Buffs Play Regular Season Finale Sunday at OSU

THE GAME: No. 19 (AP & USA Today Sports/Coaches) ranked University of Colorado will play its final regular season game at Oregon State University on Sunday, March 3, at 1 p.m. MST at Gill Coliseum in Corvallis, Ore.

BROADCAST: Sunday's game will be broadcast live on KKZN AM 760. Mike Rice will have the play-by-play with Carol Callan of USA Basketball providing the color commentary. A live video stream will be available at this link: http://www.osubeavers.com/allaccess/?media=376235.  

OPENING TIP: Colorado is out for its 13th conference win which would trail only the program's two perfect Big Eight campaigns -- 14-0 in 1989 and '95 -- in terms of number of league victories.

ABOUT THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 23-5 overall and in fourth place in the Pac-12 at 12-5. The Buffaloes have locked in the No. 4 seed, and a first round bye, for the 2013 Pac-12 Tournament to be played March 7-10 at Key Arena in Seattle. The Buffaloes will play on Friday, March 8, against the winner of the No. 5-12 game, which is also set in a match up of Washington and Oregon. Colorado could still finish in a tie for third place in the final league standings if UCLA (13-4) loses at Arizona on Sunday, but the Bruins own the tiebreaker and the No. 3 seed regardless of Sunday's outcomes.

The Buffaloes have a 20-win season for the 19th time in team history. Colorado's 23 wins are its most since CU's 2002-03 team went 24-8. The 23 wins in the regular season are the most since the 1994-95 squad won 24 en route to a school-record 30-3 finish. Colorado's 12 conference wins are its most since the 1996-97 squad finished 12-4 in the first year of the Big 12. The 12 wins also double the Buffaloes' league total from 2011-12 (6-12).

Colorado has won eight straight, its longest win streak within conference games since a similar eight-game run in 2001-02. All five of Colorado's losses have come to ranked teams, four against Stanford and California, ranked No. 7 or better at the time. The combined record of the three teams the Buffaloes have lost to this year is 75-10 with six of those losses coming against each other. UCLA was swept by Cal and Stanford. The Bay Area schools split their series earlier this season.

Colorado averages 65.9 points per game on 40.7 percent shooting from the field. Defensively, CU allows 53.4 points and has held opponents to 34.7 percent shooting for the year. Colorado ranks second in the Pac-12 and 10th in the nation in rebounding margin at +9.0, and 19th in the nation in field-goal percentage defense.

All-Pac-12 guard Chucky Jeffery leads the team in scoring (13.1 ppg), assists (4.1 apg), rebounds (8.7 rpg) and steals (2.3 spg). She recorded her 10th double-double of the season, and 30th of her career with 12 points and 10 rebounds at Oregon. Eight of her double-doubles have come during conference games. On the Pac-12 leaderboard Jeffery ranks fifth in assists, assist-to-turnover ratio (1.3), overall rebounding and defensive rebounds (6.6 drpg), sixth in steals and 12th in scoring and free-throw percentage.

Redshirt freshman forward Arielle Roberson is second on the team and ranks 15th in the Pac-12 in scoring at 12.5 points per game. She led Colorado at Oregon with 16 points and has averaged 16.3 points over the last four games.  Roberson tops the Buffaloes in free-throws made and attempted (86-of-129) and also ranks second on the team in rebounding (5.6 rpg). Roberson ranks ninth in offensive rebounds (2.8 orpg) on the Pac-12 leaderboard.

Junior guard Brittany Wilson ranks second on the team in steals (1.5 spg) and assists (2.3 apg) while coming in fourth in scoring at 8.4 points per contest. Wilson collected three steals against Oregon, helping toward the team's total of 13 and the 15th double-figure steal game of the season. She scored 13 points in the win over Washington and had a solid weekend overall from the field, hitting 60 percent (9-of-15). Wilson is second on the team in 3-pointers made (27) and has hit 78.3 percent from the free-throw line.

Sophomore forward Jen Reese has made a successful return from an eye injury that kept her out of the final nine games of 2011-12. She is third on the team in scoring (9.0 ppg) and rebounding (4.9 rpg) while hitting 44.4 percent from the field and a team-best 81.4 percent from the foul line. Reese had nine points at Oregon, just missing what would have been her fifth straight game in double-figures. She is 15th in field-goal percentage and 29th in scoring in the Pac-12.

Junior center Rachel Hargis is the only Buffalo to start all 27 games.

She's been one of Colorado's best defenders all season and has picked up the pace since February. Hargis has a team-best 31 blocked shots and 14 of her season's 24 steals have come during CU's eight-game win streak (1.8 spg). Hargis is 11th in the Pac-12 in blocked shots at 1.1 per outing.

Sophomore Jasmine Sborov has started the last three games for classmate Lexy Kresl. Sborov matched a Pac-12 season best with eight points in the win at Oregon to go along with four rebounds.  Kresl, who remains day-to-day with a shoulder injury leads Colorado in 3-pointers with 31 and is averaging 6.2 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. She ranks 13th in the Pac-12 in 3-pointers made (1.2 3mpg).

Colorado's balance has served them well this season. Aside from Roberson and Jeffery averaging in double figures, six others average between three and nine points per game.  In the home win over Arizona, nine different Buffaloes scored between six and 12 points. At California, nine different Buffs also scored, with seven netting between five and 11 points. Against Oregon eight players scored at least six points. With freshman Jamee Swan leading the team at Stanford with 14 points, she became the sixth different player to lead CU in scoring in a game this year.

ABOUT THE BEAVERS: Oregon State is 10-19 overall and tied with Arizona for 10th in the Pac-12 at 4-13. The Beavers own the tiebreaker over the Wildcats for the 10th seed in the Pac-12 Tournament as the teams met only once this year, a 57-48 OSU win in Tucson on Jan. 11. Oregon State snapped a 10-game losing streak with a come-from-behind, 54-46 win over Utah on Friday. The Beavers trailed by as much as 12 in the first half, and by nine at halftime before outscoring the Utes 34-17 in the final 20 minutes. The Beavers rank last in the Pac-12 in scoring at 57.1 points per game, but boast a solid defense. OSU allows opponents only 34 percent from the field, third in the Pac-12 and the Beavers lead the league in blocked shots at 5.5 per game.

Freshman guard Jamie Weisner leads Oregon State at 12.6 points per game. She's the Beavers' top 3-point shooter with 45 on the season and leads the Pac-12 in 3-point accuracy at 37.8 percent. Sophomore guard Ali Gibson averages 8.8 points a game and leads the Beavers with 51 steals. Freshman forward Deven Hunter tops Oregon State in rebounding at 6.3 while averaging just under five points a contest. Senior center Patricia Bright averages 6.4 points and ranks fourth in the Pac-12 at 1.9 blocks per game.

Scott Rueck is in his third year as head coach at Oregon State with a record of 39-53. He is in his 17th year overall as a collegiate head coach with a career mark of 327-141.

THE SERIES: This will be the sixth meeting between Colorado and Oregon State, with the Buffaloes holding a 4-1 series edge. Colorado has won two of three Pac-12 meetings, including a 61-47 decision in Boulder on Feb. 8.  The two teams split their 2012 meetings, the first as Pac-12 opponents, each holding serve at home. Oregon State won the only prior meeting in Corvallis, last season's 65-45 decision on Feb. 2, 2012.

Colorado head coach Linda Lappe is 2-1 against Oregon State. Scott Rueck is 1-2 against Colorado.

CONNECTIONS: Colorado sports one Oregon native on its roster, sophomore forward Jen Reese hails from Clackamas, and was a two-time Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year.

JEFFERY'S DOUBLE-DOUBLES: Senior guard Chucky Jeffery recorded her 10th double-double of the season and 30th of her career with 12 points and 10 rebounds at Oregon. Eight of her double-doubles have come during Pac-12 games, including six of her last eight. She is only the fourth different CU player to reach 10 double-doubles in one season; and she's the lone guard in the group.

ROBERSON PAC-12 HONORS:  Arielle Roberson was named the Pac-12 Conference Women's Basketball Freshman of the Week for the week of Feb. 18-24, the league office announced on Monday. It is the fourth Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honor for Roberson, and her first during league play. 

Roberson averaged 16.5 points and 8.0 rebounds to lead Colorado to a home sweep of the Washington schools last week. She shot 67 percent from 3-point range and 78 from the foul line as the No. 19 ranked Buffaloes extended their win streak to seven.

Roberson recorded her first career double-double with 17 points and a career-best 13 rebounds in the win over Washington State. Her eight offensive rebounds alone were also a career-best and a team season-high. She added two blocks and two steals with one assist.

She scored 16 points to lead CU in the win over Washington. Roberson made 2-of-3 from 3-point range for the second consecutive game and has made nine of her last 15 from downtown (.600). She was a perfect 6-of-6 from the line, a personal-high for free throws attempted without a miss.

Roberson earned the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week award three times during the nonconference schedule, and was the inaugural recipient of that honor on Nov. 12 after scoring 16 points on 7-of-13 shooting with six rebounds, five steals, two assists and two blocks in her collegiate debut - a 70-65 win over Idaho on Nov. 11.

The Pac-12 added Freshman of the Week to its weekly honors for the first time this season, joining the standard Player of the Week honor which this week went to Arizona's Davellyn Whyte. Roberson has won Freshman of the Week more than any other player, passing three others with three (Jillian Alleyne, Oregon; Lia Galdeira, Washington State; Talia Walton, Washington)

Roberson's honor is CU's seventh weekly award in the Pac-12 since the Buffaloes joined the conference in 2011, and sixth this season alone. Chucky Jeffery has earned two Pac-12 Player of the Week honors this season. Roberson's four weekly conference awards in one season are the most since Brittany Spears won four Big 12 Conference Rookie of the Week honors in 2007-08.

ROBERSON ON THE OFFENSIVE GLASS: Freshman Arielle Roberson grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds against Washington State including eight on the offensive glass. Her eight offensive rebounds tie for eighth-best single-game performance in team history. Crystal Ford owns the school record with 10 against Eastern Illinois on March 16, 1988. CU players have had nine in a game six times, most recently by Randie Wirt vs. Colorado State on Dec. 6, 2000. Roberson's game is the 12th instance of eight offensive boards, most recently achieved by Julie Seabrook against Missouri on Jan. 22, 2011. Roberson is the 14th different player to have eight or more offensive rebounds in one game.

MORE ON THE DEFENSE: Colorado ranks second in the Pac-12 in scoring defense, just behind Stanford in both overall (53.4 ppg) and conference games (52.6 ppg).

Colorado is on pace to set team records in scoring defense and opponent field goal percentage. CU's overall 53.4 points per game allowed average is over three below the school record of 56.8 set in 1996-97. The Buffaloes have held opponents to 34.7 percent from the field, a pace that would exceed the 35.8 percent allowed in 1980-81.

Colorado has held 12 teams under 50 points, the most in any one season in team history. The Buffaloes had held nine under 50 in five other seasons, most recently occurring in 2002-03, head coach Linda Lappe's senior season. Colorado has held eight under 50 in Pac-12 play, including five during its current eight-game win streak.

Colorado has allowed just seven teams in the 60's all season and set a school-record by holding nine straight opponents under the 60-point mark.

Colorado has yet to allow 70 points in a game this year. This is the longest the Buffaloes have gone into any one season without allowing 70. The previous best was the 2011-12 team, that didn't allow 70 until game No. 13, a 75-67 loss at Washington.

CU held three straight conference opponents (Utah, Arizona State & Arizona) to 43 points or less, the first time the Buffaloes have held three straight opponents at 43 or under in conference play since 1980-81. It is also the eighth time in school history the Buffs have held their opponents under 50 in three consecutive outings.

Colorado had held its opponents to 24.6 percent shooting (49-of-199) over a 140 minute span (3 1/2 games) from the Utah game in Salt Lake City on Jan. 13 through the first half the game at California.

Colorado allowed just 36 points to Arizona, the fewest in a conference game since a 70-35 win at Kansas on Jan. 16, 2002. Arizona State was held to 17 points on 4-of-30 from the field in the second half of the Jan. 18 game. The four field goals were one shy of a school record (3 vs. Texas State 12/1/10 and Kansas State 3/7/92). The 13.3 percent allowed was just a fraction off the all-time opponent low for a half, 13.0 (3-of-23) vs. Kansas State on 3/7/92).  That weekend Arizona State and Arizona combined for 79 points (39.2 ppg) and 24 percent from the field (26-of-107). The Buffaloes scored 79 points in their win over Arizona alone.

NATIONALLY RANKED: Riding a seven-game winning streak, CU moved up one spot to No. 19 in the Associated Press Women's Basketball Top 25 poll and four spots to No. 19 in the USA Today Sports Coaches poll this week.

CU's No. 19 ranking is its highest in nearly nine years in either poll. 

It's the program's best since the week of March 15, 2004, when the Buffaloes were ranked No. 17 by the AP and No. 16 in the coaches' poll. 

Colorado, 23-5 overall and 13-5 in the Pac-12, received 288 points in the AP poll, up from 253 last week. The Buffaloes have resided in the AP poll for the last 11 weeks, its longest run since appearing in all 19 polls of the 2003-04 season. The Buffaloes have a long history of rankings in the AP poll, dating back to the 1980-81 season. This week's ranking marks the 169th time Colorado has appeared in the AP poll, trailing only Stanford, USC and UCLA among Pac-12 schools.

In the coaches' poll, Colorado received 182 points, nearly doubling last week's total of 98. The Buffaloes have been in the coaches' poll for seven-straight weeks and eight overall this season. This week's ranking marks the 159th time Colorado has appeared in the coaches' poll dating back to the 1988-89 campaign.

All five of Colorado's losses have been to ranked teams, including two each to Stanford and California ranked No. 7 or better at the time. After last weekend's games, Stanford remained at No. 4 AP and No. 5 coaches, and California stayed at No. 6 in both polls. UCLA held steady at No. 17 in the AP and No. 16 in the coaches' poll. The Buffaloes do have one top 10 win on their resume, a 70-66 win over then-No. 8 Louisville on Dec. 14. The Cardinals are currently ranked No. 16 by the AP and No. 14 by the coaches.

LAPPE AND COLORADO IN THE POLLS: Head coach Linda Lappe joined some elite company when the Buffaloes received their first AP ranking in five years. She is only one of eight NCAA Division I women's head coaches to have played for an AP ranked team, and then return to lead that same program into the AP poll. Overall she is the 31st person to play for and coach an AP ranked program.

The Buffaloes were ranked for 29 weeks during Lappe's playing career (1998-03) including 27 straight from Jan. 22, 2001 through the end of her junior year (March 11, 2002). CU's highest AP ranking during that span was No. 10, on March 4, 2002.

SUCCESS ON THE ROAD: Colorado is 8-3 on the road, its most road wins since the 2002-03 team was 9-3 on the opponent's home floor. The Buffaloes are 17-10 in their last 27 true road contests and have won their last four. Prior to the start of this run, The Buffaloes had just five wins in their previous 37 road games dating back to the 2008 Big 12 Conference schedule.

At Arizona State, the Buffaloes erased an eight-point halftime deficit on Feb. 17 (35-29), and actually trailed by 12 early in the final period, before storming back for a 71-63 win.  The comeback was its largest since defeating Nebraska 75-73 at home on Jan. 31, 2009 after trailing by eight at the half (42-34). It was CU's largest comeback on the road since a 56-51 win at Missouri on Jan. 18, 2004 after trailing by eight at the break (28-20).

This comeback wasn't CU's first on the road this season. The Buffaloes trailed Illinois by six at halftime (36-30) before claiming a 69-62 win.  Colorado's win at Illinois was its first road win against a major conference opponent in a nonconference regular season game since defeating No. 20/17 ranked Vanderbilt, 62-51, on Dec. 9, 2007.

In other road highlights this season, Colorado held Utah to 43 points in Salt Lake City on Jan. 13, its fewest allowed in a true road game since a 45-42 win at Pacific on Dec. 18, 2004

Colorado scored 83 points at Denver, the most in a true road contest since scoring 83 in a 3-point loss at Colorado State on Nov. 30, 2005. CU's 10-point halftime lead was its largest on the road since leading Colorado State 38-22 on Nov. 20, 2011.

Colorado's 23-point win at UMKC, was its biggest on the road since an 82-47 win at Colorado State on Dec. 1, 2007.

JEFFERY PAC-12 AWARD: On the heels of consecutive double-double performances, senior guard Chucky Jeffery was named the Pac-12 Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Feb. 3-10. She averaged 18.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals in leading CU to wins over Oregon State and Oregon.

She had 22 points, 11 rebounds and a season-high three blocked shots against Oregon State. Jeffery's scoring total put her over the 1,500 point milestone and also moved her into 10th on CU's all-time scoring list. Friday's double-double marked the 10th 20-10 double of her career and third this season. Jeffery hit 8-of-12 free throw attempts and drained 2-of-3 from 3-point range.

Against Oregon, Jeffery scored 15 points, grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds and dished out three assists in 29 minutes. She hit a season-high three 3-pointers, finishing at 62.5 percent from long range on the week (5-of-8). It was Jeffery's fourth career double-double with at least 15 points and 15 rebounds. Her three assists also moved her into fourth place on CU's all-time list with 445.

Remarkably, Jeffery's overall Player of the Week award is Colorado's first during a conference schedule since Reagan Scott earned Big 12 Conference honors on Feb. 24, 1997. The Buffaloes had several Rookie of the Week winners over the years during Big 12 league play, including Jeffery in 2010, and current head coach Linda Lappe in 1999.

The Pac-12 Player of the Week honor is Jeffery's second of the season and third of her career. She was also recognized on Dec. 17, 2012, after guiding the Buffaloes to wins over Denver and then-No. 8 ranked Louisville, and as a junior on Dec. 5, 2011.

The Dec. 17 honor came with some national recognition as well Jeffery was named the espnW National Player of the Week. The U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) named Jeffery its Ann Meyers Drysdale Women's National Player of the Week and she also received national and Pac-12 Player of the Week honors from collegesportsmadness.com.

Jeffery averaged 18 points, 9.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists while shooting 46 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free-throw line in wins over Denver and No. 8 ranked Louisville. Against Louisville she had a game-high 22 points along with seven rebounds, four assists and one steal as the Buffaloes claimed their first win over a top-10 opponent since defeating No. 5 Stanford in the 2002 NCAA Sweet 16. Jeffery had 14 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and two steals in the road win over Denver.

AGAINST RANKED TEAMS: Colorado picked up its 14th all-time win over a top-10 ranked opponent with its 70-66 win over No. 8 Louisville on Dec. 14. The win marked the Buffaloes' first over a top-10 opponent since defeating No. 5 Stanford in the 2002 NCAA Sweet 16. It was the first top-10 win as an unranked team since knocking off No. 7 Texas Tech 63-49 on Jan. 11, 1997.

The Buffaloes are 1-5 against ranked teams this season -- four of five in the top 10 -- and 3-10 under Linda Lappe. CU is 62-147 all-time against ranked opponents. The Buffaloes played just two games against ranked teams in 2011-12, both against Stanford. 

Prior to the UCLA game, Colorado's last eight ranked opponents dating back to 2010-11 had all resided in the top 10, by far the longest streak for in school history. The five regular season games where the opponent is ranked in the top 10 in both polls, is a first for the Buffaloes in one season. CU played five regular season top 10 games in 2001-02, but two of those games included a team being ranked 10 or better in only one poll. Including postseason, the 2001-02 team played eight top 10 teams, five of which were top 10 in both polls.

CU's series with Cal and Stanford this season have marked just the first and second times the Buffaloes have faced top-10 opponents in consecutive games during the regular season. Colorado has faced that twice in postseason play; the 1993 and 2002 NCAA Sweet 16 and Elite Eight.

After playing at Cal and Stanford, Jan. 25-27, the Buffaloes returned to California for a game at No. 18 (AP)/19 (USAT) UCLA, marking the first time in team history that CU faced three consecutive games against ranked opponents on the road.

BENCH PRODUCTION: Colorado is getting good production from its bench to the tune of 21.8 points (33 percent) and 19.4 rebounds (46 percent) per game. Sophomore forward Jen Reese has headed the bench effort averaging 9.0 points and 4.9 rebounds, ranking third on the team in both categories.

Colorado scored a season-high 42 bench points in the win over UMKC. The bulk of those came from freshman forward Arielle Roberson who scored 23 points in 19 minutes on 9-of-12 from the field in her lone game off the bench this season. Her 23 bench points are tied for the second most in the past 10 years and her nine field goals are the most. Only Bianca Smith, with 25 points off the bench against San Jose State on Dec. 22, 1999, had a bigger bench game in the last 10 years.

MORE ON THE BOARDS: Colorado ranks 10th in NCAA Division I in rebounding margin through games of Feb. 28. The Buffaloes have either tied or led the rebounding battle in 24 of 28 games this season and have enjoyed double-digit margins in 13 games.

The Buffaloes grabbed a season-high 59 rebounds in the win over Colorado State, their most since also recording 59 against Bowling Green on Nov. 23, 2001. CU had 24 offensive rebounds, nearly matching Colorado State's overall total (26). Colorado's 24 offensive rebounds were its most since it had 24 at Iowa State on Feb. 18, 1996.

Colorado's +33 advantage against the Rams tied for the ninth largest single-game margin in team history, most recently achieved against San Francisco on Nov. 30, 2011 (53-20).

Colorado had 50 rebounds against Denver, hitting the 50 mark for the second straight game for the first time since grabbing 50 against UC Irvine and 52 against Illinois-Chicago in the first two games of the 2009-10 season.

CU's 109 rebounds over a two-game span are its most since hitting the same number during the 2001 Coors Classic (59 vs. Bowling Green, 50 vs. Houston). The Buffaloes 46 offensive rebounds during that stretch are their most since grabbing 48 in back-to-back games in December 1994 (25 vs. Montana State, 23 vs. Notre Dame).

BIG WIN: The 43-point win over Arizona was CU's largest in a Pac-12 game, smashing the old mark of 14 set just two days earlier against Arizona State (57-43). It was the eighth largest margin of victory in a conference game in CU history (all conferences) and the largest since an 83-38 win over Iowa State on Feb. 19, 1995.

Largest Margins of Victory, Conference Game, CU History

82  CU 129, Northern Arizona 47 - Jan. 21, 1980 (Intermountain)

63  CU 103, Utah State 40 - Jan. 29, 1981 (Intermountain)

61  CU 116, Idaho State 55 - Feb. 13, 1982 (Intermountain)

57  CU 94, Idaho State 42 - Jan. 31, 1981 (Intermountain)

52  CU 94 Idaho State 42 - Feb. 23, 1980 (Intermountain)

50  CU 79, Iowa State 29 - Feb. 19, 1993 (Big 8)

45  CU 83, Iowa State 38 - Feb. 19, 1995 (Big 8)

43  CU 79, Arizona 36 - Jan. 20, 2013 (Pac-12)

Colorado's 28-point lead at halftime (43-15) is its largest lead at the break against a Pac-12 opponent and the most in a conference game since Colorado led Kansas 42-14 at halftime on Feb. 5, 2003.

BUFFS EXPERIENCED FROM DEEP: While Colorado looks to continue an inside-outside balance on its 2012-13 squad, there is no questioning its experience from shooting from the perimeter. The Buffaloes have four players with at least 50 career 3-point field goals, and all four rank among CU's career Top 20. Junior Brittany Wilson tops the Buffaloes' effort with 97, tied for 10th on CU's all-time list.  Sophomore Lexy Kresl, who a freshman record last year with 63, is 12th with 94. Senior Meagan Malcolm-Peck is 13th at 87 and Chucky Jeffery rounds out the current Buffs at 16th with 70.

JEFFERY MOVING UP CAREER LADDERS: Senior guard Chucky Jeffery is 10th in career scoring at 1,573, just one point away from moving into ninth place. She is the only player in team history with 1,500 points, 900 rebounds and 400 assists.

She became the fifth player in team history to reach 900 career rebounds (901) during the win at Oregon. Jeffery moved into fifth on CU's all-time rebounding list during the game as she passed Sandy Bean who had 895 from 1978-82.

She also ranks fourth in assists (468) and steals (278), eighth in minutes (3,822), 10th in field-goals made (591) and starts (104), 12th in free-throws made (321), 13th in blocks (68) and 16th in 3-point field goals (70).

In other miscellaneous categories Jeffery is also fifth in double-doubles (30), fourth in double-figure rebounding games (33) and seventh in double-figure scoring games (88).