seven or more rebounds in 10 games; made 50 percent of his shots in 10 games; three of treys made in 10 games; four or more assists (six games), three or more steals (nine games) and has at least three rebounds in 22 of 23 games (at KSU);
- Andy Osborn has made a three-pointer in his last 20 games, and in 21 of 23 overall;
- Chris Copeland has blocked a shot in 16 of 23 games;
- Marcus King-Stockton has at least one rebound in 22 of 23 games;
- Julius Ashby has at least one rebound in all 14 games he’s played in.
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).
4-Point plays: There have been two 4-point plays and one failed attempt at a 4-point play (missed free throw). Here the are:
vs. St. Mary’s (Nov. 26): 8:03 (1st Half), Richard Roby 3-Pointer, Assisted by Copeland. Roby Made Free Throw.
vs. Oklahoma (Feb. 15): 16:15 (2nd Half), Richard Roby 3-Pointer, Assisted by Copeland. Roby Made Free Throw.
Failed attempt at 4-point play: at TCU (Dec. 20): 11:23 (1st Half), Richard Roby 3-Pointer, Assisted by Senger. MISSED Free Throw.
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 .375 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 (Feb. 11) 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 10 games (only five at K-State, seven vs. TTU and OU, eight vs. K-State). The Buffaloes are inching closer to last year’s school record of 223. Entering today, CU is 201-of-536; last year at this time they were 167-of-465!
BIG 12 Start: Colorado has opened Big 12 play with seven wins in its first 12 games. The last time CU won that many after the first 12 games was 1996-97 (8-4).