Week Ahead: Star Wars Night, Buffs Play Three

BOULDER - Ready to celebrate the release of the latest Star Wars movie ' and witness a Colorado Buffaloes force continue its reawakening on the same night?

The timing couldn't be better. On Friday, the same day GÇ£Star Wars: Episode VIIGÇ¥ is released, the red-hot Colorado men's basketball team will play host to Nicholls State. The Buffs currently own an eight-game win streak and are ranked in the top 20 in the NCAA RPI.

Also on tap this weekend is a women's-men's doubleheader, with the women playing host to Presbyterian on Saturday at 3 p.m., followed by a men's game against Hampton at 7 p.m.

The details:

CU women play once: One week after coming up just short against unbeaten Missouri, Linda Lappe's 4-5 Buffs play host to Presbyterian, the first half of the Saturday doubleheader. Presbyterian was 3-5 heading into a Wednesday game against Columbia College.

The 3 p.m. game will be the Buffs' last home game before the new year. They head to Wyoming next Monday (7 p.m.) to finish their nonconference schedule, then don't play again until their Pac-12 opener, a Jan. 2 home game against Washington.

CU men play two: Tad Boyle's Buffs play a pair of games this weekend, both part of the Las Vegas Classic.

The tournament is divided up into two brackets: a hosts bracket and a visitors bracket. Teams in the hosts bracket are Colorado, Penn State, Kent State and SMU. On the visitors side are Nicholls State, Hampton, Canisius and Louisiana-Monroe.

The four visitors teams will each play two road games against the hosts. Then, next week, the four teams from each bracket will play in separate tournaments on back-to-back nights at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

On Friday, Colorado will host Nicholls State in a 7 p.m. game at the Coors Events Center (Pac-12 Networks). The game will also be "Star Wars Night," when fans are invited to come dressed as their favorite Star Wars character. A halftime costume contest will be held, and other prizes will be awarded throughout the game.

Also Friday, the Buffs will be introduced to a special Star Wars-themed introduction video.

On Saturday, Colorado will play host to Hampton in a 7 p.m. game (Pac-12 Networks). It will be the Buffs' last home game until their Pac-12 home opener, a Jan. 8 matchup with Utah.