BOULDER GÇô The University of Colorado menGÇÖs basketball program takes center stage nationally on Saturday, Feb. 22 when ESPNGÇÖs College GameDay Covered by State Farm makes its first visit to the CU campus.

The widely popular telecast will air in advance of that nightGÇÖs matchup between CU and No. 1 Arizona, offering a rematch of the Jan. 23rd Pac-12 Conference meeting in Tucson won by the Wildcats, 69-57. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. MT (ESPN) in the Coors Events Center.

GameDayGÇÖs first hour begins at 8 a.m. on ESPNU, with the program continuing at 9 a.m. on ESPN. A one-hour segment at 6 p.m. on ESPN precedes the Buffaloes-Wildcats tipoff that night (all times MT). The GameDay set will be in the CEC, where the Buffs are 56-8 under fourth-year coach Tad Boyle heading into SaturdayGÇÖs game against Utah (noon, Pac-12 Network).

Rece Davis serves as host for College GameDay. Other regular participants include analysts Jay Bilas, Digger Phelps and Jalen Rose, who collaborate to preview the dayGÇÖs top games and storylines in college hoops.

CU was selected to host GameDay from two GÇ£flex pickGÇ¥ options, with ESPNGÇÖs other choice being the UCLA at Stanford contest, which will now air on either ESPN or ESPN2 at 4 p.m. MT. Boyle called CU getting the nod over Stanford GÇ£huge for the program (and) great for the University of Colorado. ItGÇÖs great for Boulder, itGÇÖs great for our state. All the eyes in college basketball that day will be focused on Boulder, Colorado.GÇ¥

Boyle also called the selection GÇ£a testament to our players, a testament to our fans, a testament to our coaches and how far this program has come. ItGÇÖs something weGÇÖre really proud of. Now, itGÇÖs one thing to have (GameDay) here, weGÇÖve got to play well when theyGÇÖre here, and have a full house, energy . . . itGÇÖs imperative we play well between now and then to make sure our fans have something to get excited about.GÇ¥

For the first time in menGÇÖs program history, CU sold out its season ticket allotment (7,160) in the preseason. The Buffs are 12-1 at home this season, and for those 13 games have averaged 9,597 at the CEC (11,064 capacity).

After a 10-1 start that featured a 10-game winning streak that matched the programGÇÖs longest in 52 years, the Buffs climbed to No. 21 in the national rankings. A week later, at 11-2, the Buffs were at No. 20 (AP), and opened Pac-12 play 3-0 before losing junior point guard Spencer Dinwiddie and freshman wing TreGÇÖShaun Fletcher to knee injuries in the same game GÇô a 71-54 loss at Washington on Jan. 12. The Buffs were No. 15 before embarking on the Washington trip.

Since Dinwiddie and Fletcher went out, CU has lost four of five games (including the UW defeat) and is now 15-6 overall, 4-4 in the conference and has dropped out of the weekly polls. But SaturdayGÇÖs game against the Utes opens a three-game home stand GÇô Washington State visits on Wednesday, Feb. 5; Washington on Sunday, Feb. 9 GÇô that Boyle hopes will help right the Buffs.

HeGÇÖs also hoping the announcement of GameDayGÇÖs visit next month provides a GÇ£pick-me-upGÇ¥ for his team, which is trying to reestablish its identity after the Dinwiddie-Fletcher losses. GÇ£Absolutely,GÇ¥ Boyle said. GÇ£It can be one of those things our players can look for and anticipate. ItGÇÖll make them feel good. But itGÇÖs hard for me to think about that now because we have so much basketball yet to be played. But itGÇÖs a huge deal for our program. ItGÇÖs a milestone and we need to take advantage of it.GÇ¥

Boyle agreed it is GÇ£very hard to measure that kind of exposure,GÇ¥ but added his focus now is on GÇ£playing to win the next game. Our focus is on trying to get better each day and compete at a high level. Whether that turns into wins . . .GÇ¥

Arizona, currently unbeaten (20-0), has been ranked No. 1 for a program-record eight consecutive weeks. The Buffs are 3-4 against the Wildcats since joining the Pac-12 in 2011, but still lead the overall series 11-9. All-time, however, CU is 0-16 against top-ranked teams.

Arizona won two of three meetings with CU last season, including the controversial game in Tucson when Sabatino ChenGÇÖs buzzer beater in regulation was disallowed (the Wildcats won 92-83 in OT) and ArizonaGÇÖs 79-69 win in the Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinals. Still, the series has produced close, competitive games that many view as a budding Pac-12 rivalry.

GÇ£Yeah, I think so,GÇ¥ Boyle said before the trip to Tucson earlier this month. GÇ£WeGÇÖve played them tough; theyGÇÖve been great games, whether down there or up here. TheyGÇÖve been fun games to watch. The game there last year and the way it ended. I donGÇÖt know if Arizona considers Colorado a rival, but I know our guys really enjoy the opportunity to play against them. I respect their program; Sean Miller is a heck of a coach. I donGÇÖt know if thereGÇÖs one rival we have, but Arizona has become a fun game.GÇ¥

GameDayGÇÖs visit and the Buffs-Wildcats game wonGÇÖt be that SaturdayGÇÖs only featured event on campus. The CU womenGÇÖs lacrosse team, coached by Ann Elliot, makes its home debut at noon in Folsom Field against Regis. ElliotGÇÖs squad opens on Thursday, Feb. 13 against Stetson in DeLand, Fla.

Details for GameDayGÇÖs stop in Boulder GÇô including when the CEC will open that morning, procedures for attending, any special offers, etc. GÇô will be announced closer to the date.

GameDay has been to Boulder three times for football, the most recent in September 1996 for the CU-Michigan game.

Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU