Buffs Close Home Slate With Sunday Senior Day
GAME #28
vs Arizona Sun Devils (15-13, 7-8 Pac-12)
Sunday, March 1, 6:35 p.m. (MST)
Arena: Coors Events Center (11,064)
Television: ESPNU
Announcers: Roxy Bernstein, Corey Williams
Satellite Radio: Sirius: 84; XM: 84 (CU Broadcast)|
850 KOA: Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke
COMPLETE GAME NOTES ATTACHED
CU vs. ARIZONA STATE: ASU leads 6-5 and 4-3 in Pac-12 play. CU leads the series in Boulder, 4-1 all-time and 2-1 in Pac-12 Conference games. CU won last year at home, 61-52 (Feb. 19, 2014). Askia Booker scored a team-high 18 points, and Josh Scott added 13 points and 13 rebounds. Xavier Johnson added 13 points, 6 rebounds.
QUICKLY: Colorado (12-15, 5-10 Pac-12) closes the home regular season against Arizona State, Sunday, March 1 at 6:35 p.m. (ESPNU) - It's the second straight season the Buffaloes will end the season on the road (next week at Washington, at Washington State) - In seven career games against the Sun Devils, Askia Booker is averaging 14.1 ppg and 2.4 apg.
SENIOR DAY: Lone scholarship senior Askia Booker and walk-ons Geoff Bates and Kevin Nelson suit up for the last time at the Coors Events Center in their final home game. Pre-game ceremony begins 10 minutes on the clock (actual time 6:19 p.m.). Booker will play his 130th career game (No. 3 all-time), becoming only the third player in school history to play at least 130 games. Austin Dufault (2008-12) tops all with 136, followed by Cory Higgins (2007-11) with 132.
4-YEAR BESTS: In the history of the men's basketball program, Ben Mills, a May 2014 graduate is the all-time leader in wins of four-year student-athletes. That's the first four years of the Tad Boyle era in Boulder. Senior Askia Booker holds the runner up slot with 80 wins over his four year career.
92-50 .648 2010-2014
80-51 .611 2011-present (Askia Booker)
A WIN SUNDAY MEANS: The 11th win at home - Breaking a three-game losing skid - 71st home win in 85 games over the last five years - Evening the all-time series with Arizona State to 6-6 overall and 4-4 in Pac-12 play - CU improves to 5-1 at home against the Sun Devils and 3-1 in the Pac-12 - Second straight win at home against ASU, and winners of two of three in the series - A 26-9 (.743) home record against the Pac-12 Conference.
ELITE CLUB: Josh Scott tied a career-best four blocks against Arizona becoming just the fifth player in school history with over 1,000 points, 600 rebounds, 100 blocks in a career. The CU junior joins Donnie Boyce, Cliff Meely, David Harrison, and Andre Roberson.
ABDUL-JABBAR CENTER OF THE YEAR AWARD: Since being named to the Top 15 watch list, Josh Scott is holding steady in his last six games with a 9.5 points and 8.5 rebounds average. His average on the glass and blocks (11) are a team high. At Oregon (Feb. 18), he tallied his fourth double-double (19th career) with 10 points and a career-best 17 rebounds. Against No. 7 Arizona, Scott's stat line: 9 pts, 6 reb. 4 blks.
BLOCKS: Wesley Gordon has now recorded back-to-back 40 block seasons becoming the fifth CU player to accomplish the feat, twice. Josh Scott (37) needs three blocks to become the sixth player. Last year, Scott had 40.
LAST TIME AGAINST ASU: The Sun Devils held on for a 78-72 win on Jan. 17 in Tempe. Askia Booker and Jaron Hopkins led all scorers with 21 and 20 points, respectively. Hopkins also added seven rebounds, five assists and four steals. ASU shot 71.4 percent in the second half (15-of-21) and scored 49 second half points.
SENIOR TRIBUTES
Geoff Bates
Geoff Bates has been with the Colorado basketball program since the 2012-13 season. During his initial season, Bates was a practice player with the Buffaloes. However, the following year, he was injured and missed his entire junior season with a hip injury. Healthy and injury free for his senior campaign, Bates has dressed for all 16 home games, playing in four of them. A Plano, Texas native, Bates will graduate in May with a degree in political science.
Kevin Nelson
Injuries have also plagued the Albuquerque, New Mexico native during his tenure with the Buffaloes. Kevin Nelson enters his sixth and final season of his collegiate career after transferring to Boulder in 2012-13. Although he broke his right ankle that season, Nelson has since rehabbed and returned to the Buffs line up, playing in nine games in 2013-14. Entering his final season, he has once again has been plagued with an ankle injury forcing him out of the lineup. He has yet to see action, despite regularly practicing with the Buffs this season. Nelson will graduate in May with a degree in business with an emphasis in finance.
Askia Booker
A four-year letterwinner and three-year starter in the Buffaloes lineup, Booker has steadily moved up the career rankings in a number of categories. With over 80 career victories, a member of a handful of All-Tournament teams, and a Pac-12 Tournament Championship to his r+¬sum+¬, Booker has etched his name in the annals of the CU Record Book. One of the most memorable shots in CU basketball history was Booker's 30-footer as time expired to upset No. 6 Kansas, 75-72, December 7, 2013 at the Coors Events Center. Most notably, Booker is one of eight players in school history with over 1,600 career points and one of three players in school history to play over 3,500 minutes, score 1600 points with 400 rebounds, 300 assists, 140 steals. Booker will graduate in May with a degree in communication.
PLAYER BITS: Askia Booker has finally reached the all-time free throw percentage list, tying for 10th with a 78.5 percentage - Wesley Gordon is first in conference-only rebounding (3.1) - Booker is one of eight players in school history with over 1,600 career points (1,648); and one of three players in school history over 3,600 minutes, and with at least 1600 points, 400 rebounds, 300 assists, 140 steals - Josh Scott is the 16th player in CU history with 1,000 points (1,047) and 600 rebounds (618).
BLOCK PARTY: Wesley Gordon (41) and Josh Scott (37) are the first CU teammates to have 30+ blocks in back-to-back seasons since blocked shots were a kept as a statistic in a season (1977-78; 38 years). Last year: Gordon: 41, Scott: 40.
CU & 75 POINTS: Colorado has 23 wins for the most consecutive games when scoring 75 or more points (all games played). Utah is second with 20 victories. CU's streak dates back Jan. 24, 2013.
850 KOA: Buffs Warm-Up w/ play-by-play "Voice of the Buffs" Mark Johnson and Scott Wilke begins at 5:30 p.m. discussing CU basketball; at 6 p.m., KOA previews the CU/Arizona State game w/ a 30-minute pre-game, taking a look around the Pac 12, and talking w/ Head Coach Tad Boyle, followed by the Buffs/Sun Devils tip at 6:35 p.m.
SKI-U: Askia Booker's 43 points tied Cliff Meely's 43 points at Oklahoma (Jan. 16, 1971), for fourth place in single-season scoring in CU history - Didn't score his first point (a 3-pter) until 6:28 remaining in the first half, netted 24 points in regulation, then tallied 19 points in the three extra sessions - 43 points ties for fifth scored most in Pac-12 since 1998 - Most points scored (43) by a Buff in this millennium [Jaquay Walls 42 vs. Iowa State in 2000; D.J. Harrison 38 vs. Austin Peay, 2000] - Scored double figures in all 7 career games vs. USC (19.7 ppg.).
FREE THROWS & BOOKER: Askia Booker is tied for 10th all-time in FT percentage (.785). Over his four year career, CU is 15-12 overall when Booker fails to make it to the free throw line. In three of the four games this season where Booker failed to attempt a free throw, the Buffs have lost (at ASU: 6 pts; vs. GW: 3 pts.; UW: 2 pts.). In career games decided by three points or less, the Buffs are 3-4 when Booker fails to go to the charity stripe.
RECORD BOOK: Askia Booker has not fouled out in a game since midway through his sophomore year at Washington (Jan. 16, 2013). Since then, he has played in 77 games and 2,330 minutes. The 77 games is eighth all-time at CU for consecutive games without fouling out, and the 2,330 minutes is third all-time. In the 77 games played since last fouling out, Booker has only had four fouls, three times (2014-15: 3 OT win at USC; 2013-14: home loss to UCLA; 2012-13 home win over Stanford).
2014-15: 26 games: 769 minutes
2013-14: started 35 games: 1068 mins.
2012-13: last 16 games of season: 493 mins.
Total: 77 games / 2330 minutes
MORE 'SKI: When it comes to career minutes, career points and career assists, Askia Booker is only the fourth player in school history with over 3,500 minutes, 1,600 points and 310 assists.
Player Pts. Mins. Assists
Cory Higgins 2,001 4,478 320
Donnie Boyce 1,995 3,528 405
Stevie Wise 1,727 3,586 377
Askia Booker 1,648 3,643 318
SEASON TICKETS: For the second straight year, the men's basketball program sold out its season tickets allotment. Of the other 11 Pac-12 schools, only Arizona has accomplished this feat.
'SKI ELITE COMPANY: Senior guard Askia Booker is in elite company in school history as only the fifth player with over 3,500 minutes played and scoring over 1,600 career points.
Player Pts. Mins. Yrs.
Cory Higgins 2,001 4,478 '07-11
Richard Roby 2,001 3,805 '04-08
Donnie Boyce 1,995 3,528 '91-95
Stevie Wise 1,727 3,586 '87-91
Askia Booker 1,648 3,643 '11-pre.
BUFFS PRIMETIME: The Buffaloes Primetime Basketball Radio Show featuring CU head basketball coaches Tad Boyle and Linda Lappe is almost complete for the 2014-15 season. The radio show is broadcasted live at Carelli's of Boulder Ristorante Italiano, located at 645 30th Street. Buffs Primetime is hosted by Mark Johnson on 850 KOA. Future shows will be every Tuesday night (unless noted) and run until March 3 at Carelli's beginning at 7 p.m. The show will also air on CUBuffs.com and the 850 KOA iHeartRadio application. Buffs Primetime Schedule: Tue., March 3 (7-8 pm.).
Pac-12 Conference HALL of Honor: The Pac-12 will honor 12 former student-athletes with their induction into the Pac-12 Men's Basketball Hall of Honor. The induction will occur on Saturday, March 14, during a ceremony prior to the championship game at the 2015 Pac-12 Men's Basketball Tournament held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. The inductees will also be recognized at halftime of the championship game.
The individuals to be inducted are: Fred Snowden (Arizona), Ron Riley (Arizona State), Sean Lampley (California), Jim Davis (Colorado), Anthony Taylor (Oregon), Jim Jarvis (Oregon State), Casey Jacobsen (Stanford), Dave Meyers (UCLA), Alex Hannum (USC), Danny Vranes (Utah), Jon Brockman (Washington) and Bennie Seltzer (Washington State).
Davis was a three-year letterman under the legendary Sox Walseth. Davis was a two-time first-team All-Big 8 honoree in his career with the Buffs. He scored 1,110 career points, which still ranks 25th on CU's all-time list, averaging 14.4 points and 11.2 rebounds per game with a .489 shooting percentage. Davis led the Buffs to a 53-24 record in his three years in Boulder, winning two Big 8 titles and earning two berths to the NCAA Tournament.
He is also one of the few players in school history to average a double-double for two-consecutive seasons, with 13.8 points and 12.7 rebounds per game as a junior followed by 18.5 points and 12.7 rebounds per game in his senior season. At the time of his graduation, Davis was CU's all-time leading rebounder and third all-time scorer.
Davis was a fourth-round selection by the Detroit Pistons in the 1964 NBA Draft, and eventually signed as a free agent with the St. Louis Hawks in 1967. He played eight seasons in all, scoring a total of 3,997 points in his career. "Spider" as he was known by his teammates was part of the 10th class of the University of Colorado Athletic Hall of Fame last October.