Colorado University Athletics
Friday, December 13
Boulder, Colo.
7 p.m.
Colorado
vs
South Dakota State
Photo by: Tony Harman
Buffs Host South Dakota State Friday
December 12, 2024 | Men's Basketball
Game 10 - South Dakota State, Friday, December 13, 2024
CU Events Center, Boulder, Colo.
Tip:Â 7:01 p.m. MT
Watch:Â ESPN+ (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)Â https://buffs.me/3BsAoYi
Radio:Â KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Jerry Schemmel)
Listen Online:Â Sirius XM 380, SXM App 970
Live Statistics:Â http://statb.us/b/546193
THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 7-2 overall following a 72-55 win over Colorado State on Dec. 7, improving to 6-0 at the CU Events Center this season. The Buffaloes have won their last nine home games dating back to last year and have won 22 of 23 since the beginning of 2023-24.
Away from the friendly confines, Colorado placed sixth at the 2024 Maui Invitational. A thrilling 73-72 win over then-No. 2/2 ranked UConn on the tournament's second day (Nov. 26) highlighted the trip for the Buffaloes who eventually fell to No. 5/5 Iowa State 99-71 in the consolation final (fifth place game) on Nov. 27 to round out the event with a 1-2 record. The game against Iowa State counted as a nonconference game and the two long-time rivals are set for a rematch in the Big 12 Conference opener in Boulder on Dec. 30.
Colorado is averaging 76.0 points per game, shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from 3-point range. Colorado's 3-point percentage ranks 18th in the nation and third in the Big 12.
Defensively, Colorado is allowing 69.7 points per game while opponents are shooting 41.2 percent.
Colorado held Colorado State to a season-low 31.3 percent from the field – in fact it was CSU's first game under 40 percent this year. It was Colorado's second-lowest percentage allowed; Cal State Fullerton shot 31.0 percent on Nov. 13. After giving up 60.3 percent to Iowa State in Maui, the Buffaloes have held their last two opponents to 33.9 percent (43-127).
The Buffaloes have had a flair for the dramatic this season. Colorado has had to overcome double-figure deficits in three wins including a rally from 11-down in the win over Pacific. The Buffaloes erased a 17-point deficit in the opener over Eastern Washington (details on page 6).
Colorado is 3-2 this season when trailing at the half, compared to the 2024 NCAA Tournament team that won just two of 10 contests in that situation. The Buffaloes are 3-0 in games decided by 10 points or less.
At home the Buffaloes are averaging 80.87 points per game while shooting 48.7 percent from the floor and 40.2 percent from 3-point range. Colorado is holding its home opponents to 64.0 points on 36.1 percent shooting while enjoying a plus-10 advantage on the boards.
GRAND GRADS: As anticipated, Colorado's three graduate transfers, spanning all levels of collegiate basketball, have made immediate impacts for the Buffaloes.
Andrej Jakimovski, a four-year standout at old Pac-12 rival Washington State, leads the Buffaloes in scoring at 13.0 points per game and tied for the top spot in 3-point field goals (18) and steals (10). He is second on the team in free throws made and attempted (23-27) and third in rebounds. Jakimovski is shooting 82.5 percent from the free throw line, tied for fifth in the Big 12.
Jakimovski had 17 points against Pacific, leading the Buffaloes in scoring for the third time. He had four 3-point field goals, the third one giving him 200 for his collegiate career.
Jakimovski averaged 11.3 points and a team-best 6.0 rebounds at the Maui Invitational. He had Colorado's first double-double of the season, and the fifth of his collegiate career with 12 points and 10 rebounds against UConn. He also hit the eventual game-winning shot against the No. 2 ranked Huskies with under eight seconds remaining.
It was Jakimovski's eighth career double-figure rebounding game. One of his four previous double-doubles came against Colorado while he was at Washington State on Jan. 30, 2022.
Elijah Malone, the 2024 Bevo Francis Award winner as the best small-school player in the nation (Grace College [Ind.] - NAIA) tops the Buffaloes in shooting at 62.7 percent (42-67) while averaging 12.0 points an outing. Malone is also shooting 75.9 percent from the free throw line (22-29) and is second on the team in blocks (8) and fourth in rebounding at 3.7 per game.
Malone tied for Colorado's game-high in scoring against UConn with 16 points on 6 of 10 from the field. He had 16 points, seven rebounds and a team season-high four blocked shots against Harvard. He went over the 2,000-point milestone for his collegiate career during the win over the Crimson.
Trevor Baskin, an NCAA Division II All-American at Colorado Mesa, leads Colorado in rebounding at 7.0 per game and blocked shots (11) while averaging 9.2 points on 53.1 percent from the field.
Baskin has had a great beginning to this five-game homestand averaging 11.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 blocks over the last two games. He flirted with a triple-double against Pacific, finishing with 13 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. It was his 23rd collegiate double-double and first with CU. His seven assists were a team season-high and were an overall collegiate personal best (he had six in a game at New Mexico Highlands on Feb. 23, 2024).
Against Colorado State, Baskin recorded a team season-high 11 rebounds, just missing a second double-double with nine points along with two blocks, two steals and two assists.
HAMMOND TIME: Julian Hammond III, the most experienced player in terms of games for the Buffaloes entering the season, is averaging 12.3 points leads the team in assists (3.0 apg) and is tied for first in 3-pointers (18).
Hammond led Colorado at the Maui Invitational averaging 17.0 points while shooting 54.5 percent from the field (18-33), 52.9 percent from 3-point range (9-17) and hitting a perfect 6 of 6 from the free throw line.
Hammond had a season-high 20 points against Iowa State, his second-career 20-point game and just one off his personal best of 21 set against Washington in the 2023 Pac-12 Tournament. He co-led the Buffaloes in scoring with 16 points against UConn hitting 6 of 11 from the field including 4 of 5 from 3-point range. His four 3-point field goals tied a career high.
Hammond caught fire in Maui from 3-point range, hitting 9 of 17 after a 5 for 14 start in his first four games.
SMITH'S RETURN, AND START: Sophomore guard RJ Smith is averaging 6.8 points while shooting 52 percent from the field in his return to action after missing the final 30 games of 2023-24 with a leg injury.
Smith made his first career start against Colorado State, pitching in nine points on 3 of 4 from the field and four rebounds. He was a perfect 2 of 2 from the 3-point line as he continues to excel beyond the arc. Smith has made 8 of 12 from downtown over the last four games and is shooting a team-best 58.3 percent overall from long range (14-24).
In Maui, Smith averaged 5.3 points and was second on the team in assists with eight. He had eight points hitting a perfect 3 of 3 from the field against UConn.
OUT OF THE RUFF: Junior guard Javon Ruffin is averaging 6.0 points while shooting 42 percent from the field. He is second on the team in assists (21) and tied for fourth in steals (7). Ruffin scored a career-high 15 points against Harvard, on a very efficient game hitting 4 of 5 from the field and a perfect 4 of 4 from the line.
DIOP ALL-AROUND GAME: Sophomore forward Assane Diop ranks second on the team in rebounding at 5.4 per game. He grabbed eight rebounds against Colorado State, the third time this season with at least eight in a game. He added three points, three assists and a pair of blocks against the Rams.
BD's BIG DAY: Sophomore forward Bangot Dak led the Buffaloes against CSU scoring a career-high 16 points on 7 of 8 from the field along with four rebounds. He doubled his previous career-best of eight points, set previously against Iowa State. It was his first time leading Colorado in scoring and the 7 of 8 performance from the field (.875) is the team's best percentage wise this year with at least four field goals made.
Dak is averaging 6.1 points on the season but has jumped that number to 10.3 over the last three games. He is third on the team in blocks (7) and fifth in rebounding (3.1 rpg).
ABOUT THE JACKRABBITS: South Dakota State is 8-4 overall, coming off a 77-63 setback at Nevada on Dec. 11. The Jackrabbits are 3-4 away from home but have dropped both true road contests, with a 71-67 loss at Montana on Dec. 4 the other. SDSU averages 77.4 points per game and leads the Summit League in shooting at 47.3 percent. The Jackrabbits also top the Summit League, and rank 13th in the nation in rebounding margin at plus-10.3 boards per game. Defensively, SDSU allows 67.3 points while opponents are shooting just over 40 percent.
Senior center Oscar Cluff averages 17.3 points and 11.0 rebounds per game while shooting 73.1 percent from the field (76-104). He leads the nation in double-doubles with eight while ranking second in field goal percentage and sixth in rebounding average. Cluff transferred to South Dakota State from Washington State where he was a teammate of current Buffalo Andrej Jakimovski.
Freshman guard Joe Sayler is second on the team in scoring at 12.8 points per game. Sophomore guard Kalen Garry averages 9.6 points while leading the Jackrabbits in assists with 33.
THE SERIES: This will be the fourth meeting between Colorado and South Dakota State. The Buffaloes have won all three previous meetings, all coming in Boulder. The last meeting was a double-overtime scoring fest with the Buffaloes outlasting the Jackrabbits 112-103 on Dec. 15, 2017.
Â
CU Events Center, Boulder, Colo.
Tip:Â 7:01 p.m. MT
Watch:Â ESPN+ (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)Â https://buffs.me/3BsAoYi
Radio:Â KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Jerry Schemmel)
Listen Online:Â Sirius XM 380, SXM App 970
Live Statistics:Â http://statb.us/b/546193
THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 7-2 overall following a 72-55 win over Colorado State on Dec. 7, improving to 6-0 at the CU Events Center this season. The Buffaloes have won their last nine home games dating back to last year and have won 22 of 23 since the beginning of 2023-24.
Away from the friendly confines, Colorado placed sixth at the 2024 Maui Invitational. A thrilling 73-72 win over then-No. 2/2 ranked UConn on the tournament's second day (Nov. 26) highlighted the trip for the Buffaloes who eventually fell to No. 5/5 Iowa State 99-71 in the consolation final (fifth place game) on Nov. 27 to round out the event with a 1-2 record. The game against Iowa State counted as a nonconference game and the two long-time rivals are set for a rematch in the Big 12 Conference opener in Boulder on Dec. 30.
Colorado is averaging 76.0 points per game, shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from 3-point range. Colorado's 3-point percentage ranks 18th in the nation and third in the Big 12.
Defensively, Colorado is allowing 69.7 points per game while opponents are shooting 41.2 percent.
Colorado held Colorado State to a season-low 31.3 percent from the field – in fact it was CSU's first game under 40 percent this year. It was Colorado's second-lowest percentage allowed; Cal State Fullerton shot 31.0 percent on Nov. 13. After giving up 60.3 percent to Iowa State in Maui, the Buffaloes have held their last two opponents to 33.9 percent (43-127).
The Buffaloes have had a flair for the dramatic this season. Colorado has had to overcome double-figure deficits in three wins including a rally from 11-down in the win over Pacific. The Buffaloes erased a 17-point deficit in the opener over Eastern Washington (details on page 6).
Colorado is 3-2 this season when trailing at the half, compared to the 2024 NCAA Tournament team that won just two of 10 contests in that situation. The Buffaloes are 3-0 in games decided by 10 points or less.
At home the Buffaloes are averaging 80.87 points per game while shooting 48.7 percent from the floor and 40.2 percent from 3-point range. Colorado is holding its home opponents to 64.0 points on 36.1 percent shooting while enjoying a plus-10 advantage on the boards.
GRAND GRADS: As anticipated, Colorado's three graduate transfers, spanning all levels of collegiate basketball, have made immediate impacts for the Buffaloes.
Andrej Jakimovski, a four-year standout at old Pac-12 rival Washington State, leads the Buffaloes in scoring at 13.0 points per game and tied for the top spot in 3-point field goals (18) and steals (10). He is second on the team in free throws made and attempted (23-27) and third in rebounds. Jakimovski is shooting 82.5 percent from the free throw line, tied for fifth in the Big 12.
Jakimovski had 17 points against Pacific, leading the Buffaloes in scoring for the third time. He had four 3-point field goals, the third one giving him 200 for his collegiate career.
Jakimovski averaged 11.3 points and a team-best 6.0 rebounds at the Maui Invitational. He had Colorado's first double-double of the season, and the fifth of his collegiate career with 12 points and 10 rebounds against UConn. He also hit the eventual game-winning shot against the No. 2 ranked Huskies with under eight seconds remaining.
It was Jakimovski's eighth career double-figure rebounding game. One of his four previous double-doubles came against Colorado while he was at Washington State on Jan. 30, 2022.
Elijah Malone, the 2024 Bevo Francis Award winner as the best small-school player in the nation (Grace College [Ind.] - NAIA) tops the Buffaloes in shooting at 62.7 percent (42-67) while averaging 12.0 points an outing. Malone is also shooting 75.9 percent from the free throw line (22-29) and is second on the team in blocks (8) and fourth in rebounding at 3.7 per game.
Malone tied for Colorado's game-high in scoring against UConn with 16 points on 6 of 10 from the field. He had 16 points, seven rebounds and a team season-high four blocked shots against Harvard. He went over the 2,000-point milestone for his collegiate career during the win over the Crimson.
Trevor Baskin, an NCAA Division II All-American at Colorado Mesa, leads Colorado in rebounding at 7.0 per game and blocked shots (11) while averaging 9.2 points on 53.1 percent from the field.
Baskin has had a great beginning to this five-game homestand averaging 11.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 blocks over the last two games. He flirted with a triple-double against Pacific, finishing with 13 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. It was his 23rd collegiate double-double and first with CU. His seven assists were a team season-high and were an overall collegiate personal best (he had six in a game at New Mexico Highlands on Feb. 23, 2024).
Against Colorado State, Baskin recorded a team season-high 11 rebounds, just missing a second double-double with nine points along with two blocks, two steals and two assists.
HAMMOND TIME: Julian Hammond III, the most experienced player in terms of games for the Buffaloes entering the season, is averaging 12.3 points leads the team in assists (3.0 apg) and is tied for first in 3-pointers (18).
Hammond led Colorado at the Maui Invitational averaging 17.0 points while shooting 54.5 percent from the field (18-33), 52.9 percent from 3-point range (9-17) and hitting a perfect 6 of 6 from the free throw line.
Hammond had a season-high 20 points against Iowa State, his second-career 20-point game and just one off his personal best of 21 set against Washington in the 2023 Pac-12 Tournament. He co-led the Buffaloes in scoring with 16 points against UConn hitting 6 of 11 from the field including 4 of 5 from 3-point range. His four 3-point field goals tied a career high.
Hammond caught fire in Maui from 3-point range, hitting 9 of 17 after a 5 for 14 start in his first four games.
SMITH'S RETURN, AND START: Sophomore guard RJ Smith is averaging 6.8 points while shooting 52 percent from the field in his return to action after missing the final 30 games of 2023-24 with a leg injury.
Smith made his first career start against Colorado State, pitching in nine points on 3 of 4 from the field and four rebounds. He was a perfect 2 of 2 from the 3-point line as he continues to excel beyond the arc. Smith has made 8 of 12 from downtown over the last four games and is shooting a team-best 58.3 percent overall from long range (14-24).
In Maui, Smith averaged 5.3 points and was second on the team in assists with eight. He had eight points hitting a perfect 3 of 3 from the field against UConn.
OUT OF THE RUFF: Junior guard Javon Ruffin is averaging 6.0 points while shooting 42 percent from the field. He is second on the team in assists (21) and tied for fourth in steals (7). Ruffin scored a career-high 15 points against Harvard, on a very efficient game hitting 4 of 5 from the field and a perfect 4 of 4 from the line.
DIOP ALL-AROUND GAME: Sophomore forward Assane Diop ranks second on the team in rebounding at 5.4 per game. He grabbed eight rebounds against Colorado State, the third time this season with at least eight in a game. He added three points, three assists and a pair of blocks against the Rams.
BD's BIG DAY: Sophomore forward Bangot Dak led the Buffaloes against CSU scoring a career-high 16 points on 7 of 8 from the field along with four rebounds. He doubled his previous career-best of eight points, set previously against Iowa State. It was his first time leading Colorado in scoring and the 7 of 8 performance from the field (.875) is the team's best percentage wise this year with at least four field goals made.
Dak is averaging 6.1 points on the season but has jumped that number to 10.3 over the last three games. He is third on the team in blocks (7) and fifth in rebounding (3.1 rpg).
ABOUT THE JACKRABBITS: South Dakota State is 8-4 overall, coming off a 77-63 setback at Nevada on Dec. 11. The Jackrabbits are 3-4 away from home but have dropped both true road contests, with a 71-67 loss at Montana on Dec. 4 the other. SDSU averages 77.4 points per game and leads the Summit League in shooting at 47.3 percent. The Jackrabbits also top the Summit League, and rank 13th in the nation in rebounding margin at plus-10.3 boards per game. Defensively, SDSU allows 67.3 points while opponents are shooting just over 40 percent.
Senior center Oscar Cluff averages 17.3 points and 11.0 rebounds per game while shooting 73.1 percent from the field (76-104). He leads the nation in double-doubles with eight while ranking second in field goal percentage and sixth in rebounding average. Cluff transferred to South Dakota State from Washington State where he was a teammate of current Buffalo Andrej Jakimovski.
Freshman guard Joe Sayler is second on the team in scoring at 12.8 points per game. Sophomore guard Kalen Garry averages 9.6 points while leading the Jackrabbits in assists with 33.
THE SERIES: This will be the fourth meeting between Colorado and South Dakota State. The Buffaloes have won all three previous meetings, all coming in Boulder. The last meeting was a double-overtime scoring fest with the Buffaloes outlasting the Jackrabbits 112-103 on Dec. 15, 2017.
Â
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
C
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballSIGNED: David Gomez is Joining the Buffs in Boulder | Colorado Men's Basketball
Monday, April 27
Adding Australian Strength: Goc Malual is a Buffalo | Colorado Men's Basketball
Thursday, April 23
Australian Guard Alex Dickeson Signed with the Buffs | Colorado Men's Basketball
Wednesday, April 22
Buffs Get BIG Signing In Noah Feddersen | Colorado Men's Basketball
Friday, April 17