Tuesday, April 1
Las Vegas, Nev.
6:30 p.m.
Colorado
vs
Villanova
Photo by: Tony Harman
Buffs Set For College Basketball Crown Tuesday
March 31, 2025 | Men's Basketball
Game 35 - Villanova, Tuesday, April 1, 2025
MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nev.
Tip: 6:30 p.m. MT
Watch: FS1 (Kevin Kugler, Robbie Hummel, Kim Adams)
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Listen Online: CUBuffs.com
Live Statistics:Â https://buffs.me/3RovnEq
THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 14-20 overall placing 16th in the Big 12 Conference at 3-17. The Buffaloes have won five of their last 10 games, including a pair of upsets at the Big 12 Championship, becoming the first team in nearly a century to advance to the quarterfinals of any conference championship after finishing 16th or lower in the regular season standings.
Colorado is advancing to postseason play past the conference tournament level for the 13th time in 14 opportunities under head coach Tad Boyle (no postseason in 2020 due to the pandemic). During that time the Buffaloes have played in six NCAA Tournaments, five NIT events and one CBI.
Colorado will play into the month of April for just the third time, and first time in the NCAA era. The Buffaloes made a rare two-game spring swing into Utah, 122 years ago. In April 1903, the second year of varsity basketball at Colorado, the Buffaloes fell at Latter Day Saints 18-13 on April 1 followed by a 16-10 win at BYU on April 2. The latest game in the NCAA era was March 29, 2011, a loss to Alabama in the semifinals of the NIT at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Colorado's wins over TCU and West Virginia at the Big 12 Championship mark the seventh time in the Tad Boyle era the Buffaloes have won at least two conference tournament games. It's just the eighth time in program history, the outlier coming at the 1990 Big Eight Tournament where the Buffaloes made the championship game as the No. 8 seed.
Colorado is the first team to advance to the quarterfinals of any conference championship after finishing 16th-or-lower in the regular season since Tennessee in the 1931 Southern Conference Tournament.
The Buffaloes rank fourth in the Big 12 in free throw percentage (.754), fifth in defensive rebounds (25.6 drpg), seventh in rebounding defense (33.2 rpg) and eighth in blocked shots (3.9 bpg) and field goal percentage defense (.429). Â During Big 12 games, Colorado finished the top half of the league in free throw percentage (6th, .739), blocked shots (5th, 4.0 bpg), field goal percentage (7th, .434), rebounding defense (6th, 33.4 rpg) and defensive rebounds (5th, 24.9 drpg).
Julian Hammond III, the most experienced player in terms of games for the Buffaloes (played in his 121st career game vs. Houston), leads Colorado at 12.5 points and 3.2 assists per game. Hammond also tops the Buffaloes in steals (40), field goals made (131), free throws made (98) and free throw percentage (.907).
Hammond averaged 11.0 points and led the Buffaloes in assists (3.7 apg) at the Big 12 Championship. He hit 18 of 20 from the free throw line, including all 11 attempts vs. Houston and West Virginia. Against West Virginia he hit 6 of 6 from the line, including four clutch in the closing minutes, while dishing out five assists. He had 16 points in the first round win over TCU.
Hammond, who leads the Big 12 and ranks ninth in the nation in free throw percentage, made 98 of 108 on the season (.907) which includes consecutive made streaks of 21 (between UNC and UCF) and 18 which ended against Cincinnati. His mark is the second-best single-season free throw percentage in team history.
Hammond had 19 points and matched a career high with seven assists in the Senior Day win over TCU. He was a perfect 6 of 6 from the free throw line.
Andrej Jakimovski, a four-year standout at old Pac-12 rival Washington State, is averaging 10.4 points and leads the Buffaloes in 3-point field goals (54) and rebounding average (5.0 rpg) and is second in total rebounds and steals (35).
Jakimovski led the Buffaloes at the Big 12 Championship, averaging 18.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals. Â He had an overall collegiate-high 25 points in the quarterfinals against Houston while matching personal-bests with eight field goals and four steals. It was his sixth career 20-point game and second for the Buffaloes.
Jakimovski had 11 points, six rebounds and three steals against West Virginia. Jakimovski led Colorado in the first round win over TCU with 18 points and seven rebounds. Jakimovski grabbed eight rebounds in the Senior Day win over TCU, his best in a Big 12 game.
Rebounds have been coming in bunches for him as of late, recording at least seven six times in the last 10 games averaging 6.4 over that span
Bangot Dak is averaging 8.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while shooting 50.2 percent from the field and leading the Buffaloes in blocked shots (45). During conference games, Dak was Colorado's leading shooter (.541) and shot blocker (33) and ranks second in both scoring (9.6 rpg) and rebounding (4.6 rpg).
Dak is eighth in the Big 12 in overall blocked shots (1.3 bpg) and tied for fourth in league only games (1.7 bpg).
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 58.6 percent while averaging 7.6 points an outing. Malone is third on the team in blocks (20), fourth in scoring and fifth in rebounding at 3.0 per game.
Malone led Colorado in the win over West Virginia, scoring 14 points on 7 of 10 from the field. The 14 points and seven field goals were his most against a Big 12 opponent. Since an 0 for 4 contest at Iowa State, Malone has hit 28 of his last 43 from the field (.651).
Trevor Baskin, a 2024 NCAA Division II All-American at Colorado Mesa, leads Colorado in total rebounds, is second in blocks (26) and third in assists (63), steals (33) and overall shooting at 50.0 percent.
Baskin had eight points and a career and team-season high 16 rebounds in the Senior Day win over TCU. He twice had 15 rebounds in games with Colorado Mesa. The 16 rebounds were the most by a Buffalo since Jabari Walker had 16 against Oregon in the 2022 Pac-12 Tournament.
Javon Ruffin is averaging 5.7 points and is second on the team in assists (67) and fourth in 3-point field goals (28). He was 3 of 4 from long range against TCU finishing with nine points. Ruffin matched a career-high five assists in the game at Kansas State. 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.
Freshman Sebastian Rancik is averaging 5.9 points on the season. Rancik had 12 points at Texas Tech, going a career-best 6 of 6 from the free throw line. Rancik had a career-night at Kansas leading the Buffaloes with 19 points and nine rebounds, both personal bests. Â
Sophomore Assane Diop is averaging 3.8 points and is fourth on the team in rebounding at 3.8 per game. He registered his fourth double-figure scoring game of the season with 11 points at Texas Tech hitting a perfect 4 of 4 from the field. Diop matched his career-best 10 rebounds in the win over UCF, also hitting that mark against Northern Colorado.
Sophomore RJ Smith is averaging 6.1 points, leads the team in 3-point percentage (.394), while ranking third in 3-pointers made (37), fourth in assists (56) and fifth in steals (23).
Smith was Colorado's third leading scorer at the Big 12 Championship at 8.0 points per game, hitting 6 of 10 from 3-point range (.600). Smith had 13 points, five rebounds and two blocks against West Virginia. He scored all 13 of those points in the second half, tying career-highs with three field goals made and his two blocks. It was his eighth career double-figure scoring game and seventh this season. Smith had 12 points on 5 of 10 from the field in the win over TCU, matching his career-best for overall field goals made.
Freshman Felix Kossaras had a great game off the bench against West Virginia with a career-high seven points hitting 3 of 4 from the field.
ABOUT THE WILDCATS: Villanova is 19-14 overall and finished sixth in the Big East Conference at 11-9. The Wildcats have won four of their last six and seven of their last 11. Villanova averages 73.4 points per game while shooting 46.2 percent from the field. The Wildcats are the second-best team in the nation in 3-point shooting at 39.8 percent and fourth in free throw accuracy at 80.0 percent. Defensively, the Wildcats allow 67.5 points while opponents shoot 43.1 percent from the field. Villanova's scoring defense ranks second in the Big East trailing only St. John's.
Graduate forward Eric Dixon is the nation's leading scorer at 23.0 points per game. The third-team All-American (AP & USBWA) shoots 45.1 percent from the field and third on the team in rebounding at 5.2 per game. Senior guard Wooga Poplar leads the Wildcats in steals with 44 while ranking second in scoring (14.5 ppg) and 3-point field goals (63). Senior guard Jordan Longino averages 11.6 points and 2.3 assists per game. Graduate guard Jhamir Brickus averages 9.5 points and a team-best 4.9 assists per game.
THE SERIES: This will be the second meeting between Colorado and Villanova. Colorado won the only previous contest, a 79-56 decision on Dec. 27, 1999, in the first round of the Rainbow Classic in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
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MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nev.
Tip: 6:30 p.m. MT
Watch: FS1 (Kevin Kugler, Robbie Hummel, Kim Adams)
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Listen Online: CUBuffs.com
Live Statistics:Â https://buffs.me/3RovnEq
THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 14-20 overall placing 16th in the Big 12 Conference at 3-17. The Buffaloes have won five of their last 10 games, including a pair of upsets at the Big 12 Championship, becoming the first team in nearly a century to advance to the quarterfinals of any conference championship after finishing 16th or lower in the regular season standings.
Colorado is advancing to postseason play past the conference tournament level for the 13th time in 14 opportunities under head coach Tad Boyle (no postseason in 2020 due to the pandemic). During that time the Buffaloes have played in six NCAA Tournaments, five NIT events and one CBI.
Colorado will play into the month of April for just the third time, and first time in the NCAA era. The Buffaloes made a rare two-game spring swing into Utah, 122 years ago. In April 1903, the second year of varsity basketball at Colorado, the Buffaloes fell at Latter Day Saints 18-13 on April 1 followed by a 16-10 win at BYU on April 2. The latest game in the NCAA era was March 29, 2011, a loss to Alabama in the semifinals of the NIT at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Colorado's wins over TCU and West Virginia at the Big 12 Championship mark the seventh time in the Tad Boyle era the Buffaloes have won at least two conference tournament games. It's just the eighth time in program history, the outlier coming at the 1990 Big Eight Tournament where the Buffaloes made the championship game as the No. 8 seed.
Colorado is the first team to advance to the quarterfinals of any conference championship after finishing 16th-or-lower in the regular season since Tennessee in the 1931 Southern Conference Tournament.
The Buffaloes rank fourth in the Big 12 in free throw percentage (.754), fifth in defensive rebounds (25.6 drpg), seventh in rebounding defense (33.2 rpg) and eighth in blocked shots (3.9 bpg) and field goal percentage defense (.429). Â During Big 12 games, Colorado finished the top half of the league in free throw percentage (6th, .739), blocked shots (5th, 4.0 bpg), field goal percentage (7th, .434), rebounding defense (6th, 33.4 rpg) and defensive rebounds (5th, 24.9 drpg).
Julian Hammond III, the most experienced player in terms of games for the Buffaloes (played in his 121st career game vs. Houston), leads Colorado at 12.5 points and 3.2 assists per game. Hammond also tops the Buffaloes in steals (40), field goals made (131), free throws made (98) and free throw percentage (.907).
Hammond averaged 11.0 points and led the Buffaloes in assists (3.7 apg) at the Big 12 Championship. He hit 18 of 20 from the free throw line, including all 11 attempts vs. Houston and West Virginia. Against West Virginia he hit 6 of 6 from the line, including four clutch in the closing minutes, while dishing out five assists. He had 16 points in the first round win over TCU.
Hammond, who leads the Big 12 and ranks ninth in the nation in free throw percentage, made 98 of 108 on the season (.907) which includes consecutive made streaks of 21 (between UNC and UCF) and 18 which ended against Cincinnati. His mark is the second-best single-season free throw percentage in team history.
Hammond had 19 points and matched a career high with seven assists in the Senior Day win over TCU. He was a perfect 6 of 6 from the free throw line.
Andrej Jakimovski, a four-year standout at old Pac-12 rival Washington State, is averaging 10.4 points and leads the Buffaloes in 3-point field goals (54) and rebounding average (5.0 rpg) and is second in total rebounds and steals (35).
Jakimovski led the Buffaloes at the Big 12 Championship, averaging 18.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals. Â He had an overall collegiate-high 25 points in the quarterfinals against Houston while matching personal-bests with eight field goals and four steals. It was his sixth career 20-point game and second for the Buffaloes.
Jakimovski had 11 points, six rebounds and three steals against West Virginia. Jakimovski led Colorado in the first round win over TCU with 18 points and seven rebounds. Jakimovski grabbed eight rebounds in the Senior Day win over TCU, his best in a Big 12 game.
Rebounds have been coming in bunches for him as of late, recording at least seven six times in the last 10 games averaging 6.4 over that span
Bangot Dak is averaging 8.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while shooting 50.2 percent from the field and leading the Buffaloes in blocked shots (45). During conference games, Dak was Colorado's leading shooter (.541) and shot blocker (33) and ranks second in both scoring (9.6 rpg) and rebounding (4.6 rpg).
Dak is eighth in the Big 12 in overall blocked shots (1.3 bpg) and tied for fourth in league only games (1.7 bpg).
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 58.6 percent while averaging 7.6 points an outing. Malone is third on the team in blocks (20), fourth in scoring and fifth in rebounding at 3.0 per game.
Malone led Colorado in the win over West Virginia, scoring 14 points on 7 of 10 from the field. The 14 points and seven field goals were his most against a Big 12 opponent. Since an 0 for 4 contest at Iowa State, Malone has hit 28 of his last 43 from the field (.651).
Trevor Baskin, a 2024 NCAA Division II All-American at Colorado Mesa, leads Colorado in total rebounds, is second in blocks (26) and third in assists (63), steals (33) and overall shooting at 50.0 percent.
Baskin had eight points and a career and team-season high 16 rebounds in the Senior Day win over TCU. He twice had 15 rebounds in games with Colorado Mesa. The 16 rebounds were the most by a Buffalo since Jabari Walker had 16 against Oregon in the 2022 Pac-12 Tournament.
Javon Ruffin is averaging 5.7 points and is second on the team in assists (67) and fourth in 3-point field goals (28). He was 3 of 4 from long range against TCU finishing with nine points. Ruffin matched a career-high five assists in the game at Kansas State. 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.
Freshman Sebastian Rancik is averaging 5.9 points on the season. Rancik had 12 points at Texas Tech, going a career-best 6 of 6 from the free throw line. Rancik had a career-night at Kansas leading the Buffaloes with 19 points and nine rebounds, both personal bests. Â
Sophomore Assane Diop is averaging 3.8 points and is fourth on the team in rebounding at 3.8 per game. He registered his fourth double-figure scoring game of the season with 11 points at Texas Tech hitting a perfect 4 of 4 from the field. Diop matched his career-best 10 rebounds in the win over UCF, also hitting that mark against Northern Colorado.
Sophomore RJ Smith is averaging 6.1 points, leads the team in 3-point percentage (.394), while ranking third in 3-pointers made (37), fourth in assists (56) and fifth in steals (23).
Smith was Colorado's third leading scorer at the Big 12 Championship at 8.0 points per game, hitting 6 of 10 from 3-point range (.600). Smith had 13 points, five rebounds and two blocks against West Virginia. He scored all 13 of those points in the second half, tying career-highs with three field goals made and his two blocks. It was his eighth career double-figure scoring game and seventh this season. Smith had 12 points on 5 of 10 from the field in the win over TCU, matching his career-best for overall field goals made.
Freshman Felix Kossaras had a great game off the bench against West Virginia with a career-high seven points hitting 3 of 4 from the field.
ABOUT THE WILDCATS: Villanova is 19-14 overall and finished sixth in the Big East Conference at 11-9. The Wildcats have won four of their last six and seven of their last 11. Villanova averages 73.4 points per game while shooting 46.2 percent from the field. The Wildcats are the second-best team in the nation in 3-point shooting at 39.8 percent and fourth in free throw accuracy at 80.0 percent. Defensively, the Wildcats allow 67.5 points while opponents shoot 43.1 percent from the field. Villanova's scoring defense ranks second in the Big East trailing only St. John's.
Graduate forward Eric Dixon is the nation's leading scorer at 23.0 points per game. The third-team All-American (AP & USBWA) shoots 45.1 percent from the field and third on the team in rebounding at 5.2 per game. Senior guard Wooga Poplar leads the Wildcats in steals with 44 while ranking second in scoring (14.5 ppg) and 3-point field goals (63). Senior guard Jordan Longino averages 11.6 points and 2.3 assists per game. Graduate guard Jhamir Brickus averages 9.5 points and a team-best 4.9 assists per game.
THE SERIES: This will be the second meeting between Colorado and Villanova. Colorado won the only previous contest, a 79-56 decision on Dec. 27, 1999, in the first round of the Rainbow Classic in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
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