Colorado State University Athletics
Game notes: Rams, Buffs renew rivalry Wednesday in Boulder
12/9/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
| Colorado State at Colorado | Game 9 | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 10, 2014 | 7 p.m. MT | Boulder, Colo. | Coors Events Center (11,064) | |||||||||||||||||||
| COLORADO STATE RAMS | COLORADO BUFFALOES | ||||||||||||||||||
| Record | 8-0, 0-0 MW | Record | 5-2, 0-0 Pac-12 | ||||||||||||||||
| Last Game | Dec. 7 vs. Northern Colorado (W, 66-58) | Last Game | Dec. 7 at Georgia (L, 64-57) | ||||||||||||||||
| Rank (AP | Coaches) | RV | RV | Rank (AP | Coaches) | -- | -- | ||||||||||||||||
| Head Coach | Larry Eustachy (Long Beach State, 1979) | Head Coach | Tad Boyle (Kansas, 1985) | ||||||||||||||||
| > Overall Record | 452-283 (24th Season) | > Overall Record | 153-117 (Ninth Season) | ||||||||||||||||
| > Record at CSU | 50-25 (Third Season) | > Record at CU | 97-52 (Fifth Season) | ||||||||||||||||
| CSU STATISTICAL LEADERS | CU STATISTICAL LEADERS | ||||||||||||||||||
| Minutes/Game | Stanton Kidd (33.9) | Minutes/Game | Josh Scott (30.7) | ||||||||||||||||
| Points/Game | J.J. Avila (14.9) | Points/Game | Josh Scott (16.6) | ||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds/Game | J.J. Avila (8.1) | Rebounds/Game | Josh Scott (8.6) | ||||||||||||||||
| Three-Pointers | Daniel Bejarano (15) | Three-Pointers | Askia Booker (9) | ||||||||||||||||
| Assists | Daniel Bejarano (30) | Assists | Askia Booker (20) | ||||||||||||||||
| Blocks | Daniel Bejarano (9) | Blocks | Josh Scott (14) | ||||||||||||||||
| Steals | Gian Clavell/J.J. Avila (11) | Steals | Askia Booker (9) | ||||||||||||||||
| Field-Goal % | J.J. Avila (.536) | Field-Goal % | Josh Scott (.617) | ||||||||||||||||
| Three-Point % | John Gillon (.500) | Three-Point % | Xavier Talton (.444) | ||||||||||||||||
| Free-Throw % | Joe De Ciman (.867) | Free-Throw % | Josh Scott (.891) | ||||||||||||||||
| TEAM STATISTICAL COMPARISON | BROADCAST INFORMATION | ||||||||||||||||||
| Category | CSU | CU | Video: Pac-12 Network | ||||||||||||||||
| Scoring Offense | 73.1 | 67.0 | Play-by-Play: Spero Dedes | ||||||||||||||||
| Scoring Defense | 63.2 | 58.6 | Color Analyst: Matt Muehlebach | ||||||||||||||||
| Field-Goal % | .452 | .451 | > DirecTV: -- | ||||||||||||||||
| Opponent Field-Goal % | .427 | .386 | > Dish Network: 409 (HD) | ||||||||||||||||
| Three-Point % | .397 | .339 | > Comcast: 430 | 839 (HD) | ||||||||||||||||
| Opponent Three-Point % | .333 | .311 | > Streaming: Pac-12.com/live | ||||||||||||||||
| Free-Throw % | .671 | .728 | Audio: Colorado State Sports Network | ||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds/Game | 37.6 | 37.1 | Play-by-Play: Gary Miler | ||||||||||||||||
| Rebounding Margin | +7.5 | +6.9 | Color Analyst: Brian Roth | ||||||||||||||||
| Assist/Game | 16.4 | 12.1 | > Flagship: 105.5 FM ESPN | ||||||||||||||||
| Turnovers/Game | 12.3 | 12.4 | > Affiliates: 1580 AM KREL/1100 AM KNZZ | ||||||||||||||||
| Opponent Turnovers/Game | 12.3 | 11.3 | > Streaming: ESPNDenver.com | ||||||||||||||||
| Steals/Game | 4.5 | 5.7 | Live Stats: CUBuffs.com | ||||||||||||||||
| Blocks/Game | 4.1 | 5.0 | > CUBuffs.com | ||||||||||||||||
Game Notes 9 (PDF) 
Opening tip
• Colorado State makes the 44-mile trek southwest to nearby Boulder, Colo., for its annual rivalry matchup with the Colorado Buffaloes on Wednesday night at the Coors Events Center.
• Tipoff between the Rams and the Buffaloes is set for 7 p.m. MT.
• The game will air across the Colorado State Radio Network, including flagship 105.5 FM ESPN, with Gary Miller (play-by-play) and Brian Roth (color) on the call.
• The contest will also be broadcast live on the Pac-12 Networks. Spero Dedes (play-by-play) and Matt Muehlebach (color analyst) will bring fans the action courtside.
• Live statistics are available at CUBuffs.com.
Rams quick hits
• The 2014-15 season marks the 112th in the history of the Colorado State men's basketball program. The Rams are 1,179-1,195 (.497) in 2,374 games all-time.
• Colorado State enters the 2014-15 men's basketball season under the direction of coaching veteran Larry Eustachy who begins his third season at the helm of the Rams' program and his 24th as a Division I head coach.
• Colorado State basketball is looking for its fifth postseason appearance in six years, and its third NCAA Tournament berth in four seasons, in 2014-15.
• Colorado State returns a majority of its production from a season ago including 66 percent of its scoring and 70 percent of its rebounding.
• Overall, the Rams' roster breaks down to six returning players, including starters Daniel Bejarano, J.J. Avila and Joe De Ciman, plus nine newcomers. However, three of the nine newcomers - senior Stanton Kidd, junior Tiel Daniels and sophomore John Gillon - practiced with the squad last season while redshirting as transfers from NCAA Division I programs.
• Colorado State's 2014-15 schedule is rated among the toughest in the Mountain West. Based on last season's final RPI rankings for known Division I opponents.
• Through games played Dec. 7, the Rams sat at No. 8 in the NCAA RPI, first among Mountain West members.
• The Rams are off to an 8-0 start to 2014-15, extending the program record for best start previously set three times at 6-0 in 1970-71, 2005-06 and 2012-13.
• Through games played Dec. 8, Colorado State ranks as one of just 11 remaining unbeaten teams nationally, out of 351 programs competing at the Division I level.
• CSU features a balanced scoring attack, with the Rams posting six games in the season's first eight contests with at least four players in double-figures scoring, including four games with five players notching 10+ points.
• Entering play this weekend, there were 11 players in the Mountain West ranked in the top-20 in the league in both scoring and rebounding average. Colorado State is the only program to boast three of those players in senior G Daniel Bejarano, senior F J.J. Avila and senior F Stanton Kidd.
About Colorado
• Colorado enters Wednesday's matchup against the Rams with a 5-2 overall record, including a 5-0 mark at home with wins over Drexel (65-48), Auburn (90-59), Air Force (68-53), Lipscomb (84-75) and San Francisco (72-55).
• The Buffaloes are coming off of a 64-57 road loss at Georgia on Sunday. CU's other loss came at Wyoming (56-33) on Nov. 22.
• Colorado is led by head coach Tad Boyle who is 97-52 in his fifth season at the helm of the Buffaloes' program, and 153-117 overall in his ninth season as a Division I head coach with a stop at Northern Colorado (56-66 from 2006-07 to 2009-10).
• The Buffaloes return 13 lettermen, including five starters from the team that finished last year 23-12, tied for third in the Pac-12 and played in the NCAA tournament. Guard Spencer Dinwiddie was selected in the second round of the NBA Draft after being injured 17 games into the season.
• CU is led by a trio of double-digit scorers in junior center Josh Scott (16.6 ppg), senior guard Askia Booker (12.6), and junior forward Xavier Johnson (11.5).
• Scott also leads the team in rebounding at 8.6 boards per contest, ranking 29th nationally with three double-doubles on the year.
• As a team, the Buffaloes average 67.0 points per game, while holding opponents to an average of 58.6 points per contest.
• Colorado ranks 43rd nationally in scoring defense, and 68th in field-goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 38.6 percent shooting on the year.
Series vs. Colorado
• Wednesday's matchup between Colorado State and Colorado marks the 123rd meeting in the series.
• Colorado holds an 85-37 advantage over the Rams in the series all-time.
• The series is the fifth-longest in the CSU record books behind only Wyoming (221 games), Denver (160), Utah (145) and BYU (132).
• The series dates back to the first clash between the schools during the 1905-06 season, a 42-23 CU victory in Boulder.
• CSU and CU have met 118 times in regular-season action, with two postseason matchups - in the 1969 NCAA tournament and the 1999 NIT - both resulting in CSU victories.
• The series in Boulder favors Colorado by an 53-8 margin. CSU is 1-16 in Boulder since the teams began playing again on an annual basis in 1979-80, capturing the 2006-07 matchup, 72-69.
• Since the 2005-06 season, the series is nearly even with the Buffs holding a slight 5-4 edge.
Eustachy vs. Colorado
• Heading into Wednesday's matchup, Colorado State head coach Larry Eustachy is 6-7 in his 24-year career against Colorado.
• Eustachy faced the Buffaloes 11 times as the head coach at Iowa State from 1998-99 to 2002-03, going 6-5 in those matchups.
• In his third year at Colorado State, Eustachy is 0-2 against the Buffaloes, with the Rams falling 70-61 in Boulder during the 2012-13 season, and 67-62 at home last year.
Rams vs. the Pac-12
• All-time, Colorado State is 131-243 against the current membership of the Pac-12 Conference.
• A majority of those matchups have come against the Buffs (122), and former MW foe Utah (145).
• Away from home, the Rams are 52-158 against current members of the Pac-12.
• Colorado State has faced every single member of the Pac-12 at least once in its history.
• The Rams' most recent victory over a Pac-12 foe came Nov. 24, 2012 in a 73-55 road win over Washington.
A win over Colorado will...
• Give third-year head coach Larry Eustachy his 52nd win at Colorado State and the 454th of his career.
• Move the Rams to 9-0 to start the season, extending the program record for consecutive wins to open year.
• Even the rivalry between the Rams and Buffs at 5-5 over the last 10 matchups dating back to the 2005-06 season.
• Push the Rams' overall record vs. CU to 38-85.
• Give the Rams their first victory in Boulder since Dec. 9, 2006 (72-69) and snap a three-game road losing streak vs. Colorado.
• Move head coach Larry Eustachy's record vs. the Buffaloes to 7-7 all-time, and give him his first win over the rival Buffs as the Rams' head coach.
• Improve CSU's record vs. Pac-12 opponents to 132-243 overall, and 53-158 away from home.
• Push the Rams to 12-4 under Larry Eustachy in games played in December.
Rams' best start
• Colorado State's 8-0 start to the 2014-15 season has extended the program-record for the best part to a season.
• The Rams had previously started 6-0 on three occasions, first setting the mark in 1970-71 and matching it in 2005-06 and 2012-13, Larry Eustachy's first at the helm of the Rams' program.
Rams 1 of 11 unbeatens
• Colorado State enters Wednesday's game at Colorado as one of 12 remaining unbeaten teams in NCAA Division I through games played Dec. 8.
• The Rams are the only Mountain West team on the list.
• The other 10 remaining unbeaten programs are:
Team (Record) - Next Game
> Arizona (8-0) - Dec. 9 vs. Utah Valley
> Duke (7-0) - Dec. 15 vs. Elon
> Kentucky (9-0) - Dec. 10 vs. Columbia
> Louisville (7-0) - Dec. 9 at Indiana
> Northern Iowa (8-0) - Dec. 10 at Denver
> Seton Hall (7-0) - Dec. 9 at Wichita State
> TCU (8-0) - Dec. 9 vs. Furman
> Villanova (8-0) - Dec. 9 vs. Illinois
> Virginia (8-0) - Dec. 18 vs. Cleveland State
> Washington (7-0) - Dec. 14 vs. E. Washington
Looking ahead
• Colorado State returns home to Moby Arena, playing host to Arkansas-Fort Smith on Saturday afternoon.
• Tipoff between the Rams and the Lions is set for 2 p.m. MT.
• The game will air across the Colorado State Radio Network, including flagship 105.5 FM ESPN, with Gary Miller (play-by-play) and Brian Roth (color) on the call.
• Free streaming video of the matchup between the Rams and the Lions is available via the Mountain West Network at CSURams.com/videos and TheMW.com.
• GameTracker live statistics are available at CSURams.com.
