Colorado Basketball. Colorado. oklahoma Sooners (11-3, 1-0 big 12) Buffaloes (5-8, 0-1 Big 12)

Transcription

1 Colorado Basketball game Oklahoma, January 7, 2006 Lloyd noble center -- norman, okla. Contact: Troy Andre -- Phone: Colorado Sports Information UCB -- Boulder, CO Fax: SCHEDULE DATE OPPONENT (AP/USA) W/L TIME/RES TV N 6 COLORADO MINES (Exh.) W N 11 REGIS (Exh.) W N 18 CAL STATE-FULLERTON W N 21 WYOMING L FSNRM N 25 #NORTHERN IOWA L OT N 26 #UTAH STATE W N 30 at Colorado State L FSNRM D 3 at Creighton L D 8 PACIFIC W D 19 $vs. Northern Arizona L OT D 20 $vs. Puerto Rico-Mayaguez W D 21 $vs. South Florida (--/RV) L D 28 SOUTH DAKOTA STATE W D 30 OREGON L J 4 *NEBRASKA L FSNRM J 7 *at Oklahoma (18/16) 2:30 p.m. J 10 *KANSAS 7 p.m. FSNRM J 14 *at Kansas State 6 p.m. J 18 *at Missouri 5:30 p.m. J 21 *IOWA STATE 7 p.m. J 24 *TEXAS A&M 7 p.m. J 28 *at Nebraska 6:05 p.m. F 1 *at Kansas 6 p.m. F 4 *TEXAS 12 p.m. FSN F 8 *KANSAS STATE 8 p.m. FSNRM F 11 *at Texas Tech 6 p.m. F 13 NORTHERN COLORADO 7 p.m. F 18 *MISSOURI 7 p.m. FSNRM F 22 *at Baylor 6 p.m. F 26 *OKLAHOMA STATE 2 p.m. M 2 *at Iowa State 6 p.m. M 7-11!at Big 12 Championship TBA M ^NCAA 1st & 2nd Round TBA M NCAA Regionals TBA A 2-4 NCAA Women s Final Four TBA Home games in BOLD CAPS *Big 12 Conference game $19th Annual Coors Classic (Boulder, Colo.); $San Juan Shootout (Carolina, P.R.)!Reunion Arena (Dallas, Texas); ^Colorado will host one of eight NCAA 1st & 2nd round sites at the Pepsi Center in Denver AUDIO FOR ALL GAMES AVAILABLE VIA YAHOO! SPORTS. SEE CUBUFFS.COM FOR DETAILS COLORADO SPORTS INFORMATION CU Women s Basketball SID: Troy Andre Office: CU Sports Information: CU Sports Information FAX: Andre Cell: Athletic Ticket Office: CECC Press Row: /4381/1552 CECC Media Room: CECC Media Fax: Andre troy.andre@colorado.edu Big 12 SID: Joni James James joni@big12sports.com Big 12 on the Web: Colorado Online: THE GAME: The University of Colorado (5-8, 0-1 Big 12) will play its first Big 12 Conference road game of 2006 by traveling to face No. 18/16 University of Oklahoma (11-3, 1-0 Big 12) on Saturday, Jan. 7, at 2:30 p.m. MST, at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla. BROADCAST: Due to a conflict with the CU men s game, the women s game at Oklahoma will be broadcast live on KVCU AM Tim Smile will handle play by play duties and is joined by USA Basketball s Carol Callan with the color commentary. Internet audio streaming of the game will be available through Yahoo! Sports. STAFF RETURNS TO OKLAHOMA: Saturday s game will be a homecoming of sorts for first-year head coach Kathy McConnell- Miller and her staff. Miller was the head coach at neighboring Tulsa for six seasons. Current CU assistants Mike Neighbors, Bethann Shapiro Ord and Aisha Veasley were all assistants under Miller at Tulsa while CU s Director of Basketball Operations Carla Morrow was a four-year letterwinner for the Golden Hurricane ( ). Colorado Buffaloes (5-8, 0-1 Big 12) Team Comparison Averages CU OU Points Points Allowed Scoring Margin Field Goals Field Goal Att Field Goal Pct pt Field Goals pt Field Goal Att pt Field Goal Pct Free Throws Free Throw Att Free Throw Pct Probable Starters Colorado oklahoma Sooners (11-3, 1-0 big 12) Team Comparison Averages CU OU Offensive Rebounds Defensive Rebounds Total Rebounds Rebounding Margin Fouls Assists Turnovers Assist/TO Ratio Turnover Margin Blocks Steals Pos No Name Ht Yr Hometown PPG RPG APG G 10 Lauren Lubin 5-8 So Winnetka, Ill G 23 Yari Escalera 5-6 So Humacao, Puerto Rico G/F 21 Jasmina Ilic 6-1 Jr Becej, Serbia F 12 Anna Nedovic 6-4 Jr Ballerup, Denmark C 45 Jackie McFarland 6-3 So Derby, Kan Oklahoma Pos No Name Ht Yr Hometown PPG RPG APG G 22 Chelsi Welch 5-9 Jr Plainview, Texas G 33 Britney Brown 5-8 Jr Norman, Okla G 34 Erin Higgins 5-9 Jr Oklahoma City, Okla F 24 Leah Rush 6-1 Jr Amarillo, Texas C 3 Courtney Paris 6-4 Fr Piedmont, Calif

2 Colorado Roster No. Name Pos. Ht. Cl. Exp Hometown (HS/Previous College) 2 Bianca Smith G 5-9 Fr. HS Missouri City, Texas (Bellaire) 3 Susie Powers G 5-10 Jr. TR Centennial, Colo. (Highlands Ranch/Notre Dame) 10 Lauren Lubin G 5-8 So. 1L Winnetka, Ill. (New Trier) 11 Hannah Skildum G/F 6-0 Fr. HS North Oaks, Minn. (Mounds View) 12 Anna Nedovic F 6-4 Jr. 2L Ballerup, Denmark (Falkonergaarden) 13 Courtney Wallace F 5-10 Jr. TR Colorado Springs, Colo. (Air Academy/UCCS) 21 Jasmina Ilic G/F 6-1 Jr. 2L Becej, Serbia (Laza Kostic) 22 Whitney Law G 5-11 Sr. 2L Littleton, Colo. (Chatfield/Georgia) 23 Yari Escalera G 5-6 So. 1L Humacao, Puerto Rico (Colegio San Antonio Abad) 40 Caley Dow F 6-2 Fr. HS Littleton, Colo. (Arapahoe) 44 Kara Richards C 6-4 So. 1L Graham, Texas (Graham) 45 Jackie McFarland F 6-3 So. 1L Derby, Kan. (Derby) 52 Tami Garnett C 6-3 Sr. 1L Arlington, Texas (Sam Houston/Central Arizona) Head Coach: Kathy McConnell-Miller Assistant Coaches: Mike Neighbors, Bethann Shapiro Ord, Aisha Veasley Director of Operations: Carla Morrow THE BUFFALOES: Colorado will face Oklahoma looking for its first road win since a decision at Missouri on Jan. 18, A trip away from the Coors Events Center may just help the Buffaloes pull out of a mini scoring slump. After averaging 75.9 points and hitting 43 percent from the field over the first 10 games of the season, the Buffs averaged just 63.3 points over the last three home games while shooting only 35.6 percent. Saturday will be just the third actual road game for the Buffaloes this season (All three San Juan Shootout games were on a neutral court). CU played well in its two road games, having a chance to either tie or take the lead in the closing minutes of each contest. Colorado is averaging 77.5 points and shooting 43 percent on the road this year, but is also giving up 81.5 points per outing while the opponent is shooting 48 percent, not just from the field, but from 3-point range as well. CU will also look to cure the turnover bug on the road as it has given up 38 in its two early road match ups. Sophomore post Jackie McFarland is averaging a double-double over the first 13 contests. She ranks fifth in the Big 12 in scoring at 19.2 points per game and is fourth in rebounds at 10.2 per contest. Junior Jasmina Ilic is seventh in the Big 12 at 18.9 points per game, and has scored at least 20 points in five of the last 10 outings, including a 36-point performance against Nebraska. McFarland and Ilic have scored 20 or more points in the same game four times this season and the Buffs are 3-1 in those outings (lone loss at Creighton). After a relatively slow start, junior forward Anna Nedovic is heating up. She has hit 48.3 percent from the floor the last 10 games (28x58) after hitting only 16.7 percent over the first three games (3x18). Colorado s back-court trio of senior Whitney Law and sophomores Lauren Lubin and Yari Escalera have put up some impressive numbers. Law, who returned to action against Nebraska after missing the previous two games, recorded a career-high 22 points against Colorado State and ranks fourth among Big 12 players in assists with 4.9 per game. Escalera, the second-best foul shooter in the Big 12 at 90.7 percent, had a career-high seven assists and scored 14 second-half points against South Dakota State. Lubin, who has started the last 10 games, is hitting nearly 50 percent from the field as a starter (18x38) and is second on the team in assists and rebounding. Escalera (.907), Lubin (.842) and Ilic (.791) each rank in among the top 15 freethrow shooters in the Big 12. Colorado s freshman duo of forward Caley Dow and guard Hannah Skildum are getting some key minutes off the bench for the Buffaloes. Dow is averaging 15.4 minutes a game and has at least four rebounds in 10 of 13 contests. Skildum has scored in eight of the last nine games and has recorded at least one rebound in all 13 outings and one assist in 11 of 13 games. LAST TIME OUT: Colorado s Jasmina Ilic scored a career-high 36 points but Nebraska s 55.2 percent performance from the field was the difference maker in the Huskers victory over the Buffaloes Wednesday night at the Coors Events/Conference Center in the Big 12 Conference opener for both teams. Colorado falls to 5-8 overall and is 4-6 all-time in Big 12 openers. Nebraska improves to 9-3 overall, breaking a 21-game losing streak against CU in Boulder that dated back to the season. Ilic hit 12-of-25 from the field both career highs and 8-for-11 from the free-throw line. Her 36 points mark the third best singlegame total in team history. Susan Horner and Tracy Tripp share the single-game school mark at 38. Ilic, who also had a personalbest five steals, is the first player in CU history to score 33 or more points twice in the same season. She had 34 against Cal-State Fullerton in the season opener. Despite Ilic s career-night, the Buffaloes shot only 37.5 percent from the field and made only one field goal in a critical eight-minute stretch that spanned the last six minutes of the first half and the CU leads at the half Game is tied at the half Opponent leads at half CU outshoots opponents Opponent outshoots Colorado CU and opponents shoot equal CU shoots 45% or better CU shoots below 45 percent CU shoots 35% or better CU shoots below 35 percent CU outrebounds opponents Opponents outrebound CU Rebounds are equal CU dishes more assists Opponent dishes more assists Assists are equal Opp. turnovers greater than CU CU commits more turnovers CU and opp. turnovers are equal No Buffs Score in double figures One Buff scores in double figures Two Buffs score in double figures Three Buffs score in double figures Four Buffs score in double figures Five + Buffs score in double figures. 0-0 Playing in November Playing in December Playing in January Playing in February Playing in March Playing on a Sunday Playing on a Monday Playing on a Tuesday Playing on a Wednesday Playing on a Thursday Playing on a Friday Playing on a Saturday In Overtime In White Uniforms In Black Uniforms On Fox Sports Net Colorado s Record When Record: Conference: Home: Away: Neutral: All-Time Record (.634) at home: (.760) at CECC: (.781) on the road: (.484) neutral sites: (.630) Conference: (.588) Big 12: (.510) in November: (.783) in December: (.705) in January: (.571) in February: (.598) in March: (.604) Conference Tournaments: Big 12 Postseason: NCAA Tournament: WNIT Preseason: WNIT Postseason: Season Openers: Home Openers: Conference Openers: Big 12 Conference Openers: Location:... Boulder, Colo. Population: ,216 Enrollment:... 27,954 Founded: Nickname:... Buffaloes (Buffs) Colors:... Silver, Black & Gold Mascot (live):... Ralphie IV Arena:... Coors Events Center Year Opened: Capacity:... 11,064 Conference:... Big 12 Year Joined: President:... Hank Brown Chancellor:... Dr. Phil DiStefano Faculty Rep:... David Clough Athletic Director:... Mike Bohn SWA:... Karen Morrison

3 Big 12 Standings (Jan. 7) Big 12 Overall W L Pct. W L Pct. Kansas Kansas State Texas A&M Missouri Oklahoma Nebraska Baylor Iowa State Texas Oklahoma State Texas Tech COLORADO Tuesday, Jan. 3 at Kansas 70, Texas 61 Wednesday, Jan. 4 Nebraska 80, at Colorado 62 Oklahoma 87, at Iowa State 67 at Kansas State 53, Texas Tech 51 at Missouri 64, Baylor 61 at Texas A&M 74, Oklahoma State 52 Saturday, Jan. 7 (All Times MST) Colorado at Oklahoma, 2:30 p.m. Kansas State at Missouri, 12 p.m. Iowa State at Oklahoma State, 1 p.m. Texas at Baylor, 2 p.m. Kansas at Nebraska, 6 p.m. Texas A&M at Texas Tech, 6 p.m. NCAA Team Charts All Games (Jan. 2) Scoring Free Throw % 16th 76.2 NCAA Individual Charts All Games (Jan. 2) Scoring Jackie McFarland 17th 19.9 Rebounding Jackie McFarland 20th 10.3 Free Throw % Yari Escalera 18th 89.7 Big 12 Team Charts All Games Scoring Offense 8th 73.0 first two of the second half. Scoring Defense 12th 68.2 Scoring Margin 11th +4.8 Free Throw % 1st.762 Field Goal % 10th.415 Field Goal % Def. 11th Point Field Goal % 10th Point FG Pct. Def 5th.314 Rebounding Offense 6th 41.8 Rebounding Defense 5th 35.6 Rebounding Margin 5th +6.2 Blocked Shots 9th 3.5 Assists 10th Steals 10th 7.54 Turnover Margin 11th Assist/Turnover Ratio 10th 0.84 Offensive Rebounds 4th Defensive Rebounds 6th Point FG Made 8th 4.77 Individuals All Games Category/Name Rank Stats Scoring Jackie McFarland 5th 19.2 Jasmina Ilic 7th 18.9 Rebounding Jackie McFarland 4th 10.2 Field Goal Percentage Jackie McFarland t-15th.506 Assists Whitney Law 4th 4.90 Steals Jackie McFarland 10th 1.69 Free Throw % Yari Escalera 2nd.907 Lauren Lubin 7th.842 Jasmina Ilic 11th.791 3PT FG Made Jasmina Ilic 6th 2.23 Blocked Shots Jackie McFarland 9th 1.85 Assist/Turnover Ratio Whitney Law 6th 2.04 Offensive Rebounds Jackie McFarland 3rd 3.85 Defensive Rebounds Jackie McFarland 4th 6.31 The Buffaloes, who led by as much as six in the opening 10 minutes of the game, claimed a lead with 6:06 remaining in the first period on an Ilic 15-foot jumper. Nebraska scored six straight to take a lead with 3:24 remaining. After a media timeout, Ilic nailed a 3-pointer from the left corner to cut the lead to two, but the Huskers scored the final eight points of the period for a 10-point lead at halftime. Nebraska made 17-of-29 attempts in the first half (58.6 percent) and shot 55.2 percent overall. Nebraska is the first CU opponent this season to hit over 50 percent from the field for the entire game. The Huskers extended their lead to 14 in the opening minutes of the second half and never let the lead fall below nine points the rest of the game. Kiera Hardy led the Huskers with 17 points while Kelsey Griffin had 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Jackie McFarland had 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds for Colorado, but fell into foul trouble in the second half. Point guard Yari Escalera had six points, six rebounds and five assists. FIRST 13 GAMES: Comparing statistics from Colorado s first 13 games last year, and the first 13 games this year, the most significant improvements for the Buffaloes are in scoring, rebounding and free-throw shooting. CU is averaging 6.7 more points per game than at the same time last year. The Buffs have scored 80 or more points five times in 12 games this season as opposed to once in the entire campaign. Many of those points are coming off free throws. Colorado is getting to the line 7.3 more times per game and making good on 7.6 per game reflecting a solid.762 freethrow percentage -- currently tops in the Big as opposed to.659 last season. Colorado is also averaging four more rebounds than this time last year and enjoying an even greater rebounding margin. CU s averaging 6.8 more rebounds per game than its opponent this year while the Buffs were -1.1 through 13 games in CU has fallen off on its 3-point field-goal shooting, down 4.4 percent from last year. The Buffs are actually giving up fewer turnovers from last year (+1.9) and have a better assist/turnover ratio (+0.15) but their turnover margin is 1.3 higher than this time last year. Colorado Statistics Through 13 Games Record Points Points Allowed Scoring Margin Field Goals Field Goal Att Field Goal Pct pt Field Goals pt Field Goal Att pt Field Goal Pct Free Throws Free Throw Att Free Throw Pct Offensive Rebounds Defensive Rebounds Total Rebounds Rebounding Margin Fouls Assists Turnovers Assist/TO Ratio Turnover Margin Blocks Steals McFARLAND 20-10: Jackie McFarland is the first player in CU women s basketball history to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds over the first seven games of a season, in fact, she was the first to do it in the first four games of a season. McFarland dipped below the double-double numbers while at the San Juan Shootout, but has resurfaced with 35 rebounds over the last three games and is currently residing at 19.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. ILIC, McFARLAND IN TOP FIVE: Jackie McFarland and Jasmina Ilic own the fourth and fifth best season scoring averages through the first 13 games in team history. McFarland has ranked among the top five all season, while Ilic just joined the top five after her 36-point performance against Nebraska.

4 POINTS AVERAGE FIRST 13 GAMES Name (Season) PPG 1. Tera Bjorklund ( ) Jamillah Lang ( ) Lisa Van Goor ( ) Jackie McFarland ( ) Jasmina Ilic ( ) 18.9 LUBIN BACK-TO-BACK DOUBLES: With her performances against Utah State and Colorado State sophomore guard Lauren Lubin became just the fifth true guard in team history to record two or more points-rebounds double-doubles in a career and only the second to do it back-to-back games. Former Big Eight Conference MVP Bridget Turner did it in back-to-back games during the season and leads all CU guards with nine total pointsrebounds double-doubles. Lubin joins three other guards with two points-rebounds double-doubles and included in that list is teammate Whitney Law who had a pair last season. Lubin had 13 points and 13 rebounds against Utah State and had 15 points and 10 rebounds at CSU. CLIMBING THE 3 LADDER: Junior Jasmina Ilic hit four 3-point field goals against Nebraska to move into sole possession of 10th place on CU s all-time list with 68. Next on the radar screen for Ilic is Sabrina Scott ( ) who is in ninth place at 74. Junior Anna Nedovic is tied with Shelley Garcia ( ) for 14th on the all-time list with 44. ABOUT THE SOONERS: Oklahoma is 11-3 overall and ranked No. 16 in the latest USA Today/Coaches poll and 18th in the most recent Associated Press poll. The Sooners won their Big 12 opener on the road with an decision over Iowa State. Freshman center Courtney Paris has had an outstanding start to her collegiate career. The 6-foot-4 Paris is averaging 21.8 points and 14.6 rebounds and 3.14 blocks per game while hitting 63.9 percent from the field. She leads the Big 12 in rebounding and ranks second in scoring, blocks and field-goal percentage. Paris is joined by forward Leah Rush, a 2005 second team All-Big 12 pick. Rush is averaging 11.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Erin Higging, a junior guard, leads OU with 40 3-point field goals and is averaging 10.4 points per contest. Oklahoma sports the Big 12 s top rebounding team and second-best offensive team at 77.4 points per game. OU s achilles heel has been scoring defense and turnovers. The Sooners rank last in the Big 12 in turnover margin, giving up 3.57 more per game than their opponent, and 11th in scoring defense at 67.2 per contest. SERIES RECORDS: This will be 51st meeting between Colorado and Oklahoma with the Buffaloes holding a series lead. Oklahoma has had the edge in the recent meetings having won three straight and eight of the last 10 contests. The Sooners-Buffs series is tied at 10 in Norman, with Oklahoma claiming the last four. Colorado s last win in Norman came in the final season of the Big Eight Conference, a decision on Jan. 28, CU S LAST 10 GAMES AGAINST OKLAHOMA IN NORMAN: Date Result Date Result 2/15/04 L, /3/95 W, /2/02 L, /28/94 W, /22/00 L, /28/93 L, /28/98 L, /1/92 W, /28/96 W, /16/91 W, Kathy McConnell-Miller is 1-4 against Oklahoma as a head coach. CHRISTMAS WINNERS: Colorado is 24-8 since the sea USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Top 25 Poll -- #7, Jan. 3 Rk Team Rec Pts Last 1 Tennessee (29) Duke (2) LSU Baylor North Carolina Maryland Connecticut Rutgers Arizona State Ohio State DePaul Notre Dame Michigan State Purdue Minnesota t16 Oklahoma t16 Stanford Georgia Vanderbilt New Mexico Boston College Utah Temple Texas Florida NR Others receiving votes: Washington 27; Virginia Tech 24; Brigham Young 13; Mississippi 12; George Washington 10; Louisville 7; South Florida 7; Miami (Fla.) 6; North Carolina State 6; Delaware 4; Louisiana Tech 4; Western Kentucky 4; Xavier 4; Virginia 2; California 1; South Carolina Opponents in Bold Associated Press Top 25 poll -- Jan. 1 Rk Team Rec Pts Last 1 Tennessee (34) , Duke (9) , LSU (2) , Baylor North Carolina Maryland Connecticut Rutgers Arizona State Ohio State Michigan State Notre Dame DePaul Purdue Minnesota Stanford Georgia Oklahoma Boston College Vanderbilt New Mexico Utah Texas Temple Virginia Tech Others receiving votes: Florida 57, N.C. State 42, Washington 32, Virginia 17, Louisville 7, South Carolina 6, BYU 3, California 3, Florida State 3, Kansas 3, USC 3, W. Kentucky 3, Cincinnati 1, Marquette 1, Mississippi 1, Pittsburgh 1, Wyoming 1. son in its first game back from the Christmas holiday. The Buffaloes have won eight in a row in their first game back from the Christmas break including wins over LSU in 2001, Illinois in 1999 and Stanford in MILESTONES GALORE IN SEASON OPENER: Several milestones were reached in Colorado s season-opening win over Cal State-Fullerton. Junior Jasmina Ilic and sophomore Jackie McFarland each had 34 points, both career highs, marking the first time in team history two players hit the 30-point mark in the same game. McFarland recorded her sixth career double-double, grabbing a personal-high 15 rebounds. Ilic also had a personal-best 12 field goals and tied a career mark with 10 rebounds. Senior Whitney Law dished out a school record 15 assists, breaking the previous record of 14, which was done twice, last by La Shena Graham vs. Missouri in She also had nine assists in the first half, breaking a 26-year old school record. Sandy Bean recorded eight assists in a half against Northern Colorado on Feb. 1, Colorado recorded its first 100 point game since a win over St. Francis (Pa.) on Nov. 28, CU s 58 first-half points tied for the sixth-most in team history, a feat also achieved against TCU on Dec. 7, 1993 and vs. St. Francis (Pa.) on Nov. 28, CLASSIC IN REVIEW: Colorado placed third in the 19th Annual Coors Classic Tournament Nov at the Coors Events Con-

5 ference Center. The Buffaloes fell to Northern Iowa, 74-65, in overtime marking the first time in Coors Classic history that CU lost a first round match up. Colorado rebounded to take the consolation game from Utah State, Northern Iowa would go on to take the tournament title by defeating Illinois Jackie McFarland was named to the All-Tournament team as she averaged 18 points, 8.5 rebounds, four steals and two blocks. Northern Iowa senior center Cassie Hager, who had 21 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks against CU, was the tournament MVP. WALLACE ACTIVATED: Junior forward Courtney Wallace has waited more than a year to put on the Buffaloes uniform and now laces them up with the rest of the squad. Wallace, a walk-on transfer from CU-Colorado Springs, was officially added to the active roster on Nov. 17. Wallace practiced with the Buffs for most of last season as she sat out her NCAA mandated redshirted year after transferring from the Springs campus. She has been practicing and conditioning with the Buffaloes since the start of the school year. Wallace played two years for the Mountain Lions and was a two-year letterwinner for Air Academy High School in Colorado Springs, graduating in ON THE MEND: Sophomore center Kara Richards, who has missed the first 12 games of the regular season due to a Jones fracture in her left foot suffered in practice on Nov. 15, had her cast removed on Dec. 28 and began limited practice drills on Dec. 29. She will be evaluated next week to determine her return to the line up. Richards started in 26 of 28 games for the Buffaloes as a true freshman last winter, averaging nine points, 5.3 rebounds and one block per game. She earned a spot on the Waco Tribune-Herald s All-Big 12 Conference Freshman team in and was named the Buffs Rookie of the Year. A native of Graham, Texas, Richards averaged 12 points and 6.5 rebounds in CU s two exhibition games earlier this month. McCONNELL-MILLER 100 IN DEBUT: Kathy McConnell-Miller led Colorado to the century mark in her first game as head coach, by far the best total of any current Big 12 Conference coach in their debut at their school. Bill Fennelly of Iowa State was the closest as he led the Cyclones to an win over Idaho State in his debut in Ironically, McConnell-Miller is not the first Colorado women s coach to debut with a 100-point performance. Sox Walseth led the Buffs to a win over Colorado Women s College in his first game as women s head coach on Nov. 18, Here is the list of current Big 12 coaches and their first games: Coach, School Opponent Date W/L Result Kathy McConnell-Miller, Colorado Cal State Fullerton 11/18/05 W Bill Fennelly, Iowa State Idaho State 11/24/95 W Marsha Sharp, Texas Tech Abilene Christian 11/19/82 W Kim Mulkey-Robertson, Baylor Miami (Ohio) 11/18/00 W Cindy Stein, Missouri Bradley 11/19/98 W Jody Conradt, Texas McLennan CC 11/22/76 W Kurt Budke, Oklahoma State Texas State 11/19/05 L Deb Patterson, Kansas State Memphis 11/22/96 W Connie Yori, Nebraska Grambling State 11/22/02 W Sherri Coale, Oklahoma Oral Roberts 11/22/96 W Gary Blair, Texas A&M La Salle 11/22/03 L Bonnie Henrickson Texas-Arlington 11/21/04 L BUFFS IN PRESEASON: After its loss to Oregon, Colorado dropped to 5-7 overall meaning the Buffaloes string of five straight seasons of.500 or better during non conference action will end. It will be only the third time CU has finished below.500 during the nonconference schedule in the Big 8/Big 12 era going 5-6 in and 4-9 in BUFFS PICKED 12TH: Colorado was picked to finish 12 th in the annual Big 12 Conference Coaches Preseason Poll. CU received 14 points meaning no less than eight Big 12 coaches picked the Buffaloes to finish in the 12 th spot (coaches do not vote for their own teams). It is the first time the Buffaloes have been picked lower than eighth since the coaches poll began in Defending NCAA champion Baylor was picked to win its second consecutive Big 12 title, landing six first place votes and 113 total points to edge out second place Texas with two first place nods and 110 points. Texas Tech was a close third with the four remaining first place votes and 108 points. Oklahoma was fourth (91), followed by Nebraska (70), Kansas (66), Texas A&M (59), Kansas State (56), Iowa State (45), Missouri (37), Oklahoma State (23) and Colorado. TOUGH SCHEDULE: Colorado once again faces a tough schedule, featuring at least 14 games against 2005 NCAA or WNIT tournament teams. Defending national champion Baylor, who the Buffs will face in Waco on Feb. 22, is the highest ranked team on the schedule, checking in at No. 4 in the most recent Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN coaches polls. Oklahoma is tied with Stanford for No. 16 in the coaches poll and is No. 20 in the AP poll. Texas is No. 23 in the AP poll and No. 24 in the coaches poll. South Florida is receiving votes in the coaches poll while Kansas and Wyoming are receiving votes in the AP poll. HOME AT THE CECC: Colorado is traditionally tough at home with a all-time record at the Coors Events/Conference Center (.781). The Buffaloes have won 10 or more games in a season at the CECC in 18 of the previous 27 years including five undefeated seasons ( , ). Colorado had a rare sub-.500 season last winter at 5-9, marking just the second time the Buffs have been below.500 for a season in the 27-year history of the CECC. BUFFS ON TV: Colorado s schedule features seven games that will be televised either regionally or nationally by Fox Sports Net. All but one of the FSN games is in Boulder, with the lone exception at Colorado State on Nov. 30. Buffs fans will see a familiar face on their TV sets during those games as longtime CU coach Ceal Barry is scheduled to provide the color commentary on a majority of the broadcasts. UP NEXT: Colorado will host the University of Kansas on Tuesday, Jan. 10, at 7 p.m. in the Coors Events Conference Center. The game will be televised live by Fox Sports Net Rocky Mountain. BUFFS IN OPENERS: With its win over Cal State-Fullerton, Colorado moved to 27-5 (.844) all-time in season openers and a whopping 31-1 (.969) all-time in home openers. CU has won six straight season debuts and 19 of its last 20 with the lone loss in that span coming at Denver on Nov. 19, 1999.

6 Kathy McConnell-Miller Head Coach First Season A new era at one of the nation s most prestigious women s basketball schools began on April 27, 2005, as Kathy McConnell- Miller officially became the sixth head coach in the 31-year history of the University of Colorado women s basketball program. McConnell-Miller, 38, replaced Ceal Barry who retired last March after 22 seasons with the Buffaloes to become the school s assistant athletic director for student services. McConnell-Miller spent the last six seasons as head women s basketball coach at the University of Tulsa where she constructed an impressive turnaround of the Golden Hurricane program. Before her arrival in , Tulsa had just one winning season in its 14-year history, an overall record of (.324), and was actually dropped as a varsity sport for nine years following the campaign. In her six seasons at Tulsa, McConnell-Miller recorded a program-best 91 wins (15.2 wins per year), winning seasons in three of the last four years and two postseason appearances. This past season Tulsa finished 19-11, recorded its secondstraight third place finish in the Western Athletic Conference, and earned its second-straight WNIT postseason berth. The Golden Hurricane posted a 9-5 record against NCAA Tournament and WNIT teams last winter, including wins over perennial basketball powers Louisiana Tech, Oklahoma and Southwest Missouri State. Tulsa tied its team record of 19 overall wins and 11 WAC wins set in , and sported a program-best 12 triumphs on its home court the Reynolds Center. With an overall record of at Tulsa, McConnell-Miller is the school s all-time leader for coaching victories and owns the longest tenure in school history by a women s basketball coach. McConnell-Miller, who earned WAC Coach of the Year honors in her rookie season as a collegiate head coach in , has led Tulsa to 14 or more wins in five of her six campaigns. Under the direction of McConnell-Miller, Tulsa placed at least one player on either the All-WAC first or second team, each of the last six seasons. McConnell-Miller also had the Golden Hurricane excelling in the classroom sporting four ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District first and second team performers. Tulsa players also earned 23 All-WAC Academic Team honors. One of McConnell-Miller s prize players was Allison Curtin who was an Associated Press honorable mention All-American for the Golden Hurricane and was drafted by the Houston Comets in the first round of the 2003 WNBA Draft. Prior to her appointment at Tulsa, McConnell-Miller spent four seasons on Theresa Grentz s staff at the University of Illinois ( ). She was an assistant coach for her first three years before being promoted to associate head coach for her final season. The Fighting Illini posted an overall record of and advanced to three NCAA Tournaments with McConnell-Miller on the bench. Illinois won the Big Ten Conference Championship in 1997 and twice advanced to the Sweet 16. While at Illinois, McConnell-Miller was vital in the signing of a pair of recruiting classes that ranked among the top five in the nation. McConnell-Miller coached with Grentz for a total of six years as she went with Grentz to Illinois from Rutgers University in McConnell-Miller was a Rutgers assistant for two seasons ( ), helping the Lady Knights post a pair of winning campaigns, the 1994 Atlantic 10 Championship and a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Her recruiting expertise was well documented at Rutgers as her last class was rated as the 14th-best nationally, giving McConnell-Miller back-to-back Top 15 classes. Her first collegiate assistant coaching job came at her hometown school, the University of Pittsburgh. She joined the Panthers in 1991 and served as the recruiting coordinator. She was also an assistant coach for the 1993 Big East All-Star Team which played in Sao Paulo, Brazil. McConnell-Miller enjoyed a four-year playing career at guard for the University of Virginia ( ). She played in four NCAA Tournaments with the Cavaliers including a pair of Sweet 16 appearances and the 1988 Elite Eight. McConnell-Miller earned her bachelor s degree in rhetoric and communications from Virginia in One of eight children, she is one of six McConnell siblings who attended college on a basketball scholarship. Five McConnell s are presently in the coaching ranks, one at the professional level, one at the college level, and three at the high school level. Her older sister, Suzie McConnell-Serio, is the head coach for the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA. Born on Sept. 24, 1967, McConnell-Miller and her husband, Brad Miller, have three children: Brice (5), Mackenzie (3) and Macie, who was born on August 23, McConnell-Miller s College Coaching Record Season Position School Record Assistant Coach Pittsburgh Assistant Coach Pittsburgh Assistant Coach Rutgers Assistant Coach Rutgers Assistant Coach Illinois Assistant Coach Illinois Assistant Coach Illinois Associate Head Coach Illinois Head Coach Tulsa Head Coach Tulsa Head Coach Tulsa Head Coach Tulsa Head Coach Tulsa Head Coach Tulsa Head Coach Colorado 5-8 Six year Head Coaching Record: (.500)

7 #10 Lauren Lubin 5-8, sophomore, Guard Winnetka, Ill. (New Trier) This Season: Has started the last 10 games and ranks second on the team in assists (37) and rebounds (5.6 rpg). Became just the fifth CU guard to register two or more career points-rebounds double-doubles and only the second to do it in back-to-back games, joining Bridget Turner who did it in her Big Eight MVP season of Her 15 points in the two games of the Coors Classic equalled her total output for her 16-game freshman season. Played in 16 games as a freshman, but missed the final 12 games after being diagnosed with mononucleosis. Had her top game as a freshman at Missouri (1/18/05) grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out two assists. Actually in her third year as a student at Colorado, but did not participate in basketball during the academic year. A 2003 graduate of New Trier High School where she lettered in basketball all four years and her class recorded the most wins in team history. Played for the Illinois Hustle AAU team that won three state championships ( ) and placed fourth in the nation in Ranks seventh in the Big 12 in free-throw percentage at 84.2 percent. Career: A walk-on as a freshman last fall, and earned a scholarship for the spring semester GAME-BY-GAME Total 3-Pt Reb. Team (Date) Min FG-A Pct FGA Pct FT-A Pct O D T F-O A TO B S Pts CAL STATE-FULLERTON (11/18) WYOMING (11/21) NORTHERN IOWA (11/25) UTAH STATE (11/26) at Colorado State (11/30) at Creighton (12/3) PACIFIC (12/8) vs. Northern Arizona (12/19) vs. Puerto Rico-Mayaguez (12/20) vs. South Florida (12/21) SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (12/28) OREGON (12/30) *NEBRASKA (1/4) *at Oklahoma (1/7) *KANSAS (1/10) *at Kansas State (1/14) *at Missouri (1/18) *IOWA STATE (1/21) *TEXAS A&M (1/24) *at Nebraska (1/28) *at Kansas (2/1) *TEXAS (2/4) *KANSAS STATE (2/8) *at Texas Tech (2/11) NORTHERN COLORADO (2/13) *MISSOURI (2/18) *at Baylor (2/22) *OKLAHOMA STATE (2/26) *at Iowa State (3/2) TOTALS BIG Season Highs Points - 15 at Colorado State (11/30/05) Rebounds - 13 vs. Utah State (11/26/05) Field Goals - 4 at Colorado State (11/30/05) FG Attempts - 6 vs. Utah State (11/26/05) 3PT Field Goals - 2 vs. Northern Arizona (12/19/05) 3PT FG Attempts - 4 vs. Utah State (11/26/05) Free Throws - 6 three times (last vs. South Dakota State, 12/28/05) FT Attempts - 8 at Colorado State (11/30/05) Assists - 6 vs. UPR-Mayaguez (12/20/05), at Colorado State (11/30/05) Blocked Shots - 1 vs. Oregon (12/30/05), vs. Creighton (12/3/05) Steals - 3 vs. Pacific (12/8/05), at Colorado State (11/ 30/05) Minutes - 38 three times (last vs. South Florida, 12/ 21/05) Career Highs Points - 15 at Colorado State (11/30/05) Rebounds - 13 vs. Utah State (11/26/05) Field Goals - 4 at Colorado State (11/30/05) FG Attempts - 6 vs. Utah State (11/26/05) 3PT Field Goals - 2 vs. Northern Arizona (12/19/05) 3PT FG Attempts - 4 vs. Utah State (11/26/05) Free Throws - 6 three times (last vs. South Dakota State, 12/28/05) FT Attempts - 8 at Colorado State (11/30/05) Assists - 6 vs. UPR-Mayaguez (11/20/05), at Colorado State (11/30/05) Blocked Shots - 1 vs. Oregon (12/30/05), vs. Creighton (12/3/05) Steals - 3 vs. Pacific (12/8/05), at Colorado State (11/ 30/05) Minutes - 38 three times (last vs. South Florida, 12/ 21/05) Career Statistics Year GP GS Min Avg FG FGA Pct 3FG FGA Pct FT FTA Pct Off Def Tot Avg PF FO A TO B S Pts Avg Totals

8 #11 Hannah Skildum 6-0, Freshman, guard/forward North Oaks, Minn. (mounds view) This Season: Tied a career-high with nine points against Oregon, hitting 3- of-4 from the field. Made her official collegiate debut against Cal State-Fullerton, logging four points and three rebounds in 13 minutes. Averaged 1.5 points and three rebounds over the two exhibition games. Career: Miss Minnesota Basketball nominee and two-time All- Suburban East Conference first team pick for Mounds View High School Averaged 6.3 points and five rebounds off the bench for CU at the San Juan Shootout. Had a then personal-best eight points against Northern Arizona and then topped it the next night with nine against UPR-Mayaguez. Also tied a career-high with seven rebounds against NAU. She was named as one of Minnesota s Fabulous 40 Seniors by Minnesota Sports Preview prior to her senior season. Won a Minnesota state championship in the high jump Her uncle is Flip Saunders, current head coach of the NBA Detroit Pistons Has scored in 10 of 13 games and has at least two rebounds in 12 of 13 contests GAME-BY-GAME Total 3-Pt Reb. Team (Date) Min FG-A Pct FGA Pct FT-A Pct O D T F-O A TO B S Pts CAL STATE-FULLERTON (11/18) WYOMING (11/21) NORTHERN IOWA (11/25) UTAH STATE (11/26) at Colorado State (11/30) at Creighton (12/3) PACIFIC (12/8) vs. Northern Arizona (12/19) vs. Puerto Rico-Mayaguez (12/20) vs. South Florida (12/21) SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (12/28) OREGON (12/30) *NEBRASKA (1/4) *at Oklahoma (1/7) *KANSAS (1/10) *at Kansas State (1/14) *at Missouri (1/18) *IOWA STATE (1/21) *TEXAS A&M (1/24) *at Nebraska (1/28) *at Kansas (2/1) *TEXAS (2/4) *KANSAS STATE (2/8) *at Texas Tech (2/11) NORTHERN COLORADO (2/13) *MISSOURI (2/18) *at Baylor (2/22) *OKLAHOMA STATE (2/26) *at Iowa State (3/2) Career Highs Points - 9 vs. Oregon (12/30/05), vs. UPR-Mayaguez (12/20/05) Rebounds - 7 vs. Northern Arizona (12/19/05), at Creighton (12/3/05) Field Goals - 4 vs. Northern Arizona (12/19/05) FG Attempts - 7 vs. Northern Arizona (12/19/05) 3PT FG Attempts - 2 vs. Wyoming (11/21/05) Free Throws - 3 vs. Oregon (12/30/05), vs. UPR- Mayaguez (12/20/05) FT Attempts - 5 vs. UPR-Mayaguez (12/20/05) Assists - 2 three times (last vs. Northern Arizona,12/ 19/05) Blocked Shots - 2 vs. Nebraska (1/4/06), at Creighton (12/3/05) Steals - 3 vs. South Dakota State (12/28/05) Minutes - 30 vs. Northern Arizona (12/19/05) TOTALS BIG Career Statistics Year GP GS Min Avg FG FGA Pct 3FG FGA Pct FT FTA Pct Off Def Tot Avg PF FO A TO B S Pts Avg

9 #12 Anna Nedovic 6-4, junior, Forward Ballerup, Denmark (Falkonergaarden) This Season: Had her most productive offensive game of the season against Northern Arizona scoring a career-high 25 points on a team personal-best 11-of-15 from the field (.733). Has hit 48.3 percent from the floor the last nine games (28x58) after hitting only 16.7 percent over the first three games (3x18). Sported four double-doubles in , one of only 12 players in the Big 12 to achieve that feat. As a sophomore, she topped CU and ranked 13th in the Big 12 Conference in rebounding at 6.5 per game. Ranked even higher on the defensive boards within the league charts at 4.5 rpg (11th). A native of Ballerup, Denmark, outside Copenhagen, played her club basketball for BF Copenhagen. She was named the Danish Player of the Year in 2002 in the Elite Division after leading her team to the Danish Championship during her first season in the senior league. Career: Currently tied with Shelley Garcia ( ) for 14th on CU s all time 3-point field goals list with 44. CU s most experienced player returning in terms of games played (67) GAME-BY-GAME Total 3-Pt Reb. Team (Date) Min FG-A Pct FG-A Pct FT-A Pct O D T F-O A TO B S Pts CAL STATE-FULLERTON (11/18) WYOMING (11/21) NORTHERN IOWA (11/25) UTAH STATE (11/26) at Colorado State (11/30) at Creighton (12/3) PACIFIC (12/8) vs. Northern Arizona (12/19) vs. Puerto Rico-Mayaguez (12/20) vs. South Florida (12/21) SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (12/28) OREGON (12/30) *NEBRASKA (1/4) *at Oklahoma (1/7) *KANSAS (1/10) *at Kansas State (1/14) *at Missouri (1/18) *IOWA STATE (1/21) *TEXAS A&M (1/24) *at Nebraska (1/28) *at Kansas (2/1) *TEXAS (2/4) *KANSAS STATE (2/8) *at Texas Tech (2/11) NORTHERN COLORADO (2/13) *MISSOURI (2/18) *at Baylor (2/22) *OKLAHOMA STATE (2/26) *at Iowa State (3/2) TOTALS BIG Season Highs Points - 25 vs. Northern Arizona (12/19/05) Rebounds - 11 vs. Northern Arizona (12/19/05) Field Goals - 11 vs. Northern Arizona (12/19/05) FG Attempts - 15 vs. Northern Arizona (12/19/05) 3PT Field Goals - 2 vs. Pacific (12/8/05), at Colorado State (11/30/05) 3PT FG Attempts - 4 vs. South Dakota State (12/28/ 05), vs. Pacific (12/8/05) Free Throws - 2 three times (last vs. Northern Arizona, 12/19/05) FT Attempts - 4 vs. Cal State-Fullerton (11/18/05) Assists - 3 vs. Nebraska (1/4/06) Blocks - 1 five times (last vs. Nebraska, 1/4/06) Steals - 3 vs. Pacific (12/8/05) Minutes - 45 vs. Northern Arizona (12/19/05) Career Highs Points - 25 vs. Northern Arizona (12/19/05) Rebounds - 12 vs. Kansas State (1/29/05) Field Goals - 11 vs. Northern Arizona (12/19/05) FG Attempts - 15 vs. Northern Arizona (12/19/05), at Pacific (12/18/04) 3PT Field Goals - 4 vs. Loyola Marymount (11/19/04) 3PT FG Attempts - 8 vs. Iowa State (3/8/05) Free Throws - 8 vs. Creighton (12/4/04) FT Attempts - 8 three times (last vs. Northern Colorado 12/29/04) Assists -4 vs. Nebraska (3/2/05), at Washington (12/ 21/04) Steals - 4 vs. Manhattan (1/2/05) Blocks - 3 at Texas A&M (2/5/05) Minutes - 45 vs. Northern Arizona (12/19/05) Career Statistics Year GP GS Min Avg FG FGA Pct 3FG FGA Pct FT FTA Pct Off Def Tot Avg PF FO A TO B S Pts Avg Totals

10 #13 Courtney Wallace 5-10, junior, forward colorado springs, colo. (air academy/uccs) This Season: Recorded her first collegiate points going 1-of-2 from the freethrow line against UPR-Mayaguez. Played basketball, softball, soccer and ran track during her prep career at Air Academy. Was the team s leading rebounder and second leading scorer for the Cadets her senior season averaging 13 points and seven boards per game. As a senior, her.465 hitting percentage during the softball season, was the 10th best in the state. Played in eight of 13 games this year and recorded her first stats with a rebound, field goal attempt and two free-throw attempts against Northern Iowa. Played the final 6.9 seconds of the win over Cal State- Fullerton, her first appearance in a CU uniform. Career: Transfered from CU-Colorado Springs in the fall of 2004 after playing two seasons with the Mountain Lions GAME-BY-GAME Total 3-Pt Reb. Team (Date) Min FG-A Pct FGA Pct FT-A Pct O D T F-O A TO B S Pts CAL STATE-FULLERTON (11/18) WYOMING (11/21) DNP -- CD NORTHERN IOWA (11/25) UTAH STATE (11/26) at Colorado State (11/30) DNP -- CD at Creighton (12/3) DNP -- CD PACIFIC (12/8) vs. Northern Arizona (12/19) vs. Puerto Rico-Mayaguez (12/20) vs. South Florida (12/21) DNP -- CD SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (12/28) OREGON (12/30) DNP -- CD *NEBRASKA (1/4) *at Oklahoma (1/7) *KANSAS (1/10) *at Kansas State (1/14) *at Missouri (1/18) *IOWA STATE (1/21) *TEXAS A&M (1/24) *at Nebraska (1/28) *at Kansas (2/1) *TEXAS (2/4) *KANSAS STATE (2/8) *at Texas Tech (2/11) NORTHERN COLORADO (2/13) *MISSOURI (2/18) *at Baylor (2/22) *OKLAHOMA STATE (2/26) *at Iowa State (3/2) Career Highs Points - 1 vs. UPR-Mayaguez (12/20/05) Rebounds - 3 vs. UPR-Mayaguez (12/20/05) FG Attempts - 2 vs. UPR-Mayaguez (12/20/05) Free Throws - 1 vs. UPR-Mayaguez (12/20/05) FT Attempts - 2 vs. UPR-Mayaguez (12/20/05), vs. Northern Iowa (11/25/05) Assists - 1 vs. UPR-Mayaguez (12/20/05) Steals - 1 vs. UPR-Mayaguez (12/20/05) Minutes - 10 vs. UPR-Mayaguez (12/20/05) TOTALS BIG Career Statistics Year GP GS Min Avg FG FGA Pct 3FG FGA Pct FT FTA Pct Off Def Tot Avg PF FO A TO B S Pts Avg