Colorado University Athletics

MBB Takes on Rattlers, Tigers, Badgers This Week

MBB Takes on Rattlers, Tigers, Badgers This Week

MADISON, Wis. ? The University of Colorado men’s basketball team takes to the road for the first time this season traveling to the University of Wisconsin for three games in three days called the America’s Youth Classic beginning Thursday through Saturday at the Kohl Center.

The Buffaloes (0-1) will play Florida A&M, a NCAA Tournament team a year ago on Thursday, Nov. 15, 4:30 p.m. (MST); Savannah State Tigers on Friday at 3:30 p.m. (MST), then wrap up of the three games in three days playing the host Badgers, Saturday, 6 p.m. (MST).

CU’s lone TV appearance will be against Wisconsin on the Big Ten Network. Games against the Rattlers and the Tigers can be heard on Sirius Satellite Radio channels 122 and 143, respectively.

The Buffaloes opened the season on Nov. 9 at home falling to New Mexico, 54-47. Senior Marcus Hall and freshman Cory Higgins scored 11 and 10 points, respectively.

The three games in three days is a CU first since playing three in a row from March 9-11, 1990 at the Big 12 Tournament. That was season the eighth-seeded Buffs won its first two games (upset wins) over Missouri and Oklahoma State, then reaching the Big Eight final against Oklahoma becoming the first eight seed to reach the final. CU lost to the Sooners, 92-80 as Shaun Vandiver (scored 75 pts. in three games) becoming the third tournament MVP on a losing team.

Thursday’s match up with Florida A&M (1-0) is CU’s first-ever against the Rattlers and first of seven this season against schools that reached the NCAA Tournament a year ago.

Florida A&M represents the Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference and reigns as the defending MEAC Tournament champions (21-14 last season), Savannah State was 12-18 as an independent; and Wisconsin was 30-6, another NCAA Tournament team.

CU is 4-0 against the Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference; 10-0 vs. Independents, and 15-19 against the Big Ten.