Wednesday, March 5
Lubbock, Texas
6 p.m.
Colorado
at
Texas Tech
Buffs Visit No. 9 Texas Tech For Final Big 12 Road Game
March 04, 2025 | Men's Basketball
Game 30 - Texas Tech, Wednesday, March 5, 2025
United Supermarkets Arena, Lubbock, Texas
Tip: 6:01Â p.m. MT
Watch: ESPN+ (Pete Sousa, Scott Williams)Â https://buffs.me/4btDlFu
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Listen Online: Sirius XM 392, SXM App 982
Live Statistics:Â https://buffs.me/4imYNi0
THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 11-18 overall and 2-16 in Big 12 Conference play after falling on the road to Kansas State, 65-56 on March 2. With the loss, the Buffaloes will be the No. 16 seed at the Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Championship and will play a first-round game against the No. 9 seed (to be determined) on Tuesday, March 11, at 1 p.m. MT.
The Buffaloes are looking for their first true road win, having lost all nine Big 12 road games this season. Colorado is 1-11 away from Boulder, that win coming at the Maui Invitational against defending NCAA champion UConn.
Colorado is averaging 69.7 points per game, shooting 44.5 percent from the field, but those numbers have dipped to 65.4 points on 42.4 percent shooting during conference games.
Defensively, Colorado is allowing 71.7 points per game overall while opponents are shooting 43.1 percent. During Big 12 games, Colorado is allowing 73.7 points while opponents shoot 44.3 percent.
The Buffaloes rank fourth in the Big 12 in free throw percentage (.750), fifth in defensive rebounds (25.7 drpg), and eighth in rebounding defense (33.0 rpg) and blocked shots (4.0 bpg). Â During Big 12 games, Colorado is in the top half of the league in free throw percentage (6th, .740), blocked shots (7th, 3.9 bpg), rebounding defense (7th, 33.7 rpg) and defensive rebounds (7th, 24.4Â drpg).
Colorado has seen an uptick in its rebounding efforts the last five games. The Buffaloes are averaging 39.2 rebounds in those contests, up 4.1 per game over its season average of 35.1. Colorado had a season-high 52 in the win over UCF and its total of 46 against Kansas is the second best this season.
Colorado, which ranks 14th in the Big 12 in offensive rebounds at 9.4 per game, has vaulted that number up to 10.8 per outing during that five-game span. The Buffaloes had a season-high 18 offensive boards against Kansas, the team's most since securing 19 against Florida State on Nov. 21, 2023. Colorado nabbed 16 offensive rebounds in the win over UCF.
Julian Hammond III, the most experienced player in terms of games for the Buffaloes (played in his 117th career game at Kansas State), leads Colorado at 12.4 points and 3.0 assists per game. Hammond also tops the Buffaloes in steals (34), 3-point field goals made (47), free throws made (74) and free throw percentage (.902).
Hammond is second in the Big 12 and ranks 10th in the nation in free throw percentage. He has made 74 of 82 on the season (.902) which includes consecutive made streaks of 21 (between UNC and UCF) and 18 which ended against Cincinnati. He is on pace for the second-best single-season free throw percentage in team history.
Hammond had a game-high 22 points against Houston, highlighted by a career-best five 3-point field goals. It was his team-best sixth 20-point game of the season.
Andrej Jakimovski, a four-year standout at old Pac-12 rival Washington State, is averaging 10.0 points ranking second on the team in 3-point field goals (44) and rebounding (4.6 rpg) and is tied for third in steals (25).
Jakimovski had 17 points, hitting 5 of 9 from downtown, seven rebounds and five assists against Baylor. It was his 12th double-figure scoring game of the season and led the Buffs for the sixth time.
Jakimovski's five assists against Baylor are his CU best and tied for this third-best collegiate game overall. He had back-to-back nine assist games as a freshman with Washington State against California and Stanford, Feb. 18 & 20, 2021. His five 3-pointers tied a career high, done twice this season (CSU Fullerton) and five times overall (three with WSU).
Bangot Dak is averaging 8.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while shooting 51.4 percent from the field and leading the Buffaloes in blocked shots (41). During conference games, Dak is Colorado's leading shooter (.533) and shot blocker (32) and ranks second in both scoring (9.4 rpg) and rebounding (4.4 rpg).
Dak had a team-high 16 points on 7 of 10 shooting in the home game with Kansas. He scored a game and career-high 20 points on 8 for 14 shooting at Iowa State. Dak is averaging 13.0 points on 54.1 percent shooting (20-37) the last four games.
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.
Dak is seventh in the Big 12 in overall blocked shots (1.4 bpg) and third in league only games (1.8 bpg). He ranks 94th in the nation in total blocks (41).
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 56.5 percent while averaging 7.6 points an outing. Malone is second on the team in blocks (18), fourth in scoring and fifth in rebounding at 3.1 per game.
Trevor Baskin, an NCAA Division II All-American at Colorado Mesa, leads Colorado in rebounding (4.6 rpg), is second in steals (29) and third in blocks (17), assists (54) and overall shooting at 50 percent.
Javon Ruffin is averaging 5.9 points and is second on the team in assists (58) and fourth in 3-point field goals (24). 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 6.2 points on the season, but since entering the starting lineup against Arizona State he is averaging 8.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Rancik had 10 points and five rebounds at Kansas State. 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 third on the team in rebounding at 4.0 per game. Diop matched his career-best 10 rebounds in the win over UCF, also hitting that mark against Northern Colorado. Diop has made 34 of 42 free throw attempts during the conference season (.810).
Sophomore RJ Smith is averaging 5.6 points and is second on the team in 3-point percentage (.373), while ranking third in 3-pointers made (28), fourth in assists (51) and fifth in steals (19). Smith had 11 points against Kansas State, leading the Buffaloes in scoring for the first time. He made 5 of 8 from the field, matching his career-best for field goals made. It was his sixth career double-figure scoring game and fifth this season.
ABOUT THE RED RAIDERS: No. 9 ranked Texas Tech is 22-7 overall and tied for second in the Big 12 at 13-5. The Red Raiders are coming off a 78-73 win at Kansas on March 1. Texas Tech averages 80.6 points while shooting 47.5 percent from the field. The Red Raiders are second in the Big 12 in 3-pointers at 9.9 made per game. Defensively, Texas Tech allows 66.8 points while opponents shoot 42.0 percent. The Red Raiders' scoring margin of +13.8 points per game ranks second in the Big 12 and ninth in the nation.
JT Toppin leads Texas Tech at 17.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game while shooting 55.9 percent from the field. Toppin has 12 double-doubles this season, ranking third in the Big 12. Chance McMillian averages 14.9 points and has a team-high 65 3-point field goals while shooting 43.9 percent from beyond the arc. Darrion Williams averages 14.9 points and 4.0 assists per game. Elijah Hawkins leads the Big 12 in assists (6.4 apg) while pitching in 9.3 points.
Grant McCasland is in his second season as the head coach at Texas Tech with a record of 45-18 (.714). He's in his 11th season overall as a collegiate head coach with a record of 256-107 (.705).
THE SERIES: This will be the 32nd meeting between Colorado and Texas Tech and the first since the Buffaloes' departure to the Pac-12 in 2011. Colorado holds an 18-13 series lead, winning two of the last three including the last game played in Lubbock, a 71-68 decision on Feb. 23, 2011. The series is tied at 7-7 in Lubbock.
Tad Boyle is 1-0 against Texas Tech as a head coach. Grant McCasland has never faced Colorado as a head coach.
SEASON OF HIGHLY RANKED OPPONENTS: Colorado is set to play its eighth ranked opponent which ties the 1991-92 team for the most in a regular season schedule in team history. The Buffaloes are 1-6 against ranked opponents in 2024-25. Barring a run to play another ranked opponent in the Big 12 Championship, Colorado's eight games against ranked teams will tie for fourth overall (including postseason games), falling just one short of the most in program history. Colorado played nine games against ranked teams in 1989-90, 1991-92 and 2010-11.
Colorado will play its sixth top 10 opponent, marking the most during a regular season in school history. Adding in postseason games, the Buffaloes will tie the 2013-14 squad for the second-most top 10 games overall. Colorado's 1989-90 team had seven top 10 opponents, two of which occurred during the Big Eight Tournament.
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United Supermarkets Arena, Lubbock, Texas
Tip: 6:01Â p.m. MT
Watch: ESPN+ (Pete Sousa, Scott Williams)Â https://buffs.me/4btDlFu
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Listen Online: Sirius XM 392, SXM App 982
Live Statistics:Â https://buffs.me/4imYNi0
THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 11-18 overall and 2-16 in Big 12 Conference play after falling on the road to Kansas State, 65-56 on March 2. With the loss, the Buffaloes will be the No. 16 seed at the Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Championship and will play a first-round game against the No. 9 seed (to be determined) on Tuesday, March 11, at 1 p.m. MT.
The Buffaloes are looking for their first true road win, having lost all nine Big 12 road games this season. Colorado is 1-11 away from Boulder, that win coming at the Maui Invitational against defending NCAA champion UConn.
Colorado is averaging 69.7 points per game, shooting 44.5 percent from the field, but those numbers have dipped to 65.4 points on 42.4 percent shooting during conference games.
Defensively, Colorado is allowing 71.7 points per game overall while opponents are shooting 43.1 percent. During Big 12 games, Colorado is allowing 73.7 points while opponents shoot 44.3 percent.
The Buffaloes rank fourth in the Big 12 in free throw percentage (.750), fifth in defensive rebounds (25.7 drpg), and eighth in rebounding defense (33.0 rpg) and blocked shots (4.0 bpg). Â During Big 12 games, Colorado is in the top half of the league in free throw percentage (6th, .740), blocked shots (7th, 3.9 bpg), rebounding defense (7th, 33.7 rpg) and defensive rebounds (7th, 24.4Â drpg).
Colorado has seen an uptick in its rebounding efforts the last five games. The Buffaloes are averaging 39.2 rebounds in those contests, up 4.1 per game over its season average of 35.1. Colorado had a season-high 52 in the win over UCF and its total of 46 against Kansas is the second best this season.
Colorado, which ranks 14th in the Big 12 in offensive rebounds at 9.4 per game, has vaulted that number up to 10.8 per outing during that five-game span. The Buffaloes had a season-high 18 offensive boards against Kansas, the team's most since securing 19 against Florida State on Nov. 21, 2023. Colorado nabbed 16 offensive rebounds in the win over UCF.
Julian Hammond III, the most experienced player in terms of games for the Buffaloes (played in his 117th career game at Kansas State), leads Colorado at 12.4 points and 3.0 assists per game. Hammond also tops the Buffaloes in steals (34), 3-point field goals made (47), free throws made (74) and free throw percentage (.902).
Hammond is second in the Big 12 and ranks 10th in the nation in free throw percentage. He has made 74 of 82 on the season (.902) which includes consecutive made streaks of 21 (between UNC and UCF) and 18 which ended against Cincinnati. He is on pace for the second-best single-season free throw percentage in team history.
Hammond had a game-high 22 points against Houston, highlighted by a career-best five 3-point field goals. It was his team-best sixth 20-point game of the season.
Andrej Jakimovski, a four-year standout at old Pac-12 rival Washington State, is averaging 10.0 points ranking second on the team in 3-point field goals (44) and rebounding (4.6 rpg) and is tied for third in steals (25).
Jakimovski had 17 points, hitting 5 of 9 from downtown, seven rebounds and five assists against Baylor. It was his 12th double-figure scoring game of the season and led the Buffs for the sixth time.
Jakimovski's five assists against Baylor are his CU best and tied for this third-best collegiate game overall. He had back-to-back nine assist games as a freshman with Washington State against California and Stanford, Feb. 18 & 20, 2021. His five 3-pointers tied a career high, done twice this season (CSU Fullerton) and five times overall (three with WSU).
Bangot Dak is averaging 8.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while shooting 51.4 percent from the field and leading the Buffaloes in blocked shots (41). During conference games, Dak is Colorado's leading shooter (.533) and shot blocker (32) and ranks second in both scoring (9.4 rpg) and rebounding (4.4 rpg).
Dak had a team-high 16 points on 7 of 10 shooting in the home game with Kansas. He scored a game and career-high 20 points on 8 for 14 shooting at Iowa State. Dak is averaging 13.0 points on 54.1 percent shooting (20-37) the last four games.
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.
Dak is seventh in the Big 12 in overall blocked shots (1.4 bpg) and third in league only games (1.8 bpg). He ranks 94th in the nation in total blocks (41).
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 56.5 percent while averaging 7.6 points an outing. Malone is second on the team in blocks (18), fourth in scoring and fifth in rebounding at 3.1 per game.
Trevor Baskin, an NCAA Division II All-American at Colorado Mesa, leads Colorado in rebounding (4.6 rpg), is second in steals (29) and third in blocks (17), assists (54) and overall shooting at 50 percent.
Javon Ruffin is averaging 5.9 points and is second on the team in assists (58) and fourth in 3-point field goals (24). 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 6.2 points on the season, but since entering the starting lineup against Arizona State he is averaging 8.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Rancik had 10 points and five rebounds at Kansas State. 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 third on the team in rebounding at 4.0 per game. Diop matched his career-best 10 rebounds in the win over UCF, also hitting that mark against Northern Colorado. Diop has made 34 of 42 free throw attempts during the conference season (.810).
Sophomore RJ Smith is averaging 5.6 points and is second on the team in 3-point percentage (.373), while ranking third in 3-pointers made (28), fourth in assists (51) and fifth in steals (19). Smith had 11 points against Kansas State, leading the Buffaloes in scoring for the first time. He made 5 of 8 from the field, matching his career-best for field goals made. It was his sixth career double-figure scoring game and fifth this season.
ABOUT THE RED RAIDERS: No. 9 ranked Texas Tech is 22-7 overall and tied for second in the Big 12 at 13-5. The Red Raiders are coming off a 78-73 win at Kansas on March 1. Texas Tech averages 80.6 points while shooting 47.5 percent from the field. The Red Raiders are second in the Big 12 in 3-pointers at 9.9 made per game. Defensively, Texas Tech allows 66.8 points while opponents shoot 42.0 percent. The Red Raiders' scoring margin of +13.8 points per game ranks second in the Big 12 and ninth in the nation.
JT Toppin leads Texas Tech at 17.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game while shooting 55.9 percent from the field. Toppin has 12 double-doubles this season, ranking third in the Big 12. Chance McMillian averages 14.9 points and has a team-high 65 3-point field goals while shooting 43.9 percent from beyond the arc. Darrion Williams averages 14.9 points and 4.0 assists per game. Elijah Hawkins leads the Big 12 in assists (6.4 apg) while pitching in 9.3 points.
Grant McCasland is in his second season as the head coach at Texas Tech with a record of 45-18 (.714). He's in his 11th season overall as a collegiate head coach with a record of 256-107 (.705).
THE SERIES: This will be the 32nd meeting between Colorado and Texas Tech and the first since the Buffaloes' departure to the Pac-12 in 2011. Colorado holds an 18-13 series lead, winning two of the last three including the last game played in Lubbock, a 71-68 decision on Feb. 23, 2011. The series is tied at 7-7 in Lubbock.
Tad Boyle is 1-0 against Texas Tech as a head coach. Grant McCasland has never faced Colorado as a head coach.
SEASON OF HIGHLY RANKED OPPONENTS: Colorado is set to play its eighth ranked opponent which ties the 1991-92 team for the most in a regular season schedule in team history. The Buffaloes are 1-6 against ranked opponents in 2024-25. Barring a run to play another ranked opponent in the Big 12 Championship, Colorado's eight games against ranked teams will tie for fourth overall (including postseason games), falling just one short of the most in program history. Colorado played nine games against ranked teams in 1989-90, 1991-92 and 2010-11.
Colorado will play its sixth top 10 opponent, marking the most during a regular season in school history. Adding in postseason games, the Buffaloes will tie the 2013-14 squad for the second-most top 10 games overall. Colorado's 1989-90 team had seven top 10 opponents, two of which occurred during the Big Eight Tournament.
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