Colorado University Athletics
CU Looks To Snap One Streak, Continue Another At Kansas
THE GAME: The University of Colorado will travel to face the University of Kansas on Tuesday, Feb. 6, at 6 p.m. MST in Allen Fieldhouse.
BROADCAST: All Colorado womenGÇÖs basketball regular and post season games are broadcast live on KKZN AM 760, BoulderGÇÖs Progressive Talk station. Mike Rice will handle play by play duties and is joined by USA BasketballGÇÖs Carol Callan with the color commentary. Live internet audio can be accessed through Yahoo! Sports.
ABOUT THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 10-11 overall and resides in eighth place in the Big 12 Conference at 4-5, just one-half game behind seventh place Iowa State University (5-5) and one game behind sixth place Texas Tech University (5-4). The Buffaloes have won two straight after defeating Texas Tech 70-67 at the Coors Events/Conference Center on Feb. 2. The triumph allowed CU to pass its win total, both overall and in the Big 12, from the 2005-06 season (9-21, 3-13 Big 12) with at least eight games remaining on the schedule (seven regular season + Big 12 Championship) and secures the teamGÇÖs best record since 2003-04 when the Buffs finished 22-8, 11-5 in the Big 12, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
Now that the Buffaloes are back in the win column, they hope this seasonGÇÖs trend of streaks continues. CU has compiled two separate three-game winning streaks while having a four-game losing skid and a recent five-game slide. To do so, they will have to pick up a win on the road, which hasnGÇÖt been so friendly to the Buffaloes. Colorado has lost 10 straight road games and has won just once in its last 23 outings on an opponents home floor. The one win happened to be at Allen Fieldhouse, a 77-71 decision over the Jayhawks on Feb. 1, 2006.
Junior forward Jackie McFarland is living up to her All-Big 12 second team status in 2006, and then some. She is averaging 18.3 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, second in the Big 12 in both categories. McFarland ranks third in NCAA Division I in field-goal percentage through games of Jan. 28 at 63.4 percent. She has 11 games of shooting 70 percent or better this season.
McFarland is just the ninth player in school history to register 1,100 points and 600 career rebounds and she currently ranks in CUGÇÖs career Top 10 in blocked shots, free-throws made and rebounds. She was named Big 12 Player of the Week for the seasonGÇÖs opening weekend (Nov. 13) and named to the Coors Classic All-Tournament Team.
McFarland has 13 double-doubles this season, ranking second in the Big 12, and six in nine conference games. She has 32 double-doubles and 32 double-digit rebounding gams in her career, both of which rank third on CUGÇÖs all-time list.
Senior guard/forward Jasmina Ilic is second on the team in scoring at 13.9 points per game and coming off a memorable performance against Texas Tech. Ilic scored a game-high 27 points with a season-high five 3-point field goals to lead the Buffaloes over the Lady Raiders. Ilic surpassed the 1,000 point mark during the game, becoming the 21st player in team history to reach the milestone and the 10th fastest (84 games). She also tops the Buffaloes with 40 3-point field goals, 26 steals and an 88.6 percent efficiency from the free-throw stripe. Her 26 steals are six more than she had in 30 games last season and her free-throw percentage ranks second in the Big 12.
Sophomore center Kara Richards is fourth on the team in scoring (6.9 ppg) and second in rebounding average (5.1 rpg) and field-goal percentage (.594). She missed seven games with a fracture in the fourth metatarsal of her left foot. Since her return she has averaged 6.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting 64 percent from the field.
Junior guard Susie Powers is averaging 4.0 points per game and is hitting 40.4 percent from 3-point range. She just dipped under the number of 3-pointers needed to rank among the overall Big 12 leaders after the Missouri game, but still ranks fourth in percentage during league only games (.429). She ranks second on the team in assists with 48.
Colorado is receiving strong support from its freshman class. Redshirt freshman guard Bianca Smith has made 13 starts and is averaging 5.9 points per game including a career-high 18 points in the win over Iowa State. Smith has come off the bench the last two games, providing needed scoring punches during both contests. She scored all seven of her points against Texas Tech in a 1:36 span during the first half and scored eight points during the BuffsGÇÖ 23-0 second-half run against Kansas State. She has 28 3-point field goals and ranks fifth in the Big 12 in 3-point field goal percentage (.389).
Freshman Whitney Houston leads the Buffaloes with 50 assists and had a recent span of five games where she averaged 11.6 points per contest before being held to just two against Texas Tech. She recorded her first start in a Big 12 game against Kansas State and responded in a big way scoring a career-high 17 points while shooting 7-of-13 from the field with four rebounds and three steals. HoustonGÇÖs 2.5 assists per game ranks fifth among freshmen in the Big 12 and 15th overall. Fellow Memphis, Tenn., native Candace Rucker started three games during the nonconference schedule and is averaging 3.2 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. She is fourth on the team in steals with 21. She tied a career high with seven points on 3-of-4 from the field in the loss at Texas A&M.
Forward Aija Putnina is averaging 4.8 rebounds per game, third on the team and fourth in the Big 12 among freshmen. She had a team-high nine rebounds, two blocks and two assists against Texas on Jan. 13.
HOME-ROAD DISPARITY: For the Buffaloes to break out of their road slump they will look to improve on field-goal shooting, rebounding and turnovers. Colorado is shooting 39.4 percent (136-of-345) in seven road losses this season while shooting 45 percent in 13 home games (326-724) where the Buffs are 10-3. CU enjoys a rebounding margin of 6.4 per game at home while pulling down 40.5 a contest. On the road, CU is pulling down just 34.3 per game and giving up 38.9 to its opponents. The Buffaloes have been battling turnovers all season long and average just under four more on the road (23.6 TOpg) than at home (19.7 TOpg). Rebounds and turnovers have allowed CU opponents to take 13 more shots per game (62-49) on the road than the Buffs, however the CU defense has held opponents to just 39.4 percent from the field on the road (136-of-345), which is slightly better than the 39.8 percent allowed at home (308-of-774).
ON THE OFFENSIVE: Prior to the Texas Tech contest, Colorado was struggling on the offensive boards ranking last in the Big 12, pulling in just 10.75 per game overall and only 7.75 per game in league contests. Against the Lady Raiders, the Buffaloes pulled in 23 offensive rebounds which led to a 22-5 advantage in second-chance points. CUGÇÖs 23 offensive boards were its most since recording 23 against Bowling Green on Nov. 23, 2001, and its most in league play since grabbing 24 at Iowa State on Feb. 18, 1996. The BuffsGÇÖ previous high against a Big 12 team this season was 11 against Oklahoma on Jan. 20.
HISTORIC COMEBACK: ColoradoGÇÖs comeback from a 15-point halftime deficit to win against Kansas State on Jan. 31 is the second-largest margin achieved in team history. The Buffaloes trailed the Wildcats 39-24 at the break before outscoring them 42-16 in the final 20 minutes, including a 23-0 run over a 10:24 span.
Colorado came back from 19 down against the University of Washington on Dec. 21, 1982, at the Guisti Tournament in Portland, Ore. CU trailed 35-16 at halftime before winning 67-65.
A more-recent double-digit halftime deficit overcome was a 12-point margin against the University of Southern California in Los Angeles on Dec. 20, 2003. CU trailed the Trojans 39-27 before prevailing 69-67.
ABOUT THE JAYHAWKS: Kansas is 6-16 overall and winless in the Big 12 at 0-9. The Jayhawks have lost five straight and 12 of their last 13, with the lone win during that span coming in a nonleague contest at home against Sacramento State University, 69-50, on Jan. 17. Despite the losing streak, the Jayhawks have played several Big 12 teams extremely close. Four of KUGÇÖs nine Big 12 losses are by less than 10 points including a one-point loss at home to Texas Tech, 66-65 on Jan. 31 and a seven-point setback at home against Baylor, 71-64, on Jan. 6. The Jayhawks are last in the Big 12 in scoring (59.1 ppg), field-goal percentage (.390), field-goal percentage defense (.439) and rebounding (34.1 rpg).
Freshman guard Kelly Kohn leads the Jayhawks in scoring at 10 per contest and is also their top 3-point shooter with 37 on the year. KUGÇÖs roster features seven freshmen who account for 58 percent of the teamGÇÖs scoring this season. First-year forward Danielle McCray has come off the bench in 21 games and ranks second on the team n scoring at 9.0 per game while pulling down 3.7 rebounds. Senior guard Shaquina Mosley averages 8.5 points and has a team-best 79 assists. Mosely has had a hot hand lately averaging 15.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists over the last six games.
SERIES RECORDS: This will be the 58th meeting between Colorado and Kansas with the Buffaloes holding a 30-27 series lead. CU has won 10 of the last 12 meetings, including both meetings last year. Kansas holds a slim 13-12 advantage in games in Lawrence.
Kathy McConnell-Miller is 2-0 in her head coaching career against Kansas, both games coming with Colorado.
NATIONAL GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS DAY FEB. 10: CU Athletics will host a Skills Challenge in recognition of National Girls and Women in Sport Day on Saturday, Feb. 10 starting at noon.
The day was chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1986 to honor female athletic achievement and recognize the importance of sports and fitness participation for all girls and women. This marks the second year in a row that the Buffaloes will host the skills challenge.
The fun will get started at 12 p.m. when student-athletes and coaches from womenGÇÖs basketball, volleyball, soccer, golf, cheerleading, track & field and tennis will guide kids 8th grade and younger through various drills on the concourse of the Coors Events Center. Meanwhile, Ralphie IV, CUGÇÖs live female Buffalo mascot, will be in front of CoorsGÇÖ Northwest Entrance for participants to see and photograph before the game. The Skills Challenge and RalphieGÇÖs visit will both last from 12-1 p.m. The first 500 boys and girls 8th grade and younger completing the Skills Challenge will receive a free tee shirt.
At 1 p.m., the Skills Challenge will wrap up, and the student-athletes and coaches will be available for autographs until 1:30 p.m. That will be followed by the CU womenGÇÖs game against Nebraska. The game will tip off at 2 p.m., and all adults and kids arriving between 12-1 p.m. will receive admission to all activities free.
RECORD HALF FROM "3": Colorado set a school record for 3-point field goals in one half by drilling 10 in the first stanza of the BuffsGÇÖ 81-67 win over Iowa State on Jan. 10. Bianca SmithGÇÖs long-range jumper -- her fourth of the half -- with 7 seconds remaining in the period gave CU the record, breaking the previous mark of nine set against the University of Buffalo on Jan. 3, 2004. The 13 3-pointers CU had in the game was its most since a similar bakerGÇÖs dozen put up against the University of Northern Colorado on Dec. 29, 2004.
A SUCCESSFUL BEGINNING: Colorado began the Big 12 season 2-0 for the first time since 1996-97. The start also agave the Buffaloes their first two-game league win streak since defeating Oklahoma State and Kansas on Feb. 21 and 24, 2004. Colorado opened the Big 12 season with a 71-59 win over the University of Missouri on Jan. 3. The win was the first for CU in a Big 12 opener since defeating Baylor to begin the 2004 league schedule and the 12-point margin of victory was CUGÇÖs highest in the leagueGÇÖs 11-year history. Colorado is now 5-6 in Big 12 openers and 19-14 overall in conference openers.
HOUSTON GAME CANCELLED: CUGÇÖs game against the University of Houston that was scheduled for Dec. 30, was cancelled when the Cougars opted not to travel to Boulder for the game due to the winter weather conditions that had spread across the Midwest that weekend. The game is not expected to be rescheduled this season.
LUBIN LEAVES BUFFALOES: Junior guard Lauren Lubin has decided to leave the CU womenGÇÖs basketball program, but will remain at the university as a student, head coach Kathy McConnell-Miller announced on Dec. 27.
Lubin, who earned a pair of letters with the Buffaloes, averaged 2.4 points and 2.4 rebounds over 49 career games. She played in five contests for the Buffaloes this winter, recording three steals and two rebounds. Lubin originally walked on in 2004-05 as a freshman, where she played in 16 games before missing the last half of the season with mononucleosis. Lubin earned a scholarship for the 2005-06 campaign, averaging 3.7 points and 3.6 rebounds per game as a sophomore, including a team-best 42.9 percent from 3-point range (12-of-28).
RICHARDS GRANTED MEDICAL HARDSHIP: Center Kara Richards received some good news on Dec. 2 as the Big 12 Conference office granted her a medical hardship for missing the 2005-06 season. Richards season was lost after suffering a Jones fracture ? a fracture to the fifth metatarsal ? in her left foot on Nov. 15, 2005, just three dayGÇÖs before CUGÇÖs season opening win over Cal State Fullerton. The medical hardship means she returns to sophomore standing for the 2006-07 season and will have two more years of eligibility remaining.
McFARLAND BIG 12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Jackie McFarland was named the Phillips 66 Big 12 WomenGÇÖs Basketball Player of the Week by a media voting panel on Nov. 13 for the opening weekend of games.
This is McFarlandGÇÖs third career weekly honor from the Big 12 as she was twice named the leagueGÇÖs Rookie of the Week during the 2004-05 season.
McFarland averaged 22 points, 12 rebounds and two steals while shooting 71 percent from the field (17-of-24) in games against San Francisco and No. 16/15 ranked Vanderbilt over the weekend.
McFarland had 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting and 12 rebounds in the season-opening 62-56 win over San Francisco. She scored a game-high 27 points and pulled down 12 rebounds along with two assists and three steals against No. 16/15 Vanderbilt. McFarland recorded double-doubles in both games for the 20th and 21st of her career. She had nine points ? a 3-pointer and two conventional 3-point plays ? in the final minute against VU as Colorado nearly erased a 17-point second half deficit.
MILESTONE WINS: With a 56-51 win over Colorado State, CU won its 600th womenGÇÖs basketball game and now stands 605-364 in 32-plus seasons. CUGÇÖs overall .624 winning percentage ranks fourth all-time among Big 12 Conference teams, trailing only Texas, Texas Tech and Kansas State.
With its 78-65 win over Charlotte in the Coors Classic, Colorado won its 300th game at the Coors Events Conference Center, and now stands at 306-90 (.773) all-time at the facility.
CLIMBING THE 3-POINT LADDER: Jasmina Ilic hit a season-high five 3-point field goals to increase her career total to 134, good for sixth place on CUGÇÖs all-time list.
Anna Nedovic had a pair of 3-point field goals against Cal State Bakersfield after sinking just two in the previous 10 games. The pair of treys pushed her career total to 51, tying her with former teammate Emily Waner (2003-04) for 13th on CUGÇÖs all-time chart.
McFARLAND, ILIC REACH 1,000: Jackie McFarland became the 20th player in CU history to reach 1,000 career points during the loss at South Dakota State on Dec. 13. McFarland hit the milestone on a second-half layup and now stands at 16th on CUGÇÖs all-time scoring list with 1,172 points through 78 career games (15.0 ppg). McFarland is also just the ninth Buff to record 1,100 points and 600 rebounds.
Jasmina Ilic became the 21st player in CU history to 1,000 points, reaching the milestone with a 27-point effort against Texas Tech on Feb. 3. Ilic hit the mark on a second-half bucket and now stands at 21st on CUGÇÖs all-time scoring list with 1,012 points through 84 career games (12.0 ppg).
Ilic and McFarland are the first pair of teammates to hit the mark in the same season since Britt Hartshorn, Jenny Roulier and Mandy Nightingale hit 1,000 within two weeks of each other in November 2001.
MORE NUMBERS FOR McFARLAND: Jackie McFarland has 32 career double-doubles and 32 double-digit rebounding games, which both rank third on the CU charts. Her 13 double-doubles this season, second-most in the Big 12, are fifth on CUGÇÖs single-season chart right behind the 14 she had in 2004-05. She began the season with three-straight double-doubles, equalling her output from the 2005-06 season. The only other player in CU history to record three-straight double-doubles to open a season is CUGÇÖs all-time leading scorer Lisa VanGoor, who did it in 1982-83.
McFarland became the 12th player in CU history to reach 600 rebounds, surpassing the mark during the loss at Texas on Jan. 13. She is currently 10th on the career list with 668. She is seventh on CUGÇÖs career list for blocked shots with 84. McFarland needs 16 to reach 100 and would be just the sixth Buff to reach the century mark. She is eighth on CUGÇÖs career list with 337 free-throws made and needs seven to pass Lisa Van Goor (1980-85) for seventh.
STILL IN NEED OF A WIN OVER A RANKED TEAM: Colorado has dropped 20 straight games to ranked teams dating back to January of 2004. The Buffaloes last win over a ranked opponent was a 69-59 decision at No. 24 Baylor on Jan. 7, 2004. CU was ranked No. 14 at the time. The last time CU was unranked and defeated a ranked opponent was in the second round of the 2003 NCAA Tournament when the Buffaloes knocked off No. 12 North Carolina 86-67.
COME FROM BEHIND WIN BREAKS LONG DROUGHT: CUGÇÖs 62-56 win over San Francisco broke a 26-game losing streak when the Buffaloes trailed at halftime dating back to a 56-51 win at Missouri on Jan. 18, 2005. USF led 30-26 at the break, but the Buffs outscored the Dons 36-26 in the second half. Colorado has now won four games this season when trailing at halftime, all at home (USF, Missouri, Kansas State and Texas Tech).
BUFFS IN OPENERS: Colorado is 28-5 (.844) all-time in season openers and a whopping 32-1 (.970) all-time in home openers. The BuffsGÇÖ lone loss in a season-opening home game was a 77-63 setback to Michigan on Nov. 21, 1999. CU has won seven straight season debuts and 20 of its last 21 with the lone loss in that span coming at Denver on Nov. 19, 1999.
EARLY START: The Nov. 10 start against USF was the third earliest start for the Buffs and the second earliest home game in their 33-year history. CUGÇÖs earliest start came in season No. 2 as the Buffs dropped an 81-80 decision at Nebraska on Nov. 6, 1976. CUGÇÖs earliest start at the Coors Events Center is much more recent as the Buffs hosted Oral Roberts in a preseason WNIT game on Nov. 9, 2001, a 78-49 CU win.
BUFFS PICKED 11TH: CU was picked to finish 11th in the annual Big 12 Coaches Preseason Poll. The Buffaloes received 26 points, an improvement from the 14 points received a year ago when the CU was picked to finish last. CU was 9-21 overall in 2005-06 and finished 11th in the Big 12 race with a 3-13 mark.
Defending league champion Oklahoma was picked to repeat its title receiving all 11 possible first place votes for a total of 121 points. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team. Big 12 Southern Division teams dominated the upper half of the poll, taking the top four spots. Texas A&M was picked second with 107 points, followed by Texas (101) and Baylor (94).
Iowa State came in fifth with 68 points, just edging out Nebraska which was picked sixth with 66. Kansas State and Texas Tech tied for seventh with 57 points followed by Missouri (43), Kansas (36), CU (26) and Oklahoma State (16).
TOUGH SCHEDULE: Colorado once again faces a tough schedule with no less than 17 games against 2006 NCAA or WNIT tournament teams. The Buffaloes will host perennial NCAA womenGÇÖs powers Southern California and Vanderbilt during the non-conference season as well as region rival Colorado State. Baylor, Texas Tech and Oklahoma come to Boulder this year out of the Big 12 South along with the BuffsGÇÖ usual Big 12 North opponents.
HOME AT THE CECC: Colorado is traditionally tough at home with a 306-90 all-time record at the Coors Events/Conference Center (.773). The Buffaloes have won 10 or more games in a season at the CECC in 19 of 29 years including five undefeated seasons (1980-83, 1992-94). The Buffaloes are 10-3 at home this season, their best mark since going 14-2 in 2003-04. CU has only three seasons of sub-.500 play in the 28 years of the Coors Events Center.
BUFFS ON TV: ColoradoGÇÖs schedule features nine games that will be televised either regionally or nationally by Fox Sports Net. Two games are part of the Big 12GÇÖs national package with FSN: Sunday, Jan. 28, at Missouri and Saturday, Feb. 10, at home against Nebraska. FSN Rocky Mountain will televise six CU home games beginning with the regular season opener against San Francisco on Friday, Nov. 10. FSN Midwest will televise CUGÇÖs game at Kansas State on Wed., Feb. 14.
UP NEXT: Colorado will return home to host the University of Nebraska on Saturday, Feb. 10, at 2 p.m. MST at the Coors Events/Conference Center. The game will be televised nationally on Fox Sports Net.