Colorado University Athletics
MBB Hosts Iowa State, Saturday
BIG 12-ONLY GAMES: Cory Higgins ranks first in steals (2.1); Alec Burks is third in FG% (.497) and Cory Higgins is sixth (.473); Nate Tomlinson is tied for fifth in assists (4.2). Higgins (17.6 ppg., seventh overall) and Burks (17.2 ppg., ninth overall) and are one of two schools ranked with a pair in the scoring top-10 (K-State is the other).
SEASON/CAREER: Cory Higgins has connected on 49-of-57 (.860) free throws over his last 10 contests GÇó In his last five games, Higgins is averaging 17.6 ppg., 4.0 rpg. and a team-best 11 steals GÇó Marcus Relphorde is grabbing 6.0 rebounds in his last five games GÇó Higgins is seventh all-time at CU with 367 career made free throws (454 attempts) and his career .808 FT%, ranking sixth all-time at CU GÇó Burks and Higgins have led or shared scoring team honors 23 of 27 games. Marcus Relphorde (three times), Dwight Thorne (once) are the others GÇó CU is 8-0 when four of the five starters net double-digits and 9-2 when shooting over 50 percent from the field
MORE GOOD STUFF: Cory Higgins has led CU in scoring in three of the last four games after finishing with 21 points at Missouri. He is averaging 18.3 points during that span, shooting 47.2 percent from the floor GÇó Higgins has scored in double digits in all but one game this season and has moved into 14th on the Buffaloes' all-time scoring list with 1,291 points. He needs 75 points to move into the top 10 of the school list GÇó Alec Burks is third on the CU single-season freshman scoring list with 434 points. He has scored in double figures in 25 contests and needs 47 points to set the school freshman record GÇó Colorado is 11-3 at home, its most victories since a 14-2 home mark in 2005-06. The three Big 12 wins match the highest total in one season since coach Jeff Bzdelik began his tenure at CU.
POSTER FEATURE: Sophomore forward Austin Dufault rounds out this afternoon's poster of underclassmen for the season. Dufault has started 24 of 27 games (22.7 minutes) averaging 6.1 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. He has scored in double figures six times and recorded his first career double-double with a 14-point, 11-rebound performance against Arizona at the Maui Invitational. Dufault is majoring in psychology.
LAST TIME vs. IOWA STATE: Colorado had a chance to win it in the final seconds, however Marcus Relphorde's layup attempt missed and the Cyclones held on for a 64-63 victory at the Hilton Coliseum. Iowa State's Craig Brackins threw down a dunk with 1:48 remaining to match the Cyclones' biggest lead of the night at 60-55.
Relphorde then answered with a three-pointer to bring the deficit to two points. Down 62-58, Cory Higgins scored and was fouled, converting the free throw to make it a one point game with 24 seconds left. After two made free throws by Scott Christopherson, another Higgins layup brought the score to 64-63 with 16 seconds remaining.
Iowa State used a timeout with 11 seconds left and was then forced to inbound the ball from the sideline in their backcourt. Brackins threw away the inbounds pass and it was recovered by Colorado's Levi Knutson. The ball found its way to Relphorde who could not convert his shot just before the buzzer sounded.
Freshman sensation Alec Burks injured his left knee just two minutes into the game and did not return. Higgins stepped up in Burks' absence to score a team-high 21 points. Relphorde finished with 11 points and Crawford scored ten in addition to Higgins' 21.
NCAA LEADERS (start of the week): CU enters today's game as the nation's sixth ranked team in FT% (76.6); 25th in steals per game (8.5); 41st in three-point FG% (37.9); 44th in turnover margin (2.6); 47th FG% (46.5). Overall, CU ranks in five categories among the top-50.
INDIVIDUALS IN THE NCAA: At the beginning of the week,
Alec Burks is CU's highest ranked player among the nations leaders. Burks is No. 51 in FG% (.522), while Cory Higgins is 57th in steals per game (1.9), 60th in FT% (.842), No. 73 in points per game (17.9).
HOME vs. ROAD: CU is 11-3 at home and shoots .496 from the field and averages 77.8 ppg. (allows 67.8). Three players are stellar at home (Cory Higgins: 19.4 ppg., 4.1 rpg., .538 FG%; Alec Burks: 17.1 ppg., 4.6 rpg., .512 FG%; Marcus Relphorde: 12.0 ppg., 4.9 rpg., .484 FG%. On the road, CU is 1-10 and averages 67.4 ppg. (allows (79.2) and shoots .425 FG%. Only two players average double figures (Burks: 16.5ppg., 5.1 rpg., .530 FG%; Higgins: 15.4 ppg., 3.1 rpg., .418 FG%).
NEAR MISSES: CU has lost 27 single-digit games under coach Bzdelik, 18 of those in the Big 12. The 27 losses are an average of 4.6 points.
2009-10: 7 games (three non-conference, four Big 12): 30 points, 4.3 ppg.).
2008-09: 11 games (three non-conference, eight Big 12 games): 50 points (4.5 ppg.).
2007-08: 9 games (three non-conference, six Big 12 games): 43 total points (4.8 ppg.).
BUFF TIDBITS: Cory Higgins and Alec Burks are separated by 53 points, the closest 1-2 scoring punch a CU team has had since 2003-04 [David Harrison (497, 17.1 ppg) and Michel Morandais (467, 16.1 ppg.)] GÇó CU is 11-3 at home GÇó CU is 9-2 when shooting 50 percent or better from the field, shot 50 percent against Oklahoma breaking a string of seven straight games not at least 50 percent GÇó CU had a season-low four turnovers at Iowa State, the lowest in 28 years. On the season, CU has committed single-digits miscues six times GÇó Four times CU has placed only two players in double figures - all losses GÇó 13 times CU has started Burks, Higgins, Tomlinson, Relphorde, Dufault. CU is 6-7 in those games.
TEAM NOTES: The Buffs are shooting 76.9 percent (483-of-628) overall from the free throw line, a mark that is first in the league. Colorado has never led the Big 12 in the category.
CU's has lost six games by 17+ points this season (at Mizzou, at KU, at K-State, Missouri, at Texas, at Tulsa) GÇó CU has been out-rebounded in the last 17 of 18 games (tied Oklahoma at 33-33) GÇó CU has shot 50 percent or better in the second half 13 times (8-5 in those games). They made 61.5 percent against Baylor (Texas Southern .636 was the highest) GÇó CU is 8-0 when four of the five starters net double-digits GÇó CU has scored over 70 points in 17 of 27 games and are 11-6 in those games GÇó Over the last 14 years, CU is performing a best in field goal percentage (.464), 3pt% (.373), FT% (.769) and a low in turnovers per game (13.2).
AFTER 13 BIG 12 GAMES: CU is 3-10 with wins over Baylor, Nebraska and Oklahoma and have placed three players in double-figures, averaging 70.6 points per game and shooting .441 percent from the field. However, on the negative, they are getting outrebounded by an average of 38.6 to 28.0 margin, and are being outscored by a mere 7.8 points.
MOVING ON UP: Alec Burks has started 26 games and netted over 10 or more points in 25 of 26 games (he missed one game due to an injury and only played two minutes of another when getting injured). With 434 points for the season, Burks is third overall in points and seventh in steals of all CU freshmen.
Freshman Bests - Season (Most Points)
1) Richard Roby, 2004-05 480
2) Chauncey Billups, 1995-96 465
3) Alec Burks, 2009-10 434
4) Donnie Boyce, 1991-92 417
5) Emmett Lewis, 1975-76 389
Freshman Bests - Season (Most Steals)
1) Donnie Boyce, 1991-92 68
2) Jose Winston, 1998-99 53
3) Richard Roby, 2004-05 48
4) Chauncey Billups, 1995-96 42
5) Jay Humphries, 1980-81 41
6) Cory Higgins, 2007-08 36
7) Alec Burks, 2009-10 31
Freshman Bests - Season (Most Rebounds)
1) Stephane Pelle, 1999-00 218
2) Richard Fox, 1999-00 191
3) David Harrison, 2001-02 188
4) Matt Bullard, 1985-86 179
5) Chauncey Billups, 1995-96 165
6) Larry Vaculik, 1974-75 158
7) Carlton Carter, 1998-99 146
8) Marcus Hall, 2004-05 143
9) Cory Higgins, 2007-08 136
10) Donnie Boyce, 1991-92 133
11) Alec Burks, 2009-10 126