MBB Looks to Upset Nationally Ranked Jayhawks Wednesday
CU vs. KANSAS: Kansas handed CU their lone loss at home this season in 14 games back on Jan. 11, 75-63. The Buffaloes are not very successful in Lawrence (seven wins in 62 games) and have not won at Allen Fieldhouse since Feb. 10, 1983 since Billy Houston's jumper with 16 seconds remaining won it for CU, 75-74. Since then it's 22-straight losses. Tonight's game is the first time since the 1975-76 season that both schools are playing this late in the regular season in Lawrence. The result was a CU 68-66 victory back on Feb. 28, 1976 (CU's other win at KU in the last 30 years). Television: no local Colorado TV; Satellite Coordinates: AMC-3/7K; KKZN Radio 760-AM: Mark Johnson, Charles Johnson. Complete notes listed below and under the game notes left side bar.
QUICKLY ON THE JAYHAWKs: KU (20-7, 11-3 Big 12) has won 10 of 11 games and bring a 11-3 Big 12 record into tonight's game. The Jayhawks as always are impressive at home with a 13-2 mark (6-1 in Big 12 play) with only Nevada (72-70) and Kansas State (59-55) as their only defeats. Statically speaking, KU tops a number of conference categories in team stats while Mario Chalmers (steals, 2.7, all games; 3.2 in conference-only) is the lone KU player a top any list. So much for upperclassmen experience, KU's possesses all underclassmen in their starting line up and ranks first in a number of conference-only stats: scoring (76.1), FG % (.481), FG % defense (.389), rebounding (39.5), assists (17.8), steals (10.2), and defensive rebounds (26.8).
ON THE ROAD vs. RANKED SCHOOLS: The last time CU defeated a ranked team on the road was Jan. 11, 1997 at Texas Tech, 80-78. Since then the Buffaloes are 0-22 on the road against ranked schools which includes a loss at Texas earlier this season (Jan. 7). KU is ranked No. 18 and 22nd.
BUFF TIDBITS: In CU's last four road games (all losses), Marcus Hall leads the team in points (13.8), rebounds (5.5), assists (3.5), and 3-pointers (11)...Hall's nine assists against Mizzou (Feb. 25) was a CU high this season and Big 12 best; in his last four games, Hall's averaging 6.0 apg. (24)...Richard Roby is 28th on CU's all-time scoring list (55 games, 926, 16.8 ppg.) and 12th on the all-time steals list (106, 1.9 apg.) passing Chauncey Billups (55 games, 104, 1.9) for 12th place...Hall (278) needs five assists to pass Billups (282) for career hand-outs...Roby has two of CU's three double-doubles (Texas Tech, Utah); Andy Osborn has the other (Cal Poly)...Roby holds the top-five of CU's scoring games (33, 30, 29, 28, 27) and is the only player to start all games in two years (55-straight)...Jayson Obazuaye (15 pts.) and Glean Eddy (11 pts.) notched Big 12 season highs in the home win over Mizzou...Roby's five first half steals vs. Mizzou was his second highest. He had six in the first half at OSU (Jan. 21)...TEAM: CU has been outscored 80.5-68.5 in their last four road games, opponent starters are out-scoring CU by a 66.3-48.3 margin...CU committed only 15 turnovers in the last two games (+9.5 turnover margin)...CU is nine treys from breaking last year's school record of 223...CU has played with a different starting lineup nine times (see page 5).
CU CONFERENCE LEADERS: Marcus Hall remains first in assist-turnover ratio (2.28) for all games played. In conference-only games, Hall ranks second overall (2.1) behind A.J. Abrams of Texas (2.63). As for the team in conference-only games, the Buffaloes are first in blocked shots (5.9) and offensive rebounds (8.8).
18+ WINNING SEASONs: In CU's 105-year history of basketball, head coach Ricardo Patton has guided the Buffaloes to six of the school's 11, 18-plus winning seasons. With two games remaining in the regular season and at least one game to played in the Big 12 Tournament, CU has a chance for their fourth 20-plus winning season (third under Patton).
Last 18 win season: The last time CU won 18 games was the 2003-04 season. That was also the year the Buffs went 10-6 in conference play and did not get selected for the NCAA Tournament. Only CU and Nebraska (1998-99) won 10 games in the conference and were not invited to the NCAA Tourney. The last 9-7 Big 12 team to make the Big Dance was Texas Tech (2003-04), the same year CU won 10 games.
TALE OF TWO GARDNERS: Missouri guard Thomas Gardner opened the game 8-of-8 from the field, including 3-of-3 from beyond the arc and 3-3 from the charity stripe for 16 points. After senior forward Glean Eddy entered the game and was assigned of stopping Gardner, he then went 1-of-10 from the field and 0-4 from three-point range, scoring only three points. Eddy finished with a Big 12 season best 13 points and was named the ESPN Plus Defensive Player of the Game.
STEPPING UP: Seniors Jayson Obazuaye (15 pts.) and Glean Eddy (11 pts.) notched Big 12 season highs in the home win over Mizzou helping CU rally from their biggest deficit of the season (15 points). It's Eddy's second straight game with scoring double-digits after netting 10 at Nebraska.
HALL MARK: Marcus Hall dished out a season-high nine assists in just 25 minutes against Missouri?most of them after returning to the game when his left shoulder was dislocated and then popped back into place. With 278 assists in his career, Hall is only four away from tying Chauncey Billups for 10th place an CU's all-time career assists list. If he dishes out assists at roughly the same rate next season, he has a good chance to move into the top five before his career is finished.
ROBY BITS: A career 74 percent free throw shooter, Richard Roby has been clutch from the line as of late. In his past five conference games, he is a combined 26-of-28 (.929) from the charity stripe. His improved scoring output from the line has helped to offset his shooting slump from behind the three-point arc. In the past five games, Roby has shot just 7-of-36 (.194) from the three-point line...on the other end of the court, Roby has continued to reek havoc on opposing ball-handlers. He had five steals against the Tigers?all in the first half. He has recorded two or more swipes in his last six games, and in 16 of 25 overall this season.
FREEMAN FACTS: Martane Freeman continues to impress with his efficiency off the bench. In just 11 minutes against Missouri, he tallied eight points to go along with two blocked shots. In his last two games, he has scored 19 points in 28 minutes off of 8-of-14 (.571) shooting.
BIG 12 LEADERS: Marcus Hall still leads the conference (all games) in assist-turnover ratio (2.13) and is CU's lone leader in any category. In all games played, CU ranks first in scoring (79.6), offensive rebounding (15.5), and 3-pointers made (8.8). In conference-only games, the Buffs are first in 3-pointers made (9.3), blocks (6.0), and offensive rebounding (15.6).
CU vs. Ranked Teams: Colorado is 1-1 against ranked teams in 2005-06; the win over Oklahoma snapped a three-game losing streak against ranked teams; its last win was 88-79 over No. 23 Texas last February 8 in Boulder. CU last beat a ranked OU team on January 19, 2000, when the Buffs beat the No. 17 Sooners 88-80.
TRIPLE THREAT: Not only are the Buffs on pace to break their record of 223 three-pointers in a season, set last year, but their .363 percentage from behind the arc is easily CU's best since the introduction of the three-point line in 1986-87. The best three-point percentage for an entire season was in 2003-04 when the Buffs made 188-of-505 treys (.372).
TOP 25 RANKINGS: Colorado was ranked for two weeks as the No. 25 school in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. The back-to-back weekly ranking were the first since the 1996-97 season. This week the Buffs received 22 votes in the coaches' poll, while in the AP poll, received 13 votes. Prior to last week, CU last made either poll in 1997 at No. 24 (Associated Press). The others were 1969 (#18), 1963 (#10), 1962 (#9) and 1955 (#15).
FREE THROWS WHEN IT COUNTS: For most of the season, CU's not very good from the charity stripe (10 on Big 12-only, 11th in conference all games). In their last three games they?re shooting with the best team nationally, 76-of-102 (.745) including 11-for-11 performance at Kansas State (Feb. 18). Here's CU at the free throw line with the game on the line with five minutes remaining:
With 2-5 minutes to play...
Chris Copeland 5-5 1.000
Marcus Hall 3-3 1.000
Julius Ashby 1-1 1.000
Martane Freeman 14-18 .778
Dominique Coleman 4-6 .667
Richard Roby 8-13 .615
Calvin Williams 3-6 .500
Antoine McGee 1-2 .500
Scott Senger 1-2 .500
Jayson Obazuaye 1-4 .250
Lamont Arrington 0-1 .000
last 2 minutes remaining ...
Glean Eddy 3-4 .750
Andy Osborn 3-4 .750
Marcus Hall 8-11 .727
Chris Copeland 6-9 .667
Dominique Coleman 4-6 .667
Martane Freeman 4-7 .571
Richard Roby 7-13 .539
Calvin Williams 1-3 .333
Jayson Obazuaye 1-2 .500
Overtime
Richard Roby 0-1 .000
STREAKS, RUNS, TRENDS: Marcus Hall has at least five or more assists in 12 games; two or more steals in 10 games; two of more treys in nine games; and 50 percent of FGs made in nine games. Richard Roby has had seven or more rebounds in 10 games; made 50 percent of his shots in 10 games; three treys made in 10 games; four or more assists (six games), three or more steals (10 games) and has at least three rebounds in 24 of 25 games (at KSU);
- Andy Osborn has made a three-pointer in his last 21 of 22 games 0-for-5 vs. Mizzou, and 23 of 25 overall;
- Chris Copeland has blocked a shot in 17 of 25 games;
- Marcus King-Stockton has at least one rebound in 23 of 25 games;
- Julius Ashby has at least one rebound in all 17 games he's played in.