Buffs Renew Program's Most Played Rivalry Tuesday At Kansas

Game 24 - Kansas, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025
Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, Kan.
Tip: 7:05 p.m. MT
Watch: ESPN2 (Kevin Brown, Fran Fraschilla)
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Listen Online: Sirius XM 381, SXM App 971
Live Statistics: https://buffs.me/4gAxfnY

THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 9-14 overall and 0-12 in Big 12 Conference play after falling to No. 5 Houston, 69-59, on Feb. 8. The Buffaloes have dropped their last 12, their longest losing streak since falling in the final 12 games of the 2008-09 season. It's Colorado's first 0-12 start to conference play since a similar start to the 1985-86 season (finished 0-14 in the Big Eight).

Colorado is averaging 70.7 points per game, shooting 45.2 percent from the field, but those numbers have dipped to 65.2 points on 43.3 percent shooting during conference games. Defensively, Colorado is allowing 72.0 points per game overall while opponents are shooting 43.6 percent. During Big 12 games, Colorado is allowing 75.3 points while opponents shoot 45.9 percent.

The Buffaloes will be playing in their seventh true road game of the season and looking for their first win. Colorado is 1-8 away from Boulder this season, that win coming at the Maui Invitational against defending NCAA champion UConn.

The Buffaloes rank fourth in the Big 12 in free throw percentage (.758), seventh in rebounding defense (32.8 rpg) and defensive rebounds (25.2 drpg). During Big 12 games, Colorado is in the top half of the team statistics in free throw percentage (4th, .751), rebounding defense (5th, 33.7 rpg), steals (7th, 7.2 spg) and assists (8th, 13.1 apg) and field goal percentage (8th, .433).

Julian Hammond III, the most experienced player in terms of games for the Buffaloes (played in his 112th career game vs. Houston), leads Colorado at 13.7 points and 3.2 assists per game. Hammond also tops the Buffaloes in 3-point field goals made (42) and free throws made (62) and percentage (.899).

Hammond had a game-high 22 points against Houston, highlighted by a career-best five 3-point field goals. He broke out of a 1 for 10 slump from downtown the previous three games by making 5 of 7 against the Cougars. It was his team-best sixth 20-point game of the season.

Hammond is second the Big 12 and ranks 21st the in the nation in free throw percentage. He has made 62 of 69 on the season (.908) which includes consecutive made streaks of 21 (between UNC and UCF) and 18 which ended against Cincinnati.

Andrej Jakimovski, a four-year standout at old Pac-12 rival Washington State, is averaging 9.7 points ranking second on the team in 3-point field goals (30) and rebounding (4.4 rpg) and is third in steals (21). He had a team-high 13 points at TCU, leading the Buffaloes in scoring for the fourth time this season.

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 57.4 percent while averaging 7.9 points an outing. Malone is third on the team in blocks (14) and fifth in rebounding at 3.0 per game.

Malone grabbed six rebounds off the bench at Arizona, his most against a Big 12 opponent. He had recorded just five rebounds over his previous four appearances combined.

Malone had 15 points and a personal CU-high nine rebounds against South Dakota State. He hit 7 of 8 from the field, matching the team's best this season in terms of percentage (.875) with at least four field goals made.

Against Harvard, he went over the 2,000-point milestone for his collegiate career.

Trevor Baskin, an NCAA Division II All-American at Colorado Mesa, leads Colorado in rebounding (5.5 rpg), and steals (28) and is second in blocks (16) and third in overall shooting at 51.5 percent.

Baskin led Colorado at Arizona State with a personal CU-high 23 points on 9 of 14 from the field. He added a game-high 10 rebounds for his second CU double-double and 24th overall in his collegiate career. It was also his 24th collegiate 20-point scoring game.

Baskin flirted with a triple-double against Pacific, finishing with 13 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. 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).

Bangot Dak is averaging 7.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while shooting 51.6 percent from the field and leading the Buffaloes in blocked shots (34).

Dak is sixth in the Big 12 in overall blocked shots (1.5 bpg) and third in league only games (2.1 bpg). With his recent uptick in blocks - 10 in the last four games - he's entered the nation's top 100 in both overall blocks (34, 96th) and blocks per game (1.5 bpg, 98th).

Dak had 11 points, three blocks and tied a career-high three steals at Utah. He is averaging 9.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks over the last four games. Dak is shooting 57.1 percent during that span and has shot 50 percent or better in eight of his last 10 outings.

Dak just missed a double-double with nine points and a career and team season-high 12 rebounds at TCU. It was his first double-figure rebounding game of his career and the sixth overall for the Buffaloes this season.

Javon Ruffin is averaging 6.3 points and ranks second on the team in assists (47) and fourth in 3-point field goals (20). He led the Buffaloes in scoring for the first time this season with 13 at Utah while matching a personal best with three 3-point field goals.

Ruffin is averaging 8.2 points while shooting 45 percent (15-33) the last five games. He has made 11 of his last 22 from 3-point range (.500).

Freshman Sebastian Rancik has received the starting nod the last four contests averaging 6.8 points and 3.0 rebounds during that span. In his first career start, against Arizona State, Rancik had nine points, four rebounds and a career-best two steals.

ABOUT THE JAYHAWKS: No. 17 (AP) / No. 20 (USAT) Kansas is 16-7 overall and tied for fifth in the Big 12 at 7-5. The Jayhawks have dropped two of their last three, including an 81-73 setback at Kansas State on Feb. 8. KU is 11-2 at Allen Fieldhouse this season. Kansas averages 76.7 points while shooting 47.8 percent from the field. The Jayhawks rank second in the Big 12 and eighth in the country in assists at 18.0 per game. Defensively, Kansas allows 66.7 points while and is a top 10 team nationally in shooting defense at 38.7 percent.

Graduate center Hunter Dickinson leads Kansas at 16.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. Guard Zeke Mayo averages 15.1 points with a team-best 57 3-point field goals. Jajuan Harris Jr. averages 9.6 points and leads Kansas at 5.8 assists per game.

Bill Self is in his 22nd year as the head coach at Kansas with a record of 604-150 (.801). He is in his 32nd overall as a collegiate head coach with a mark of 811-255 (.761).

THE SERIES: This will be the 165th meeting between Colorado and Kansas, the most played series in program history. The series dates back to January 1931 and was played annually from 1947 through 2011 when the teams were together in the Big Seven/Big Eight/Big 12 Conferences. It's the first meeting since a 72-58 Kansas win at Allen Fieldhouse on Dec. 7, 2019. Kansas holds a 124-40 all-time lead in the series including a 63-7 mark in Lawrence. Colorado's last win in Allen Fieldhouse was on Feb. 10, 1983, a 75-74 decision.

Tad Boyle is 1-5 against Kansas as a head coach. Bill Self is 19-1 against Colorado as a head coach.

AGAINST RANKED TEAMS: Taking the latest rankings into account, the Buffaloes are projected to have nine games against ranked opponents this season, which would tie for the most in program history, joining teams in 1989-90, 1991-92 and 2010-11. Colorado is 1-4 against ranked opponents in 2024-25.

The win over No. 2/2 UConn marks the highest-ranked win away from Boulder in program history. Colorado has two previous wins over No. 2 teams, both coming in Boulder (Feb. 12, 1992 vs. #2 Oklahoma State, 57-53 & Feb. 26, 2022 vs. #2 Arizona, 79-63). Senior Julian Hammond III and redshirt junior Javon Ruffin were both on that team that defeated Arizona. The previous best neutral site win came against No. 4 Washington on Dec. 30, 1953 in Kansas City (Big 7 Holiday Tournament).

Colorado's last win against a defending national champion came against the 1952 NCAA champion Kansas Jayhawks on Jan. 20, 1953, 72-68 in Boulder.

Colorado's 28 wins over ranked Associated Press ranked opponents in the Tad Boyle era is by far the best in team history. In fact Boyle coached teams, with a record of 28-53, have accounted for 39 percent of wins over ranked opponents (72) since 1949-50.

Colorado faced two ranked nonconference opponents on back-to-back days for the first time in 26 years, Nov. 26-27, 1998, when the Buffaloes played No. 4 Kentucky (L, 52-64) and No. 10 Xavier (L, 61-74) in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Buffs Renew Program's Most Played Rivalry Tuesday At Kansas

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Players Mentioned

Trevor Baskin

Bangot Dak

Julian Hammond III

Andrej Jakimovski

Elijah Malone

Sebastian Rancik

Javon Ruffin

Colorado University Athletics