Colorado University Athletics
MBB Closes Regular Season at Nebraska
GAME 30: at Nebraska Cornhuskers (17-11, 6-9 Big 12); Sunday, March 9, 1 p.m. (mountain); Arena: Bob Devaney Sports Center (13,595); Television: FSN RM (FSN Midwest Telecast): Announcers: Greg Sharpe, Matt Davison; Radio: KKZN 760: Mark Johnson, Charles Johnson.
Complete Notes located at the bottom and under the game notes category.
FOR STARTERS (individual): Richard Roby (1,939 pts.) stands one point behind Cliff Meely for second place on CUGÇÖs all-time scoring list (56 pts. from Donnie Boyce in first place) ? Roby was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) second team. ItGÇÖs his second NABC honor having earned first-team accolades as a sophomore ? Marcus Hall set a conference best six steals at Kansas State, itGÇÖs also a CU Big 12 high for most steals against the Wildcats ? Jermyl Jackson-Wilson has started the last five Big 12 games: 6.8 ppg., 5.4 rpg., 14-of-23 from the field (.609) ? In his last four games, Hall is averaging 20 ppg., 5.5 apg., 2.3 spg. ? Cory Higgins scored a conference and game-high 13 points against Nebraska back on Jan. 15 ? Roby has 102 career scoring double figures games (out of 116). Of the 14 games he has not scored at least 10 points, twice came at Nebraska, the most of any opponent on the road ? Roby has tallied double-figures 26 of 29 games, Marcus Hall 22 of 29 games ? Hall, Roby and Higgins have started every game (29). If all three continue the trend, it will be the first time since 1984-85 three players started the entire season. Roby is the last freshman to start every game (30, 2004-05) ? Hall set career highs in points (31), FGs made (13) and attempts (21) against Iowa State. It was CUGÇÖs first 30-point effort this season ? Hall has a career-best 112 rebounds, 53 steals, 48 3-pointers in a single-season ? Roby ranks first all-time with 113 career starts; he is shooting a season-best .479 from the field.
FOR STARTERS (team): For the first time since 1997-98, CU closes the Big 12 regular season on the road ? Six of CUGÇÖs 12 losses in Big 12 play are a total of 31 points (5.2 average) ? The Buffs have the second best conference-only FG% (.455) ? In CUGÇÖs three Big 12 wins, they have shot .508 percent from the field, .690 from the FT line and outscored the opponent 64.75-to-54.7, with Hall averaging 19.7 ppg. ? CU scored a conference season-high 45 points in the second half at K-State ? CU has used seven different starting lineups, the same in the last four games ? CU has shot 70 percent or higher from the free throw line on 14 occasions in 2007-08 ? In CUGÇÖs 11 wins they have shot .509 from the field, .700 at the FT line, out-rebounded the opponent 31.8-to-28.8, and are outscoring the opposition 68.7-to-53.4 ? CU will be looking for its first road conference win this season (0-7). The last CU road win in Big 12 play occurred Jan. 21, 2006 at Oklahoma State, 80-78 (ot), 0-20 since (0-8 in 2006-07) ? The Buffs have surpassed last yearGÇÖs win total of seven with 11 wins.
SCHOOL RECORDS: Marcus Hall has logged 570 Big 12 minutes setting the CU record in a season breaking Chauncey Billups of 557 set in 1996-97. In career conference minutes, Richard Roby has assembled 2,078 minutes breaking Jay HumphriesGÇÖ previous best of 2,042 during 1981-84.
1,000 Minutes: Senior Marcus Hall played is moving up the seasonal minutes list and with at least two games remaining in the season may surpass Stevie Wise at the top. HereGÇÖs a look where Hall ranks with the other CU 1,000 minute members since 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) Marcus Hall 1,075 2007-08
5) Blair Wilson 1,048 2002-03
6) Stevie Wise 1,034 1989-90
Jay Humphries 1,034 1982-83
8) Shaun Vandiver 1,032 1989-90
9) James Hunter 1,026 1990-91
10) Reggie Morton 1,017 1989-90
11) Scott Wilke 1,012 1987-88
12) Michel Morandais 1,006 2002-03
Richard Roby 953 2007-08
CU vs. the ?huskers: Nebraska holds a narrow 72-69 edge over the Buffaloes in the series dating back to 1903 and a 9-2 edge in Big 12 games in Lincoln. NU has won the last three games at home with CUGÇÖs last win at Bob Devaney Sports Center in 2004 (68-60).
LAST time vs. NEBRASKA: Cory Higgins scored a team-high 13 points and Richard Roby added 12 points and 10 rebounds to lead CU to a 55-51 win over Nebraska back on Jan. 15. It was the lowest scoring game between these two schools in nearly 28 years since Nebraska won 53-44 on Jan. 19, 1980. CU held the Cornhuskers to a season-low 51 points. Cookie Miller led Nebraska with 18 points, while Aleks Maric had 14 points and nine rebounds. The Buffaloes kept to their winning ways against Nebraska, winning their sixth of their last seven over their rivals in Boulder.
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 15 Big 12 Conference games (all starts), Higgins ranks first from the free throw line (.750), second in steals (18); second in rebounding (4.5), third in scoring 8.4 ppg. and 3-pointers (14).
HALL PASS: Senior Marcus Hall ranks fifth all-time in CU assists with 408 passing Donnie Boyce (405, 1991-95). Hall leads the team in assists with 113 (3.9 apg.), his third highest in four years. Hall also has a career-best 45 steals, 48 3-pointers and a season-best 13.8 ppg.
SOLO IN THE BIG 12: CUGÇÖs menGÇÖs basketball athletic trainer Melissa Schau (Tulsa 2004) is not only the Buffaloes first MBB trainer ever in the history of the program, sheGÇÖs the only one in the Big 12 Conference. Schau (pronounced Shaw) is one of 44 women nationally as the head athletic trainer for menGÇÖs basketball.
HALL or ROBY: Through 29 games, Richard Roby and Marcus Hall have led the majority of games in scoring. Roby has led 15 times (one shared), Hall 12 times (one shared). Cory Higgins has done it in back-to-back games (at Texas A&M, Nebraska) and Xavier Silas performed it once. In his 15 games, Roby averages 21.2 ppg., while Hall is 19.3 ppg. over his 12 games.
ALMOST 2nd ALL-TIME: Richard Roby inched closer with 15 points at Kansas State to fall one point (1,939 pts.) behind Cliff Meely for second place, and 56 points from Donnie Boyce, who hails at the top. With at least two games left in the season, Roby needs to average 28.0 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 1,939 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 (.687), a feat only accomplished once in the last 12 years (2000-01, .715).
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 10, 40-minute games (7 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 192 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.
NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENTS: Head coach Jeff Bzdelik announced the signing of five student-athletes for the 2008-09 season during the NCAA early signing period. They are Javonte Clanton, Austin Dufault, Trey Eckloff, Nate Tomlinson and Toby Veal.
GÇ£I couldnGÇÖt be more pleased with the signing of these five young men,GÇ¥ Bzdelik said. GÇ£All of them will have a major impact on the future of Colorado Basketball. This is a class filled with quality and depth.GÇ¥
FOUR IN A ROW - Richard Roby will become 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), 2006-07 (17.3), and this year 16.7. Here are the others:
Richard Roby 2004-08 4-straight
Donnie Boyce 1991-95 4-straight
Emmett Lewis 1975-79 4-straight
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 (as March 6).
All Games
Scoring Roby 3rd 16.7
Hall 10th 13.8
Rebounding Roby 11th 6.4
FG% Roby 7th .479
Assists Hall 5th 3.90
Steals Hall t-5th 1.83
FT % Roby 6th .768
Blocks King-Stockton 8th 1.37
Roby 15th 0.97
Def-Reb. Roby 8th 4.59
Asst.-Turn Ratio Hall 7th 1.80
Big 12-Only Games
Scoring Roby 4th 16.7
Hall t-9th 14.6
Rebounding Roby 9th 6.7
FG % Hall 4th .529
Roby 8th .472
Assists Hall 3rd 3.80
Steals Hall t-8th 1.47
Higgins t-15th 1.20
FT% Roby 15th .728
Blocks King-Stockton 3rd 1.73
Roby 12th 1.07
Asst.-Turn Ratio Hall 6th 1.97
Def. Rebounds Roby t-7th 5.27