Colorado University Athletics
CU-CSU Women Tip Off In-State Double Header Wednesday
THE GAME: The University of Colorado will close its seven-game homestand by hosting Colorado State University on Wednesday, Dec. 8, at 5:30 p.m. at the Coors Events Center. The game is the first of a women's-men's double header as the CU men's team will host CSU at 8 p.m.
BROADCAST: Wednesday's game will be televised by FSN Rocky Mountain. Tom Helmer will have the call with legendary CU head coach Ceal Barry providing the color commentary and Alanna Rizzo reporting from the sidelines. Wednesday's game can be heard live on KKZN AM 760. Mike Rice will handle play-by-play duties with Carol Callan of USA Basketball giving the color commentary. Live internet audio is available on CUBuffs.com, through the BuffsRadio free subscription.
THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 6-2 overall having a five-game winning streak snapped in a 63-59 setback to the University of Illinois on Dec. 4 in the Big Ten/Big 12 Women's Basketball Challenge.
CU is 5-1 on its current seven-game home stand and will be looking to improve to 7-2 for the second straight season.
Colorado is thriving on defense, allowing opponents just 52.1 points per game and 36 percent from the field (147-of-411). The Buffaloes have been even more stringent from the 3-point line, allowing just 22.6 percent from beyond the arc, ranking eighth in the nation through games of Dec. 5. On the other side of the court the Buffaloes have shot well in their first eight, sitting at 45 percent (202-of-449).
Senior guard/forward Brittany Spears leads CU and ranks eighth in the Big 12 in scoring at 17 points per game. She is also seventh in 3-point field goals made (2.1 3mpg) and 10th in rebounding (7.1 rpg) on the league charts. Spears has three double-doubles on the season, including a 19-point, 10-rebound effort against Evansville, and 25 for her career ranking her fourth on CU's all-time list. She has scored in double digits in 64 of her last 71 games and in 87 of 101 career outings.
Sophomore guard Chucky Jeffery has been CU's top rebounder through the first eight games (9.1 rpg) total while ranking second on the team in scoring at 16.6 an outing. She also paces the Buffaloes and ranks 11th in the nation in steals (3.9 spg) and 38th assists (5.3 apg). Jeffery recorded the second triple-double in team history with 10 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists against Loyola Chicago. On the Big 12 charts she ranks second in steals, fourth in assists and rebounding and 12th in scoring.
Junior forward Julie Seabrook is averaging 8.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game while shooting a team-best 65.9 percent from the field (27-of-41). She has shot 60 percent or better in six of eight games, and 50 percent or better in all eight outings. Seabrook, who claimed her second career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds against Santa Clara, scored a career-high 15 points in the loss to Illinois.
Sophomore guard/forward Meagan Malcolm-Peck is averaging 7.5 points and 4.9 rebounds. She recorded her first career double-double with a 14-point, 10-rebound effort against Loyola Chicago. Her 14 points matched a season best (at Denver) and her 10 rebounds marked the third time in her career, and first this season, that she's recorded double-digit boards.
Senior guard Britney Blythe is averaging 5.0 points over the first eight games, mostly from long range. Blythe ranks eighth in the Big 12 in 3-point percentage (.458) and 15th in 3-pointers made (1.4 3mpg). Eleven of her 12 field goals this season have come from 3-point range. She had 10 points against Loyola, while grabbing a career-best six rebounds.
SPEARS' STREAK: Senior Brittany Spears started her 101st consecutive game against Illinois, breaking a tie with Lisa Van Goor (1980-85) for the most consecutive starts to begin a CU playing career. Spears also trails only Amy Mathern (1989-93) for overall consecutive starts. Mathern started the final 112 games of her distinguished career. Overall, Spears is the 10th player in school history with 100 or more starts.
ABOUT THE RAMS: Colorado State brings an overall five game winning streak to Boulder as the Rams are 5-2 on the young season. CSU is coming off a 73-66 win over Northern Colorado at home, ending a successful four-game homestand of their own. The Rams are averaging 69 points per game while shooting 42 percent from the field and 37 percent from 3-point range. CSU also hits the boards averaging 40 per contest.
Junior guard/forward Kim Mestdagh leads the Rams by averaging 20.1 points and three assists per game. She has hit a scortching 51 percent from 3-point range, making 31 of her first 61 shots. Junior forward Chatilla van Grinsven leads CSU in rebounding at 7.7 per game while averaging 13.1 points per contest. Freshman forward Sam Martin is averaging 10.9 points and seven rebounds per contest.
SERIES RECORDS: This will be the 42nd meeting between Colorado and Colorado State with the Buffaloes holding a commanding 30-11 series lead. This game will tie the Wyoming series as the most played non-conference match up for the Buffaloes in team history. Colorado has won three of the last four and six of the last eight meetings. Colorado State took last year's game, 69-61 on Dec. 11, 2009 in Fort Collins. The Buffaloes are 20-2 all-time against CSU in Boulder and has won four straight at the base of the Flatirons. CSU's last win in Boulder was a 72-70 decision on Dec. 6, 2000.
COLORADO AND COLORADO STATE, LAST 10 GAMES:
Date
Result
Date
Result
12/11/09
(A) L,
61-69
12/8/04
(H)
W, 83-77
11/19/08
(H) W,
93-63
12/3/03
(A)
W, 81-74
12/1/07
(A)
W,
82-47
12/12/02 (H)
W, 65-51
11/29/06
(H) W,
56-51
11/28/01 (A)
L, 69-81
11/30/05
(A) L,
83-86
12/6/00
(H)
L, 70-72
CONNECTIONS: CU head coach Linda Lappe was a Colorado State assistant coach for one season (2006-07) before taking on the head coaching job at Metro State. CSU head coach Kristen Holt arrived in Fort Collins one season later, but was familiar with Lappe as the two were assistants for rivals in the Missouri Valley Conference. Lappe was an assistant at Drake from 2003-06 while Holt was an assistant with Wichita State from 2003-07. CU sophomores Meagan and Brenna Malcolm-Peck played with CSU junior Kelly Hartig at ThunderRidge High School. The Malcolm-Pecks played at ThunderRidge in 2006 and 2007 before finishing up at Highlands Ranch.
DEFENSIVE FEAT A FIRST: Colorado allowed 34 points to Loyola Chicago and 35 points to Texas State, the first time in team history that the Buffaloes have held an opponent below 40 points in consecutive games. The 69 combined points also marks the lowest two-game total in team history, eclipsing the 72 allowed in wins over Texas Southern (64-29) and Dartmouth (57-43), Dec. 14 & 21, 2007.
The 34 points allowed to Loyola Chicago tied for the seventh lowest single-game mark in team history (Southwest Missouri State, March 17, 1995), while the 35 points to Texas State ties for the ninth lowest with three other games (most recently against Kansas on Jan. 16, 2002).
JEFFERY'S TRIPLE-DOUBLE: Chucky Jeffery recorded the second triple-double in team history by totaling 10 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in the Omni Hotels Classic Championship game against Loyola Chicago. The only other CU triple-double was by Sandy Bean vs. Utah State on Feb. 16, 1979. Bean had 19 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
It marked career highs in both rebounds and assists for Jeffery as well as team season highs in both categories. She's the first CU player with 10 assists in a game since Susie Powers dished out 10 against Pepperdine on Jan. 4, 2008. Jeffery was awarded as the Classic's Most Valuable Player.
Jeffery's triple-double was the 18th in Big 12 Conference history (Baylor's Britteny Griner notched No. 19 the next day, Nov. 28) and she becomes the 11th different Big 12 player to record a triple-double.
SCORING, REBOUND DEFENSE SHINES AGAINST LOYOLA: Chucky Jeffery's triple-double against Loyola Chicago stole the headlines in the Omni Classic Championship game, and deservedly so, but the Buffaloes also notched a couple defensive team milestones of note in that game.
Colorado gave up just 20 rebounds to Loyola, tying for the second fewest in team history. Northern Arizona had just 19 against the Buffaloes on Feb. 7, 1981. On two other occasions the Buffaloes have held an opponent to just 20 rebounds; Dec. 28, 1991 at Washington (a 58-53 loss) and Jan. 21, 1980 vs. Northern Arizona (a 129-47 win).
The Buffaloes +22 rebound margin (44-20) was their most since a +23 margin against Arkansas-Pine Bluff (51-28) on Dec. 2, 2008.
On the scoreboard, CU gave up just 34 points to Loyola, tying for the seventh fewest points allowed in team history and the fewest since giving up just 29 to Texas Southern on Dec. 14, 2007.
LAPPE'S DEBUT: The Regis game marked the official CU debut of head coach Linda Lappe, who joined her six predecessors with a successful debut as CU's women's head coach. Lappe is now 6-2 as head coach of the Buffaloes and 56-38 overall in her fourth season as a collegiate head coach.
CU Head Coaching
Debuts:
Date
Coach
Opponent
Result
11/12/10 Linda
Lappe
Regis
(H)
W 76-38
11/18/05 Kathy
McConnell-Miller Cal State-Fullerton
(H) W 100-71
11/18/83 Ceal
Barry
BYU
(H)
W 89-72
11/18/80 Sox
Walseth
Colo. Women's Coll. (H) W 107-73
11/17/78 Rene
Portland
Colorado State
(A) W
83-60
11/20/75 Jerry
Zancanelli Colorado
State
(A) W
53-38
1/17/75 Carol
Hochsprung Weber State
(H)
W 57-54
NOTABLE FROM THE OPENER: Colorado improved to 32-5 (.865) all-time in overall season openers and 35-2 (.946) in all-time home openers. The Buffs improved to 25-0 when their overall season opener is played at home.
Colorado's win snapped a four-game losing streak dating back to last season. Colorado's 38-point margin of victory was its most in a season opener since a 93-43 win over Albany to open the 2000-01 campaign.
SPEARS CLIMBING CAREER LADDERS: Brittany Spears scored 19 points against Evansville, passing Erin Scholz (1,621 from 1993-97) for fifth place on CU's all-time scoring list. She now has 1,669 points, 106 behind Shelley Sheetz (1991-95) for fourth place. She also ranks fourth in 3-point field goals attempted (508), fifth in rebounds (777), sixth in overall field goals (612) and 3-point field-goals made (173), seventh in blocked shots (122), eighth in steals (191) and 13th in free-throws made (271) on CU's all-time charts.
She is one of just five players in CU history with 1,600 points and 700 rebounds in her distinguished career.
CU Career
1,500-700
Name
(Years)
Points
Rebounds
Lisa Van Goor
(1980-85)
2,067
1,145
Jackie
McFarland (2004-08)
1,957
1,048
Erin Scholz
(1993-97)
1,621
1,067
Tera
Bjorklund
(2000-04)
1,858
723
Brittany Spears (2007-
)
1,669
777
SPEARS ON NAISMITH WATCH LIST: Brittany Spears has been named to the 2010-11 Naismith Trophy preseason watch list, announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.
The watch list of the nation's top 50 women's players was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's Board of Selectors, which based its criteria on player performances from the previous year and expectations for the 2010-11 college basketball season. The Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T will be awarded on April 4, 2011 at the NCAA Women's Final Four in Indianapolis.
The active leading career scorer in the Big 12 Conference (1,669 points), Spears topped the Buffaloes in scoring (17.7 ppg), rebounding (7.8 rpg) and steals (2.1 spg) as a junior, earning honorable mention to the 2010 All-Big 12 team. On the 2010 league charts she ranked third in steals, fourth in scoring, fifth in rebounding, defensive rebounds (5.5 drpg) and free-throw percentage (.837), eighth in 3-point field-goal percentage (.357), 10th in 3-point field-goals made (1.8 3mpg), 12th in blocked shots (1.0 bpg) and 14th in offensive rebounds (2.3 orpg).
Her preseason recognition by the Naismith Trophy is CU's first since Jackie McFarland was a Naismith Trophy semifinalist in 2008. Former Buffaloes standout Tera Bjorklund was a finalist in 2004.
BUFFS PICKED 12TH, SPEARS MENTIONED: Colorado was picked to finish 12th in the annual Big 12 Conference Preseason Coaches Poll while Brittany Spears recieved honorable mention to the Preseason All-Big 12 team.
2010 NCAA Women's Final Four participant Baylor was chosen as the preseason favorite for the second consecutive year earning 121 points and 11 of 12 first place votes. Texas A&M was second at 109 and received the other first place vote. Oklahoma was third (97) followed by Texas (88), Iowa State (85), Kansas (64), Nebraska (58), Oklahoma State (50), Kansas State (40), Texas Tech (39), Missouri (26) and Colorado (15).
Spears was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection in 2008 and 2010 and a second team pick in 2009.
BUFFS SIGN THREE: Lexy Kresl, Jen Reese and Jasmine Sborov have signed National Letters of Intent to play basketball and continue their education at the University of Colorado in 2011-12, CU head coach Linda Lappe announced on Nov. 12, during the NCAA early signing period.
Kresl is a 5-11 guard from Paradise Valley, Ariz. She led the state of Arizona in scoring as a junior (27.6 ppg) and guided Shadow Mountain High School to the 2010 Arizona 4AI state title. Reese is a 6-2 forward from Clackamas (Ore.) High School and the reigning Gatorade Oregon Girls Basketball Player of the Year. She led the Cavaliers to a 21-3 record in 2010, advancing to the Oregon Class 6A State Tournament Round of 16. Sborov is a 6-1 guard from Round Rock (Texas) High School who led the Dragons to a 15-9 mark in 2010 and the playoffs for a third straight season.
TOUGH SCHEDULE: Colorado will potentially play 16 games - or 55 percent of the schedule - against teams that advanced to either the 2010 NCAA or WNIT postseason tournaments. Six of CU's 2010-11 opponents are ranked in the latest USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches preseason poll (#3 Baylor, #8 Texas A&M, #11 Oklahoma, #15 Iowa State, #22 Nebraska, #24 Texas) and three others are receving votes (Oklahoma State, Kansas and USC). Five are ranked in the latest Associated Press poll (#2 Baylor, #7 Texas A&M, #13 Oklahoma, #16 Iowa State and #21 Texas) while five others are receiving votes (Nebraska, Kansas State, Kansas, Oklahoma State and USC).
HOME AT THE CECC: Colorado is traditionally tough at home with a 346-115 all-time record at the Coors Events/Conference Center (.751). The Buffaloes have won 10 or more games in a season at the CECC in 21 of the previous 32 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 televised either regionally or nationally, seven of which are at home. CU's season opener against Regis on Nov. 12 was the first FSN Rocky Mountain televised game and the next will be the Dec. 8 battle against Colorado State. FSN Rocky Mountain will also televise home games against North Dakota (Jan. 4), Kansas (Jan. 12), Kansas State (Jan. 26), Nebraska (Feb. 6) and Oklahoma (Feb. 23) and road games at Kansas State (Feb. 16) and Nebraska (Mar 2). The home game against Nebraska will be televised nationally on FSN as part of the network's Big 12 package.
CU has appeared on 81 regional or national telecasts over the last nine seasons.