MBB Finally Returns To The Court Wednesday

FOR STARTERS: With the cancellation of the last two home games, CU will finish with its first losing season in nonconference play since the 1988-89 season when they ended up 5-8.

CANCELLED GAMES: The CU/UC Davis game (Dec. 23) was cancelled due to the inclement weather in the Denver area that caused severe travel difficulties; on Saturday, Dec. 30, both the Texas Christian (men) and Houston (women) schools opted not to board their respective flights to Colorado. Officials from both schools cited the weather conditions in Colorado, despite the fact that their flights were not cancelled. The doubleheader had the TCU men playing Ricardo Patton’s Buffaloes at 1 p.m. at the Coors Events Center, with the Houston women to play Kathy McConnell-Miller’s team at 7 p.m. The games will not be rescheduled this season.

IDLE TIME: The Buffaloes have been idle for 25 days in between games, their longest in school history. CU has not played since a Dec. 9 home loss to Colorado State.

DOUBLEHEADER AT CECC: For the second time this season both the CU basketball teams will be playing at doubleheader at the Events Center. This time, the CU men will play first at 5:30 p.m., the CU women follow and open Big 12 Conference play hosting Missouri at 8 p.m. Both played back-to-back on Nov. 10, the season opener.

HOOK SHOTS: In his last three games, Jermyl Jackson-Wilson is averaging 5.0 ppg., 6.7 rpg., 2.3 apg., 3.7 bpg., 2.0 stl. ... Jackson-Wilson is 61st nationally in blocked shots (1.9) and 84th in rebounds per game (8.3) ... Dominique Coleman has been stellar in his last three games, 13.7 ppg., 3.3 apg., 2.3 spg.; he’s 105th nationally in steals (2.0) ... In his last four starts, Jeremy Williams is averaging 9.0 ppg., 6.5 rpg. ... Richard Roby has scored 16 or more points in his last six games, including a 24.3 ppg. average in his last three, including 32 points against Pepperdine ... Four double-doubles this season: Jackson-Wilson (2), Coleman and Roby (1) ... Roby has led the team in scoring six times, including one shared...Coleman had a career-high five steals vs. Colorado State ... Marc Van Burck may play his first game today after suffering right foot stress fracture ... TEAM: CU has used six different starting combinations through nine games ... CU is 27th nationally in blocks (5.8) ... Totaled 31 blocked shots in their last three games (10.3 a game) ... The Buffs have suffered four non-conference home losses this season, a school-first since 1975-76 ... CU has not lost three straight nonconference home games since 1987-88 ... CU is 60-for-79 from the FT line in the last three games (.760) ... Average loss of CU’s last four games is 6.0 points.

BROADCAST: The game will not be televised. All Colorado men’s basketball regular and post season games are broadcast live on KKZN AM 760, Boulder’s Progressive Talk station. Mark Johnson will handle play-by-play duties and is joined by Charles Johnson with the color commentary. Live internet audio can be accessed through Yahoo! Sports. Live video streaming of Thursday’s battle will be available to Stampede Online subscribers at CUBuffs.com.

CU vs. central florida: Colorado and Central Florida have never played against each other. UCF represents Conference USA where CU is 12-16 (.429) all-time. Coach Patton teams are 2-1 against the conference (wins over South Florida at Fairbanks, AK, 2000-01 and at Charlotte, 2002-03 season; loss vs. Louisville at Hilo, Hawaii, 1996-97 season). UCF will be playing in the Centennial State for the first time in program history. All-time, UCF has played only one Big 12 team, dropping a 71-59 contest at Kansas State on Jan. 6, 2003.

UCF UPDATE: Central Florida will be looking for their fourth-consecutive victory today and have played six games (4 wins, 2 losses) during the span where CU has played none. The Golden Knights are off to a 10-2 start for only the second time since moving to the Division I level prior to the 1984-85 campaign. The other 10-2 start came during the 2003-04 season. UCF head coach Kirk Speraw (Iowa, 1980) is in his 14th year with the Knights (219-180) ; 301-201 (17th

year overall). The Golden Knights played eight of their first 12 games of the year at home, but will spend most of January on the road. UCF is starting a four-game road trip at Colorado and six of the team’s next eight games are away from Orlando. After facing Colorado, UCF will play one more non-league game (at South Dakota State) before entering Conference USA play.

THE REST OF THE BIG 12: CU is the only team not to have played a game during their extended holiday break due to the inclement weather, the Christmas holiday and final exams. Texas, Iowa State and Nebraska have played the most games (5) from Dec. 10-31. The schools playing four games are Baylor, Kansas State, Missouri, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State; Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech have each played three.

LAST TIME OUT ... 25 days ago (Dec. 9): Jason Smith scored 15 points and grabbed 16 rebounds leading Colorado State past the CU, 72-69 for their first win in Boulder in nearly half a century back on Dec. 9. The Rams, who frittered away most of their 16-point second-half lead, won their sixth straight and prevailed on the road against their biggest rival for the first time since Dec. 2, 1957, snapping a 13-game losing streak in Boulder. Richard Roby’s 20 points led the Buffaloes, marking his fifth 20-point effort of the season. Roby also had four assists, three blocks and a steal.

RARE Losses at home: Falling to Colorado State at home was the fourth time this season CU lost in Boulder. It’s also marks the first time in the 11 years under coach Patton the Buffaloes have lost four home games in nonconference play.

INJURY LIst UPDATE: Freshman center Marc Van Burck may be expected to play against Central Florida, his first game back after suffering a right foot stress fracture. He has not played in a game since the season opener against Denver (Nov. 10). Freshman walk-on Trent Beckley is still out with a left Achilles tendon strain.

CU vs. the Mountain West: With the cancellation of the CU/TCU game on Dec. 30, the Buffaloes played five games against the Mountain West Conference and finished with a 1-4 record. The Buffs are only 11-11 (.500) since the 1996-97 season and since 2002-03, 6-6 (.500) against the conference.

BIG 12 OPENER AHEAD: Colorado will be looking for its first win (nine straight losses) since the 1996-97 season when Texas visits the Events Center, Jan. 6. The Buffs have not won a conference opener since Jan. 4, 1997 and are 0-2 against the Longhorns.

Jan. 7, 2006 at Texas L, 64-89

Jan. 8, 2005 at Oklahoma L, 55-85

Jan. 5, 2004 KANSAS L, 62-77

Jan. 11, 2003 at Oklahoma L, 54-69

Jan. 5, 2002 KANSAS L, 85-97

Jan. 6, 2001 at Baylor L, 56-61

Jan. 8, 2000 KANSAS L, 69-84

Jan. 2, 1999 TEXAS L, 68-73

Jan. 3, 1998 OKLAHOMA L, 68-69

Jan. 4, 1997 Nebraska W, 79-73

crashing the boards: In their last three games the Buffs have had four players with at least 20 rebounds apiece. Richard Roby and Jeremy Williams each have 22 (7.3 rpg.), followed by Dominique Coleman and Jermyl Jackson-Wilson each with 20 (6.7 rpg.). The team has out-rebounded the opposition 43.3 to 39.3. On the season, CU has only outboarded the opponent three times (Denver +13, Pepperdine +9, No. Colorado +4).

HALL NOT RETURNING...this season: At the CU-Pepperdine press conference (Dec. 4), coach Patton made it clear that Marcus Hall will not be returning this season. “I am not going to bring Marcus Hall back. If I were to bring Marcus back it would be purely for basketball, and at this point in that young man’s life it ought to be about him leaving here with a degree.”

HALL COMING BACK...next season: With Marcus Hall redshirting the 2006-07 season, this means the 6’1" guard from Houston, Texas will be returning next year. Hall will join seniors Richard Roby and Marcus King-Stockton and it will seem like old times again, but with a new coach. Hall has played 88 career games played (44 starts) and averages 8.3 points and 3.4 assists per game. He ranks ninth on the school’s all-time assist list (295), 10th in 3-pointers made (99) and 19th in steals (82). Hall was also one of the captains on the 2005-06 team.

SCORING 60 points or less: Three of CU’s nine games have resulted in scoring 60 points or less, a first in the 11 years under coach Patton. Prior to the 2006-07 season, this feat only happened five times over five other seasons (2004-05, 2003-04, 1999-2000, 1998-99, 1997-98).

FREE THROWS WHEN IT COUNTS: After nine games, we’re starting to see who’s cool under pressure from the free throw line. Listed below are totals with five and two minutes remaining in the game.

This year: 2-5 minutes to play

Jeremy Williams 3-3 1.000

Jermyl Jackson-Wilson 2-2 1.000

Chase Perkowski 2-2 1.000

Richard Roby 7-8 .875

Sean Kowal 3-4 .750

Dominique Coleman 2-4 .500

Xavier Silas 1-2 .500

Dwight Thorne II 1-2 .500

Marcus King-Stockton 0-1 .000

last 2 minutes remaining

Xavier Silas 2-2 1.000

Jermyl Jackson-Wilson 1-2 .500

Sean Kowal 1-2 .500

GETTING CLOSE: Richard Roby is nearing the school’s top-10 field goals attempts list. Entering today’s game, Roby has 952 attempts nearing the10th spot held by Jay Humphries (1980-84) with 1,058. As for field goals made, Roby is a bit behind Scott Wedman’s 10th place of 516. Roby has 395 field goals made.

HOW ABOUT 59 PTS. or less?: That’s happened twice this season (46 vs. Air Force, 55 at UNC Wilmington). When CU flirts with 59 points or lower they are 1-33 in the last 11 plus years under coach Patton [scoring 30-39 (0-1), 40-49 points (0-2), 50-59 points (1-30)]. The lone win came at Iowa State, 54-52 (OT), the Buffs first win in Ames since Feb. 19, 1991 (14 games).

THIS DAY in BUFF MBB HISTORY: CU has not faired well on this date in history sporting an 8-11 mark. Most recent, the Buffs beat up Savannah State last year, 116-52 for the most lopsided win in school history. Seven players were in double figures, Glean Eddy led the way with 17 points. Here’s a look at some other games held on Jan. 3:

1998: L, 68-69 vs. Oklahoma (CU loses heartbreaker in final seconds. Ronnie DeGray leads Buffs with 15 points);

1994: L, 63-76 at Illinois State (Donnie Boyce leads Buffs with 23 points, while also adding 5 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in return to his home state);

1987: L, 68-83 vs. Marquette (Matt Bullard and Michael Lee score 26 and 21, respectively); 1983: L, 76-80 at New Mexico State (Vince Kelley and Jay Humphries lead the Buffs with 20 and 16 points, respectively);

1981: W, 56-46 vs. Long Beach State (Guard Jo Jo Humphries leads CU with 16 points and 9 rebounds);

1980: W, 85-52 vs. Redlands (John Addison 17 points).

“YOUNG GUNS” Eight of the team’s 13 players are freshmen and are know as another name on the 2006-07 roster, the ’Young Guns.” If you haven’t already done so, check out the back cover of the 2006-07 media guide, they’re the future of CU Basketball. After nine games, Kal Bay and Xavier Silas have made the most of the opportunity in the CU lineup. Bay has started six of nine games at the point and ranks first on the team in 3-pointers (16), second in assists (22; 2.4 apg.) and is tied for fifth in scoring (6.8 ppg.).

“X” Marks The Spot: Xavier Silas is averaging almost 30 minutes a game (28.9) and has started the last three games averaging 35. In his three starts, Silas is averaging 13.7 ppg., 3.0 rpg. and is 9-for-11 from the free throw line. Overall, he’s averaging 10.1 ppg and 3.1 rpg. Part of those three starts was a career-best 19 points against Pepperdine and 17 against Northern Colorado.

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