MBB Looks For Big 12 Road Win At Mizzou
FOR STARTERS: Dating back to last season, CU has lost 12-straight Big 12 road games, seven in a row this season (last Big 12 road win, Jan. 21, 2006 at Oklahoma State, 80-78, ot) ... In those 12 road losses, the opponent is outscoring CU, 80.7-to-65.7 and scoring 75 or more points, eight times ... With nine road losses, tonight could tie Coach Patton and the 1999-2000 season with 10. Ten plus road losses in season happened 16 other times in school history and the last time CU lost 19 games occurred in 1988-89 (21 defeats) ... CU is 2-12 in conference play tying the 1992-93 campaign; the last time they lost more than 12 conference game was 1985-86 (0-14). COMPLETE NOTES attached below.
POSITIVE BITS: Dominique Coleman keeps moving up the season rebounding list for guards. With 153 boards so far, he's eighth overall with number one is sight (173, Donnie Boyce, 1993-94) ... Coleman has made 97 field goals this season compared to 48 last year; his assists total has increased from 82-to-57 ... Marcus King-Stockton has 32 blocked shots, compared to only 30 combined in his freshman and sophomore seasons ... Xavier Silas has 279 points for eighth place on CU's freshman scoring list ... Richard Roby's career-best 33 points came at Mizzou (Jan. 14, 2006).
CU at MISSOURI: Mizzou holds a 50-13 advantage over CU in Columbia, however the Buffs pulled out a 74-71 victory at the Mizzou Arena last season for their first win over the Tigers since Jan. 7, 1997.
QUICKLY ON the TIGERs: Missouri brings a 14-4 home record into tonight's game with four of those losses coming in conference play (KU, Nebraska, K-State, Iowa State). Taking the Jayhawks 18-point win in Columbia, Mizzou's three other losses are an average of only 3.3 points...The Tigers' 17 victories this season are their most since a 22-11 record in 2002-03...Freshman Keon Lawrence has scored in double-figures in five of six outings since becoming a starter. MU is 4-2 since he entered the starting lineup...Junior guard Stefhon Hannah has led Mizzou in scoring in eight of the last nine contests. He has reached double-digit points in 23 outings, including six in a row...Hannah has shot 50 percent or better 15 times this season and has been perfect from the free throw line on eight occasions.
HOOK SHOTS: Richard Roby is the eighth player in CU history to score more than 1,400 career points (1,403 in 84 games). Only one player in school history - Cliff Meely from 1969-71 - has done it in fewer games (1,940 in 80)... Xavier Silas has double-digit scoring in nine of his past 11 games. He has 58 points in the last four contests (14.5 ppg.)...Roby stands 26 points from seventh (Michel Morandais, 1428). Roby has made 10 FGs in a game four times this season...Roby has led CU in scoring three straight games (22.0 ppg. )...In his last six games, Dominique Coleman is averaging 12.0 ppg., 8.5 rpg., 20 assists, nine steals and shooting 26-for-43 (.605). Coleman has six or more rebounds in 12 of the last 14 games...Coleman has led CU in assists (12 times), steals (11 times), rebounding (nine times)...In Big 12-only stats, Marcus King-Stockton is tied for first (21 blks., 1.5 a game)...In 10 road games, Roby (16.4 ppg.) and Silas (12.1 ppg.) are averaging 10 or more pts. TEAM: The Buffs have allowed eight Big 12 opponents to shoot 50% FG or better...CU has used 13 different starting combos...The opponent has 19 more 3-pointers (57 pts.) than CU at their own arena (Mizzou averages 8.1)...The last time the Buffs finished with one road win was 1995-96 ..In 14 conference games, CU has netted 60 points or less in five games (seven overall).
ON THE ROAD IN THE BIG 12: Since the Big 12 formed (1996-97), CU has played 87 regular season games on the road. Heading into 2006-07, the Buffaloes under Coach Patton are 21-66 (.241). That means an average of 2.1 wins a season and 5.9 losses in eight road games. The highest win total was 4-4 in 1996-97; their lowest was one win in each of the 2002-03 (Baylor), 2001-02 (A&M) and 1999-2000 K-State) seasons.
X Factor: After missing the game at Iowa State with a left ankle impingement, freshman Xavier Silas remains a force in the CU lineup, perhaps better in the starting lineup. In 15 starts, Silas averages 13.4 ppg. and 4.1 rpg., 68-for-161 from the field (.422) and has led the team in scoring five times. He's come off the bench in pair of home games, Kansas State and Kansas as well as the first six games of the season.In those eight games, Silas is averaging 9.8 ppg., 3.3 rpg. and shooting 26-for-77 from the field (.338). He also has 11 3-pointers.
LONG DISTANCE IS BETTER: If you look at his overall stats, freshman Kal Bay is second on the team in treys made (39). Bay has a higher percentage from the arc (.368) than the rest of the field (.338). In fact, 39 of his 45 made field goals are treys. In 14 Big 12 games, Bay has 18 3-pointers, four from the rest of the field.
SIXTH MAN...no more: With two games coming off the bench for the first time in his career (KU, Feb. 14; at Texas Tech, Feb. 17) Richard Roby returned to the starting up at Iowa State responding with 23 points and seven rebounds. His 21 shots from the field were the most since firing 24 back on Dec. 4 against Pepperdine. His two-game total in a reserve role was 12.0 ppg. 5.5 rpg. and 10-for-21 FG% (.476).
Hyphenated NAMES: Finally did some research and CU has the only two hyphened names (Marcus King-Stockton and Jermyl Jackson-Wilson) in seven college basketball conferences (Big 12, ACC, SEC, Missouri Valley, Big East, Pacific-10, Big 10).
LAST TIME OUT (complete box on page 27): Junior Richard Roby led the Buffs with 26 points, but Colorado could not hold a half-time lead, as the hot-shooting Wildcats shot 67 percent from the floor in the second half to win 87-71 Saturday afternoon. Freshman Xavier Silas chipped in 17 points for the Buffs. Cartier Martin came off the bench to score 19, Clent Stewart added 16 and Blake Young had 13. It's also the first time the Wildcats (20-9, 9-5 Big 12) have won 20 games in the regular season since 1987-88. They won 20 in 1998-99 but didn't record No. 20 until the Big 12 Tournament. The Buffaloes (6-18, 2-12) lost their ninth game at Coors Events Center this season, the most home losses in school history. They've now dropped five straight and nine of their last 10.
TOP-10 SHOOTER: Richard Roby ranks among the top-10 field goals attempts list. Entering tonight's game, Roby has 1,154 attempts good enough for sixth place at CU. As for field goals made, Roby is a bit behind Scott Wedman's 10th place of 516. Roby has 481 field goals made.
HALL ALMOST ELIGIBLE: With a few more weeks remaining in the 2006-07 season, the countdown for Marcus Hall is also beginning for his senior year in 2007-08. The 6'1" guard from Houston, Texas will join seniors Richard Roby and Marcus King-Stockton along with a talent returning group. Hall has played 88 career games played (44 starts) and averages 8.3 points and 3.4 assists per game. He ranks ninth on the school's all-time assist list (295), 10th in 3-pointers made (99) and 19th in steals (82). Hall was also one of the captains on the 2005-06 team.
FTs WHEN IT COUNTS: After 24 games, here's the best under pressure from the free throw line with under five minutes to play.
last 2 minutes remaining
Kal Bay 6-6 1.000
Richard Roby 3-4 .750
Dominique Coleman 14-19 .737
Jermyl Jackson-Wilson 2-3 .667
Xavier Silas 6-10 .600
Marcus King-Stockton 1-2 .500
Marc Van Burck 1-2 .500
Sean Kowal 1-4 .250
Jeremy Williams 0-1 .000
James Inge 0-2 .000
Chase Perkowski 0-2 .000
2-5 minutes to play
Chase Perkowski 2-2 1.000
Richard Roby 19-23 .826
Jermyl Jackson-Wilson 3-4 .750
Xavier Silas 9-12 .750
Sean Kowal 3-4 .750
Jeremy Williams 5-8 .625
Dominique Coleman 2-6 .500
Dwight Thorne II 1-2 .500
Marcus King-Stockton 1-3 .333
Kal Bay 0-1 .000