Colorado University Athletics

MBB Closes Home Season, Saturday

MBB Closes Home Season, Saturday
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mbb notes vs. Iowa State

Game 28: vs. Iowa State Cyclones (14-14, 4-9 Big 12)

Saturday, March 1, 4:02 p.m. (MST.)

Arena: Coors Events Center (11,064)

Television: ESPN Classic

Announcers: Dave Armstrong, Paul Splittorff

Radio: KKZN 760: Mark Johnson, Charles Johnson

 

FOR STARTERS (individual): Richard Roby enters today’s game in third place on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,907 career points. He stands 33 points behind Cliff Meely for second and 88 points from Donnie Boyce for top honors. Roby is fifth all-time in Big 12 scoring ? Last time CU played Iowa State, Cory Higgins had a school-best five steals in Big 12 play against the Cyclones ? Marcus Hall has recorded over 100 assists in each of his last three seasons; Entering today’s game, Hall has a season-best 1,000 minutes played (37.0 a game) ? Levi Knutson played a season-high 36 minutes with a Big 12 best 11 points versus the Bears and Marcus Hall excelled at the point with seven assists, zero turnovers, a career best three blocks and a steal  ? Marcus King-Stockton has a personal-best 35 blocks and ranks seventh all-time at CU with 97 ? Roby has 100 career games (out of 114) in scoring double figures ? Three players have started every game (Roby, Hall, Higgins) with 27. If all three continue the trend, it will be the first time since 1984-85 that three players started the entire season. Roby is the last freshman to start every game in a season (30, 2004-05) ? Hall has a career-best 102 rebounds, 45 steals, 44 3-pointers in a single-season ? Roby ranks first all-time with 111 career starts ? For the first time in school history five players have at least 20 made 3-pointers in a season: Marcus Hall (44), Richard Roby (41), Levi Knutson (25), Cory Higgins (23) and Xavier Silas (20).

 

FOR STARTERS (team): Today is the home finale and it’s the first time since the 1997-98 season, CU closes the Big 12 regular season on the road with a pair of road games ? In Big 12 play, CU is 7-4 in home finales (1-1 vs. Iowa State) ?  CU is 1-4 when wearing their gold uniforms ? The Buffs committed a season-low seven turnovers against Baylor. It’s the fewest since having six at Nebraska (Jan. 22, 2006) ? CU has used seven different starting lineups, the same in the last two game ? CU has shot 70 percent or higher from the free throw line on 14 occasions in 2007-08 ? Five of CU’s 11 losses in Big 12 play are a total of 25 points (5.0 average) ? In CU’s two Big 12 wins, they have shot .481 percent from the field, .745 from the FT line and outscored opponent 63.5-to-54.5 ? In CU’s 10 wins they have shot .505 from the field, .716 at the FT line, out-rebounded the opponent 31.8-to-28.7, and are outscoring the opposition 68-9-to-53.2 ? The Buffs have surpassed last year’s win total of seven with 10 wins ? CU’s 72 points scored in home win over Oklahoma was their most points in Big 12 play this year. CU shot 60.6 percent from the field, their second time over 60 percent in Big 12 play (61.7% at Texas A&M).

 

1,000 Minutes: Senior Marcus Hall has played exactly 1,000 minutes this year, the first CU player since Blair Wilson (1,048) and Michel Morandais (1,006) to have that many since 2002-03. Here’s a look where Hall ranks with the other CU 1,000 minute members. He’s 12th all-time dating back to 1978-79 when those records were kept.

 

1)    Stevie Wise         1,127  1990-91

2)    Shaun Vandiver    1,122 1990-91

3)    Jay Humphries     1,120 1983-84

4)    Blair Wilson         1,048  2002-03

t5)   Stevie Wise         1,034 1989-90 

       Jay Humphries     1,034 1982-83

7)    Shaun Vandiver    1,032 1989-90

8)    James Hunter      1,026  1990-91

9)    Reggie Morton     1,017  1989-90

10) Scott Wilke         1,012  1987-88

11) Michel Morandais              1,006      2002-03

12) Marcus Hall         1,000  2007-08

 

CONFERENCE MINUTES: From the home stats office of western New York, Marcus Hall has logged 495 Big 12 minutes so far and is closing in on 557 set by Chauncey Billups in 1996-97. And for career conference minutes, Richard Roby has 2,004 minutes played compared to Jay Humphries’ school record of 2,042 set back in 1981-84.

 

CU vs. IOWA STATE: The Cyclones lead the all-time series, 74-65, however, the Buffaloes hold a 44-16 edge in Boulder, including a 9-2 advantage in Big 12 Conference at the Coors Events Center. ISU last won in Boulder in 2005 with the other in 2001.

 

LAST time at ISU: Richard Roby scored a game-high 13 points and Marcus Hall added nine points and nine rebounds, however Iowa State took the lead in the second half, running to a 57-41 victory over Colorado back Jan. 29. Craig Brackins and Jiri Hubalek each scored 10 points for Iowa State. CU freshman Cory Higgins snagged a career-high five steals. The Buffs held the Cyclones to a season-low 15 points in the first half. Iowa State struggled against Colorado’s press, which allowed the Buffaloes to jump out to an early lead.  The Cyclones pulled away from CU down the stretch jumping ahead 47-39 with 4:04 left. Colorado had just 19 points in the second half, on 5-of-21 shooting from the field.

 

RISING FROSH: Aside from Hall and Roby dominating the headlines, freshman Cory Higgins looks to have a bright future in black and gold. In his 12 Big 12 Conference games, Higgins ranks first from the free throw line (.806) and in steals (16); second in rebounding at 4.2 rpg., third in scoring 9.1 ppg., and 3-pointers (13).

 

HALL PASS: Senior Marcus Hall is making the most of his final season leading the team in assists with 102 (3.8 apg.). With 397 assists, Hall is nine dimes from the top-five in school history passing the great Donnie Boyce (405, 1991-95). Hall also has a career-best 45 steals and 44 3-pointers.

 

CU ALUM w/ Iowa Ties: Glenn Miller (1904-44), one of the best known and widely acclaimed leaders of the Big Band Era was born today in Clarinda, Iowa back on March 1, 1904. His contributions to American music are legendary. Both Glenn and his wife Helen were alumni of the University of Colorado.

 

HALL or ROBY: Through 27 games, Richard Roby and Marcus Hall have led the majority of games in scoring. Roby has led 15 times (one shared), Hall 10 times (one shared). Cory Higgins has done it in back-to-back games (at Texas A&M, Nebraska).  Xavier Silas (24 pts. vs. Florida A&M) has performed it once. In his 14 games, Roby averages 21.2 ppg., while Hall is 17.8 ppg. over his 10 games.

 

3rd all-time & CLIMBING: Richard Roby enters tonight’s game in third place   with 1,907 career points. Roby trails Cliff Meely for second place just 33 points away. Roby is 88 points from Donnie Boyce, who hails at the top. With at least four games left in the season, Roby needs to average 22.0 ppg. to tie Boyce.

 

1. Donnie Boyce            1,995    18.8   1991-95

2. Cliff Meely     *1,940   24.3   1969-71

3. Richard Roby 1,907    16.7   20004-pre.

   * played three years

 

FT SHOOTING: In recent years, CU was not a very good free throw shooting team. This year, the Buffaloes are shooting almost 70 percent (.695), a feat only accomplished once in the last 12 years (2000-01, .715).

 

FOUR IN A ROW? - Richard Roby is on the verge of becoming only the third player in school history to lead the team in scoring four consecutive seasons. From 2004-05 (16.0 ppg.), 2005-06 (17.0) through last year (17.3), Roby has made it three straight. Here are the others:

Donnie Boyce    1991-95    4-straight

Shawn Vandiver *1988-91  3-straight

Emmett Lewis   1975-79    4-straight

Cliff Meely         *1968-71   3-straight

* - Played only three years

 

BIG 12 TOP-10: A number of CU players are ranked among the Big 12 elite players in various categories from all games played and conference-only.

 

All Games

Scoring               Roby      3rd                16.7

                           Hall    17th     12.8

Rebounding        Roby  11th     6.4

FG%                    Roby    7th    .484

Assists                 Hall      5th     3.78

Steals                 Hall      7th                 1.67

FT %                    Roby    6th     .766

Blocks         King-Stockton 7th    1.32

                           Roby  15th     0.93

Def-Reb.              Roby    9th     4.42

Asst.-Turn Ratio             Hall     7th        1.76

 

Big 12-Only Games

Scoring               Roby    5th     16.8

                           Hall    19th     12.8

Rebounding        Roby    9th     6.7

FG %                   Hall      6th     .515

                           Roby    7th     .483

Assists                 Hall      7th     3.54

Steals                 Higgins 15th    1.23

Blocks           King-Stockton      t-2nd     1.69

                           Roby  12th     1.00

Asst.-Turn Ratio Hall      6th     1.84

Def. Rebounds    Roby    8th     5.23

 

IRON MAN: Marcus Hall has six games this season playing all 40 minutes. Hall ranks second in the Big 12 Conference behind Martin Zeno of Texas Tech, who has nine 40-minute games (6 conference and 3 non-conference). Hall has three straight Big 12 games (KU, at OSU, OU) and three straight non-conference games (at Air Force, Stanford, at Wyoming).

 

3-Point Streak: Dating back to the 2001-02 season, CU has made a 3-pointer in 190 consecutive games. Last time they failed to make at least one trey was Jan. 16, 2002 against Iowa State in Boulder. The Buffs won 63-61.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trends after 27 games

                In Wins (10)    In Losses (17)

PPG                68.9          57.6

FG %               50.5%       42.0%

3-pt. FG %       38.3%       33.2%

FG made          24.3          20.7

FT%                 71.6%       67.9%

Turnovers          13.4          13.4

Assist/TO Ratio                 +1.5  +0.9

Off. Rebounds   8.5            7.8

Def. Rebounds  23.3          19.5

Assists            15.4          11.7

Steals              7.8            5.2

Blocks             4.4            4.1

In 10 wins: Roby: 17.0 ppg., 6.7 rpg.,; Hall: 14.4 ppg., 3.1 rpg., 3.4 apg.; Silas 10.7 ppg., 3.9 rpg.

 

CU AOW: Richard Roby has four honors during the 2007-08 season tying him for fourth all-time in single-year Athlete of the Week honors. Roby has 11 honors his career. Roby’s 11 career honors moves him out of a tie with Shaun Vandiver for the most career honors for men’s basketball players and into a tie for second place on the all-time list with current track and cross country standout Jenny Barringer. Adam Goucher, a former track and cross country standout holds the record with 14.

 

BUFF BITS: Richard Roby and Marcus Hall (22nd overall w/ 1,077 pts.) are the first CU 1,000-point tandem since 2003-04 when the Buffs had four players over 1k (Stephane Pelle, Michel Morandais, David Harrison, Blair Wilson) ? Marcus King-Stockton tied a career-best four blocked shots at Missouri ? Hall’s consecutive playing streak ended at 163:58 dating back to the Iowa State game on Jan. 29. It’s his second consecutive streak of 160 minutes. Hall played 161 consecutive minutes from Nov. 29-Dec. 22 ? Richard Roby’s streak of 15 consecutive games of double figures ended at KU (his longest string of games during his four-year career) ? Cory Higgins had a season-best five steals, four in the first half at Iowa State. His five steals were a CU high in the 12-year conference history vs. the Cyclones ? Roby’s season-best 14 rebounds against Mizzou tied his output of 14 boards earlier this season against New Orleans; his 13 defensive vs. Missouri was a career-high ? Richard Roby has tallied double-figures 24 of 27 games, Marcus Hall 20 of 27 games ? Hall, Higgins and Roby have started every game (27) ? Hall, Higgins, Knutson and Thorne II are the only players with more assists than turnovers ? For the first time in school history, CU beat both Oklahoma and Nebraska at home in football AND basketball in the same year ? Commissioners Honor Roll (3.0 or better): Freshman Levi Knutson (business), Redshirt sophomore Casey Crawford (political science) ? Jermyl Jackson-Wilson was named one of 12 Big 12 Conference student-athletes to the 2007-08 Winter Sports Good Works Team in February.

 

CU During Big 12 Inception: After 27 games, CU not only has won more games this season than last, but their 3-point field goal percentage, free throw shooting and limiting their turnovers per game rank near the top over the last 12 years.

 

Year     PPG FG %        3-Pt.%    FT%   To  W’s

2007-08 61.8 .451  .351  .695   13.4  10

2006-07 69.1 .417  .313  .655  17.5  7

2005-06 76.8 .434  .342  .646  14.0   20

2004-05 71.6 .435  .353  .629  14.4   14  

2003-04 74.2 .464  .372  .621  14.6   18

2002-03 75.2 .443  .326  .669  14.0   20

2001-02 79.7 .453  .357  .677  17.0   15

2000-01 80.6 .460  .359  .715  16.5   15

1999-00 75.2 .426  .339  .686  14.3   18

1998-99 73.1 .414  .344  .702  14.7   18

1997-98 71.4 .404  .346  .688  14.3   13

1996-97 73.1 .420  .362  .681  13.9   22

 

REDSHIRT YEAR: Sophomore forward Jeremy Williams will be redshirted this season and will return next year with three full years of eligibility. He was academically ineligible for the fall semester. Williams averaged 7.7 points and 4.6 rpg. last season with 18 starts.

 

FUN ?n Sun: For the next two seasons the Buffaloes will be making multiple trips to the Hawaiian Islands. Next season, CU will be making their first-ever trip to the Rainbow Classic in Honolulu. In 2009-10, CU will play in the Maui Invitational. Hosted by Division II college Chaminade, and sponsored by EA Sports, the Buffaloes will be one of eight schools participating in the 26th edition of the tournament. Joining CU two years from now will be Arizona, Gonzaga, Louisville, Maryland, Vanderbilt, and Wisconsin.

 

CU IN THE PRO WORLD: There is a number of CU basketball members with ties to the professional ranks. From head coach Jeff Bzdelik to the five student-athletes.

Coach Bzdelik: Head Coach of the Denver Nuggets (2002-05);

Casey Crawford: father, Steve played with the Boston Red Sox;

Cory Higgins: father, Rod played in the NBA from 1982-95, currently the general manager of the Charlotte Bobcats;

Richard Roby: half-brother of Kenyon Martin (Denver Nuggets);

Xavier Silas: father, James, played professionally for 10 years, eight years with the San Antonio Spurs;

Dwight Thorne II: cousin, Acie Law IV played for the Texas A&M Aggies and great uncle, Ernie Banks played with the Cubs.

 

TEAM BITS: CU did not attempt a single free throw at Mizzou (Feb. 23). It’s the fewest in a game since the Buffs went 0-for-1 at Iowa State on Jan. 14, 1987. Ironically, CU did not shoot a free throw in the first half at KU (Feb. 16) ? CU scored only 45 points at Kansas, matching their fewest scored against KU at Allen Fieldhouse since Feb. 15, 1992 (82-45) ? Against KU (Feb. 2), the Buffaloes converted a season-high nine 3-pointers. The pervious mark was eight three other occasions ? Since 1954-55, the Cyclones tied three others for fewest points scored in the first half against CU (15 points) ? CU shot a season-best 62 percent from the field at Texas A&M. It’s the first time CU has shot over 60 percent since making .627 against Mercer in 2005-06, and .611 percent against a Big 12 foe since 2002-03 against Texas A&M. In the same game, the Buffs shot a school second-best from the field in the second half (.773) ? CU’s 16 rebounds at A&M were the fewest since grabbing 16 against Arkansas State, Mar. 21, 1991 (w, 81-75) ? The Buffs played with only seven players against SMU and Tulsa ? The Buffs victory at Moby Arena was CU’s first in four years and it snapped Colorado State’s 24-game home winning streak against non-conference opponents ? CU shot a season-high 33 3-pointers at Wyoming, their most since attempting 34 at Nebraska (Feb. 22, 2006) ? For the first time since the 1998-99 season, CU won back-to-back road games (at Denver, at Air Force) ? The Buffs win at Air Force ended the Falcons’ 38-game home winning streak against non-conference foes ? DU’s 44 points were the fewest allowed by a CU team since a 71-44 win over Tennessee State on Dec. 19, 2003 ? CU won three straight games, twice for the first time since 2005-06 when they won nine and five straight games on two separate occasions.