Boyle On Cusp Of 300 Wins, Buffs Set For Bears Friday

Game 2 - Northern Colorado, Friday, November 8, 2024
CU Events Center, Boulder, Colo.

Tip: 7:01 p.m. MT

Watch: ESPN+ (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke) https://buffs.me/4fCpJZt

Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Jerry Schemmel)

Listen Online: Sirius XM 383, SXM App 973

Live Statistics: http://statb.us/b/546202

THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 1-0 after its season-opening 76-56 win over Eastern Washington on Nov. 4 at the CU Events Center.

The Buffaloes rallied from a 17-point first half deficit to collect their ninth-straight season-opening win. Colorado trailed 27-10 at the 6:44 mark of the first half but was able to cut the margin to six at halftime thanks to a 10-2 run over the last 3:30 of the period. The Buffaloes then took over in the second half, outscoring the Eagles 51-25.

The 17-point deficit tied for the Buffaloes' eighth-best comeback since 1947. Colorado had overcome a 17-point deficit on three other occasions, with one being another game against Eastern Washington on Dec. 22, 2016. The Buffaloes trailed 19-2 right out of the gate in that contest before fighting back for a 76-68 victory.

GRAND GRAD DEBUTS: Colorado's three graduate transfers, spanning all levels of collegiate basketball, had successful debuts as Buffaloes on opening night.

Trevor Baskin, an NCAA Division II All-American at Colorado Mesa, played a key role in Colorado's comeback win with 12 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks in 22 minutes.

Elijah Malone, the 2024 Bevo Francis Award winner as the best small college player in the nation, made his Division I debut with seven rebounds, four points and two blocks in just under 13 minutes.

Andrej Jakimovski, a four-year standout at old Pac-12 rival Washington State, had 11 points, seven rebounds and three steals.

SMITH'S RETURN: Sophomore guard RJ Smith returned for his first game since Nov. 29, 2023, missing the final 30 games of the 2023-24 season with a leg injury. He had eight points and had a career-best three steals against Eastern Washington.

OUT OF THE RUFF: Junior guard Javon Ruffin made his third career start in the win over Eastern Washington, scoring 12 points on 5 of 9 shooting with a pair of assists. Ruffin tied a career with his five field goals made, which is also just under half of his field goal output in 18 games last season (11).

OPENERS: Colorado improved to 87-35 (.713) in all-time season openers and has won its last nine. The Buffaloes are 13-2 under head coach Tad Boyle and 40-5 in overall season openers since 1980-81.

The Buffaloes are 98-24 (.803) all-time in home openers, have won their last 17 and 23 of their last 24. Boyle's teams are 15-0 in home openers.

NONCONFERENCE NUMBERS: Colorado is 128-39 (.766) in nonconference regular season games under head coach Tad Boyle including an 81-22 mark (.786) since the beginning of the 2014-15 season.

Colorado is 97-8 (.924) in nonconference home games under Boyle, a record which includes a 7-2 mark in postseason action.

RIGHT AT HOME: At the CU Events Center, the Buffaloes have won:

- 17 of their last 18 (16-1 in 2023-24)

- 30 of 36 (30-6)

- 53 of 66 (53-13)

- 66 of 82 (66-16)

- 81 of 99 (81-18)

- 93 of 114 (93-21)

- 114 of 139 (114-25)

In the Tad Boyle era, Colorado is 194-40 at home (.829). The Buffaloes are 507-191 (.726) all-time at the CUEC. The Buffaloes have won at least 10 games at home each of the last 15 seasons.

Colorado was 16-1 at the CU Events Center in 2023-24, tying for the most regular season home wins in a season joining the 2015-16 (16-1) and 2013-14 (16-2) teams at that mark (the 2010-11 team won a school-record 18 home games, which included three postseason NIT victories).

BOYLE MILESTONES: Head coach Tad Boyle, entering his 15th season, has 299 wins at Colorado, the most in program history.

Boyle-led teams own 10 of the 14 20-win seasons in team history, the top five single-season win totals and seven of the top eight. With a record of 299-183 at CU, his 62.0 winning percentage is second all-time just behind Forrest "Frosty" Cox at 62.3 from 1936-50.

During Colorado's 13-year stint in the Pac-12 Conference, Boyle won 131 regular season league games, tying with Ernie Kent (Oregon 1998-2010 & Washington State 2014-19) for 17th in conference history.

Boyle owns the most wins at a state of Colorado NCAA Division I institution. He is 355-249 (.588) in his 19th year between Colorado and Northern Colorado (four seasons, 2006-10). Boyle is currently fifth in career wins for a head coach at any Colorado four-year school.

ABOUT THE BEARS: Northern Colorado opened the 2024-25 season with a 75-55 home win over Colorado College on Nov. 4. The Bears shot 45.8 percent from the field and dominated the class, outrebounding the NCAA Division III Tigers 48-27.

Junior guard Langston Reynolds led all scorers with 21 points hitting 7 of 11 from the field and 7 of 9 from the free throw line. Graduate guard Jaron Rillie grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds and dished out five assists. Junior forward Brock Wisne just missed a double-double with 15 points, on 7 of 9 shooting, with nine rebounds. Junior guard Marcell McCreary added 12 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

Northern Colorado was 19-14 in 2023-24 advancing to the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) postseason tournament. The Bears were picked fourth in the media version of the Big Sky preseason poll, receiving one first place vote, and third in the coaches preseason poll.

THE SERIES: This will be the 43rd meeting between Colorado and Northern Colorado in a series that dates back to a 35-20 Buffaloes win on Jan. 25, 1918. Colorado holds a 24-18 edge in the series and has won the last 12. All 18 of UNC's wins in the series came in the 1920s and 1930s when the schools were rivals in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The Buffaloes won three-straight during the 1936-37 and 1937-38 seasons as Colorado was transitioning over to the Mountain States Conference and putting the series on a 41-year hiatus. The series resumed for one game - a 78-56 CU win on Dec. 16, 1978 - before another 25-year pause. The two teams have met eight times since 2004, including a 90-68 Colorado win on Dec. 15, 2023. Head coach Tad Boyle is 6-0 against UNC, the program he coached from 2006-10.

Boyle On Cusp Of 300 Wins, Buffs Set For Bears Friday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Trevor Baskin

Andrej Jakimovski

Elijah Malone

Javon Ruffin

RJ Smith

Boyle On Cusp Of 300 Wins, Buffs Set For Bears Friday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Trevor Baskin

Andrej Jakimovski

Elijah Malone

Javon Ruffin

RJ Smith

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