Colorado University Athletics
MBB/WHITE OUT Set for K-State
GAME #18
vs. Kansas State Wildcats (11-7, 0-4 Big 12 Conference)
Saturday, Jan. 24, 4:05 p.m. (MST.);
Arena: Coors Events Center (11,064); Television: The Big 12 Network (Altitude); ESPN Full Court/ESPN360
Announcers: Mitch Holthus (pbp), Rich Zvosec (analyst)
Radio: KVCU 1190-AM; Announcers: Mark Johnson, Charles Johnson.
FT RECORD HOLDER... Cory Higgins reigns as the CU and the Big 12 free throw record holder with 45-straight free throws over eight games. Since then, he has rattled off another 23-straight over three games ending at Texas Tech. Overall, he’s 70-of-72 (.972) over his last 11 games and on the season, he’s .858 (109-of-127, 40th nationally).
K-State UPDATE... Kansas State enters today’s game 0-4 in conference play, a school-first since 1996-97 when it lost its first nine games. After an 11-3 start in non-conference play, K-State has dropped four in a row, all in Big 12 play. Two of their three losses have been on the road at Kansas (87-71) and Nebraska (73-51). Second-year head coach Frank Martin returns one starter from last year’s NCAA Tournament team. Martin was one of eight first-year coaches nationally to take his team to the NCAA Tournament and one of just three to do so in their first year as a collegiate head coach.
versus Kansas State... The Wildcats lead the all-time series 93-43, however CU leads 31-30 in Boulder. K-State has won the last five games in a row in the series dating back to 2006. CU’s last win came Jan. 28, 2006 in Boulder (79-75).
BB HOMECOMING... Today marks the Second Annual men’s basketball team Homecoming Weekend for former CU alums. Last season, Coach Bzdelik started this tradition in the hopes of bringing back former alumni and honoring those who have played for past Buffalo teams. Alums will also have the opportunity to tour the newly refurbished lockerroom and weight room at the Coors Events Center, and will then join the Buff Club for pregame on the second level at 2:30 pm. At halftime today, those in attendance will be honored.
BIG 12 STARTS... CU enters the game having lost their first three games in conference play, a first since 2006-07 (the others 1999-2000, 1998-99, 1997-98). During the 2006-07 season they avoided an 0-4 start defeating Iowa State, 74-65 in Boulder. The last 0-4 start occurred in 2004-05.
LAST GAME RECAP... Cory Higgins scored a game-high 21 points and Dwight Thorne II added 13, however Texas Tech ended the game with a 12-6 run to score a 63-55 victory. Higgins also grabbed seven rebounds and also recorded his seventh game this season with over 20 points. In addition, to leading the team in scoring and rebounding 11 times this season, Higgins netted his third 20-point effort over his last four games. Freshman Nate Tomlinson chipped-in with nine points (three, three-pointers) and a career-best four steals. The Buffs tallied a season-high nine first half steals, finished with 14 steals the most since posting 19 versus Savannah State on Jan. 3, 2006 and most in a league game since Feb. 17, 2001 (14 vs. Nebraska).
BB HOMECOMING... Today marks not only the second annual WHITEOUT for the fans, it’s also the second annual Homecoming Weekend for former CU basketball alums. Last season, Coach Bzdelik started this tradition in the hopes of bringing back former alumni and honor those who have played for past Buffalo teams. Today at halftime a special recognition for those in attendance will be conducted.
POSTER FEATURE... Today’s poster feature is sophomore guard Levi Knutson. He is averaging 3.3 points, 1.3 rebounds per game and is .833 from the free throw line (.833).
BUFF TIDBITS... Trey Eckloff is not the youngest scholarship MBB player in the Big 12 as stated earlier in the notes. CU freshman Ryan Kelley is. That means, CU has the two youngest scholarship student-athletes in the Big 12 ... After three conference games, CU is averaging 21.3 turnovers a game. The 64 turnovers are the most of any CU team since 1996-97 ... CU has lost its last five regular season games and is looking for its first Big 12 win since defeating Iowa State, 67-55 (Mar. 1, 2008) ... CU is shooting 80.5 percent (99-of-123) from the free throw line over the past seven outings ... In three conference games, Cory Higgins is averaging 17.7 ppg., followed by Ryan Kelley (13.0) and Dwight Thorne (12.0).
FT PERFECTION... Cory Higgins has performed perfection at the free throw with a 12-of-12 performance for the second time this season, this time against Kansas. The other was a 12-of-12 effort against Coppin State (Dec. 28). The first 12-of-12 was second only to a pair of 16-of-16 efforts in CU history, Jo Jo Hunter versus Iowa State in 1980 and Chauncey Billups against Oklahoma in 1996.
Work in progress... Although Coach Bzdelik and his team have had their ups and downs in his second year (8-7) and with the tough conference season ahead, let’s take a look at three of the school’s all-time winningest coaches in football, men’s and women’s basketball in their second season.
Football: Bill McCartney, 13 seasons (1982-1994), 93-55-5 (.624): 4-7 in second year.
Men’s BB: Sox Walseth, 20 seasons (1957-76), 261-245 (.516): 8-15 in second year.
Women’s BB: Ceal Barry, 22 seasons (1983-2005), 427-242 (.638), 6-22 in second year.
30+ MINUTE MEN... Only four CU players have played 30+ minutes of each game. Cory Higgins has played 30+ minutes in 16 of 17 games; Nate Tomlinson 13 of 16 games (missed a game due to injury); Austin Dufault in 12 of 17, and Dwight Thorne II 11 of 17 games.
35+MINUTE MEN... More impressively the same four players have recorded 35-plus minutes a number of times. Cory Higgins in 13 games; Nate Tomlinson eight games; Dwight Thorne seven games; Austin Dufault three games.
40+... Cory Higgins is the only one to have played 40-plus minutes this season. Higgins played 44 of 45 minutes in the overtime loss to Montana State and all 40 minutes against Louisiana-Monroe and Kansas. Last season Higgins played over 40 once, 46 minutes in the double-overtime win over Baylor at the Big 12 Basketball Championships.
FALL 2008 SEMESTER... The CU men have nine student-athletes with a 2.9 grade point average or higher. The team also has five student-athletes with a 3.0 or better G.P.A. (Trent Beckley, Austin Dufault, Trey Eckloff, Levi Knutson, Andrew Zehnder).
BROADCAST... The Colorado men’s basketball team can be heard live on KKZN AM 760. However with the CU women playing at Missouri later in the day, then men will be heard on 1190-AM. Mark Johnson and Charles Johnson call the action including the pre- and postgame. Live internet audio of all CU basketball games is available through Yahoo! Sports. Colorado’s games will also be streamed live on CUBuffs.com through the BuffsTV subscription service.
FTs 5 MINUTES TO PLAY... Sophomore Cory Higgins is the team’s most experienced from the free throw line with under five minutes to play (including OT) making 45-of-56 (.804).
BUFF BITS... CU is shooting 80.8 percent (118-of-146) from the free throw line over the past eightoutings ? CU has made a 3-pointer in 212-straight games dating back to the 2001-02 season ? 11-straight games with the same starting lineup (Tomlinson, Higgins, Dufault, Thorne II, Jackson-Wilson) ? Dufault, Higgins, Thorne II have started all 17 games ? Three straight games (Western State, SMU, at Missouri), CU failed to record a blocked shot in a game. The 1977-78 season is the first season blocks were kept track of.