Buffs Begin Final Home Weekend With No. 7/8 OSU Friday
THE GAME: The University of Colorado begins its final home weekend of the regular season by hosting No. 7 (AP)/No. 8 (USAT) Oregon State University on Friday, Feb. 20, at 6:30 p.m. at the Coors Events Center.
BROADCAST: Friday's game will be broadcast nationally on the Pac-12 Networks. Krista Blunk will have the play-by-play with Tammy Blackburn providing the color commentary. Friday's game will also
air live on KKZN 760 AM. Cory Lopez will have the call and will be joined by USA Basketball's Carol Callan with the color commentary.
OPENING TIP: Friday's game features the two top rebounding, rebounding margin and shot blocking teams in the Pac-12. Oregon State leads all three categories at 44.0 rebounds and 5.8 blocks per game with a rebounding margin of plus-9.8. The Buffaloes come in right behind at 43.4 rebounds and 4.8 blocks per game and enjoy a plus-6.4 rebounding margin.
ABOUT THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 11-14 overall and resides in 10th place in the Pac-12 Conference at 4-10. The Buffaloes are just one game back of eighth place, trailing Washington State and Sunday's opponent, Oregon, both at 5-9. Colorado split its first two games of this season-long four-game home stand by defeating Washington State, 72-51, on Feb. 13, before falling to Washington, 79-67, on Feb. 15. Against Washington State, the Buffaloes enjoyed their largest margin of victory in a Pac-12 contest this season and the 21-point margin also matched the team's widest span at any point of any league contest on the year.
Colorado is averaging 71.0 points per game on 42.7 percent shooting. The Buffaloes' scoring has dipped slightly during Pac-12 play, as is the norm with stiffer competition, but still checks in at a solid 68.2 points per game. CU has shot 42.3 percent during Pac-12 play, including 37.2 percent from 3-point range.
Defensively, Colorado has allowed 69.8 points per game on 37.7 percent from the field. Washington State's 51 points were the second lowest allowed by the Buffaloes this season and fewest in Pac-12 games.
Colorado is second in the Pac-12 in free throw percentage (.750), rebounding (43.4 rpg), defensive rebounds (29.7 drpg), rebounding margin (+6.4), blocked shots (4.8 bpg) and 3-point defense (.284) while ranking third in scoring, offensive rebounds (13.7 orpg), 3-point percentage (.373) and assists (15.4 apg).
Junior forward Jamee Swan paces Colorado at 13.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.0 percent from the field. Swan had 13 points and 12 rebounds against Washington for her team-best seventh double-double of the season, and the ninth of her career. She recorded her ninth double-figure rebounding effort of the season against the Huskies and four of those have come in the last eight games. During that span she is averaging 9.5 rebounds per outing.
In the Pac-12 Swan ranks second in blocks, third in offensive rebounds (3.3 orpg), sixth in overall rebounding, 12th in field goal percentage and scoring and 13th in defensive rebounds (4.8 drpg).
Senior guard Lexy Kresl is third on the team in overall scoring at 12.7 points per game and leads the Buffaloes during conference play at 13.9 per contest. She paces Colorado at 4.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game, and is also the team's top 3-point shooter at 40 percent (49-of-122). Kresl had nine points against Washington ending her career-best string of double-figure scoring games at 10. She is averaging 16.5 points over the last 11 games and has made 29 of her last 62 from 3-point range (.468).
On the overall Pac-12 charts Kresl ranks fourth in assists, fifth in 3-pointers made (2.1 3mpg), sixth in 3-point percentage (.402), seventh in free throw percentage (.800), 11th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.2) and 18th in scoring.
Senior forward Jen Reese is second on the team in scoring (12.7 ppg), rebounding (7.3 rpg) and free throw percentage (.852) while ranking third field goal percentage (.466). Reese averaged 12.0 points and 9.0 rebounds while shooting 52.4 percent (11-of-21) during last weekend's split with the Washington schools. She is hitting 91 percent from the foul line during Pac-12 play, the second-best mark in the league during that span. Reese has Colorado's top scoring game of the season putting in a career-best 30 in the home game against UCLA, which also put her over the career 1,000 point mark. She made 14-of-19 from the field and also dished out five assists, all career-highs.
Reese has scored in double figures in 16 of 25 games - scoring nine in three others - and has three double-doubles. She has four games of 20 or more points this season. On the Pac-12 leaderboard, Reese is third in free throw percentage, seventh in defensive boards (5.5 drpg), ninth in overall rebounding, 15th in field goal percentage and 17th in scoring.
Sophomore guard Haley Smith leads the team in free throw percentage (.880) while ranking second in field goal percentage (.468), third in rebounding (6.0 rpg) and fourth in scoring (9.6 ppg). She has made 27-of-29 (.931) from the free throw line during league play. Smith has also been one of Colorado's most consistent rebounders, registering at least five rebounds in 14 of the last 16 games. On the overall Pac-12 leaderboard Smith ranks 14th in field goal percentage and 20th in rebounding and falling just short of the minimum number of attempts to be ranked among the league leaders in overall free throw percentage.
Senior guard Jasmine Sborov is averaging 6.5 points and 4.9 rebounds and ranks second on the team in assists with 64. She's upped her scoring to 8.8 points over the last five contests while hitting 50 percent (16-of-32) from the field during that same time frame. At UCLA, she scored 11 points and had five rebounds, recording her first consecutive double-digit scoring efforts of the season and first ever in Pac-12 play. She had one of her best all-around games of her career scoring 14 points with 11 rebounds and seven assists against Arizona. It was her third career double-double, the second this season and first ever against a conference opponent. In fact all three numbers, points-rebounds-assists, are personal bests in a Pac-12 game.
Sophomore wing Lauren Huggins is second on the team with 35 3-pointers and has hit 36.8 percent from long range, ranking 15th in the Pac-12. She has made 6-of-11 over the last four games (.545) including 2-of-4 during an eight-point effort against Washington. She hit 3-of-5 at UCLA, making three consecutive shots during Colorado's second half run that chipped away at the Bruins' double-digit lead. Prior to the UCLA game she had made just 3-of-15 over the previous four games. Huggins had seven points and a career-high seven rebounds against Arizona. Her seven rebounds were more than the total of her first nine Pac-12 games combined (five).
Sophomore forward Zoe Beard-Fails is averaging 4.2 points and 3.4 rebounds and is second on the team in blocked shots with 15. She got the starting nod in the two games last weekend. Against Long Beach State she had career highs in points (14), rebounds (8) and field goals made and attempted (7-of-13).
Colorado's freshman class came up big in the Washington State win. Guard Alina Hartmann scored a career-best 11 points off the bench hitting 4-of-6 from the field. Brecca Thomas recorded her third career start and had five points, an assist and a steal. Forward Zoe Correal hit 2-of-3 shots to finish with four points and grabbed five rebounds.
ABOUT OREGON STATE: Oregon State is 23-2 and has a two-game lead in the Pac-12 standings at 13-1. The Beavers are ranked No. 7 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll and No. 8 by the USA Today Sports Coaches poll. Oregon State averages 75.2 points on 46.5 percent from the field. The Beavers are the top shooting team and have second-best scoring offense in the Pac-12. OSU matches those rankings on the defensive end as well. The Beavers allow a league-low 34 percent from the field while giving up 56.6 points per game, trailing Arizona State by just a fraction of a point. Oregon State is the Pac-12's top rebounding team both by quantity (44.0 rpg) and margin (+9.8) and also lead the league in assists (19.6 apg), blocked shots (5.8 bpg) and 3-point field goals (8.5 3mpg).
Junior post Ruth Hamblin leads paces Oregon State at 13.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game and leads the Pac-12 in both field goal percentage (.596) and blocked shots (3.7 bpg). Sophomore point guard Sydney Wiese leads the Pac-12 in 3-pointers made (3.0 3mpg), 3-point percentage (.457) and ranks second in assists (5.6 apg) while averaging 12.6 points per game. Junior guard Jamie Weisner is second on the team in scoring (13.5 ppg), 3-pointers made (57) and 3-point percentage (.416). Junior forward Deven Hunter is second on the in rebounding at 7.2 per game while averaging 8.2 points a outing.
Scott Rueck is in his fifth season as Oregon State's head coach with a record of 85-68. He is in his 19th season overall as a collegiate head coach with a record of 373-156.
THE SERIES: This will be the eighth meeting between Colorado and Oregon State with the Buffaloes holding a 5-2 series lead. Heading into Friday's game this is the least played series for the Buffaloes among Pac-12 opponents, although it will actually tie the Washington State series, which is currently deadlocked at 4-4, upon completion. Colorado and Oregon State are completing a two-year cycle where they play each other just once. The Beavers won last season's meeting 75-63 in Corvallis. Colorado has won all four meetings in Boulder, including both as a member of the Pac-12.
Colorado head coach Linda Lappe is 3-2 against Oregon State. Scott Rueck is 2-3 against Colorado.
CONNECTIONS: Colorado sports one Oregon native on its roster, senior forward Jen Reese hails from Clackamas, and was a two-time Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year. Oregon State assistant coach Jonas Chatterton was a Colorado assistant for four seasons under Linda Lappe (2010-14).
PERFECT NIGHT AT THE LINE: Colorado hit all 14 free throws in the win over Washington State, the third best total in team history for free throws made without a miss. The Buffaloes have hit 75 percent or better in nine of the last 11 games and are 83 percent over the last five games (75-of-90).
MOST FREE THROWS WITHOUT A MISS:
19-of-19 vs. Nebraska, Feb. 7, 1987 (W 91-71)
16-of-16 at Kansas State, Feb. 21, 2009 (L 60-72)
14-of-14 vs. Washington State, Feb. 13, 2015 (W 72-51)
9-of-9 vs Villanova, Nov. 30, 2002 (L 54-59)
9-of-9 vs. Illinois State, Nov 26, 1988 (W 74-60)
KRESL ON ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT TEAM: Senior Lexy Kresl has been named to the Capital One Academic All-District 7 Women's Basketball team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Kresl is one of nine players selected to the all-district team made up of NCAA Division I schools from 14 Midwestern states: Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming. She now moves onto the Capital One Academic All-America ballot to be voted on later this month.
A native of Paradise Valley, Ariz., Kresl is an integrative physiology major carrying a 3.56 overall GPA. She aspires to attend Physician Assistant school after graduating in May and to work in pediatrics. Kresl is a two-time Pac-12 Conference All-Academic Women's Basketball selection, and vying for a third, earning first team honors as a junior and second team accolades as a sophomore.
SBOROV AMONG 'SO YOU WANT TO BE A COACH' CLASS: Senior guard Jasmine Sborov will participate in the 13th annual 'So You Want To Be A Coach' program in conjunction with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association National Convention April 3-5 in Tampa, Fla.
The objectives of the "So" program are to increase the understanding and application of skills necessary to secure coaching positions in women's basketball. "So" participants will learn about recruiting, the administrative side to coaching, how to get hired, skill development, the importance of knowing the rules, and how to balance work and life.
Qualified candidates must have exhausted their final year of basketball eligibility at a four-year institution or have graduated within the past year. Each participant is selected based on her academics, contributions to women's basketball on and off the court, professional resume and a written recommendation from their head coach.
Sborov, a native of Round Rock, Texas, has been a vital part of Colorado women's basketball's community service efforts during her career and has participated in a wide variety of events. She was one of nominees for the 2015 AllState WBCA Good Works Team.
She has participated in National Girls and Women In Sports Day and Healthy Kids Day a pair of separate events that promote health and fitness to youth in the community. Last winter, Sborov participated in a fitness activity with Imagine!'s Out and About group. The mission of Imagine! is to create and offer innovative supports to people of all ages with cognitive, developmental, physical, and health related needs so they may live fulfilling lives of independence and quality in their homes and communities. This past summer she dove into the coaching arena, helping with a local AAU girls basketball team.
SMITH PERFECT FROM FREE THROW LINE: Sophomore Haley Smith was a perfect 11-for-11 from the free throw line in the home win over Utah. Both numbers represent career highs for Smith with the 11 free throws made tying for the team season high along with Jen Reese (11-of-13) and Lexy Kresl (11-of-16).
Smith's 11-for-11 outing also ties for Colorado's fourth best single game performance for free throws made with out a miss. She had a string of 20 straight free throws made end with her only attempt at Washington State. Smith has made 27-of-29 in Pac-12 play (.931).
MOST FREE THROWS WITHOUT A MISS:
13-of-13, Gretchen DeWitte vs. Nebraska, Feb. 7, 1987
12-of-12, Jackie McFarland vs. Missouri, Mar. 5, 2008
12-of-12, Mandy Nightingale vs. Florida, Dec. 22, 2000
11-of-11, Haley Smith vs. Utah, Jan. 14, 2015
11-of-11, Shelley Sheetz vs. Kansas, Feb. 12, 1992.
REESE'S TOP FIELD GOAL NIGHT: Senior forward Jen Reese had a career night with 30 points in the home loss to UCLA on Jan. 11. She made 14-of-19 from the field and the 14 field goals made tie for the third-best single-game total in team history. Reese joins 10 others who have had 14 field goals in a game, most recently by CU's all-time leading scorer Brittany Spears against California in the first round of the 2011 Postseason WNIT.
MOST FIELD GOALS IN ONE GAME:
17, Tracy Tripp at Oklahoma State, Feb. 4, 1987
15, Jean Raikes vs. Temple Junior College, Nov. 20, 1976
14, Jen Reese vs. UCLA, Jan. 11, 2015
14, 10 others, most recently Brittany Spears vs. Cal, Mar. 21, 2011
TWO 1,000 POINT SCORERS: Senior guard Lexy Kresl became the 27th player in team history to reach 1,000 points during her 14-point performance at USC. With classmate Jen Reese hitting the 1,000-point milestone earlier in the season, it marks the first time since 2006-07 that two Buffaloes reached the 1,000-point milestone in the same season: Jackie McFarland (3rd 1,957) and Jasmina Ilic (23rd 1,093).
Reese is currently 22nd in career scoring at 1,105 while Kresl is 27th with 1,029.
OFFENSIVE ATTACK: Colorado's offensive attack is enjoying one of its best seasons in over a decade. The Buffaloes are averaging 71.0 points per game, their best over the course of a season since the 2001-02 team put up 76.1 points per outing.
Colorado registered its seventh 80-point game of the season in the win over Arizona and third during Pac-12 play. CU scored 82 at Washington, the most for the Buffaloes in a conference road game since an 84-60 win at Nebraska on Feb. 26, 2002. Colorado's 84 points in the first meeting against UCLA are the most against a conference opponent since putting up a similar number against Oregon on Feb. 10, 2013.
Colorado is hovering around a pair of Top 10 single-season percentage numbers in the team annals. The Buffaloes' nationally No. 13 ranked 3-point shooting percentage of 37.3 would rank as the fifth best single-season mark in team history if the season ended today. Colorado's 75.0 percent showing from the free throw line would rank in the eighth spot. CU's current overall pace of 42.7 percent from the field would be the team's best since 2003-04 (.435).
BACK TO THE BOARDS: Colorado has outrebounded, or been even, with 21 of its 25 opponents this season by an average of 6.4 per game. The Buffaloes are second the Pac-12 in overall rebounds (43.4 rpg) and defensive boards (29.7 drpg) while ranking third in offensive rebounds (13.7 orpg). If the season ended today, Colorado's 43.4 per game rebounding average would be the sixth best in team history.
Colorado has six games with 50 or more rebounds, including a 52-33 edge in the win over Washington State, its biggest margin in conference plays since holding a plus-25 margin against Arizona (51-26) on Jan. 20, 2013. Colorado had a season-high 60 against San Jose State the program's most since pulling down 60 against Marquette in the first round of the 1994 NCAA Tournament.
Colorado is the only team in the Pac-12 to have two players in the Top 9 on the league rebounding leaderboard. Junior Jamee Swan is sixth at 8.1 per game while senior Jen Reese is ninth at 7.3 per contest.
KRESL'S DISH: Lexy Kresl recorded the fourth triple-double in team history by scoring 12 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and dishing out 11 assists in the double overtime win over Colorado State on Nov. 29.
Her triple-double was the team's first since Chucky Jeffery recorded the second of her two triple-doubles at Oklahoma State on Mar. 25, 2012 during the Postseason WNIT. Sandy Bean achieved the program's first triple-double against Utah State on Feb. 16, 1979.
For Kresl, both the rebounds and assists figures were career-highs. It was actually her second "double" of the week. Kresl put together her first career double-double in the win over Denver with 10 points and 10 assists.
Nine of her assists in the Denver game came in the first 20 minutes, tying a school record for assists in one half originally set by Whitney Law against Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 18, 2005.
Counting Colorado's prior three triple-doubles, Kresl's points-assists double-double was the 14th in team history and first since Jeffery's triple at OSU (12 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists).
WORKING OVERTIME: Colorado has played in four overtime games, the most in one season in team history. As of Feb. 11, it's tied for the fourth-most in NCAA Division I for the 2014-15 campaign (DePaul, Louisiana-Lafayette, McNeese State, Oklahoma, San Jose State, Southern Mississippi and William & Mary), trailing only Hofstra, Norfolk State and Purdue who have each played in five. The NCAA I record for overtimes in one season is seven set by Wisconsin in 1998-99.
Colorado's 77-72 overtime win over Utah moved the Buffaloes to 3-1 on the season with the extra session and above .500 all-time at 24-23.
2014-15 OVERTIME GAMES
Nov. 17 vs. Western Kentucky (68-68) L, 78-79
Nov. 29 vs. Colorado State (64-64/74-74) W, 87-81
Dec. 5 vs. San Jose State (85-85) W, 97-89
Jan. 11 vs. Utah (63-63) W, 77-72
The Buffaloes had played three overtime games in one season on four other occasions, most recently in 1995-96. Colorado played in overtime in three of its first seven games marking the first time the Buffaloes had played three during the nonconference schedule. Overall it's the 14 time Colorado has played multiple overtime games in one season.
Colorado played back-to-back overtime games for the first time in team history with the San Jose State and CSU contests. The Buffaloes had two overtimes in a three-game span in February 1988.
The double overtime game with CSU was just the sixth in team history and first since an 84-77 setback to Iowa State on Jan. 13, 2008. Lexy Kresl set a school single game record by playing in 49 minutes against Colorado State. The Buffaloes are 3-3 overall in double overtime games.
TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS: Colorado has a record of 55-36 since the beginning of the 2012-13 season. Of those 36 losses, 15 have been to ranked teams and 14 of those ranked higher than Colorado at the time the game was played. The Buffaloes have won 52 of their last 73 games against unranked opponents.
The Buffaloes have been dominant in regular season nonconference games under Linda Lappe. Colorado is 48-9 in that stretch since the beginning of the 2010-11 season. The Buffaloes have won 41 of their last 46 regular season nonconference contests. The Buffaloes put together 33 straight nonconference wins from Dec. 30, 2010 through Dec. 12, 2013.
REESE'S PIECES: Senior forward Jen Reese is the 12th player in team history to reach 1,100 points and 600 rebounds in a career.
She reached the 1,000-point milestone during her career-high 30-point effort against UCLA on Jan. 11 and is the 26th player to reach that mark. She is currently 22nd on CU's career scoring list with 1,105 points.
Reese reached 600 at Washington State and is currently 13th on CU's all-time list at 647. She is 18th in career field goals made with 442.
KRESL SOLID FROM ARC, LINE: Senior guard Lexy Kresl ranks seventh in career 3-pointers made at 173 and is fifth in attempts with 541. Her current 40.2 percent status from 3-point range this season would rank 13th on Colorado's all-time single-season list.
She has made a 3-pointer in 88 of 118 career games and has 48 contests with two or more buckets from long range. Kresl hit five at Washington, tying a season high and also marking her seventh career game with five or more 3-pointers.
Kresl has also been one of Colorado's most reliable free throw shooters over the past three seasons. Her career percentage of 82.7 (182-of-220) would rank fifth on the Buffs' all-time list (minimum of 100 attempts).
She hit 84.1 percent from the line in 2013-14 (69-of-82) ranking third in the Pac-12 Conference. Her mark was also good for 19th on Colorado's single-season list.
HUGGINS SHOOTS UP LIST: Sophomore Lauren Huggins, who is second on the team in 3-pointers this season with 35, has moved into a tie with Chucky Jeffery (2009-13) for 15th place all-time with 75. She is 16 in attempts with 205.
SWAN'S SWATS: Junior forward Jamee Swan ranks second in the Pac-12 in blocked shots at 2.0 per game. She has 27 blocked shots over the last 12 games (2.3 bpg).
She has three games with five blocks this season, standing as both career and team season highs (Long Beach State, USC and Washington State). Her 49 blocked shots on the season rank eighth on CU's single-season list and her current 2.0 per game pace would rank sixth on the Buffaloes' all-time charts.
Swan has 41 percent of Colorado's blocked shots this season. The Buffaloes total of 119 blocks currently ranks ninth on the team's single-season record book.
Swan has 113 career blocks ranking eighth on CU's all-time list.
AGAINST RANKED TEAMS: Colorado is 0-3 against ranked teams this season after dropping a 68-60 decision to No. 11/11 Arizona State on Jan. 30. The Buffaloes have dropped their last 15 against ranked opponents. Colorado is 62-157 all-time against ranked opponents.
STRONG SCHEDULE: Colorado currently holds down the 22nd toughest schedule in the nation (through games of Feb. 17) as its opponents have a combined record of 279-185 (.601). The Buffaloes are third in the Pac-12 trailing only UCLA (4th, .654) and Arizona State (18th, .602).
Taking into account the records of future opposition, Colorado jumps to 18th as its cumulative opponent record is 313-200 (.610), trailing only UCLA (3rd, .649) and Stanford (17th, .611) in the Pac-12.
Colorado opened a season with two teams that made the NCAA Tournament the previous year (North Dakota & Western Kentucky) for the first time since 2003-04 when the Buffaloes hosted Old Dominion and Notre Dame in the WBCA Classic. Only twice since then had the Buffaloes even played one team in their first two coming off a trip to the big dance, Loyola-Marymount in 2004-05 (Game 1) and Vanderbilt in 2006-07 (Game 2).
HOME AT THE CEC: Colorado is traditionally tough at home with a 403-141 all-time record at the Coors Events Center (.741). The Buffaloes have won 10 or more games in a season at the CEC in 25 of 36 years. The Buffaloes have enjoyed five undefeated seasons (1980-83, 1992-94) at the CEC.
Colorado is 9-6 at the Coors Events Center in 2014-15 and has won 27 of its last 40 and 38 of its last 54 at home.