Colorado University Athletics
No. 23 Colorado Hosts New Mexico Saturday
THE GAME: No. 23 (AP) ranked University of Colorado will play its final nonconference game of 2012-13 by hosting the University of New Mexico on Saturday, Dec. 29, at 2:30 p.m. at the Coors Events Center. Saturday's game is the second of a doubleheader as the CU men host the University of Hartford at 12 p.m.
BROADCAST: Saturday's game will be broadcast live on KKZN AM 760. Mike Rice will have the play-by-play with Carol Callan of USA Basketball providing the color commentary. A live video stream will be available on the Pac-12 Digital platform at Pac-12.com. All CU women's basketball home games, and select road Pac-12 games, that are not televised will be available through Pac-12.com at this link: http://pac-12.com/live/cubuffs.aspx. The live stream is free to the public and not tied to a Pac-12 Network carrier.
OPENING TIP: Colorado head coach Linda Lappe will be looking for her 100th collegiate head coaching victory, and 50th at Colorado.
ABOUT THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is off to a 10-0 start for the fourth time in team history, and a second straight year after defeating Utah Valley 81-45 on Dec. 22. Colorado is vying for its second-straight unbeaten nonconference regular season record and just the third in team history. The Buffaloes ended non-league play at 11-0 last season, joining the 1992-93 squad which entered the conference slate at 12-0. Colorado has won its last 23 nonconference regular season contests and 30 of 34 under head coach Linda Lappe.
Colorado's offense has played well, averaging 73 points per game; four times hitting 75 and twice hitting 80. The Buffaloes are shooting 44 percent from the field, and 48 percent inside the 3-point arc. Colorado has shared the ball well averaging 14.8 assists per game, and it has come from a multitude of players. Seven Buffaloes are already in double-figures for assists through 10 games. Colorado also has held a sizeable advantage in rebounds (+14.6 rpg), and ranked eighth in NCAA Division I through games of Dec. 16.
Defensively, the Buffaloes are holding teams to 56 points per game on 35 percent from the field. Colorado ranks in the top five of the Pac-12 in 16 of 21 statistical categories, including second in rebounding defense (30.7 rpg) and rebounding margin and third in scoring offense, defense and margin (+17.1), turnover margin (+2.5) and offensive rebounds (18.1 orpg).
Redshirt freshman forward Arielle Roberson leads Colorado and ranks seventh in the Pac-12 in scoring at 15.5 points per game. A three-time Pac-12 Freshman of the Week, Roberson scored a career and team-season high 25 points in the win at Illinois, hitting 7-of-8 from the field and a team-season best 10 free-throws made on 14 attempts. She also ranks second on the team in rebounding (6.0 rpg) and is third in field-goal percentage (.519). Along with her scoring success, Roberson ranks ninth in offensive rebounds (3.2 orpg), 10th in field-goal percentage and 19th in overall rebounding on the Pac-12 leaderboard.
All-Pac-12 guard Chucky Jeffery leads the team in assists (4.3 apg), rebounds (8.2 rpg) and steals (2.3 spg), while ranking second in scoring (12.3 ppg). She dished out a team season-high seven assists in the win over Utah Valley, nearly recording her third career triple-double (12 points, 9 rebounds). Jeffery ranks fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.6), fifth in assists, seventh in steals and overall rebounding, ninth in defensive rebounds (5.8 drpg) and free-throw percentage (.808), 15th in offensive rebounds (2.4 orpg) and 16th in scoring on the Pac-12 charts.
Junior guard Brittany Wilson has started all 10 games and ranks second on the team in steals (1.7 spg) and assists (2.7 apg) while coming in at fourth in scoring at 9.8 points per contest. She has led Colorado in scoring over the last four games (13.5 ppg), including a season-high 19 points at Denver. Over that same span she has shot 46 percent from the floor (19-of-41), including 9-of-22 from 3-point range (.409). Wilson ranks fifth in the Pac-12 in free-throw shooting at 87 percent. She made her first 19 attempts of he season and has missed just three this year. She also ranks ninth in 3-point field goals (1.4 3mpg), 11th in 3-point percentage (.350) and 14th in steals on the Pac-12 leaderboard.
Sophomore forward Jen Reese has made a successful return from an eye injury that kept her out of the final nine games of 2011-12. She is third on the team in scoring (10.5 ppg) and rebounding (5.8 rpg) while hitting 50 percent from the field and 83 percent from the free-throw line. She set a career-high with 16 points in the win over Utah Valley. Reese has scored in double-figures in six of the last seven contests, averaging 12 points during that span. On the Pac-12 charts Reese is seventh in free-throw percentage, 13th in field-goal percentage and 25th in scoring.
Junior center Rachel Hargis joins Wilson as the only Buffs to start all 10 games. A career 33 percent shooter entering the season, Hargis has made the most of her opportunity hitting 53 percent (26-of-49) through 10 games. Hargis netted season-best totals with nine points and seven rebounds against Utah Valley. She also has 15 assists on the year, after registering just 17 in 35 games as a sophomore, and a team-best 12 blocked shots. Hargis had a career- and team-season high seven blocked shots against Louisville, just one off the school single-game record.
Colorado has seven players averaging between four and 12 points per game. The Buffaloes are enjoying their best depth in the Lappe era. Thirteen different CU players have already hit the hardwood, with 12 of them having registered points.
ABOUT THE LOBOS: New Mexico is 8-4 overall and playing its first game since a 60-45 loss at UTEP on Dec. 20. The Lobos are in the middle of a five-game road trip after playing nine of their first 10 at home. New Mexico is averaging 61 points per game on 41 percent shooting. On the defensive side the Lobos are allowing just 55 points per contest and opponents are shooting just 34 percent.
Senior guard Caroline Durbin is New Mexico's leading scorer at 12.9 points per game and is shooting an impressive 47 percent from 3-point range (23-of-49). Senior forward Jourdan Erskine tops the Lobos in rebounding at 6.3 per game and also has a team-best 11 blocked shots. Freshman guard Bryce Owens dishes out 4.3 assists per game while averaging 8.6 points per contest. Junior forward Deeva Vaughn is UNM's second-leading scorer at just under 10 per outing.
Yvonne Sanchez is in her second year as head coach at New Mexico with an overall record of 19-24.
THE SERIES: This will be the 13th meeting between Colorado and New Mexico, the first since 2001 and only the second in the last 20 years. The series is tied at 6-6 as the teams meet for the first time since a 78-63 Colorado win in Albuquerque on Nov. 11, 2001. New Mexico won the first six meetings between 1975-79 as the programs competed together in the Intermountain Conference (AIAW). The Buffaloes have won the last six, including the last meeting in Boulder, a 92-22 win on Dec. 31, 1991.
Linda Lappe has never faced New Mexico as a head coach. Yvonne Sanchez has never faced Colorado as a head coach.
CONNECTIONS: New Mexico assistant coach Anthony Turner is a 1999 graduate of Colorado and served as a male practice player and manager for then head coach Ceal Barry. LaTonya Watson was also on that staff and Linda Lappe was a player during Turner's time in Boulder. Lappe also played against New Mexico assistant Edwina Brown who was an All-American at Texas from 1996-2000. Lobos' assistant Joseph Anders was the interim head coach at Arizona State last year, leading the Sun Devils to a pair of wins over the Buffaloes.
NATIONALLY RANKED: Colorado moved up two spots to No. 23 in the Associated Press Women's Basketball Top 25 poll, released Dec. 24.
Colorado received 156 votes - up from 99 last week - to make its second-straight appearance and highest ranking since also reaching No. 23 on Jan. 7, 2008. The Buffaloes are 10-0 and one of only seven remaining unbeaten teams in NCAA Division I - all of which reside in the AP top 25.
The Buffaloes have a long history of rankings in the AP poll, dating back to the 1980-81 season. This week's ranking marks the 160th time Colorado has appeared in the AP poll, trailing only Stanford, USC and UCLA among Pac-12 Conference schools.
CU was just two spots out of the Dec. 25 USA Today Sports Coaches Top 25 poll, receiving 34 votes. The Buffaloes haven't been ranked in that poll since April 2004. CU received votes from the coaches poll during the squad's four-week AP run in 2007-08, but never reached the top 25.
LAPPE AND COLORADO IN THE POLLS: Head coach Linda Lappe joined some elite company when the Buffaloes received their first AP ranking in five years. She is only one of eight NCAA Division I women's head coaches to have played for an AP ranked team, and then return to lead that same program into the AP poll. Overall she is the 31st person to play for and coach an AP ranked program.
The Buffaloes were ranked for 29 weeks during Lappe's playing career (1998-03) including 27 straight from Jan. 22, 2001 through the end of her junior year (March 11, 2002). CU's highest AP ranking during that span was No. 10, on March 4, 2002.
JEFFERY'S HEADLINER WEEK: Senior guard Chucky Jeffery led the Buffaloes to their first Associated Press ranking in five seasons and their first top-10 win in over 10 years, and as a result picked up some well-deserved conference and national recognition.
On Dec. 17, Jeffery was named the espnW National Player of the Week and Pac-12 Conference Player of the Week for the week of Dec 10-16. She also received national and Pac-12 Player of the Week honors from collegesportsmadness.com.
On Dec. 18, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) named Jeffery its Ann Meyers Drysdale Women's National Player of the Week.
Jeffery averaged 18 points, 9.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists while shooting 46 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free-throw line in wins over Denver and No. 8 ranked Louisville.
Against Louisville she had a game-high and personal season-best 22 points along with seven rebounds, four assists and one steal as the Buffaloes claimed their first win over a top-10 opponent since defeating No. 5 Stanford in the 2002 NCAA Sweet 16. Jeffery recorded season highs from the 3-point line (2-of-5) and the foul line (8-10) as she became the 16th player in team history to reach 1,300 career points.
Jeffery had 14 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and two steals in the road win over Denver on Dec. 11. She notched her second double-double of the season, and 22nd of her career, tying Sandy Bean (1978-82) for fifth on CU's all-time list.
Jeffery's Pac-12 Player of the Week honor is her second, as she received the same award on Dec. 5, 2011.
FAST OUT OF THE GATE: Colorado is 10-0 for the second straight year; its fourth start of 10-0. The Buffaloes began last season 12-0, tying the second-best mark in team history. CU's best start was a 15-0 mark to begin the 1992-93 season.
MORE ON THE BOARDS: Colorado ranked eighth in NCAA Division I in rebounding margin at +14.3 through games of Dec. 16, the second best mark in the Pac-12. The Buffaloes have either tied or led the rebounding battle in each game this season and have enjoyed double-digit margins in six games. Over the last four games, Colorado has held a +21 rebounding margin.
The Buffaloes grabbed a season-high 59 rebounds in the win over Colorado State, their most since also recording 59 against Bowling Green on Nov. 23, 2001. CU had 24 offensive rebounds, nearly matching Colorado State's overall total (26). Colorado's 24 offensive rebounds were its most since it had 24 at Iowa State on Feb. 18, 1996.
Colorado's +33 advantage against the Rams tied for the ninth largest single-game margin in team history, most recently achieved against San Francisco on Nov. 30, 2011 (53-20).
Colorado had 50 rebounds against Denver, hitting the 50 mark for the second straight game for the first time since grabbing 50 against UC Irvine and 52 against Illinois-Chicago in the first two games of the 2009-10 season.
CU's 109 rebounds over a two-game span are its most since hitting the same number during the 2001 Coors Classic (59 vs. Bowling Green, 50 vs. Houston). The Buffaloes 46 offensive rebounds during that stretch are their most since grabbing 48 in back-to-back games in December 1994 (25 vs. Montana State, 23 vs. Notre Dame).
STRONG FINISHES: Colorado has benefitted from strong second half finishes, averaging 40 points per game while shooting 46 percent from the field. In first half action during that same stretch Colorado is averaging 34 points on 42 percent shooting. The Buffaloes are outscoring their opponent by 8.3 points per game in the second 20 minutes.
Colorado has scored at least 34 points in all nine second periods this season and have hit 40 four times with a high of 46 at UMKC. The Buffaloes have scored 30 or more second half points in their last 15 games dating back to the 2012 Pac-12 Tournament.
SUCCESS ON THE ROAD: Colorado is 3-0 away from Boulder this season and is 12-7 in its last 19 true road contests since the tail end of the 2010-11 campaign. Prior to the start of this run, The Buffaloes had just five wins in their previous 37 road games dating back to the 2008 Big 12 Conference schedule.
The Buffaloes are averaging 76.7 points on 45 percent shooting in those three road contests. CU has also held its opponent to 60 points per game and enjoys a plus-14 rebound margin.
Colorado scored an overall season-high 83 points at Denver, the most in a true road contest since scoring 83 in a 3-point loss at Colorado State on Nov. 30, 2005. CU's 10-point halftime lead was its largest on the road since leading Colorado State 38-22 on Nov. 20, 2011
Colorado's win at Illinois was its first road win against a major conference opponent in a nonconference regular season game since defeating No. 20/17 ranked Vanderbilt, 62-51, on Dec. 9, 2007. The Buffaloes trailed by six at halftime against the Illini, allowing Colorado to claim its largest halftime deficit overcome to win on the road since defeating Missouri 80-79 in overtime on Feb. 23, 2010 after trailing by seven at the break (43-36).
Colorado's 23-point win at UMKC, was its biggest on the road since an 82-47 win at Colorado State on Dec. 1, 2007.
BENCH PRODUCTION: Colorado is getting good production from its bench to the tune of 25.5 points (35 percent) and 21.6 rebounds (48 percent) per game. Sophomore forward Jen Reese has headed the bench effort averaging 10.5 points and 5.8 rebounds, ranking third overall on the team in both categories.
Colorado scored a season-high 42 bench points in the win over UMKC. The bulk of those came from freshman forward Arielle Roberson who scored 23 points in 19 minutes on 9-of-12 from the field in her lone game off the bench this season. Her 23 bench points are tied for the second most in the past 10 years and her nine field goals are the most. Only Bianca Smith, with 25 points off the bench against San Jose State on Dec. 22, 1999, had a bigger bench game in the last 10 years.
ROBERSON DOMINATES PAC-12 HONORS: Forward Arielle Roberson has won the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week award three times this season. The Pac-12 has added Freshman of the Week to its weekly honors for the first time this season.
In her most recent award on Dec. 2, Roberson averaged 19.5 points on 72 percent from the field (13-of-18) and 71 percent from the foul line (12-of-17) in wins over Wyoming and Illinois. She scored a career and team season-high 25 points, including a critical, late, 3-point basket, to lead Colorado to a 69-62 road win at Illinois as the Buffaloes claimed their 19th straight regular season nonconference victory.
She hit 7-of-8 from the field against the Illini and sank a team season-high 10 free throws on 14 attempts. Roberson also had five rebounds, three steals and an assist against Illinois. Earlier in the week, Roberson netted 14 points on 6-of-10 from the field in the home win over Wyoming.
Roberson earned the inaugural Pac-12 Freshman of the Week award on Nov. 12 after scoring 16 points on 7-of-13 shooting with six rebounds, five steals, two assists and two blocks in her collegiate debut - a 70-65 win over Idaho on Nov. 11. Her second citation came on Nov. 26 after averaging 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds en route to Omni Hotels Classic MVP honors.
Her three weekly conference awards in one season are the most since Brittany Spears won four Big 12 Conference Rookie of the Week honors in 2007-08.
ARIELLE & ANDRE: The Roberson's are the only brother/sister tandem on the 2012-13 basketball rosters from the same school in the Pac-12 Conference. They're one of five brother/sister tandems on 2012-13 basketball rosters in Division I. The Big Ten has two tandems, followed by one each in the ACC, Mountain West and the Pac-12 Conferences. CU has another brother/sister pair on the ski team with freshmen Maria and Gustav Nordstrom from Sweden.
Colorado (Pac-12): Arielle (Fr.) and Andre Roberson (Jr.)
Air Force (Mountain West): Alicia (Sr.) and Marshall Leipprandt (Fr.)
Indiana (Big Ten): Kaila (Fr.) and Jordan Hulls (Sr.)
Ohio State (Big Ten): Caite (Fr.) and Aaron Craft (Jr.)
Virginia (ACC): Sarah Beth (So.) and Tayor Barnette (Fr.)
SEEING DOUBLE: Colorado is used to getting double takes from fans and opponents, as the Buffaloes once again sport two pairs of identical twins on its roster.
Brenna and Meagan Malcolm-Peck are senior wing players while Ashley and Brittany Wilson are junior guards. Brenna is the older of the two Malcolm-Pecks by 27 minutes. Ashley is the older of the Wilson twins, by only five minutes.
BUFFS EXPERIENCED FROM DEEP: While Colorado looks to continue an inside-outside balance on its 2012-13 squad, there is no questioning its experience from shooting from the perimeter. The Buffaloes have four players with at least 50 career 3-point field goals, and all four rank among CU's career Top 20. Senior Meagan Malcolm-Peck tops current Buffs with 85 and ranks 11th on CU's all-time list. Junior Brittany Wilson is right behind Malcolm-Peck in 12th with 84. Lexy Kresl, who set CU's freshman record in 2011-12 is 15th with 73. Senior Chucky Jeffery rounds out the current Buffs at 17th with 56.
JEFFERY MOVING UP CAREER LADDERS: Junior guard Chucky Jeffery needs just three points to pass Jeannie Raikes (1976-80) for 14th (1,331) on CU's career scoring list. She also needs one steal to break a tie with former teammate Brittany Spears (2007-11) for seventh all-time.
On CU's career charts Jeffery also ranks sixth in assists (397), seventh in rebounds (741), 14th in free-throws made (275), 16th in field-goals made (499) and blocks (59) and 17th in 3-point field goals (56).
In other miscellaneous categories Jeffery is also tied with Sandy Bean (1978-82) for fifth in double-doubles (22), is seventh in double-figure rebounding games (24) and 14th in double-figure scoring games (72).
HOME AT THE CECC: Colorado is traditionally tough at home with a 374-126 all-time record at the Coors Events Center (.748). The Buffaloes have won 10 or more games in a season at the CEC in 23 of the previous 34 years. The Buffaloes have enjoyed fi ve undefeated seasons (1980-83, 1992-94) at the CEC.
BUFFS ON TV: Colorado's regular season schedule will feature at least 11 regionally or nationally televised games in 2012-13. Colorado will play nine regular season games on the Pac-12 Networks, and a guaranteed one, and potentially more, during the Pac-12 Tournament, March 7-10, in Seattle.
A program-best six regular season games will be televised nationally while three more will be on one of the regional networks. CU's first Pac-12 Tournament game will also be televised nationally, as would any ensuing round through the championship game, which will air Sunday, March 10, on ESPN2.
CU made its first television appearance on Dec. 11 at Denver on ROOT Sports Rocky Mountain. The Buffaloes make their Pac-12 Network debut on Friday, Jan. 4 against defending league champion Stanford; their first of four straight televised games on the network. Colorado will have five straight road games televised beginning with Utah on Jan. 13, through a Super Bowl Sunday matchup at USC on Feb. 3. CU's final regular season televised game will be Feb. 8 at home against Oregon State.
Entering the 2012-13 season, CU has appeared on 99 regional or national telecasts over the previous 11 seasons.