Buffaloes Make Final Big 12 Trip To Oklahoma State
THE GAME: The University of Colorado makes its final trip to the state of Oklahoma as a member of the Big 12 Conference as the Buffaloes travel to face Oklahoma State University on Tuesday, Jan. 18, at 5 p.m. MST at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater.
BROADCAST: Due to a conflict with the CU men's game, Tuesday's contest will be brodcast on KVCU AM 1190. Mike Rice will handle play-by-play duties while Carol Callan of USA Basketball provides the color commentary. Live internet audio is available on CUBuffs.com, through the BuffsRadio free subscription.
OPENING TIP: Tuesday's battle features three of the Big 12's top double-double performers. Oklahoma State's Toni Young leads the league with eight double-doubles. CU's Chucky Jeffery is right behind Young with seven. Colorado's Brittany Spears is one of four Big 12 players with six double-doubles.
THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 10-6 overall and 1-2 in league play after defeating No. 17 (AP)/16 (WBCA) Iowa State 66-60 in overtime on Jan. 15, snapping a two game losing streak, and an eight-game skid to the Cyclones. Tuesday's bout is CU's lone road game in a 4-of-5 streak at home. Colorado will be out to claim its first road win of the season (0-3) and its first at a Big 12 Southern Division opponent since defeating Baylor in Waco on Jan. 7, 2003.
Colorado has played well defensively this season, giving up just 58 points a game while opponents are only shooting 36 percent from the field. The Buffaloes have been even more stringent from the 3-point line, allowing just 25 percent from beyond the arc, ranking second in the Big 12 and 11th in the nation, through games of Jan. 13. Colorado has also been winning the battle of the boards, outrebounding its opponent in 12 of 16 games and by an average of six boards an outing. The Buffaloes rank fifth in the Big 12 in steals (9.4 spg) and also 3-point field-goals made (6.1 3mpg).
Senior guard/forward Brittany Spears leads CU and ranks fifth in the Big 12 in scoring at 17.5 points per game. She is also fifth in defensive rebounds (5.6 drpg), sixth in 3-point field goals made (2.3 3mpg), eighth in overall rebounding (8.1 rpg), 10th in steals (2.0 spg), and 11th in free-throw percentage (.756) on the league charts. Spears is coming off back-to-back double-doubles last week, registering 18 points and a season-high 12 rebounds in the win over Iowa State following a 16-point, 10-rebound performance against Kansas. Even more impressive in the Iowa State game was her defense, as she tied a personal best with five steals and held ISU's 6-foot-7 center Anna Prins to just four points and three rebounds.
Spears, now with 28 career double-doubles, is averaging 19.8 points and 9.5 rebounds over the last six games. She has logged double digits in 15 of 16 games this season and in 94 of 109 career outings. She also leads the team in blocks (13), is second in steals (32) and tied for third in assists (26).
Sophomore guard Chucky Jeffery is CU's top rebounder (9.2 rpg) while ranking second on the team in scoring at 15.3 an outing. Jeffery has seven double-doubles this season, ranking second in the Big 12, including the second triple-double in team history by recording 10 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists against Loyola Chicago. Jeffery ranks second in the Big 12 in steals at 3.3 per game (49) and is also second in defensive rebounding (6.6 drpg), third in overall boards, sixth in assists (4.7 apg), seventh in minutes (32.9), 11th in offensive rebounds (2.6 orpg), 12th in scoring and field-goal percentage (.492) and 15th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.1). Jeffery missed the Iowa State game with a concussion suffered in the loss to Kansas, she continues to be listed as day-to-day.
Sophomore guard/forward Meagan Malcolm-Peck is averaging 7.9 points and 4.9 rebounds and is second on the team in blocked shots (12). She is averaging 8.8 points and 5.5 rebounds over the last four games and has made 15 of her last 29 field goal attempts (.517), including 8-of-17 from 3-point range. Malcolm-Peck put together a gutsy performance against Iowa State. Hobbled by a sore ankle, she played just 14 minutes but was extremely effective in her time on the court scoring 10 points on 3-of-4 from the field and drilled a pair of clutch free throws in overtime to extend CU's lead to 66-60 in the closing seconds.
Junior forward Julie Seabrook is averaging 6.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 48 percent from the field (40-of-83). She has shot 60 percent or better in seven of games, and 50 percent or better in nine outings. Seabrook has three games of double-digit rebounds.
Freshman guard Brittany Wilson is averaging 8.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game and is one of three Buffs -- joining Spears and Jeffery -- with at least 20 assists and 20 steals. Since entering the starting lineup against North Dakota, Wilson has averaged 12.5 points while shooting 44 percent (7-of-16) from 3-point range. She had a career-day against Iowa State, replacing Jeffery as the primary point guard. Wilson played all 45 minutes, recording career-highs with 19 points, eight rebounds and eight field-goals made.
Senior Chelsea Dale made her first career start in the win over Iowa State, responding with 11 points and a career-best four assists. In seven games back from missing the fall semester with academic issues, Dale is averaging 5.6 points while grabbing 2.6 rebounds. She had a career-high with 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting in the win over Colgate. Dale's 39 points in seven games back has eclipsed the 29 she scored over 23 games in 2009-10. She made her season debut at USC, contributing 10 points and a career-best five rebounds off the bench in the loss to the Trojans.
ABOUT THE COWGIRLS: Oklahoma State is 12-4 overall and 0-3 in Big 12 play. The Cowgirls' early season league schedule has been difficult. After a conference-opening 63-45 loss at Kansas State, the Cowgirls had back-to-back contests against No. 7/5 Texas A&M and No. 1/1 Baylor. OSU is 10-2 at home this year, its only losses coming to the Aggies and another national power, Duke. Oklahoma State is one of the best defensive teams in the Big 12 allowing opponents just 51.6 points per game, ranking second in the league. The Cowgirls are also allowing opponents just 33 percent from the field while ranking second in the Big 12 in turnover margin (+7.0) and third in steals (10.3 spg).
Sophomore forward Toni Young, who tops the Big 12 in double-doubles with eight, paces the Cowgirls at 14.6 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Freshman guard Tiffany Bias is averaging 9.1 points per game and leads Oklahoma State with 69 assists and 36 steals. Freshman center Vicky McIntyre averages nine points per outing while leading the Cowgirls in field-goal percentage (.542) and blocked shots (30). Senior guard Lakyn Garrison averages 8.7 points per contest and is OSU's top 3-point shooter with 34 on the season.
SERIES RECORDS: This will be the 51st meeting between Colorado and Oklahoma State with the Buffaloes holding a 26-24 series lead. The Cowgirls have claimed the last four and five of the last six. Oklahoma State leads the series 12-8 in Stillwater and has won three at Gallagher-Iba Arena. CU's last win at Oklahoma State was a 64-50 decision on Jan. 22, 2003.
COLORADO AND OKLAHOMA STATE, LAST 10:
Date Result Date Result
1/24/10 (H) L, 63-74 1/22/05 (A) L, 70-76 OT
1/14/09 (A) L, 43-79 2/21/04 (H) W, 72-57
2/2/08 (H) L, 72-81 1/22/03 (A) W, 64-50
1/24/07 (A) L, 58-61 1/12/02 (H) W, 79-57
2/26/06 (H) W, 73-62 1/10/01 (A) W, 65-49
BUFFS BREAK RANKING STREAK: Colorado's 66-60 overtime win over Iowa State broke a string of 24-straight losses to ranked teams and 21-game skid against teams ranked in both AP and WBCA Coaches polls (Iowa State was ranked only in the WBCA poll in one meeting last season as was Kansas State in two meetings in 2008-09). Prior to Saturday's upset, CU's last win over a ranked opponent was a 73-68 decision over No. 15/15 Kansas State on Feb. 23, 2008.
The last time the Buffaloes beat a ranked ISU team was on Jan. 23, 2002, in an 86-73 win at home. At that time, Colorado was ranked 20/19 as ISU secured a 14/10 position in the polls. Saturday's win marked the first time in history that a non-ranked Colorado team has beaten a ranked ISU squad.
FIRST LINEUP SHAKE-UP NETS GREAT RESULTS: After sporting the same starting lineup for the season's first 12 games, the Buffaloes made a switch against North Dakota by giving freshman guard Brittany Wilson her first career start and bringing forward Meagan Malcolm-Peck off the bench, and both players responded in outstanding fashion. Wilson scored 15 points including a career-best four 3-pointers. Malcolm-Peck responded with her second career double-double, finishing with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
JEFFERY 'STEALS' THE SHOW: Sophomore Chucky Jeffery had a career and team season-high seven steals in the win over Colgate. It's the 21st time a Buff has registered seven or more steals in a game, but the first since Damietta Velicica had seven vs. Tulane on December 6, 1997. Jeffery, leads the Big 12 at 3.3 steals per game, has had six steals in three other games this season (Regis, Evansville and Kansas) and has at least three steals in nine of 15 games.
SPEARS' STARTING STREAK: Senior Brittany Spears is scheduled to make her 110th straight career start Tuesday, leaving her just two behind Amy Mathern (1989-93) for the longest streak in team history. Mathern started the final 112 games of her distinguished career. Spears already holds CU's mark for most consecutive starts at the beginning of a career as she passed Lisa Van Goor (1980-85) when she started her 101st game against Illinois on Dec. 4. With her 110th start, she will tie Laurie Welch (1978-82) for the sixth most overall career starts.
DEFENSIVE FEAT A FIRST: Colorado allowed 34 points to Loyola Chicago and 35 points to Texas State, the first time in team history that the Buffaloes have held an opponent below 40 points in consecutive games. The 69 combined points also marks the lowest two-game total in team history, eclipsing the 72 allowed in wins over Texas Southern (64-29) and Dartmouth (57-43), Dec. 14 & 21, 2007.
The 34 points allowed to Loyola Chicago tied for the seventh lowest single-game mark in team history (Southwest Missouri State, March 17, 1995), while the 35 points to Texas State ties for the ninth lowest with three other games (most recently against Kansas on Jan. 16, 2002).
Fast starts have certainly helped, especially at home. Colorado has held six of its 10 home opponents to under 20 first half points.
JEFFERY'S TRIPLE-DOUBLE: Chucky Jeffery recorded the second triple-double in team history by totaling 10 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in the Omni Hotels Classic Championship game against Loyola Chicago. The only other CU triple-double was by Sandy Bean vs. Utah State on Feb. 16, 1979. Bean had 19 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
It marked career highs in both rebounds and assists for Jeffery as well as team season highs in both categories. She's the first CU player with 10 assists in a game since Susie Powers dished out 10 against Pepperdine on Jan. 4, 2008. Jeffery was awarded as the Classic's Most Valuable Player.
Jeffery's triple-double was the 18th in Big 12 Conference history (Baylor's Britteny Griner notched No. 19 the next day, Nov. 28) and she becomes the 11th different Big 12 player to record a triple-double.
SCORING, REBOUND DEFENSE SHINES AGAINST LOYOLA: Chucky Jeffery's triple-double against Loyola Chicago stole the headlines in the Omni Classic Championship game, and deservedly so, but the Buffaloes also notched a couple defensive team milestones of note in that game.
Colorado gave up just 20 rebounds to Loyola, tying for the second fewest in team history. Northern Arizona had just 19 against the Buffaloes on Feb. 7, 1981. On two other occasions the Buffaloes have held an opponent to just 20 rebounds; Dec. 28, 1991 at Washington (a 58-53 loss) and Jan. 21, 1980 vs. Northern Arizona (a 129-47 win).
The Buffaloes +22 rebound margin (44-20) was their most since a +23 margin against Arkansas-Pine Bluff (51-28) on Dec. 2, 2008.
On the scoreboard, CU gave up just 34 points to Loyola, tying for the seventh fewest points allowed in team history and the fewest since giving up just 29 to Texas Southern on Dec. 14, 2007.
LAPPE'S DEBUT: The Regis game marked the official CU debut of head coach Linda Lappe, who joined her six predecessors with a successful debut as CU's women's head coach. Lappe is now 10-6 as head coach of the Buffaloes and 59-42 overall in her fourth season as a collegiate head coach.
CU Head Coaching Debuts:
Date Coach Opponent Result
11/12/10 Linda Lappe Regis (H) W 76-38
11/18/05 Kathy McConnell-Miller Cal State-Fullerton (H) W 100-71
11/18/83 Ceal Barry BYU (H) W 89-72
11/18/80 Sox Walseth Colo. Women's Coll. (H) W 107-73
11/17/78 Rene Portland Colorado State (A) W 83-60
11/20/75 Jerry Zancanelli Colorado State (A) W 53-38
1/17/75 Carol Hochsprung Weber State (H) W 57-54
She claimed her first Big 12 win in CU's 66-60 overtime triumph over Iowa State. Lappe hit another milestone in the loss to Texas A&M as she recorded her 100th game as a collegiate head coach.
SPEARS CLIMBING CAREER LADDERS: Senior guard/forward Brittany Spears scored 18 points against Iowa State, and in the process became the fourth player in team history to reach 1,800 for her career. She is now 45 points behind recent CU Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Tera Bjorklund (2000-04) for third place on CU's all-time scoring list. Spears also ranks second in field-goal attempts (1,557), fourth in field-goals made (662), 3-point field-goal attempts (567) and double-doubles (28), fifth in rebounds (849) and blocked shots (129), sixth in 3-point field-goals made (192), seventh in minutes (3,611) and games started (109), eighth in steals (208), and 12th in free-throws made (297) on CU's all-time charts.
She is only the third player in team history, joining Lisa Van Goor (1980-85) and Jackie McFarland (2004-08) to record 1,800 points and 800 rebounds in a career.