Colorado University Athletics
MBB Travels To DU, Air Force This Week
BOULDER ? The University of Colorado menGÇÖs basketball team takes to the road for a pair of games this week traveling to the University of Denver and the United States Air Force Academy, Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.
The Buffaloes (3-2) will be making their first of nine television appearances on Fox Sports Net Rocky Mountain against the Pioneers at Magness Arena, 7 p.m., then two days later, take on the Falcons for a 7 p.m. tip and appearance on The Mountain Television Network.
After five games, CU is shooting 50.0 percent from the field (114-of-228). ItGÇÖs the second best shooting percentage in the last 12 years [2000-01 team shot .522 (153-of-293) from the field after five games] and the first time in 43 years, CU will be playing three straight opponents from the state of Colorado. Back in 1964-65, CU opened the season with back-to-back meetings against Denver, then played Air Force.
Five players are shooting over 50 percent from the field, Dwight Thorne II (.643), Levi Knutson (.560), Jermyl Jackson-Wilson (.571), Caleb Patterson (.556) and Xavier Silas (.514).
On the scoreboard, the Buffaloes boast three players averaging over 10 points per game, Silas (13.5 ppg.), Richard Roby (13.2 ppg.) and Marcus Hall (11.8 ppg.).
On Tuesday, CU is returning a home-and-home match up with Denver. The Buffs took a 78-64 winner back on Nov. 10, 2007 in last yearGÇÖs season opener. Roby scored 20 points with five rebounds and five assists; Jackson-Wilson recorded his first career double-double with 14 points and 17 rebounds.
CU leads the all-time series 56-25 (28-11 in Denver) and have not played in the state capitol since Jan. 4, 2000 (73-49). Since 1978, the Buffs have won five straight in the series.
On Thursday, CU head coach Jeff Bzdelik returns to Clune Arena for his first appearance since accepting the CU coaching vacancy back on April 5. Coach Bzdelik led the Falcons to a NCAA Tournament berth and NIT final four appearance in his two years as head coach at the Academy.
The Falcons dominated the Buffs last season in Boulder, 84-46, limiting CU to zero players in double-figures (a school first since Feb. 15, 1992 at Kansas).
CU leads the all-time series, 16-3 dating back to 1958 and have not won in Colorado Springs since Dec. 6, 1975 (52-49).
The Buffs return to Boulder for their next home game, Sunday, Dec. 2 against the Stanford Cardinal. The 2 p.m. tip against the Cardinal is part of the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series and broadcast on ESPNU.
The two conferences have agreed to play a four-year menGÇÖs basketball series of 12 annual games between the two leagues that runs through 2010. The 2008 series will be return games of the match ups from 2007. All 12 contests in 2007 will be televised nationally by either FSN or the ESPN family of networks.