Colorado University Athletics

No. 11/15 Buffaloes Host Denver Thursday

No. 11/15 Buffaloes Host Denver Thursday

THE GAME: The University of Colorado hosts the University of Denver on Thursday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m. at the Coors Events Center.

BROADCAST: Thursday's game will air live on KKZN AM 760. Mark Johnson will handle play-by-play duties and will be joined by Carol Callan of USA Basketball with the color commentary. A free live video stream will be available through Colorado's Pac-12.com video player. All CU women's basketball home games that are not televised will be available through Pac-12.com at this link:
http://pac-12.com/videos/university-colorado  
Non-televised Pac-12 road games are scheduled to be available on the opponents' video player, free of charge.

OPENING TIP: Colorado is a perfect 5-0 at home this year, outscoring its opponent by just over 25 points per game (84.2-59.0). The Buffaloes are also shooting 48.3 percent at Coors and have outrebounded their opponents by 15 rebounds per game.

ABOUT THE BUFFALOES: No. 11 (AP)/15 (USAT) Colorado improved to 8-0 by cruising to a 79-56 win over Illinois on Dec. 7. The win allowed the Buffaloes to record their fifth best start to a season in team history and overall was their 32nd straight nonconference regular season victory.

Colorado is averaging 79.0 points per game while hitting 46.3 percent from the field and a Pac-12 Conference best 74.3 percent from the free-throw line. Colorado has four players averaging double-digits, six players scoring between 8.8 and 12.9 points per game and 10 pitching in at least four a contest.

The Buffaloes lead the Pac-12 in scoring defense at 58.2 points allowed per game. Colorado also tops the league in scoring margin (+20.8), rebounding defense (31.8 rpg) and rebounding margin (+12.2).

Junior guard Lexy Kresl has been running a solid point for the Buffaloes averaging 10.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. She ranks third in the Pac-12 in free-throw percentage (.885), fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.1) and sixth in assists. Her team-leading 32 assists in the first eight games have already surpassed her 2012-13 29-game season total of 30.

Kresl was the MVP of the 2013 Omni Hotels Classic averaging 15.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists. She dished out a career-high six assists, with no turnovers, and added 12 points in the first round win over South Alabama. Kresl scored 19 points in the championship game, just one point off her career high, hitting 7-of-14 from the field and adding four assists, five rebounds and three steals.

Junior forward Jen Reese is the leader among four Buffaloes averaging double-digits at 12.9 per game while hitting 59 percent from the floor, ranking fourth in the Pac-12. She's been even more impressive over her last six games hitting 31 of her last 45 shots (.689). Reese is averaging 14.6 points and 5.8 rebounds over her previous five outings.

She had a season-high 18 points on 7-of-10 from the field in the win over New Mexico, tying a career-high for field goals made and recording the second-highest scoring output of her career (22 at Arizona State on Feb. 17, 2013). Reese was named to the Omni Classic All-Tournament team after averaging 14.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and hitting 11-of-16 field goals (.688) over the two games. Reese also ranks fourth in the Pac-12 in free-throw percentage (.882) and 19th in scoring.

Senior guard Brittany Wilson shares the leads the team in steals (11) and ranks second in assists (3.3 apg) and is third in both scoring (11.1 ppg) and rebounding (4.5 rpg). She had a monster night against Illinois, recording career and team-season highs with 13 rebounds and eight assists. She has Colorado's top two scoring outputs this year, including a career-best 26 points in the win over Iowa marking the fifth 20-point game in her career as she also set personal bests from the line hitting on 10-of-14 from the charity stripe.

Reigning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Arielle Roberson leads Colorado in rebounding at 8.5 per game while pitching in 11.8 points per contest. She was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week for Dec. 2-8 averaging 15 points and 11 rebounds while hitting 48 percent from the field in the wins over Wyoming and Illinois. Roberson had double-doubles in both games, the fourth and fifth of her career, and also Colorado's first two of the season. She ranks seventh in offensive rebounds (3.5 orpg) and overall rebounding, 10th in defensive rebounds (5.0 drpg) and 24th in scoring on the Pac-12 charts.

Junior guard Jasmine Sborov has sprinted out to a great start averaging 8.9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Sborov has hit 86.7 percent from the foul line, delivering a pair of clutch performances on the road. She hit two foul shots at Colorado State with under a minute left to give Colorado a three point lead. In the win over Wyoming, she iced the game for the Buffaloes with another two free throws that provided the final margin, 63-59, with five seconds remaining. She has scored in double-digits in five games, including a career-high 13 points in the season opening win over Colorado State. She came into this season with just three double-figure scoring games over the first 62 games of her career.

Freshman guard Lauren Huggins has provided a nice scoring punch off the bench. Huggins leads Colorado from 3-point range, already with 21 on the season as she has multiple 3-pointers in six of her first eight games. Huggins ranks fourth in the Pac-12 in 3-pointers (2.6 3mpg) and sixth in percentage (.438). She is tied for the team lead in steals with 11 and recorded a career- and team-season high four against Rice.

Senior center Rachel Hargis, averaging 5.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, tied a career-high with 12 points in the win over Illinois. She hit 4-of-4 from the free throw line during that game and his 71.4 percent on the season from the charity stripe.

Sophomore forward Jamee Swan scored a career-high 16 points in the win over South Alabama hitting 7-of-10 from the floor. She had a team-best eight rebounds in that contest and ranks third on the team at 4.5 per game. Swan is averaging 4.9 points on 58 percent from the field and is the team's leader in blocked shots with seven.

ABOUT THE PIONEERS: Denver is 1-7 overall, having dropped its last five contests, most recently an 86-78 decision at home to Colorado State. The Pioneers' lone win on the season came on the road, a 72-64 triumph at Air Force on Nov. 16. Denver averages 68.4 points on 40 percent from the field. The Pioneers are allowing opponents 77.6 points per game on 45 percent shooting. During its five-game skid, Denver opponents have averaged 82.2 points per contest.

Denver has four players averaging double figures in scoring led by sophomore guard Kailey Edwards at 13.9 points per game. Sophomore guard Paige Bradley tops the Pioneers in assists with 32 and is second in scoring at 11.8 per contest. Junior guard Morgan Van Riper-Rose, who scored 28 against Colorado in last year's game, is third in scoring at 11.7 points and is Denver's top 3-point threat with 12 on the season. Junior forward Theresa Wirth and senior forward Maiya Michel lead the Pioneers in rebounding at 8.4 per game.

Kerry Cremeans is in her second year as Denver's head coach with an overall record of 15-24.

THE SERIES: This will be the ninth meeting between Colorado and Denver and the fifth consecutive year the two teams, which only reside 33 miles apart, will get together on the hardwood. Colorado holds a 6-2 series edge, including an 83-63 win at Denver on Dec. 11, 2012. Colorado has won all four all-time meetings in Boulder.

Linda Lappe is 2-1 against Denver as a head coach. Kerry Cremeans is 0-1 against Colorado as a head coach.

FAST OUT OF THE GATE: Colorado is 8-0 for the third straight year, overall marking the fifth best start in team history. Three of the top five all-time best starts in program history have come in the last three seasons. CU's best start was a 15-0 mark to begin the 1992-93 season. Here are Colorado's top-eight all-time season starts:

Year Start Final Other
1992-93 15-0 27-4 NCAA Elite 8
2011-12 12-0 21-14 WNIT Quarterfinals
1980-81 12-0 28-5 *AIAW National Tourn. First Round
2012-13 11-0 25-7 NCAA First Round
2013-14 8-0 ?? 32 straight regular season nonconf wins
1993-94 7-0 27-5 NCAA Sweet 16
1982-83 7-0 21-8 #Big Eight Semifinals
*-CU's first national tournament appearance; #-First year of Big Eight Conference round-robin play.

ROBERSON PAC-12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Sophomore Arielle Roberson was named the Pac-12 Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 2-8, the league office announced on Monday.

For Roberson it's her first Player of the Week honor and sixth conference weekly award overall. She was a five-time winner of the Pac-12's Freshman of the Week award last season.

Roberson averaged 15 points, 11 rebounds while hitting 48 percent from the field in Colorado's wins over Wyoming (63-59) on Dec. 4, and Illinois (79-56) on Dec. 7.

Roberson scored 13 points and matched a season-high with 12 rebounds in the win at Wyoming. Eight of her rebounds were on the offensive end, one less than she had in her previous four games combined. She hit 6-of-15 from the field and also dished out an assist.

Against Illinois, Roberson led Colorado in scoring, tying a season-high with 17 points, hitting 58 percent from the field (7-of-12). She pulled down 10 rebounds, logging her fifth career double-double.

Roberson's honor is CU's ninth weekly award in the Pac-12 since the Buffaloes joined the conference in 2011; fourth in the Player of the Week category.

MORE OFFENSE: Colorado has hit 80 points in four games this season, with those four coming in succession from the Alcorn State through South Alabama contests. It marked the first time that the Buffaloes had hit 80 points in four consecutive games since late in the 1982-83 season when Colorado achieved the mark in five straight (Feb. 12-Mar. 5, 1983).

Colorado's 94 points against South Alabama were its most since a 96-90 overtime win over TCU in the third round of the 2008 Postseason WNIT, and the most in regulation since the last time the Buffaloes hit the century mark, a 100-71 win over Cal State-Fullerton on Nov. 18, 2005.

The Buffaloes scored 85 at New Mexico, the most on the road, in regulation time, since a 101-56 win at TCU on Dec. 7, 1993. Colorado scored 90 on the road in a one-point overtime loss at Baylor on Feb. 23, 2000 and that same number in a 9-point overtime win at Kansas on Feb. 24, 1995.

SCORING BALANCE: Colorado has four players averaging double-digits in scoring, six averaging at least eight points and 10 pitching in at least four.

Seven different Buffs have led the team, or tied for the team lead, in scoring in the first seven games. Jen Reese, Brittany Wilson and Arielle Roberson have each led Colorado in two games.

Colorado has had five players score in double-digits in three games and four in double-digits in another. The Buffaloes didn't register any five-player double-digit games in 2012-13, but were 8-0 in games with four in double figures.

LIGHTS OUT: Colorado is shooting 46.3 percent from the field (222-of-480) which ranks third in the Pac-12.

The Buffaloes had one of its best shooting stretches in recent memory during the three-game span of New Mexico through the Omni Classic. The Buffaloes hit an impressive 52.8 percent (93-of-176) during that span and finished above 50 percent in all three contests, including a season-best 55.6 percent (30-of-54) at New Mexico.

In 2012-13 Colorado had only two games above 50 percent for the entire 32-game season. The last time the Buffaloes had hit 50 percent in three consecutive games was from Nov. 27-Dec. 4, 1998, current head coach Linda Lappe's freshman season.

NUMBERS FROM DEEP: Colorado hit 10-of-18 3-pointers at New Mexico, its best performance percentage wise since the home game against the Lobos last season. The Buffaloes hit 62 percent from long range (8-of-13) in their 84-39 win over New Mexico in Boulder on Dec. 29, 2012. The 10 3-pointers were Colorado's most in a game on the road since hitting 15 at Oklahoma State on March 25, 2012, in the WNIT Quarterfinals. Colorado also had 10 at home against Oregon on Feb. 10, 2013.

Jen Reese and Jasmine Sborov both went 2-for-2 from long range against the Lobos, setting new career-highs for 3-pointers made for both players. In fact the duo, 4-for-4 on the day, had been a combined 7-for-48 (.146) in their careers prior to the New Mexico game.

ROAD WARRIORS: Colorado has won 21 of its last 31 true road contests. 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. Overall the Buffaloes are 25-13 away from Boulder dating back to the tail end of the 2010-11 season.

BIG WIN STREAKS: With the win over Illinois, Colorado extended its streak of non-conference regular season wins to 32 games. The Buffaloes claimed perfect 11-0 nonconference marks in each of the last two seasons. Colorado won its final two non-league games in 2010-11, as the streak began with a 74-52 win over Colgate on Dec. 30, 2010.

Colorado's two perfect non-conference seasons comprise of two of the top eight overall winning streaks in team history. The 2011-12 team actually began the season 12-0, including a win in its first ever Pac-12 Conference game, tying for the fifth-best streak in team history and the second longest to begin a season.

The Buffaloes' 11-game streak to start the 2012-13 season ties for the eighth best overall. Throw in a 10-game streak at the end of the 2012-13 campaign, and the Buffaloes have registered three separate double-digit winning streaks in the last two seasons.

Colorado has 10 double-figure win streaks in its history. Head coach Linda Lappe has presided over three of those streaks, one behind her mentor Ceal Barry who coached the Buffaloes to four different double-figure win streaks over her 22 seasons on the bench.

NATIONALLY RANKED: Colorado held down the No. 11 spot for the second straight week in the fifth regular season Associated Press Women's Basketball Top 25 Poll released on Monday.

Colorado received 505 points, up from 480 last week, and just two points behind No. 10 South Carolina.

The Buffaloes have been ranked in 20 consecutive AP polls, their longest run since appearing in 27 straight from Jan. 22, 2001 through the final poll of the 2001-02 season. Colorado has a long history of rankings in the AP poll, dating back to the 1980-81 season. This ranking marks the 178th time Colorado has appeared in the AP poll, trailing only Stanford, USC and UCLA among Pac-12 schools.

Colorado moved up two spots to No. 15 in the latest coaches poll released on Tuesday. The Buffaloes received 337 points, a good jump from 301 in the previous poll. The No. 15 spot is the highest Colorado has been in this poll since coming in at No. 13 in the March 8, 2004 poll.

For the first time since 2003, Colorado was ranked in both the Associated Press and USA Today Sports Coaches Top 25 Preseason polls, coming in at No. 19 in each.

Prior to the 2003-04 campaign the Buffaloes were ranked 20th in both polls. The preseason rankings were Colorado's highest since debuting at No. 12 (AP) and No. 13 (Coaches) heading into the 2001-02 campaign.

Colorado was not ranked in the final 2012-13 Coaches poll, coming in as the first team listed in the receiving votes category. The Buffaloes appeared in 11 Coaches polls in 2012-13, reaching has high as No. 18 the week of March 4, 2013.

Colorado currently has four ranked teams on its schedule, three of which were preseason No. 10 picks. Stanford is No 4 in the coaches poll and No. 6 in the AP, Louisville is No. 7 in both, Iowa, whose only loss is to Colorado, is No. 21 in the AP and debuted this week at No. 24 in the coaches and California is No. 21 in the coaches, No. 22 in the AP. Arizona State is also receiving votes in both polls.

WILSON CLIMBING CAREER CHARTS: Senior guard Brittany Wilson has 938 career points, needing 62 to become the 25th player in team history to reach 1,000.

She is in ninth place on CU's all-time list for 3-point field goals with 113. Wilson also moved into Colorado's Top 20 in career steals during the Omni Hotels Classic. She is currently 20th with 137 and needs just two to catch Amy Palmer (1992-96) for 19th and four to leap into 17th.

IRON WOMEN: The senior duo of Brittany Wilson and Rachel Hargis have a good chance to end their careers ranking No. 1 & No. 2 in games played at Colorado.

The two have combined for 217 out of a possible 218 games played during their careers. Wilson has not missed a game in her career, playing in all 109 possible contests. Hargis has played in 108, missing only one contest, the 2013 NCAA Tournament game against Kansas, with a knee injury.

Barring any unforeseen setbacks, and with a modest postseason run, the two will be looking to catch Erin Scholz who set the school record at 132 games played from 1993-97. The duo will reach the top 20 in school history with 121 games played.

BUFFS ON TV: Colorado will be featured on the Pac-12 Networks 15 times during the 2013-14 regular season, a school record number for television appearances in one campaign.

Colorado's appeared on a program-best 13 national and regional telecasts in 2012-13, a figure that also included three postseason contests. Entering this season, the Buffaloes have tipped off on 112 national or regional contests since the Fall of 2001.

Colorado made its 2013-14 Pac-12 Network debut by hosting Iowa on Nov. 20.

Fourteen of Colorado's 18 conference games will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks, including eight of nine at home. All home games not televised on the Pac-12 Networks, will be available online through Colorado's Pac-12.com video player. Pac-12 road games that are not televised will be available on the opponent's Pac-12.com video player.

HOME AT THE CECC: Colorado is traditionally tough at home with a 387-129 all-time record at the Coors Events Center (.750), and finished the 2012-13 season with a record of 15-3. The Buffaloes have won 10 or more games in a season at the CEC in 24 of 35 years. The Buffaloes have enjoyed five undefeated seasons (1980-83, 1992-94) at the CEC.

Colorado has won 12 of its last 13 and 23 of its last 27 at home.