Alyssa Fressle
THE GAME: The University of Colorado travels to the Sunflower State for the second time in one week as the Buffaloes face the University of Kansas on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010, at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence.
BROADCAST: Wednesday's game will be broadcast live on KKZN AM 760 with Mike Rice on the call. Live internet audio of all CU basketball games is available on BuffsRadio, a subscription service through CUBuffs.com. Please note the BuffsRadio audio and BuffsTV video are separate subscriptions. Wednesday's game will be televised in the Kansas City-Lawrence area on the Sunflower cable network.
OPENING TIP: At 12-6 overall Colorado has surpassed its win total for all of 2008-09 (11-18) and needs just one more win to match its 2009 Big 12 win total (3-13). The Buffaloes will be looking for their second Big 12 road win this season, a feat not achieved since the 2003-04 season.
THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 12-6 overall and 2-3 in Big 12 play after falling to No. 12 (AP)/17 (WBCA) Oklahoma State on Jan. 24. The Buffaloes will attempt to reach .500 in league play through six games for the first time since the 2003-04 season. Colorado has dropped three of its last four.
TEAM NUMBERS: Colorado is averaging 71 points per game and shooting 42 percent from the field overall but those numbers have fallen to 63 points per game and 37 percent shooting over the four Big 12 contests. Colorado is averaging 7.8 3-pointers per game, ranking third in the Big 12. The Buffaloes are the second-best free throw shooting team in the Big 12 at 75.9 percent (236-311), just percentage points behind Kansas State (.762). The Buffaloes are having success on the defensive end, ranking third in the Big 12 steals (9.6 spg), fourth in blocks (4.5 bpg) and fifth in field-goal percentage defense (.363).
SMITH NEARING MILESTONE: Bianca Smith needs just one point to become the 23rd player in team history to reach 1,000. She is already 23rd on CU's all-time scoring list as she improved her career total to 999 after recording nine points against Oklahoma State.
ABOUT THE JAYHAWKS: Kansas is 11-7 overall and 1-4 in Big 12 play. After starting the season ranked in the national polls and a 10-2 record, the Jayhawks have lost five of their last six games. KU's lone win during that span was a 72-59 decision at home over Missouri. Kansas is 9-1 at home this year, its lone loss to Oklahoma State, 70-68, on Jan. 12. Kansas is averaging 71 points per game while shooting 46 percent from the field, a mark that ranks fourth in the Big 12. Those numbers have dipped during KU's Big 12 season, down to just 57 points and 41 percent shooting.
Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year Danielle McCray leads Kansas at 19.3 points and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 45 percent from the field including 41 percent from 3-point range (40-of-97). Forward Aishah Sutherland leads Kansas in rebounding at 7.8 per game while averaging 11.1 points on 56 percent shooting. Krysten Boogaard, who has come off the bench the last three games, is third on the team at scoring at 10.3 points and outing and 5.7 rebounds per game.
SERIES RECORDS: This will be the 64th meeting between Colorado and Kansas with the Buffaloes holding a slight 33-30 edge in the series. The Buffaloes have won five of the last eight and 13 of 18 since 2001. The Jayhawks won last season's meeting in Lawrence, 65-54, and hold a 16-12 all-time advantage on their home court.
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This is not a very good Kansas team. It's always difficult to win on the road in the Big 12, but CU should win this one (and needs it).
