Buffs Host TCU On Senior Day

Game 31 - TCU, Saturday, March 8, 2025
CU Events Center, Boulder, Colo.

Tip: 2:01 p.m. MT

Watch: ESPN+ (Ted Emrich, Corey Williams) https://buffs.me/43rFe3y

Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)

Listen Online: Sirius XM 383, SXM App 973

Live Statistics: http://statb.us/b/546210

FOOD DRIVE: Colorado Athletics is holding its annual Food Drive prior to Saturday's game with TCU to benefit Community Food Share to help fight hunger in Boulder and Broomfield Counties. Donation bins will be located outside entrances to the CU Events Center. The most needed items include nut butters, pasts, sauce, beans, oatmeal and canned vegetables.

SENIORS TO BE HONORED: Colorado will salute five seniors prior, and following, Saturday's game: Julian Hammond III, Javon Ruffin, Trevor Baskin, Andrej Jakimovski and Jack Pease.

THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 11-19 overall and 2-17 in Big 12 Conference play after dropping its third in a row with a 91-75 decision at No. 9 ranked Texas Tech on March 5. 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, at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. No less than 21 scenarios exist for the No. 9 seed heading into the final weekend of the regular season which will be one of the following teams (in alphabetical order): Kansas, Kansas State, TCU, Utah or West Virginia.

Colorado is averaging 69.9 points per game, shooting 44.8 percent from the field, but those numbers have dipped to 65.9 points on 43.3 percent shooting during conference games.

Colorado did enjoy one of its better offensive performances in the loss to Texas Tech. The Buffaloes shot 52.7 percent from the field against the Red Raiders (29-55), their best figure in the Big 12 this season and second-best overall (.566 vs. Cal State Fullerton). It was Colorado's best shooting percentage in a loss since the Buffaloes made 30 of 55 (.545) at Colorado State on Nov. 29, 2023.

Colorado's 29 field goals were its best in the league season and matched its second-best overall.

While the Buffaloes continued to struggle from 3-point range hitting just 3 of 14 (.214), Colorado was an impressive 63.4 percent inside the 3-point arc hitting 26 of 41 shots. Colorado hit 70 points for the sixth time during Big 12 play, with three of those coming in the last six games.

Defensively, Colorado is allowing 72.3 points per game overall while opponents are shooting 43.3 percent. During Big 12 games, Colorado is allowing 74.6 points while opponents shoot 44.6 percent.

The Buffaloes rank fifth in the Big 12 in free throw percentage (.747), and defensive rebounds (25.7 drpg), seventh in rebounding defense (32.9 rpg) and eighth in blocked shots (4.0 bpg). During Big 12 games, Colorado is in the top half of the league in free throw percentage (6th, .736), blocked shots (t-6th, 4.0 bpg), field goal percentage (7th, .433), rebounding defense (7th, 33.6 rpg) and defensive rebounds (7th, 24.4 drpg).

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 eighth 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 9.9 points ranking second on the team in 3-point field goals (45) and third in steals (25).

Jakimovski has taken over the team lead in rebounding average at 4.7 per game. He matched his Big 12 high of seven rebounds at Texas Tech, a number he's achieved three times in the last six games, averaging 5.8 rebounds over that span.

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 8.4 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while shooting 51.6 percent from the field and leading the Buffaloes in blocked shots (42). During conference games, Dak is Colorado's leading shooter (.534) and shot blocker (33) and ranks second in both scoring (9.6 rpg) and rebounding (4.6 rpg).

Dak had his third-straight double-figure scoring game with 12 points on 5 of 9 shooting at Texas Tech. He 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 12.8 points on 54.3 percent shooting (25-46) 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 tied for third in league only games (1.7 bpg). He ranks 96th in the nation in total blocks (42).

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 57.1 percent while averaging 7.7 points an outing. Malone is third on the team in blocks (18), fourth in scoring and fifth in rebounding at 3.1 per game.

Malone had 10 points hitting 5 of 7 from the field at Texas Tech, matching his Big 12 best for points and field goals made. Since an 0 for 4 contest at Iowa State, Malone has hit 14 of his last 23 from the field (.609).

Trevor Baskin, a 2024 NCAA Division II All-American at Colorado Mesa, leads Colorado in offensive (45) and total (135) rebounds, is second in steals (29) and blocks (19) and third in assists (56) and overall shooting at 51 percent.

Baskin had eight points and two blocks off the bench at Texas Tech. He was 4 of 5 from the field, breaking from a slump that saw him hit just 2 of 8 over his previous six games.

Javon Ruffin is averaging 5.9 points and is second on the team in assists (50) 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 6.4 points on the season, but since entering the starting lineup against Arizona State he is averaging 9.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. 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.

Sophomore Assane Diop is averaging 4.0 points and is third on the team in rebounding at 4.0 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 5.7 points and is second on the team in 3-point percentage (.380), while ranking third in 3-pointers made (30), fourth in assists (52) 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 HORNED FROGS: TCU is 16-14 overall and tied with West Virginia and Kansas State for eighth in the Big 12 at 9-10. The Horned Frogs have lost three of their last four since a stretch where they had won five of six beginning with the win over Colorado on Feb. 2. TCU is 2-11 away from home this season, 2-8 in true road games. TCU ranks last in the Big 12 in scoring (68.0 ppg) and field goal percentage (.421). Defensively, TCU allows 68.5 points per game while opponents shoot 44.2 percent.

Noah Reynolds leads TCU at 12.3 points and dishes out 3.1 assists per game. Vasean Allette averages 11.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and a team-best 3.6 assists per game. Ernest Udeh Jr. tops the Horned Frogs in field goal percentage (.639), rebounds (7.5 rpg) and blocks (1.3 bpg).

Jamie Dixon is in his ninth season at TCU with a record of 176-124 (.587). He is in his 22nd season overall as a collegiate head coach with a 504-247 mark (.671).

THE SERIES: This will be the sixth meeting between Colorado and TCU. The Horned Frogs took a 3-2 lead in the series with a win in the first Big 12 matchup between the two teams, a 68-57 decision on Feb. 2, in Fort Worth. It will be TCU's first trip to Boulder, since picking up a win at the CU Events Center, 62-46, on Dec. 3, 2008.

Tad Boyle is 0-1 against TCU as a head coach. Jamie Dixon is 2-0 in his career against the Buffaloes, the first win coming as the head coach at Pittsburgh in the first round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament, a 77-48 decision in Orlando, Fla.

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Players Mentioned

Trevor Baskin

Bangot Dak

Assane Diop

Julian Hammond III

Andrej Jakimovski

Elijah Malone

Jack Pease

Sebastian Rancik

Javon Ruffin

RJ Smith