Colorado Hosts USC In WNIT Quarterfinal Sunday
THE GAME: The University of Colorado hosts future Pacific-12 Conference rival University of Southern California in a Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) quarterfinal game on Sunday, March 21, at 1 p.m. at the Coors Events Center.
BROADCAST: Sunday's WNIT quarterfinal game will be broadcast live on KKZN AM 760. Mike Rice will give the play by play with USA Basketball's Carol Callan with the color commentary. Live internet audio of all CU basketball games is available on BuffsRadio, a free subscription service through CUBuffs.com. Live internet video streaming of Sunday's game is available on BuffsTV, also a subscription service through CUBuffs.com. Please note the BuffsRadio audio and BuffsTV video are separate subscriptions.
MEN TO BE RECOGNIZED: The CU men's basketball team who advanced to the semifinals of the NIT last Tuesday will be recognized at halftime of Sunday's quarterfinal WNIT game. The men, who play Alabama on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden in New York, will depart Sunday afternoon, following the women's game.
POSTSEASON FACTS: Colorado is in postseason play for the 19th time in team history with an overall record of 29-18. The Buffs played in four AIAW Tournaments from 1979-82 (5-4) and have made 12 NCAA Tournament Appearances (17-12).
- This is Colorado's third trip to the postseason WNIT, with an overall record of 7-2. The Buffaloes also participated in the 1999 event (1-1) and reached the 2008 semifinals (3-1).
- CU is 20-5 all-time at home in postseason (12-3 NCAA, 6-2 WNIT, 2-0 AIAW) and has won eight of its last nine.
- With its 70-58 third round win over Wyoming, Colorado improved to 2-6 all-time on an opponent's home court in the postseason (AIAW, NCAA). The Buffaloes first ever NCAA Tournament win was other road triumph, at Eastern Illinois (78-72) on March 16, 1988.
- Colorado's win over Wyoming was its first ever postseason WNIT road game. All eight of CU's previous games had been played at the Coors Events Center.
- Colorado is 2-0 in WNIT first round games (CU had a first round bye in 2008); CU has won its first WNIT game all three years it has participated.
- Colorado head coach Linda Lappe has coached in the WNIT before, but this is the first time as a head coach. She was on the Drake staff that went to WNIT's in 2004 and '06.
- Lappe was a true freshman on CU's 1999 WNIT team
- Colorado's three seniors Brittany Spears, Britney Blythe and Chelsea Dale were freshmen on CU's 2008 WNIT team. Spears started all four games while Dale played in the semifinal against Marquette. Blythe did not see action in the four games.
- CU assistant coach Jennie Baranczyk was an assistant on the Marquette team that defeated Colorado in the 2008 WNIT semifinals, eventually winning the tournament title.
CU IN THE WNIT
1999 (1-1)
First Round: at Colorado 70, BYU 53
Second Round: Drake 82, at Colorado 66
2008 (3-1)
First Round: BYE
Second Round: at Colorado 82, Gonzaga 68
Third Round: at Colorado 64, Villanova 58
Quarterfinals: at Colorado 96, TCU 90 (OT)
Semifinals: Marquette 86, at Colorado 72
2011 (3-0)
First Round: at Colorado 71, UC Riverside 62
Second Round: at Colorado 81, California 65
Third Round: Colorado 70, at Wyoming
THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 18-15 overall after winning its third round WNIT game, 70-58, at Wyoming. The Buffaloes have played well down the stretch, winning six of their last eight games. The Buffaloes finished their final Big 12 regular season tied with Kansas for eighth place in the league standings at 6-10. Colorado was the No. 9 seed in the 2011 Phillips 66 Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship, falling to the No. 8 seed Jayhawks, 71-45, in a first round game on March 8. Colorado has its most overall wins since the 2008 WNIT semifinal team finished 19-15, and its best league mark since finishing 6-10 in 2007. The Buffaloes are wrapping up their affiliation with the Big 12 and gearing up for Pac-12 Conference competition beginning in 2011-12.
Colorado's averages 62 points per game while shooting 40 percent from the field. Defensively the Buffaloes allow 62 points per outing while opponents are shooting just under 40 percent. Numbers favor Colorado a little more from long range with the Buffaloes hitting 34 percent from downtown, and have 55 more 3-pointers than their opponents who have shot just 30 percent. The opposition has the advantage from the line, having just over 100 more free-throws made and attempted than the Buffs, shooting at 71.7 percent compared to 66.1 percent for CU. Colorado has been winning the battle of the boards, outrebounding or equaling its opponent in 23-of-33 games (more on CU rebounding below).
All-Big 12 first team senior guard/forward Brittany Spears leads CU and ranks fourth in the Big 12 in scoring at 18.7 points per game. She is also first in defensive rebounds (6.0 drpg), third in rebounding (8.2 rpg), fourth in 3-point field goals (2.3 3mpg), sixth in free-throw percentage (.822), 10th in steals (1.8 spg) and 11th in blocked shots (1.2 bpg).
Spears is averaging 23.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals over the past eight games in which CU is 6-2. In CU's second round win over California, she put up a team season-high 33 points, including a career-best 14 field goals.
She has logged double digits in scoring in 31-of-33 games this season and in 110-of-126 career outings. Spears' 110 career games in double-figures are the most in team history as she passed Lisa Van Goor, who had 108 from 1980-85, against Cal. Her 31 double-figure games this tie her with Tera Bjorklund (2002-03) for the fourth most on the team charts. Spears also leads the team in rebounding (8.2 rpg), 3-point field goals (77) and blocks (39) and is second in steals (60).
Sophomore guard Chucky Jeffery leads Colorado in steals (2.6 spg) and assists (4.3 apg) and ranks second on the team in scoring (13.6 ppg) and rebounding (8.1 rpg). Jeffery joins Spears with nine double-doubles this season, etching her ninth with a team-high 19 points and 12 rebounds against UC Riverside. Jeffery's 125 assists this year are the most by a CU player since Mandy Nightingale had 161 in 2001-02 and 17th on CU's single-season list.
Jeffery, who recorded the second triple-double in team history by recording 10 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists against Loyola Chicago, is second in the Big 12 in defensive rebounds (6.0 drpg) while ranking third in steals (2.6 spg), fourth in overall rebounding, seventh in assists, 11th in field-goal percentage (.470), 15th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.1), and 16th in scoring.
Sophomore guard/forward Meagan Malcolm-Peck is averaging 7.0 points and 4.7 rebounds and is second on the team in 3-point field goals (38) and third in blocked shots (16). Malcolm-Peck scored a season-high 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against Baylor, her third double-double of the season. She scored 13 points in the win over Cal along with five rebounds and two assists. Malcolm-Peck had the league's fifth best 3-point percentage during Big 12 games at 40.8 percent (20-of-49) and is 10th on the league's overall season charts at 36.9 percent (36-of-98). Malcolm-Peck is 14th on CU's all-time list for 3-pointers made with 60. She has hit 8-of-16 (.500) from the field in CU's three WNIT games.
Junior forward Julie Seabrook is averaging 5.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting a team best 48.6 percent from the field (71-of-146). She has shot 60 percent or better in 16 games, and 50 percent or better in 20 outings. Seabrook has four games of double-digit rebounds, including a season-best 11 boards in the home win over Missouri.
Freshman guard Brittany Wilson is averaging 7.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game and is one of three Buffs -- joining Spears and Jeffery -- with at least 30 assists and 30 steals. Her 36 total steals rank sixth among freshmen in the Big 12. She has 12 games of scoring double-digits this season and is averaging 11.7 points on 48.3 percent shooting (14-of-29) in CU's three WNIT games.
Senior guard Britney Blythe has had recent success from downtown making 20 of her last 48 (.417). Blythe hit the clutch go-ahead 3-pointer against Missouri with just 14.1 seconds left, giving the Buffs a 61-59 lead. She hit 39.6 percent from deep during the Big 12 season, ranking eighth on the league charts.
Freshman center Rachel Hargis is becoming a solid player off the bench, especially on the defensive side. Hargis ranks second on the team in blocked shots with 24, which is also the third best total among freshmen in the Big 12. She stepped it up in that category during league play. Sixteen of those 24 blocks, came during the conference schedule ranking 11th on the league charts, including a personal-best four at Iowa State. Her overall season average of 0.7 blocks per game ranks 15th on the league ledger.
ABOUT THE TROJANS: USC is 22-12 overall and has won six of its last seven games, including WNIT road wins over Nevada (78-59) in the second round and BYU (62-50) in the third. The Trojans finished tied for fourth in the Pac-10 Conference regular season standings at 10-8. USC averages just under 69 points per game while shooting 40 percent from the field. The Trojans' defense holds opponents to 66 points an outing and 39 percent from the field.
All Pac-10 forward Briana Gilbreath leads the Trojans' balanced scoring attack at 14.6 points per game. The media's choice for the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year, Gilbreath also tops USC in rebounding (7.3 rpg), blocks (47) and steals (84). Junior guard Ashley Corral is second on the team in scoring (12.3 ppg) while dishing out a team-best 3.7 assists per game. Junoir guard Jacki Gemelos checks in at 12 points an outing and is second on the team in blocks (25) and steals (47). All Pac-10 freshman team forward Cassie Harberts averages 10.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.
SERIES RECORDS: This will be the sixth meeting between future Pac-12 rivals Colorado and USC, with the Trojans holding a 3-2 lead, winning the last three. All five prior meetings have come in the last eight years, including a 68-54 USC decision this season in Los Angeles in the first round of the Trojans' Women of Troy Tournament.
The Buffaloes won the first two games, taking both ends of a home-and-home series in 2002 and 2003. USC claimed the two prior to this season, a 76-57 win in Boulder on Dec. 2, 2006 and a 70-57 decision at the Galen Center on Nov. 18, 2007.
Colorado is 36-25 all-time against its future conference foes in the Pac-10, soon to be Pac-12. CU snapped a five-game skid against the league with its second round WNIT win over California.
CONNECTIONS: Colorado sports five players from California on its roster, four of which come from the greater Los Angeles area. Brittany Spears is from Pasadena, Chelsea Dale is from Palos Verdes Estates and the Wilson twins, Ashley and Brittany, hail from Long Beach. The Wilson's were high school teammates with USC redshirt Thaddesia Southall at Long Beach Poly. CU senior guard Britney Blythe is from San Mateo, located in the Bay Area. USC head coach Michael Cooper was assistant coach for the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2004-05 and was actually the interim head coach for 14 games following former CU men's coach Jeff Bzdelik. Cooper played 12 years and won five NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers from 1979-90.
REGULAR SEASON-POSTSEASON: This will mark the third time in the NCAA era that CU has faced an opponent in the postseason that it played in the regular season (not including conference tournaments), and the Buffaloes will be looking for their first win in that scenario. CU head coach Linda Lappe will be involved in all three instances as she was a player for the first two.
Season Opponent First Game Postseason
2001-02 Oklahoma L 67-78 (A) L 60-94 NCAA Elite 8
2002-03 Villanova L 54-59 (H) L 51-53 NCAA Sweet 16
2010-11 USC L 54-68 (A) ?? WNIT Quarterfinal
MORE FROM THE POSTSEASON: Colorado's 81 points against Cal was a season high and its most since a 92-43 win over Grambling State on Dec. 29, 2009. CU's 50 first half points were the most this season, and the most in any half since the Buffs led 53-11 at halftime against Southern Utah in Boulder on Dec. 19, 2009. The 27-point lead (50-23) was CU's biggest at halftime this season (eclipsing the 25-point edge, 42-17, over Regis in the season opener), and was the biggest since leading San Jose State 46-13 on Dec. 22, 2009 (one game after the SUU game). In addition, the 50 points are the most by CU in a postseason first half since 51 versus Oregon in Boulder in the second round of the 1994 NCAA Tournament (and the most in any postseason half since scoring 54 in the second half of a 102-93 loss to Oklahoma in the 2001 Big 12 Tournament semifinals).
Brittany Spears' 33-point outburst over California was the fourth highest postseason total in team history, and tops in WNIT play. Her performance was a team season high for points and overall her third career 30-point performance (36 vs. UMass on Nov. 28, 2008 and 34 at Missouri on Feb. 23, 2010 in OT).
Colorado's 30-Point Postseason Scorers
38 Susan Horner vs. Weber State (AIAW), 3/10/79
35 Isabelle Fijalkowski vs. Georgia (NCAA), 3/25/95
34 Tera Bjorklund vs. North Carolina (NCAA), 3/24/03
33 Brittany Spears vs. California (WNIT), 3/21/11
32 Jackie McFarland vs. Villanova (WNIT), 3/27/08
32 Tera Bjorklund vs. Oklahoma (Big 12), 3/12/03
32 Jamillah Lang vs. Nebraska (Big 8), 3/6/94
32 Jamillah Lang vs. Southern Illinois (NCAA), 3/18/92
30 Jackie McFarland vs. TCU (WNIT), 3/30/08
30 Debbie Descano at BYU (AIAW), 3/7/80
SHOOTING WELL IN POSTSEASON: Colorado is scoring 74 points per game during WNIT play, 13 better than its season average. Success from the field has played a major role. The Buffaloes have been red hot, hitting 50.6 from the field (78-of-154) and 45.3 percent from 3-point range (24-of-53). Colorado is just a hair under 40 percent for the entire season and 33.8 percent from deep.
Chucky Jeffery is hitting 60 percent from the field over the last three games (15-of-25) and was a perfect 5-for-5 at Wyoming. Brittany Spears is at 52.7 percent overall (29-of-55) and 50 percent from 3-point range (11-of-22). Meagan Malcolm-Peck is also at 50 percent from the field overall (8-of-16). Brittany Wilson is at 48.3 percent (14-of-2), 12 percent better than her season average.
SPEARS ALL-BIG 12: Senior Brittany Spears has been named to the 2010-11 All-Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball First Team the league office announced on March 7.
Spears is Colorado's fifth All-Big 12 First Team honoree and the third different player to earn that distinction. Tera Bjorklund earned back-to-back first team awards in 2002-03 and 2003-04 as did Jackie McFarland in 2006-07 and 2007-08. It's the second all-league citation for Spears, as she was a second team pick in 2008-09. Overall, it's the 14th All-Big 12 honor for the Buffaloes.
BIG 12 RECORD FINALIZED: Colorado finished its 15 years in the Big 12 with a regular season conference record of 100-140 (.417). The Buffaloes claimed win No. 100 with their 64-61 win at Nebraska on March 5.
RANKING NUMBERS: Colorado dropped to 2-3 this season against ranked teams after its loss to No. 3 Baylor, but the Buffaloes still have multiple wins against ranked teams in the same season for the first time since 2007-08.
Colorado's 66-60 overtime win over No. 17/16 Iowa State on Jan. 15 in Boulder 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 the 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. The win marked the first time in history that a non-ranked Colorado team has beaten a ranked ISU squad.
Colorado's 73-68 win over No. 16/15 Oklahoma, was the first win over a ranked Sooner team since a 69-64 decision in Norman on Feb. 3, 1995 (CU was ranked No. 4, OU No. 25). It was the first unranked CU team to beat an OU ranked team since a 94-80 win on Jan. 27, 1987, OU was ranked No. 23 in the coaches poll.
LAPPE IN ELITE COACHING COMPANY: Colorado's Linda Lappe is the only rookie NCAA Division I head coach to beat a ranked opponent this season, and her teams have achieved it twice, knocking off No. 17/16 Iowa State and No. 16/15 Oklahoma.
Of 35 coaches in Division I that are in the first season at the helm of their respective programs, including those who have been head coaches elsewhere, there are six wins against ranked teams. Lappe has two of those wins, Missouri's Robin Pingeton (formerly of Illinois State) three and Houston's Todd Buchanan (formerly of Houston Baptist) the other.
Additionally, Lappe is one of just three NCAA I rookie head coaches to lead her team into postseason play. Toyelle Wilson led Prairie View A&M to the Southwestern Athletic Conference title and an NCAA appearance. Illinois State's Stephanie Glance led the Redbirds into the WNIT.
CURRENT BIG 12 COACHES, FIRST YEAR (In order of overall wins):
Coach First Season Record (Big 12)
Gail Goestenkors, Texas 2007-08^ 22-13 (7-9)
Kim Mulkey, Baylor 2000-01* 21-9 (9-7)
Deb Patterson, Kansas State 1996-97* 19-12 (9-7)
Linda Lappe, Colorado 2010-11# 18-15 (6-10)
Bill Fennelly, Iowa State 1996-97* 17-10 (9-7)
Kristy Curry, Texas Tech 2006-07 15-16 (6-10)
Robin Pingeton, Missouri 2010-11 13-18 (5-11)
Bonnie Henrickson, Kansas 2004-05 12-16 (5-11)
Gary Blair, Texas A&M 2003-04 9-19 (2-14)
Connie Yori, Nebraska 2002-03 8-20 (1-15)
Kurt Budke, Oklahoma State 2005-06 6-22 (0-16)
Sherri Coale, Oklahoma 1996-97 5-22 (1-15)
*NCAA 1st Round; ^NCAA 2nd round; #WNIT
BUFFS REBOUNDING: One of Colorado's strengths this year is rebounding. The Buffaloes are currently averaging 38.8 rebounds per game while allowing just 34.7 per contest.
Colorado has equaled or outrebounded 23-of-33 opponents this season, and five of those games where CU was outrebounded, it was by two or fewer boards. Colorado equaled or outrebounded nine Big 12 opponents this year compared to just four of 16 Big 12 games in 2010.
CU pulled down a season high 53 rebounds in the home win over Missouri, tying for the most ever by the Buffaloes in a Big 12 game. CU also had 53 in a 69-40 win at Texas A&M on Feb. 8, 1997. Colorado's 20 offensive rebounds were its most in a Big 12 game since grabbing 20 in a 67-53 win over Texas on Feb. 16, 2008. Colorado's plus-18 rebound margin against Nebraska at home (45-27) was its most in a Big 12 game since out dueling Texas 50-29 (+21) on the boards on Feb. 16, 2008.
ON THE DEFENSIVE END: Second shot opportunities have been at a premium against Colorado as the Buffaloes rank second in the Big 12 in defensive rebounding percentage. When an opponent's shot goes up, Colorado claims the defensive board 71.2 percent of the time (857/1204), trailing only Iowa State at 74.1 percent (919/1240). The Buffaloes have given up the second fewest offensive rebounds in the Big 12 this season (347). CU ranks fourth in overall rebounding defense at 34.7.
CU DOUBLES: Colorado is the only school in the Big 12 with two players sporting nine or more double-doubles this season. Senior Brittany Spears and sophomore Chucky Jeffery are tied for third in the Big 12 with nine double-doubles each.
Big 12 Double-Double Leaders
14 Toni Young, Oklahoma State
14 Danielle Adams, Texas A&M
9 Brittany Spears, Colorado
9 Chucky Jeffery, Colorado
9 Brittney Griner, Baylor
9 Kathleen Nash, Texas
9 Carolyn Davis, Kansas
Spears has 31 career double-doubles, ranking fourth on CU's all-time list. Jeffery's career total is 10 after her 19-point, 12-rebound performance UC Riverside. The duo each had a double-double in the UC Riverside game, the fourth time this season the Buffaloes have had two or more players with double-doubles in the same game.
JEFFERY, SPEARS BEST REBOUNDING DUO IN BIG 12: Brittany Spears averages 8.2 rebounds per game and Chucky Jeffery is at 8.1, ranking third and fourth on the Big 12 charts. The CU duo's 16.3 boards per outing is the best mark for a pair of teammates in the Big 12:
1. Brittany Spears (8.2), Chucky Jeffery (8.1), Colorado 16.3
2. Kathleen Nash (7.9), Ashley Gayle (7.3), Texas 15.2
3. Brittney Griner (7.7), Melissa Jones (7.0), Baylor 14.7
4. Carolyn Davis (7.4), Aishah Sutherland (7.2), Kansas 14.6
5. Danielle Adams (8.6), Adaora Elonu (5.8), Texas A&M 14.4
Spears and Jeffery also rank 1-2 overall on the league charts in defensive rebounds, each averaging six per game.
BLYTHE PROTECTS THE ROCK: Senior guard Britney Blythe not only routinely takes on the task of guarding the opponents best offensive back court player, but she's among the best in the Big 12 this season in protecting the ball on the other end.
Blythe has just 34 turnovers this season, seven of which came in the first two games. She has turned the ball over only 27 times in the last 31 games and has had four different strings of two or more games without a turnover.
Blythe leads the Big 12 in fewest turnovers over a 40 minute stretch and is sixth for straight up turnovers per game (minimums are 75 percent of games played and 450 minutes played):
Big 12 Turnovers Per 40 Minutes
Name, School MP TO TO/40 Min
1. Britney Blythe, Colorado 915 34 1.49
2. Jasmyn Otote, Missouri 904 36 1.59
3. Jordan Barncastle, Texas Tech 491 20 1.63
4. Melissa Jones, Baylor 1018 43 1.69
5. Lakyn Garrison, Oklahoma State 860 39 1.81
Big 12 Turnovers Per Game
Name, School GP TO TOPG
1. Jordan Barncastle, Texas Tech 29 20 0.69
2. Maryann Baker, Texas A&M 34 31 0.91
3. Carol Blair-Mobley, Oklahoma State 32 32 1.00
3. Morgan Hook, Oklahoma 34 34 1.00
3. Jessica Periago, Nebraska 31 31 1.00
6. Britney Blythe, Colorado 33 34 1.03
SPEARS BECOMES ALL-TIME LEADING SCORER: Senior guard/forward Brittany Spears scored 21 points in the Big 12 Championship first round game against Kansas and in the process moved past Lisa Van Goor (1980-85) for the program's all-time lead in scoring.
Spears, now with 2,149 points, passed Van Goor on a conventional 3-point play early in the second half. She tied Van Goor at 2,067 with a driving layup in the paint at the 17:04 mark, was fouled, and then scored point No. 2,068 with the ensuing free throw.
Spears is also CU's leader in all-time field-goal attempts with 1,865 as she passed Van Goor's previous mark of 1,787 during the loss to Baylor. On CU's all-time charts, she also ranks first in double-figure scoring games (110), second in minutes (4,169), field-goals made (785), 3-point attempts (687) and starts (126), third in blocked shots (155) and 3-point field-goals made (233), fourth in rebounds (991) and double-doubles (31), seventh in steals (236) and eighth in free-throws made (346).
SPEARS ON BIG 12 CHARTS: With 2,149 points Brittany Spears is the active leading scorer in the Big 12, just ahead Oklahoma's Danielle Robinson who has 2,122. Spears is tied with Iowa State's Angie Welle (1998-02) for seventh on the Big 12's all-time scoring list and also ranks sixth in career field-goal attempts (1,865), eighth in field-goals made (785) and 10th in 3-point attempts (687).
ACADEMIC BUFFS: Sophomore Meagan Malcolm-Peck and junior Julie Seabrook were named to the Academic All-Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball Second Team on Feb. 15, sporting cumulative GPA's above 3.0.
The league academic honor is the second for Seabrook, who was a first team pick in 2010, and the first for Malcolm-Peck, who is in her first season of eligibility for this recognition. Both are majoring in business.
Since the formation of the Big 12 for the 1996-97 season, CU's women's basketball team has had 61 Academic All-Big 12 selections, including 40 first team honorees.
COMMUNITY CHAMPION: Junior Julie Seabrook was named CU's member of the 2011 Winter Chick-fil-A Community of Champions team. One student-athlete at each Big 12 institution is awarded each fall, winter and spring term based on academics, community service, leadership and sportsmanship.
SPEARS' STARTING STREAK: Senior Brittany Spears continues to add to her school records for consecutive overall starts and starts from the beginning of a career, now at 126 straight games. She passed the previous mark of overall consecutive starts set by Amy Mathern (1989-93) with her 113th straight start in the Texas game on Jan. 30. She passed Lisa Van Goor (1980-85) for starts at the beginning of a career, when she started her 101st game against Illinois on Dec. 4. She is tied with Shelley Sheetz (1991-95) for the second most overall starts and will catch Erin Scholz (1993-97) for the all-time lead with her scheduled 127th career start Sunday.
JEFFERY 'STEALS' THE SHOW: Sophomore Chucky Jeffery is third in the Big 12 at 2.6 steals per game. Her 75 steals this season tie her with Bridget Turner (1985-86) and Amy Mathern (1992-93) for seventh on CU's single-season list. She has had six or more steals in four games this season (Regis, Evansville, Colgate and Kansas) and has at least three steals in 14 of 29 games. She 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 also has 125 assists this season, marking only the seventh time in team history a player has had 125 assists and 75 steals. She is the sixth different player to achieve 125 assists and 75 steals and the first since Shelley Sheetz in 1993-94:
Player Season Assists Steals
Ann Troyan 1979-80 177 101
Laurie Welch 1981-82 160 120
Bridget Turner 1985-86 167 75
Bridget Turner 1987-88 166 91
Annan Wilson 1989-90 131 91
Shelley Sheetz 1993-94 128 83
Chucky Jeffery 2010-11 125 75
TOUGH SCHEDULE: Seventeen of Colorado's 30 regular season-conference tournament opponents moved on with the Buffaloes to postseason action. Seven Big 12 teams, plus nonconference foes Dayton and UT-Martin advanced to the NCAA Tournament while Kansas, Oklahoma State, USC and Denver all advanced to the WNIT.
Oklahoma State would be the first out of the four WNIT participants the Buffaloes could meet, potentially a third round matchup. Oklahoma State plays at Wyoming on Monday.
HOME AT THE CECC: Colorado is traditionally tough at home with a 355-119 all-time record at the Coors Events/Conference Center (.749). The Buffaloes have won 10 or more games in a season at the CECC in 22 of the previous 33 years. The Buffaloes have enjoyed five undefeated seasons (1980-83, 1992-94) at the CECC.
BUFFS ON TV: Colorado's regular season schedule featured 10 games televised either regionally or nationally, seven of which were at home. CU's season opener against Regis on Nov. 12 was the first FSN Rocky Mountain televised followed by Colorado State (Dec. 8), North Dakota (Jan. 4), Kansas (Jan. 12), Kansas State (Jan. 26), Nebraska (Feb. 6), Kansas State (Feb. 16), Oklahoma (Feb. 23), at Nebraska (Mar 2) and the Big 12 first round game against Kansas (Mar. 8). The home game against Nebraska was televised nationally on FSN as part of the network's Big 12 package.
CU has appeared on 91 regional or national telecasts over the last 10 seasons.