MBB Looks For Season Sweep Of Cyclones, Wednesday - University of Colorado Athletics

FOR STARTERS: Dating back to last season, CU has lost 11 straight Big 12 road games, six straight this season ... Last Big 12 road win, Jan. 21, 2006 at Oklahoma State (80-78, ot) ... In Big 12 history, CU has never been 2-11 in conference play; 3-10 once (1998-99) ... In those 11 road losses, the opponent is outscoring CU, 83.0-to-65.6 with the opponent scoring 75 or more points, eight times ... In his 11 full seasons, Coach Patton teams are averaging eight road losses each season, this season they have already lost eight with two road games remaining (tonight & Feb. 28, Missouri). Complete Notes Attached.

SOMETHING POSITIVE: Dominique Coleman has made 40 more field goals than last year (88 compared to 48) ... Xavier Silas has 262 points this season, good enough for ninth place on CU’s freshman scoring list ... With two home games remaining, CU is 7-3 against Kansas State in Boulder under Coach Patton; and 6-4 versus Nebraska. The Buffs have won four of its last five games at home against both schools.

CU vs. ISU: Colorado won the first meeting back on Jan. 17, 74-65 in Boulder. Xavier Silas scored all 19 of his points in the second half and Richard Roby added 15 points for the Buffs (complete box on page 24). The last time CU swept the regular season series with the Cyclones was 1990-91 (16 years ago). The last time CU won three straight in the series occurred Feb. 13, 1990 (in Boulder), Jan. 5 (in Boulder) and Feb. 19, 1991 (in Ames). Overall, ISU leads the series 72-65 and a 43-18 advantage in Ames.

QUICKLY ON the cyclones: Iowa State has won two of its last three games (both at home) and bring a 13-13 record into tonight’s game. Even though the Cyclones are 4-8 in the Big 12 play, they are especially strong at home with a 11-4 mark. Three of ISU’s home wins are over schools CU has lost to (Nebraska, Baylor, Oklahoma.).

HOOK SHOTS: Richard Roby ranks 10th on CU’s all-time scoring list with 1,354 points, he needs 14 points to reach eighth place...In his last four games, Dominique Coleman is averaging 13.3 ppg., 9.0 rpg., 3.5 apg., shooting 17-for-28 (.607); all are team-highs. Coleman has six or more rebounds in 10 of the last 12 outings...Jermyl Jackson-Wilson was a perfect 6-for-6 from the field at TTU (Feb. 17) for 15 points and seven rebounds...Of his 15 starts, Jeremy Williams has scored in double-digits five times and grabbed eight or more rebounds, five times...Xavier Silas has led CU in scoring six of his last nine games and leads CU with a 14.4 ppg. and 21 3-pointers in that span...TEAM: CU has used 12 different starting combos in 22 games...CU was 31-for-52 from the field at Texas Tech, tying a season-best for FGs made this season...CU’s .596 field goal percentage at TTU was the highest since the 2002-03 season (Feb. 15, 2003, Texas A&M)...CU has allowed 75+ points in seven straight games...In 12 Big 12 games, the Buffs have scored under 59 points, four times; three of those came on the road...CU has not won consecutive games this year and the last time that happened was 1971-72 (35 years)...CU last went winless on the road in conference play was the 1993-94 season...In nine road games, the Buffs are being outscored 83.1-to-63.8 ppg.

LONG DISTANCE IS BETTER: If you really look at the overall stats, freshman Kal Bay has led CU from the 3-point arc for most of the season. With 37 3-pointers made (tied with Silas for the team-high), Bay has a higher percentage from the arc (.370) than the rest of the field (.346). In fact, 37 of his 44 made field goals are 3-pointers.

SIXTH MAN? Even though he’s returning to the starting line up at Iowa State, saying that Richard Roby is your best sixth man would be down right incorrect. Roby’s resume now includes top-10 all-time scoring threat in school history. Coming off the bench is those two games (KU, at TTU) he should be improving his two-game total of 12.0 ppg. 5.5 rpg. and 10-for-21 FG% (.476) in a reserve role.

X Factor: Perhaps the starting lineup is also best for freshman Xavier Silas. In 15 starts, Silas averages 13.4 ppg. and 4.1 rpg., 68-for-161 from the field (.422) and has led the team in scoring five times. He came off the bench at home against Kansas as well as the first six games of the season where he aveaged only 8.7 ppg., 3.6 rpg. and 21-for-68 (.309). He once led in scoring in a reserve role (KU, Feb. 14).

50% FG% (opponents): The Buffs have allowed seven Big 12 opponents to shoot 50% FG or better this season. From Jan. 20-30, the Buffs allowed Nebraska, Mizzou, KU, and Baylor to do that feat. The four straight games over 50% was a school first in 18 years. The last time that happened was the 1989-90 season when CU allowed five opponents to shoot 50% or better, twice. That year the Buffs finished 12-18 and 2-12 in the Big Eight. The other three opponents were Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Texas.

LAST TIME OUT (complete box on page 27): Jay Jackson scored 28 points to lead Texas Tech past Colorado 95-74 last Saturday. Richard Roby led the Buffs with a team-high 17 points. Jermyl Jackson-Wilson, Xavier Silas and Dominique Coleman added 15, 14, and 11 points, respectively. TTU was sharp from 3-point range, hitting 11-for-25, and led by double digits for much of the game. The Red Raiders took their largest lead at 64-38 when Martin Zeno hit two free throws with more than 10 minutes remaining.

ON THE ROAD IN THE BIG 12: Since the Big 12 formed (1996-97), CU has played 86 regular season games on the road. Heading into 2006-07, the Buffaloes under Coach Patton are 21-65 (.244). That means an average of 2.1 wins a season and 5.9 losses in eight road games. The highest win total was 4-4 in 1996-97; their lowest was one win in each of the 2002-03 (Baylor), 2001-02 (Texas A&M) and 1999-2000 Kansas State) seasons.

crashing the boards: In 12 Big 12 games, CU has five players with at least 50 rebounds and all are averaging over 4.3 a game. Dominique Coleman tops the list (87, 7.3 rpg.), followed by Richard Roby (59, 4.9), then Marcus King-Stockton (57, 4.8). Jermyl Jackson-Wilson (53, 4.4), followed by Jeremy Williams and Xavier Silas with 52 (4.3).

BUFF BITS: Richard Roby has nine 20+ efforts this season (27 career) ... Freshmen have led CU in scoring nine times this season, seven of the last nine (Silas has six, Kal Bay, one) ... The opponent has scored 20+ points in a game 16 times and tallied seven double-doubles against CU this season ... CU is 1-15 when trailing at the half and 2-62 when trailing by 10 or more half (0-10 this season) under PattonCU won its first back-to-back games against the Cowboys since Feb. 1, 1989 and Feb. 13, 1988 ... CU has outrebounded the opponent on the offensive glass nine of 12 games (not Texas, K-State, at TTU) and have outrebounded the opponent six of 12 games (not K-State, UT, Baylor and were even against OU & TTU ... CU has trailed at the half nine of 12 conference games, led OSU and rallied to beat Iowa State; trailed at half in six Big 12 games ... Kal Bay tied his season-best with 5 3-pointers and tied his career-best of 21 points (Central Florida); as did Coleman with 21 pts. and a career-best 15 rebounds. ?Nique’s third double-double and third time this season with over 10 rebounds in a game ... Xavier Silas became the first player other than Richard Roby to lead the team in scoring three straight times (Mizzou, at Nebraska, Iowa State). The last time this was accomplished other than Roby was Michel Morandais during the 2002-03 season, twice ... Roby tied his season-high 10 FGs made at KU for his sixth career 30+point effort. His other 10 FGs made this season (Pepperdine, Texas) were also 30-point games ... Against Kansas (Feb. 14) Mizzou (Jan. 24), CU had 17 offensive rebounds most in Big 12 play by the Buffs this year; Marcus King-Stockton had a season-high nine rebounds against Missouri ... CU has six double-doubles this season: Coleman (3), Jermyl Jackson-Wilson (2), Richard Roby (1) ... Roby has led the team in scoring 10 times, including one shared and has scored double figures in 18 of 22 games ... Despite playing the point, Coleman has led CU in rebounding eight times ... Roby (31.1) and Silas (30.3) have logged the most minutes a game; first two players to average 30+ in a season since 2002-03 (Blair Wilson, Michel Morandais) ... Roby has netted 30+ points three times this season (six times in career): 32 pts (Peppedine), 30 each at KU and home against Texas ... Silas (23 pts.) and Jeremy Williams (18 pts.) each scored season-bests at Baylor (Jan. 30) ... CU had three players with 20 or more points against Oklahoma State for the first time since Feb. 19, 2003 at Kansas. TEAM: With eight home losses this season, CU has tied three other seasons for most home losses ... CU is 1-3 against AP and USA Today/ESPN teamsCU has out-rebounded the opponent six of 12 games ... CU made 10 3-pointers in back-to-back games (OSU, at Baylor)46 points scored at home vs. KU matches season-low of 46 scored at home against Air Force ... Other notes vs. KU: 15 FGs made lowest since 15 FGs vs. Iowa State (Jan. 31, 2001); .273 FG% lowest since Jan. 15, 2005 (Kansas, .299) ... Had a season-best eight 3-pointers in the first half against Oklahoma State; 10 treys overall for the third time in 2006-07 (at Baylor and Texas)...Four of CU’s six wins shot better from the field (Oklahoma St., Iowa St., Central Florida, Denver)...CU’s 45 rebounds vs. the Cowboys, most this season in the Big 12 and most since grabbing 48 against Peppedine...CU led at half (15 pts. over OSU) for the first time in the Big 12 this season... Twice this season CU has allowed 100 points (at New Mexico and Texas). The last time the opponent scored 100+three times in a season was 2001-02 (KU twice, Texas) . ... Against UCF, both teams combined for 55 free throws made breaking the Events Center record of 53 ... CU’s 36 made free throws against UCF are the most since making 36 back on Feb. 22, 1997 (Missouri) ... Buffs suffered four non-conference home losses this season, a school-first since 1975-76.