Colorado University Athletics
Buffaloes Head To The Desert To Face Arizona Friday
THE GAME: No. 21 (AP)/25 (USA Today Sports/Coaches) ranked University of Colorado travels to play the University of Arizona on Friday, Feb. 15, at 7 p.m. at the McKale Center in Tucson.
BROADCAST: Friday's game will be broadcast live on KKZN AM 760. Mike Rice will have the play-by-play. 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. Friday's game is available at this link: http://pac-12.com/live/arizonawildcats.aspx. The live stream is free to the public and not tied to a Pac-12 Network carrier.
OPENING TIP: Colorado has recorded 54 steals over the last four games (13.5 spg). CU's opponents have committed 93 turnovers over that same span (23.3 topg).
ABOUT THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 18-5 overall and in fifth place in the Pac-12 at 7-5. CU has surpassed its Pac-12 win total from 2012 with six regular season games remaining. The Buffaloes finished in 10th place at 6-12 in their inaugural season in the league. The Buffaloes are two games behind Washington (9-3) for fourth place. CU does have a favorable schedule to stay in the race for a coveted top four seed at the 2013 Pac-12 Tournament as the Buffaloes only have one remaining game - at home vs. Washington on Feb. 24 - against a team above them in the standings.
Colorado has bounced back from a three-game skid by winning its last three, including a home sweep of the Oregon schools last weekend. All five of Colorado's losses have come to ranked teams, four against Stanford and California, ranked No. 7 or better at the time. The combined record of the three teams the Buffaloes have lost to this year is 62-8 with four of those losses coming against each other. UCLA was swept by Cal and Stanford and the Bay Area schools split earlier this season.
Colorado averages 66.7 points per game on 41.4 percent shooting from the field. The Buffaloes tied a season-high with 84 points in the win over Oregon, CU's most points in a conference game since defeating Nebraska 84-60 on Feb. 26, 2002 in Lincoln.
Defensively, CU allows 53.7 points and has held opponents to 35 percent shooting for the year. Colorado ranks second in the Pac-12 and 12th in the nation in rebounding margin at +9.2. The Buffaloes rank among the top five in the Pac-12 in 15 of 21 statistical categories including second in scoring defense (53.7 ppg) and rebounding defense (33.0 rpg).
All-Pac-12 guard Chucky Jeffery leads the team in scoring (13.7 ppg), assists (4.0 apg), rebounds (8.6 rpg) and steals (2.4 spg). She has recorded double-doubles in her last three games averaging 17.3 points and 12 rebounds during that span. On the Pac-12 leaderboard Jeffery ranks fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4), fifth in defensive rebounds (6.4) and overall rebounding, sixth in assists and steals, 11th in scoring and 15th in free-throw percentage (.714) and offensive rebounds (2.3 orpg).
Redshirt freshman forward Arielle Roberson is second on the team and ranks 21st in the Pac-12 in scoring at 12.0 points per game. A three-time Pac-12 Freshman of the Week, Roberson tops the Buffaloes in free-throws made and attempted (72-of-109) and also ranks second on the team in rebounding (5.3 rpg) and fourth in steals (1.0 spg). She had her best offensive game during Pac-12 play at USC, finishing with a game-high 16 points. Roberson ranks 10th in offensive rebounds (2.5 orpg) on the Pac-12 leaderboard.
Junior guard Brittany Wilson ranks second on the team in steals (1.4 spg) and assists (2.3 apg) while coming in at third in scoring at 8.8 points per contest. She led Colorado in scoring with a personal Pac-12 season-high 16 points. Wilson is second on the team in 3-pointers made (24) and has hit 80 percent from the free-throw line, ranking third on the league 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 fourth on the team in scoring (8.0 ppg) and third in rebounding (4.6 rpg) while hitting 43 percent from the field. Reese scored in double-figures for the 10th time this year with 10 points against Oregon State. She is one of the team's better free-throw shooters at 82 percent and has made her last 16 attempts.
Junior center Rachel Hargis is the only Buffalo to start all 24 games. A career 33 percent shooter entering the season, Hargis has made the most of her opportunity hitting 46.5 percent. She had a banner day against Oregon with a season high 10 points to go with four rebounds and three steals. Hargis has eight steals in the last three games. She leads CU in blocked shots with 26, ranking 12th in the Pac-12 at 1.1 per outing.
Sophomore Lexy Kresl leads Colorado in 3-pointers with 29 and is averaging 6.3 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. She scored in double figures for the fourth time this year with 12 points against Oregon. Kresl has been solid on the defensive side as well, recording 10 steals over the last four contests. She ranks 11th in the Pac-12 in 3-pointers made (1.3 3mpg) and 14th in 3-point percentage (.319).
Colorado's balance has served them well this season. Aside from Roberson and Jeffery averaging in double figures, six others average between three and nine points per game. In the home win over Arizona, nine different Buffaloes scored between six and 12 points. At California, nine different Buffs also scored, with seven netting between five and 11 points. Against Oregon eight players scored at least six points. With freshman Jamee Swan leading the team at Stanford with 14 points, she became the sixth different player to lead CU in scoring in a game this year.
ABOUT THE WILDCATS: Arizona is 11-12 overall and tied with Airzona State and Oregon State for ninth in the Pac-12 at 3-9. The Wildcats have lost seven straight, a streak that started with the Colorado game in Boulder, a 79-36 CU win, on Jan. 20. Five of those losses came on the road, and four of those to ranked teams, including the Buffaloes. Beginning Friday, Arizona will finish with 5-of-6 at home.
The Wildcats average 62.9 points per game, and have shown the ability to score in bunches. Arizona has hit 80 points five times this season, including a league season best with its 100-68 home win over Oregon on Jan. 13. The Wildcats lead the Pac-12 in free-throw percentage (.706) and rank third in steals (9.9 spg) and 3-pointers made (5.7 3mpg).
Senior guard Davellyn Whyte leads Arizona and ranks fifth in the Pac-12 at 16.0 points and second in assists with 4.6 per outing. Junior guard Kama Griffitts is second on the team in scoring at 12.3 points, and has 51 3-pointers to her credit. Junior forward Alli Gloyd averages 10.0 points and tops the Wildcats in rebounding at 5.7 per contest.
Niya Butts is in her fifth year has head coach at Arizona with a record of 73-77.
THE SERIES: This will be the 13th meeting between Colorado and Arizona with the Buffaloes holding an 9-3 series lead. The Buffaloes have won all three games against the Wildcats as a member of the Pac-12, including a 79-36 decision on Jan 20 in Boulder. Overall CU has won the last six in the series dating back to 1989. The Buffaloes are 3-2 all-time in Tucson, and have won the last two.
Linda Lappe is 3-0 against Arizona as a head coach. Niya Butts is 0-3 against Colorado as a head coach.
CONNECTIONS: Colorado has two Arizona natives on its roster. Sophomore guard Lexy Kresl is from Paradise Valley, a suburb of Phoenix. Freshman forward Jamee Swan is from Tucson.
JEFFERY PAC-12 AWARD: On the heels of consecutive double-double performances, senior guard Chucky Jeffery was named the Pac-12 Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Feb. 3-10. She averaged 18.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals in leading CU to wins over Oregon State and Oregon.
She had 22 points, 11 rebounds and a season-high three blocked shots against Oregon State. Jeffery's scoring total put her over the 1,500 point milestone and also moved her into 10th on CU's all-time scoring list (currently at 1,520). Friday's double-double marked the 10th 20-10 double of her career and third this season. Jeffery hit 8-of-12 free throw attempts and drained 2-of-3 from 3-point range.
Against Oregon, Jeffery scored 15 points, grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds and dished out three assists in 29 minutes. She hit a season-high three 3-pointers, finishing at 62.5 percent from long range on the week (5-of-8). It was Jeffery's fourth career double-double with at least 15 points and 15 rebounds. Her three assists also moved her into fourth place on CU's all-time list with 445.
Jeffery's honor is Colorado's sixth overall Pac-12 weekly award and fifth this year. Remarkably, Jeffery's overall Player of the Week award is Colorado's first during a conference schedule since Reagan Scott earned Big 12 Conference honors on Feb. 24, 1997. The Buffaloes had several Rookie of the Week winners over the years during Big 12 league play, including Jeffery in 2010, and current head coach Linda Lappe in 1999.
The Pac-12 Player of the Week honor is Jeffery's second of the season and third of her career. She was also recognized on Dec. 17, 2012, after guiding the Buffaloes to wins over Denver and then-No. 8 ranked Louisville, and as a junior on Dec. 5, 2011.
The Dec. 17 honor came with some national recognition as well Jeffery was named the espnW National Player of the Week. The U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) named Jeffery its Ann Meyers Drysdale Women's National Player of the Week and she also received national and Pac-12 Player of the Week honors from collegesportsmadness.com.
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 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 had 14 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and two steals in the road win over Denver.
MORE ON THE DEFENSE: Colorado ranks second in the Pac-12 in scoring defense, just behind Stanford in both overall games (53.7 ppg) and in Pac-12 contests (52.8 ppg)
Colorado is on pace to set team records in scoring defense and opponent field goal percentage. CU's overall 53.7 points per game allowed average is over three below the school record of 56.8 set in 1996-97. The Buffaloes have held opponents to 35.0 percent from the field, a pace that would exceed the 35.8 percent allowed in 1980-81.
Colorado has held nine teams under 50 points, tying for the most in any one season. It's the fifth time the Buffaloes have held nine opponents under 50 points over one campaign, most recently occurring in 2002-03, head coach Linda Lappe's senior season. Colorado has held five under 50 in Pac-12 play, including the last two.
Colorado has allowed just five teams in the 60's all season and set a school-record by holding nine straight opponents under the 60-point mark
Colorado has yet to allow 70 points in a game this year. This is the longest the Buffaloes have gone into any one season without allowing
70. The previous best was the 2011-12 team, that didn't allow 70 until game No. 13, a 75-67 loss at Washington.
CU held three straight conference opponents (Utah, Arizona State & Arizona) to 43 points or less, the first time the Buffaloes have held three straight opponents at 43 or under in conference play since 1980-81. It is also the eighth time in school history the Buffs have held their opponents under 50 in three consecutive outings.
Colorado had held its opponents to 24.6 percent shooting (49-of-199) over a 140 minute span (3 1/2 games) from the Utah game in Salt Lake City on Jan. 13 through the first half the game at California.
Colorado allowed just 36 points to Arizona, the fewest in a conference game since a 70-35 win at Kansas on Jan. 16, 2002. Arizona State was held to 17 points on 4-of-30 from the field in the second half of the Jan. 18 game. The four field goals were one shy of a school record (3 vs. Texas State 12/1/10 and Kansas State 3/7/92). The 13.3 percent allowed was just a fraction off the all-time opponent low for a half, 13.0 (3-of-23) vs. Kansas State on 3/7/92). That weekend Arizona State and Arizona combined for 79 points (39.2 ppg) and 24 percent from the field (26-of-107). The Buffaloes scored 79 points in their win over Arizona alone.
NATIONALLY RANKED: Riding a three-game winning streak, CU remained at No. 21 in the Associated Press Women's Basketball Top 25 poll and at No. 25 in the USA Today Sports Coaches poll this week.
Colorado, 18-5 overall and 7-5 in the Pac-12, received 188 points in the AP poll, up from 162 last week. The Buffaloes have resided in the AP poll for the last nine weeks, reaching as high as No. 20 twice -- Dec. 31 and Jan. 21. CU's nine-week run in the AP poll is its longest since appearing in all 19 polls of the 2003-04 season. 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 167th time Colorado has appeared in the AP poll, trailing only Stanford, USC and UCLA among Pac-12 schools.
In the coaches' poll, Colorado received 60 points, four less than last week, but still nearly twice the amount as Wisconsin-Green Bay (31), the first team outside the Top 25. The Buffaloes have been in the coaches' poll for five-straight weeks and six overall this season. Colorado reached a season-high of No. 23 in the coaches' poll twice, in consecutive weeks, Jan. 22 and Jan. 29. This week's ranking marks the 157th time Colorado has appeared in the coaches' poll dating back to the 1988-89 campaign.
All five of Colorado's losses have been to ranked teams, including two each to Stanford and California ranked No. 7 or better at the time. After this weekend's games, Stanford remained at No. 4 AP and No. 5 coaches, and California stayed at No. 6 in both polls. UCLA jumped up two spots to No. 15 AP and one to No. 16 in coaches. The Buffaloes do have one top 10 win on their resume, a 70-66 win over then-No. 8 Louisville on Dec. 14. The Cardinals are currently ranked No. 10 by the AP and No. 11 by the coaches.
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.
SUCCESS ON THE ROAD: Colorado is 5-3 away from Boulder this season and is 14-10 in its last 24 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.
Colorado held Utah to 43 points in Salt Lake City on Jan. 13, its fewest allowed in a true road game since a 45-42 win at Pacific on Dec. 18, 2004
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.
AGAINST RANKED TEAMS: Colorado picked up its 14th all-time win over a top-10 ranked opponent with its 70-66 win over No. 8 Louisville on Dec. 14. The win marked the Buffaloes' first over a top-10 opponent since defeating No. 5 Stanford in the 2002 NCAA Sweet 16. It was the first top-10 win as an unranked team since knocking off No. 7 Texas Tech 63-49 on Jan. 11, 1997.
The Buffaloes are 1-5 against ranked teams this season -- four of five in the top 10 -- and 3-10 under Linda Lappe. CU is 62-147 all-time against ranked opponents. The Buffaloes played just two games against ranked teams in 2011-12, both against Stanford.
Prior to the UCLA game, Colorado's last eight ranked opponents dating back to 2010-11 had all resided in the top 10, by far the longest streak for in school history. The five regular season games where the opponent is ranked in the top 10 in both polls, is a first for the Buffaloes in one season. CU played five regular season top 10 games in 2001-02, but two of those games included a team being ranked 10 or better in only one poll. Including postseason, the 2001-02 team played eight top 10 teams, five of which were top 10 in both polls.
CU's series with Cal and Stanford this season have marked just the first and second times the Buffaloes have faced top-10 opponents in consecutive games during the regular season. Colorado has faced that twice in postseason play; the 1993 and 2002 NCAA Sweet 16 and Elite Eight.
The Buffaloes fell to No. 18 (AP)/19 (USAT) UCLA 62-46 on Friday night at Pauley Pavilion. Coming off competitive losses to No. 7 California on Jan. 25 (59-56) and No. 6 Stanford on Jan. 27 (69-56), this string marked the first time in team history that CU faced three consecutive games against ranked opponents on the road.
BENCH PRODUCTION: Colorado is getting good production from its bench to the tune of 21.3 points (32 percent) and 19.0 rebounds (45 percent) per game. Sophomore forward Jen Reese has headed the bench effort averaging 8.0 points and 4.7 rebounds, ranking fourth and third on the team respectively.
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.
MORE ON THE BOARDS: Colorado ranked 12th in NCAA Division I in rebounding margin at through games of Feb. 10. The Buffaloes have either tied or led the rebounding battle in 19 of 23 games this season and have enjoyed double-digit margins in 11 games.
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).
BIG WIN: The 43-point win over Arizona was CU's largest in a Pac-12 game, smashing the old mark of 14 set just two days earlier against Arizona State (57-43). It was the eighth largest margin of victory in a conference game in CU history (all conferences) and the largest since an 83-38 win over Iowa State on Feb. 19, 1995.
Largest Margins of Victory, Conference Game, CU History
82 CU 129, Northern Arizona 47 - Jan. 21, 1980 (Intermountain)
63 CU 103, Utah State 40 - Jan. 29, 1981 (Intermountain)
61 CU 116, Idaho State 55 - Feb. 13, 1982 (Intermountain)
57 CU 94, Idaho State 42 - Jan. 31, 1981 (Intermountain)
52 CU 94 Idaho State 42 - Feb. 23, 1980 (Intermountain)
50 CU 79, Iowa State 29 - Feb. 19, 1993 (Big 8)
45 CU 83, Iowa State 38 - Feb. 19, 1995 (Big 8)
43 CU 79, Arizona 36 - Jan. 20, 2013 (Pac-12)
Colorado's 28-point lead at halftime (43-15) is its largest lead at the break against a Pac-12 opponent and the most in a conference game since Colorado led Kansas 42-14 at halftime on Feb. 5, 2003.
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. Junior Brittany Wilson tops the Buffaloes' effort with 94, 11th on CU's all-time list. Sophomore Lexy Kresl, who a freshman record last year with 63, is 12th with 92. Senior Meagan Malcolm-Peck is 13th at 87 and Chucky Jeffery rounds out the current Buffs at 16th with 67.
JEFFERY MOVING UP CAREER LADDERS: Senior guard Chucky Jeffery reached another career milestone last Friday, becoming the 11th player to reach 1,500 points. She also moved into 10th in career scoring during that game, passing Erin Carson who had 1,502 from 1984-88. She is the only player in team history with 1,500 points, 800 rebounds and 400 assists.
Jeffery has an outside shot at Colorado's career steals record. She is currently in fourth with 269, just 18 out of second place and 34 behind Laurie Welch's school record of 303 set from 1978-82.
She also ranks fourth in assists (445), sixth in rebounds (857), eighth in minutes (3,656), 10th in field-goals made (572), 11th in starts (99), 12th in free-throws made (309), 14th in blocks (64) and 16th in 3-point field goals (67).
In other miscellaneous categories Jeffery is also fifth in double-doubles (27) and double-figure rebounding games (29) and eighth in double-figure scoring games (84).
HOME AT THE CECC: Colorado is traditionally tough at home with a 380-128 all-time record at the Coors Events Center (.749). 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.
BUFFS ON TV: Colorado's regular season schedule featured 10 regionally or nationally televised games. CU played nine regular season games on the Pac-12 Networks, and added a 10th on ROOT Sports Rocky Mountain at Denver on Dec. 11.
A program-best seven regular season games were televised nationally while two others aired on 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.
The Buffaloes made their Pac-12 Network debut on Jan. 4 against defending league champion Stanford; their first of four straight televised games on the network. Colorado had five straight road games televised beginning with Utah on Jan. 13, through a Super Bowl Sunday matchup at USC on Feb. 3.
CU has appeared on 109 regional or national telecasts since 2001.