Colorado-Mercer Notes
Tournament Awards: McKinley Wright IV was named the Paradise Jam MVP - the first freshman in the 18-year history of the tournament - averaging 17.7 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 61 percent from the field (20-33). He had the game-winning 3-poiner in the first round vs. Quinnipiac and scored a career-high 21 points. He matched that scoring effort in the semifinals against Drake while dishing out a team season-best nine assists against only one turnover.
George King was named to the All-Tournament team, finishing with a game high 25 points on 9 of 13 shooting in the championship game.
George King (25 points, 8 rebounds) moved into 36th in career scoring (951) and now needs just 49 to become the 34th Colorado player to reach 1,000. It was his second-highest scoring game trailing only his career-best of 27 set at Auburn in November 2015. It was King’s 53rd career double-figure scoring game and 11th 20-point performance.
McKinley Wright IV (11 points, 7 assists) has 16 assists in the last two games and has scored double-figures in all five career outings.
Deleon Brown matched his season-high with 13 points in the championship game.
Colorado Claims its seventh preseason tournament title and just the third on a neutral court. It’s the second time the Buffaloes have won a preseason tournament with three games in three days, joining the 2002 Pepsi Classic. Overall, Colorado last won three games in three days, when it actually went four in four to win the 2012 Pac-12 Tournament.
Preseason Tournament Titles
2017-18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Paradise Jam, Lynchburg, Va. (3-0, 3 in 3 days)
2012-13Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Charleston Classic, Charleston, S.C. (3-0; 3 in 4 days)
2002-03Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pepsi Classic, Charlotte, N.C. (3-0; 3 in 3 days)
1994-95Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Mile High Classic, Boulder (2-0)
1993-94Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Mile High Classic, Boulder (2-0)
1992-93Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Mile High Classic, Boulder (2-0)
1991-92Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Mile High Classic, Boulder (2-0)
This was Colorado’s first stretch of playing three games in three days since the 2014 Pac-12 Tournament (2-1). The last three-game, three-day stretch during the regular season was Nov. 23-25, 2009, at the Maui Invitational (1-2).
Best Starts – Colorado starts a season at 5-0 for just the 14th time in team history and ties for the 11th best start overall.
Year                     Record
1941-42Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 14-0
1949-50Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 8-0
1920-21Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 8-0
1982-83Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 7-0
1960-61Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 7-0
1912-13Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 7-0
2012-13Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 6-0
1989-90Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 6-0
1917-18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 6-0
1956-57Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 6-0
2017-18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5-0
1984-85Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5-0
1978-79Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5-0
1962-63Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5-0
Carbon copy halves – Colorado hit 11 of its first 18 field goals before ending the first half on a 6:32 drought where the Buffaloes went 0 of 8, scoring nine points on free throws during that stretch. On Saturday, CU made 14 of their first 19 shots from the field but missed their final eight shots of the period, scoring only five free throws over the final 5:25.
Colorado has led at the half all five games this season (5-0)
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George King was named to the All-Tournament team, finishing with a game high 25 points on 9 of 13 shooting in the championship game.
George King (25 points, 8 rebounds) moved into 36th in career scoring (951) and now needs just 49 to become the 34th Colorado player to reach 1,000. It was his second-highest scoring game trailing only his career-best of 27 set at Auburn in November 2015. It was King’s 53rd career double-figure scoring game and 11th 20-point performance.
McKinley Wright IV (11 points, 7 assists) has 16 assists in the last two games and has scored double-figures in all five career outings.
Deleon Brown matched his season-high with 13 points in the championship game.
Colorado Claims its seventh preseason tournament title and just the third on a neutral court. It’s the second time the Buffaloes have won a preseason tournament with three games in three days, joining the 2002 Pepsi Classic. Overall, Colorado last won three games in three days, when it actually went four in four to win the 2012 Pac-12 Tournament.
Preseason Tournament Titles
2017-18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Paradise Jam, Lynchburg, Va. (3-0, 3 in 3 days)
2012-13Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Charleston Classic, Charleston, S.C. (3-0; 3 in 4 days)
2002-03Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pepsi Classic, Charlotte, N.C. (3-0; 3 in 3 days)
1994-95Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Mile High Classic, Boulder (2-0)
1993-94Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Mile High Classic, Boulder (2-0)
1992-93Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Mile High Classic, Boulder (2-0)
1991-92Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Mile High Classic, Boulder (2-0)
This was Colorado’s first stretch of playing three games in three days since the 2014 Pac-12 Tournament (2-1). The last three-game, three-day stretch during the regular season was Nov. 23-25, 2009, at the Maui Invitational (1-2).
Best Starts – Colorado starts a season at 5-0 for just the 14th time in team history and ties for the 11th best start overall.
Year                     Record
1941-42Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 14-0
1949-50Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 8-0
1920-21Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 8-0
1982-83Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 7-0
1960-61Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 7-0
1912-13Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 7-0
2012-13Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 6-0
1989-90Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 6-0
1917-18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 6-0
1956-57Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 6-0
2017-18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5-0
1984-85Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5-0
1978-79Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5-0
1962-63Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5-0
Carbon copy halves – Colorado hit 11 of its first 18 field goals before ending the first half on a 6:32 drought where the Buffaloes went 0 of 8, scoring nine points on free throws during that stretch. On Saturday, CU made 14 of their first 19 shots from the field but missed their final eight shots of the period, scoring only five free throws over the final 5:25.
Colorado has led at the half all five games this season (5-0)
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