University of Colorado Athletics
Basketball DH Night Cap Matches Women Against San Jose State
THE GAME: The University of Colorado will host San Jose State University on Tuesday, Dec. 22, at 8 p.m. at the Coors Events/Conference Center. This will be the second game of a double header as the CU men will host Cal State Northridge at 5:30 p.m.
PROMOTION: Adult general admission tickets for all CU women's basketball nonconference games are just $5. Kids age 13 & under who wear black and gold will be admitted free.
BROADCAST: All Colorado women's basketball games can be heard live on KKZN AM 760. Mike Rice will handle play-by-play duties with USA Basketball's Carol Callan providing the color commentary. Live internet audio of all CU basketball games is available on BuffsRadio, a subscription service through CUBuffs.com. Live internet video streaming of Tuesday's game is available on BuffsTV, also a subscription service through CUBuffs.com. Please note the BuffsRadio audio and BuffsTV video are separate subscriptions.
OPENING TIP: The Buffaloes have been perfect at home so far this season at 6-0, their best start at the Coors Events/Conference Center since winning their first eight home games of the 2003-04 season.
THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 7-2 after eight games for the second time in three seasons (2007-08). The Buffaloes had no trouble coming off an eight-day layoff for finals by crushing Southern Utah 88-36 in their last outing on Dec. 19. Colorado is out to build some momentum heading into Big 12 Conference play which begins on Saturday, Jan. 9, when the Buffaloes will host Missouri in a 12 p.m. game televised nationally on FSN. Tuesday's game with San Jose State will be CU's second of a string of six at home that ends with the Missouri game.
Colorado's last three win streaks of five or more games have happened in this portion of the season, leading up to or including the first Big 12 game of the season. CU won its final five nonconference games in 2008-09, won 11 straight in 2007-08, which included the league opener at Missouri, and in 2004-05, CU won its final five contests before the league schedule started.
TEAM NUMBERS, BUFFS OFFENSE RED HOT AT HOME: Colorado is averaging nearly 72 points per game and shooting 43 percent from the field. The Buffaloes have hit 80-plus points in their last three home games and shot a combined 49 percent (96-of-196) in those three wins. It's the first time CU has scored 80-plus in three straight at home since the final two games of the 2002-03 season (NCAA Tourney wins over BYU and North Carolina) and the 2003-04 season opener (Old Dominion).
CU is averaging 8.0 3-pointers per game, ranking second in the Big 12 and 13th in the NCAA through games of Dec. 20. The Buffaloes are also the No. 1 free throw shooting team in the Big 12 at 76.3 percent (100-of-131) and rank 21st nationally. Colorado is averaging 40.7 rebounds per game, and winning the battle of the boards by 5.4 per game.
SPEARS' HOT START: Brittany Spears is off to a great start as she leads the Buffaloes at 19.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 1.7 blocks per game. She has four double-doubles on the season which currently ties for second in the Big 12. On the league charts she ranks third in scoring, overall rebounding and defensive rebounds (6.3 drpg), fourth in steals, sixth in blocked shots and minutes, eighth in free-throw percentage (.824) and ninth in 3-point field goals (2.2 3mpg) and offensive rebounds (3.0 orpg). Spears has made 29 of her last 52 field goal attempts (.558) including 10-of-14 from 3-point range (.714).
SMITH OFF THE BENCH, SAME RESULTS: After starting the entire 2008-09 season, senior guard Bianca Smith has come off the bench for eight of the first nine games of 2009 without missing a beat. She is averaging 13.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game and is still displaying her sharp-shooting abilities. Smith leads CU and is third in the Big 12 with 26 3-pointers in her first nine games. She also leads CU and is the Big 12's best free throw shooter making 19 of her first 20 attempts on the season (.950).
Through Dec. 20, Smith ranks third in the Big 12 in scoring for those players primarily coming off the bench (starting less than half of a team's games). Here are the current leaders:
Player,
Team
PPG
Brittainey Raven,
Texas
14.5
Danielle
Adams, Texas
A&M
13.7
Bianca Smith,
Colorado
13.4
Ashley Field,
Baylor
7.8
Sydney Carter,
Texas A&M
7.7
FRESHMEN THRIVING: Freshmen Chucky Jeffery and Meagan Malcolm-Peck have made major contributions to Colorado's solid start.
Jeffery is third on the team in scoring at 9.0 points per game and is second in steals (2.3 spg) and third in rebounds (5.3 rpg). She tops all Big 12 freshmen in steals and is tied for fifth overall in that category on the league charts. Jeffery was named to the 2009 Omni Hotels Classic All-Tournament Team. Over the two games she averaged 12.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.5 steals and shot 61 percent (11-of-16).
On the team charts, Malcolm-Peck second in rebounding (5.7 ppg) and blocks (1.4 bpg) and fourth in scoring (7.7 ppg). On the Big 12 charts, Malcolm-Peck is tied for fifth in offensive rebounds (3.2 orpg) and is seventh in blocks.
GETTING 'ER DUNN: Senior center Courtney Dunn, who has started seven straight games prior to the Southern Utah contest, had a career night against Denver, logging personal bests with 16 points, 5-of-7 from the field and 4-of-4 from the line. Her 16 points equaled her total for the first five games of the season combined. Her previous career high was nine against Kansas (1/22/08), a mark she eclipsed in the first half alone (14).
MULLANEY'S HOME COOKING: No one was looking more forward to CU's trip to Minnesota than Minneapolis native Kelly Jo Mullaney, and she responded in a big way. Against Illinois-Chicago, Mullaney came off the bench to score 13 points and record a career-high seven rebounds in the win. She also played well in the classic final against Minnesota with nine points on 3-of-4 from the field.
HOUSTON WE HAVE A RETURN, DESPITE BUMPS: Junior Whitney Houston made her much anticipated return to the CU lineup against UC Irvine. Houston redshirted last year after a preseason knee injury forced her to miss the 2008-09 campaign. She finished with 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting with two steals in 26 minutes. Houston hit a couple of big buckets down the stretch, including a layup which gave the Buffaloes their first lead at 54-52 with just 1:37 left in the game.
She sat out the Illinois-Chicago game due to a slight concussion sustained in the UC Irvine game, but returned against Minnesota two days later and put up nearly identical numbers, scoring 10 points on 5-of-10 shooting while dishing out three assists.
ABOUT THE SPARTANS: San Jose State is 3-7 overall, but has won its last two with both on the road. In fact, the Spartans are 2-0 in true road games this season. After starting 1-7, San Jose State stunned then No. 22 ranked California 68-66 in Berkeley, and backed that up with a 84-81 overtime win at Sacramento State on Dec. 18. The win over Sacramento State gave San Jose State one more win than it had the entire 2008-09 season (2-28). The Spartans are averaging 62.4 points per game, but giving up 70.3 to their opponents. SJSU is shooting 41 percent from the field and 65 percent from the free-throw line. Turnovers have hampered the Spartans in early games, averaging 22.1 per outing over their first 10 games.
Senior guard Chasity Shavers leads the Spartans in scoring at 16.1 points per game. She had 25 points in SJSU's overtime win over Sacramento State. Much like Colorado, San Jose State's second best scorer comes off the bench. Junior Samantha Marez averages 10.5 points per outing and is shooting a team-best 49.5 percent from the floor. Senior Shaunna Ridge is the Spartans' top rebounder pulling down 6.1 per game while pitching in 7.5 points. Junior guard Sayja Sumler leads the Spartans in assists at 3.1 per contest and is averaging 7.4 points per game.
SERIES RECORDS: This will be the first meeting between Colorado and San Jose State. The Buffaloes are 32-12 against teams currenly in the Western Athletic Conference. CU's last game against the WAC came against Hawaii last season, a 67-55 win in Honolulu. Overall the Buffaloes have won their last three against the WAC dating back to the 2005-06 season.
Kathy McConnell-Miller is 7-7 as a head coach against San Jose State, with all 14 games coming while she was at Tulsa.
San Jose State has never beaten a Big 12 Conference team. The Spartans are 0-7 all-time against the Big 12, most recently losing to Kansas 93-49 on Dec. 3, 2008.
NUGGETS FROM THE SOUTHERN UTAH GAME: Colorado's 88-36 win over Southern Utah entered the Buffaloes' record book on several fronts:
- Colorado's 42 point halftime lead (53-11) tied for the second largest in team history. The Buffaloes also held a 42 point lead against Colorado State on Nov. 16 1979 (63-21). The school record is a 44 point lead CU had against Bowling Green on Nov. 23, 2001 (53-9).
Southern Utah's 11 first half points tied for the fifth fewest by a CU opponent in any half. The school record is 8 set against Kansas State on March 7, 1992 (46-8).
Fewest Points In One Half By An Opponent
Date
Opponent
Points
3/7/92
vs. Kansas
State
8
11/23/01 vs.
Bowling
Green
9
12/9/98
at
Wyoming
10
12/31/91 vs.
New
Mexcio
10
12/19/09 vs. Southern
Utah
11
3/17/95
vs. SW Missouri
State
11
Colorado's final winning margin of 52 points are CU's most since a 96-44 win over Bowling Green on Nov. 23, 2001.
Southern Utah's 36 total points tied for the 10th fewest allowed in team history and the fewest since giving up 35 to Kansas on Jan. 16, 2002.
SPEARS EARNS BIG 12 HONOR: Junior Brittany Spears was named the Phillips 66 Big 12 Women's Basketball Co-Player of the Week by a media voting panel for games from Nov. 16-22, the league office announced on Nov. 23.
Spears was named to the Minnesota Subway Classic All-Tournament team after averaging 23 points and 10 rebounds in two games. She scored 19 points and pulled down seven rebounds in a season-low 25 minutes in the 63-49 win over Illinois-Chicago. She then recorded her 17th career double-double and second of the season with a game-high 27 points and 13 rebounds against Minnesota in the tournament final. She reached a double-double before intermission with 16 points and 10 rebounds in the opening 20 minutes. Spears hit 10-of-20 shots from the field and added four assists and four steals.
Spears earns her fifth career Big 12 weekly honor, and first as Player of the Week. She earned four Big 12 Rookie of the Week citations as a freshman in 2007-08. It's also the first Big 12 weekly honor for the Buffaloes since Alyssa Fressle gained Rookie of the Week honors in the final week of the 2008-09 season.
IMPRESSIVE POINT SWING: The 63 point swing from last year's 77-40 loss to Seton Hall to this year's 80-54 win is the second largest in a series in team history (games no longer than two seasons apart). The Buffaloes had a 67 point swing against Idaho State during the 1981-82 season. Here are the top point swings in team history.
Opponent
Margin
Date
Margin
Date
Difference
Idaho State -6
(55-61) 1/22/82 +61 (116-55) 2/13/82
+67
Seton Hall
-37 (40-77) 12/9/08 +26 (80-54)
12/6/09 +63
Nebraska
-41 (49-90) 1/6/99 +17
(70-53) 1/23/99 +58
Colorado State -39
(42-81) 2/6/75 +15
(53-38) 11/20/75 +54
Illinois
-44 (44-88) 1/4/98 +8
(78-70) 12/28/99 +52
Texas
A&M -9
(60-69) 1/6/92 +41
(92-51) 12/31/92 +50
FRESHMAN DEBUTS: A pair of true freshmen made their collegiate debuts and made significant contributions to the Buffaloes come-back win against UC Irvine. Forward Meagan Malcolm-Peck got the starting nod and responded with six points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and three steals. Guard Chucky Jeffery came off the bench and registered four points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Malcolm-Peck's start marked the fourth straight year the Buffaloes have had a freshman in the initial season starting lineup. The three others: Bianca Smith in 2006, Brittany Spears in 2007 and Alyssa Fressle in 2008.
REBOUNDING WOWS: Colorado has enjoyed early success on the boards. The Buffaloes began the season with back-to-back 50-plus rebounding efforts, corralling 50 against UC Irvine in the season opener and improving on that mark with 52 against Illinois-Chicago.
Colorado had just one game all of 2008-09 with 50 or more rebounds, notching 51 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Dec. 2. CU's 52 rebounds against Illinois-Chicago were its most since recording 58 at Colorado State on Dec. 1, 2007.
The Buffaloes back-to-back 50-rebound effort was the teams first since stringing together three straight from Nov. 20-24, 2001 (50 vs. San Diego, 59 vs. Bowling Green, 50 vs. Houston). CU wasn't able to get a third 50-rebound game this time, grabbing just 24 against Minnesota, but it should be noted that both teams shot right at 50 percent from the field in that game, leaving rebounds at a premium (UM won the rebounding battle 32-24).
Against UC Irvine, Brittany Spears led the way with 14 while Meagan Malcolm-Peck grabbed 11 in her CU debut. It marked the first time the Buffs had two players reach double-digits in rebounds since Brittany Spears and Julie Seabrook each had 13 against Idaho State on Dec. 30, 2008. In the Illinois-Chicago game, the rebounds were well distributed. No one had double digits, but six players had four or more rebounds and all 10 that played had at least one.
Back to UC Irvine, Malcom-Peck's 11 rebounds, six of which came on the offensive end, put her in some exclusive CU company. Her 11 boards are the third most in team history by a freshman in her CU debut and the most in 27 years:
No.
Player
Opponent
16 Monica
Kosenski
vs. Northern Arizona, 11/28/86
13 Kim
Jackson
vs. UTEP, 11/19/82
11 Meagan
Malcolm-Peck vs. UC Irvine
11/17/09
10 Randie
Wirt
vs. Albany, 11/17/00
10 Lisa Van
Goor
vs. Colorado Women's, 11/18/80
9
Crystal
Ford
vs. Adams State, 11/23/85
8 Jamillah
Lang
vs. Gonzaga, 11/23/90
Chucky Jeffery had seven rebounds in her debut. She is one of eight different players, a list that includes Brittany Spears (at San Francisco, 11/16/07), to reach that number in her first collegiate game.
MEMORABLE COMEBACK: Colorado's comeback from a 14-point halftime deficit to win against UC Irvine ties for the third-largest margin achieved in team history. The Buffaloes trailed the Anteaters 33-19 at the break before outscoring them 42-23 in the final 20 minutes.
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. Colorado came back from 15 points down against Kansas State on Jan. 31, 2007, that game included a 23-0 second half run.
CU's Top Halftime Comebacks:
Date
Opp.
Half
Final
Margin
12/21/82 Washington
(N) UW
35-16 CU
67-65
19
1/31/07 Kansas State
(H) KS 39-24
CU 66-55
15
11/15/09 UC Irvine
(H) UCI
33-19 CU
61-56 14
12/1/83 Wyoming
(A)
UW 35-21 CU
57-56
14
12/20/03 Southern Cal
(A) SC 39-27 CU
69-67
12
2/19/00 Texas (H) UT 38-26 CU 79-65 12
CLIMBING THE LADDERS: Junior Brittany Spears and Senior Bianca Smith continue to make their impressions on the CU record book.
Spears, who became just the second player in team history (Lisa Van Goor) to reach 1,000 points as a sophomore, is 17th on CU's all-time scoring list with 1,176. She is 14th in rebounds with 570, needing 17 to catch Crystal Ford (1985-89) for 13th place. Spears is also seventh in blocked shots (100), eighth in 3-pointers made (121) and attempted (361), 16th in field goals made (436) and 18th in steals (134).
Smith is fourth in career 3-point field goals made (201) and third in attempts (539). She made her 200th career 3-pointer in the win over Southern Utah on Dec. 19. She needs just three more to pass Jenny Roulier (1998-02) for third place on CU's all-time list. Smith, who currently has 26 3-pointers on the season, would need 77 total this year to break Shelley Sheetz's career mark of 252, but it's possible. Smith holds CU's single-season mark hitting 80 from downtown in 2007-08.
CAPTAINS NAMED: Before the season opener head coach Kathy McConnell-Miller announced that Brittany Spears, Whitney Houston and Bianca Smith were named captains for the 2009-10 season. Smith is a captain for the second straight year while Houston and Spears are first time captains. CU captains are voted on by the players.
BUFFS IN OPENERS: Colorado is now 31-5 (.861) all-time in season openers and started the season with a home game for the 24th time in 36 seasons. Colorado is an outstanding 34-2 (.944) all-time in home openers. Colorado has never lost its overall season opener when played at home (24-0).
TOUGH SCHEDULE: Colorado once again faces a tough schedule with potentially 16 games -- or 55 percent of the regular season schedule -- against 2009 NCAA or WNIT tournament teams. Seven of CU's 2009-10 opponents are ranked in the current Associated Press poll while six are ranked in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches poll.
HOME AT THE CECC: Colorado is traditionally tough at home with a 336-106 all-time record at the Coors Events/Conference Center (.760). The Buffaloes have won 10 or more games in a season at the CECC in 20 of the previous 31 years. The Buffaloes have enjoyed five undefeated seasons (1980-83, 1992-94) at the CECC.
BUFFS ON TV: Colorado's regular season schedule features nine games that will be televised either regionally or nationally, eight of which are at home. CU opened its first of eight FSN Rocky Mountain games on Dec. 2, against Denver. FSN Rocky Mountain will also televise home games against Virginia (Jan. 2), Missouri (Jan. 9), Iowa State (Jan. 16), Oklahoma State (Jan. 24), Nebraska (Jan. 30), Texas (Feb. 10) and Kansas (Feb. 16). The games against Missouri and Oklahoma State will be televised nationally on FSN as part of the network's Big 12 package. Colorado's game at Kansas State (Jan. 20) is set to air on FSN Kansas City.
Colorado was 2-5 in televised games during the 2008-09 regular season. CU has appeared on 72 regional or national telecasts over the previous eight seasons.
BUFFS SIGN THREE: Shae Kelley, Ashley Wilson and Brittany Wilson have signed National Letters of Intent to play basketball and continue their education at the University of Colorado in 2010-11, CU head coach Kathy McConnell-Miller announced Nov. 12, during the NCAA early signing period. Kelley, a 6-foot forward from Denver, is a two-time All-State honorable mention and All-Denver Prep League pick out of East High School. Kelley will be the fifth Denver Public Schools player to suit up for the Buffaloes and the first since Montbello's Nikki Weddle (1997-99). Ashley and Brittany are identical twin 5-8 guards from Long Beach, Calif. Playing for one of the most storied programs in Southern California, the Wilson twins have won three consecutive CIF Division I state titles with nationally-ranked Long Beach Poly.
SMITH GAINS FULL SEASON: Senior guard Bianca Smith was formally released from the National Letter of Intent she originally signed at the University of Tulsa earlier this summer, allowing her to gain back the semester of eligibility she would have otherwise had to surrender this season. Smith is now eligible to play the entire 2009-10 season for the Buffaloes. Smith, a native of Missouri City, Texas, had signed an NLI in November 2004 with Tulsa, who at the time was coached by current CU head coach Kathy McConnell-Miller. When McConnell-Miller took over the Colorado program in April 2005, Smith decided to follow her to Boulder.
She never enrolled at Tulsa, but was faced with sitting out two full seasons, one for not honoring her NLI commitment to Tulsa and a second for transferring to another NCAA Division I school. Smith was able to use her redshirt year to fulfill the NCAA transfer obligation, sitting out the 2005-06 season. She successfully petitioned the NLI Appeals Committee in 2005 to gain one semester back, but was still faced with losing one semester under the NLI commitment.
In the spring of 2009 then-CU-Boulder Chancellor Bud Peterson contacted Tulsa President, Dr. Steadman Upham, on behalf of Smith and the University of Colorado to ask for Smith's full release. Thanks to cooperation from both universities and athletic departments, Smith was released and rewarded a full final season.
BUFFS PICKED 11TH...AGAIN: For the fourth straight season Colorado was picked to finish 11th in the annaul Big 12 Conference Preseason Coaches Poll.
In one of the closest votes at the top in recent memory, Baylor was picked to win the 2010 title with five first place votes and 109 total points, edging out Texas and Kansas who tied for second with 106 points (3 first place votes each). Texas A&M was picked fourth with 87 votes and picked up the final first place vote. Defending champion Oklahoma was fifth (86), followed by Nebraska (80), Iowa State (59), Kansas State (44), Oklahoma State (41), Texas Tech (38), Colorado (22) and Missouri (15).
The Buffaloes have fared better than the Big 12 coaches preseason prediction three of four seasons under Kathy McConnell-Miller:
Season
Preseason
Actual
2009-10
11th
??
2008-09
11th
12th
2007-08
11th
9th
2006-07
11th
t-7th
2005-06
12th
11th