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1996–97 Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball team

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The 1996–97 Colorado Buffaloes Men's basketball team represented the University of Colorado in the 1996–97 season. Led by first-year head coach Ricardo Patton, and sophomore Guard Chauncey Billups, the Buffaloes made the NCAA tournament despite only having won nine games the previous year. Billups, was particularly impressive this particular season. Billups earned Big 12 Player of the year honors as well as all-American honors. Following this season, Billups would declare his eligibility for the NBA draft, being selected third overall in 1997. Following his career end, Billups' number would be retired by the Buffaloes. As Head Coach of the Buffaloes, Patton had been appointed after having been named interim head coach the prior season. Patton would stay head coach of the Buffaloes until 2007.[2][3]

ConferenceBig 12 Conference
CoachesNo. 25
APNo. 24
Record22–10 (11–5 Big 12)
Quick facts Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball, NCAA tournament, Round of 32 ...
1996–97 Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball
NCAA tournament, Round of 32
ConferenceBig 12 Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 25
APNo. 24
Record22–10 (11–5 Big 12)
Head coach
Home arenaCoors Events Center
Seasons
← 1995–96
1997–98 →
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More information Conf., Overall ...
1996–97 Big 12 men's basketball standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L PCTW L PCT
No. 1 Kansas †15–1 .93834–2  .944
No. 24 Colorado11–5 .68822–10  .688
Texas10–6 .62518–12  .600
No. 18 Iowa State10–6 .62522–9  .710
Texas Tech10–6 .62519–9  .679
Oklahoma9–7 .56319–11  .633
Nebraska7–9 .43818–15  .545
Oklahoma State7–9 .43817–15  .531
Baylor6–10 .37518–12  .600
Missouri5–11 .31316–17  .485
Texas A&M3–13 .1889–18  .333
Kansas State3–13 .18810–17  .370
† 1997 Big 12 Tournament winner
Rankings from AP poll [1]
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Roster

More information Players, Coaches ...
1996–97 Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball team
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearPrevious schoolHometown
F 3 Martice Moore 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)234 lb (106 kg) SrOak Hill Atlanta, GA
G 4 Chauncey Billups 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)191 lb (87 kg) SoGeorge Washington Denver, CO
G 5 Howard Frier 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)185 lb (84 kg) JrNansemond River Suffolk, VA
F 10 Will Smith 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)206 lb (93 kg) FrHamilton Memphis, TN
G 12 Marlon Hughes 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)181 lb (82 kg) JrHillcrest Chicago, IL
F/C 13 Charlie Melvin 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)200 lb (91 kg) JrLos Alamos Los Alamos, NM
G 21 Devon Gilchrist 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)185 lb (84 kg) SoSaint Thomas Academy Minneapolis, MN
F 31 Fred Edmonds 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)200 lb (91 kg) SrGeorge Washington Denver, CO
G 32 Alan Barksdale 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)195 lb (88 kg) FrCentral Livingston, LA
F 42 Greg Jensen 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)210 lb (95 kg) SrEagle Grove Eagle Grove, IA
C 45 Dennis Griffin 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)247 lb (112 kg) Sr  Thatcher, AZ
C 52 Ronnie DeGray 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)195 lb (88 kg) JrLeesville Leesville, LA
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
    Legend
    • (C) Team captain
    • (S) Suspended
    • (I) Ineligible
    • (W) Walk-on

    Roster

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    Schedule and results

    More information Date time, TV, Rank# ...
    Date
    time, TV    		 Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site
    city, state
    Exhibition
    Nov 15, 1996*
    		 Marathon W 78–72 
    		CU Events/Conference Center (1,812)
    Boulder, Colorado
    Nov 19, 1996*
    		 No. Melbourne W 82–74 
    		CU Events/Conference Center (1,638)
    Boulder, Colorado
    Non-conference regular season
    Nov 24, 1996*
    		 Drake W 82–80 OT 1–0
    		 CU Events/Conference Center (2,322)
    Boulder, Colorado
    Nov 29, 1996*
    		 vs. Auburn
    Big Island Invitational    		 W 78–72 OT 2–0
    		 Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium 
    Hilo, Hawaii
    Nov 30, 1996*
    		 vs. Virginia Tech
    Big Island Invitational    		 W 63–56  3–0
    		 Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium 
    Hilo, Hawaii
    Dec 1, 1996*
    		 vs. Louisville
    Big Island Invitational    		 L 82–92  3–1
    		 Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium 
    Hilo, Hawaii
    Dec 5, 1996*
    		 Texas–Arlington W 81–52  3–1
    		 CU Events/Conference Center (2,307)
    Boulder, Colorado
    Dec 7, 1996*
    		 at George Mason L 81–85  3–2
    		 Patriot Center (2,481)
    Fairfax, Virginia
    Dec 10, 1996*
    		 at Wyoming W 84–68  4–2
    		 Arena-Auditorium (7,395)
    Laramie, Wyoming
    Dec 12, 1996*
    		 Colorado State W 76–69  5–3
    		 CU Events/Conference Center (5,219)
    Boulder, Colorado
    Dec 21, 1996*
    		 UC Santa Barbara W 76–55  6–3
    		 CU Events/Conference Center (2,716)
    Boulder, Colorado
    Dec 23, 1996*
    		 at Georgia L 52–62  7–3
    		 Stegeman Coliseum (6,458)
    Athens, Georgia
    Dec 28, 1996*
    		 at Missouri–Kansas City W 82–61  8–3
    		 Municipal Auditorium (4,481)
    Kansas City, Missouri
    Dec 30, 1996*
    		 Northwestern State W 82–70  9–3
    		 CU Events/Conference Center (1,721)
    Boulder, Colorado
    Big 12 Regular Season
    Jan 4, 1997
    		 Nebraska W 79–73  10–3
    (1–0)    		 CU Events/Conference Center (3,164)
    Boulder, Colorado
    Jan 7, 1997
    		 Missouri W 87–78  11–3
    (2–0)    		 CU Events/Conference Center (13,300)
    Boulder, Colorado
    Jan 11, 1997
    		 at No. 20 Texas Tech W 80–78  12–3
    (3–0)    		 Lubbock Municipal Coliseum (8,174)
    Lubbock, Texas
    Jan 15, 1997
    		 Oklahoma State W 78–74 OT 13–3
    (4–0)    		 CU Events/Conference Center (8,447)
    Boulder, Colorado
    Jan 18, 1997
    		 No. 8 Iowa State W 70–45  14–3
    (5–0)    		 CU Events/Conference Center (8,278)
    Boulder, Colorado
    Jan 21, 1997
    		 No. 18 at Baylor W 74–70  15–3
    (6–0)    		 Ferrell Center (5,215)
    Waco, Texas
    Jan 26, 1997
    		 No. 18 No. 1 Kansas L 68–77  15–4
    (6–1)    		 CU Events/Conference Center (11,198)
    Boulder, Colorado
    Jan 29, 1997
    		 No. 18 at Kansas State W 69–60  16–4
    (7–1)    		 Bramlage Coliseum (8,970)
    Manhattan, Kansas
    Feb 5, 1997
    		 No. 15 at Nebraska L 69–77  16–5
    (7–2)    		 Bob Devaney Sports Center (12,398)
    Lincoln, Nebraska
    Feb 8, 1997
    		 No. 15 Texas A&M W 77–64  17–5
    (8–2)    		 CU Events/Conference Center (6,802)
    Boulder, Colorado
    Feb 12, 1997
    		 No. 15 at Oklahoma L 66–91  17–6
    (8–3)    		 Lloyd Noble Center (10,517)
    Norman, Oklahoma
    Feb 15, 1997
    		 No. 15 at No. 1 Kansas L 74–114  17–7
    (8–4)    		 Allen Fieldhouse (16,300)
    Lawrence, Kansas
    Feb 19, 1997
    		 No. 21 Kansas State W 67–57  18–7
    (9–4)    		 CU Events/Conference Center (5,072)
    Boulder, Colorado
    Feb 22, 1997
    		 No. 21 Missouri W 84–75  19–7
    (10–4)    		 CU Events/Conference Center (9,947)
    Boulder, Colorado
    Feb 24, 1997*
    		 No. 19 Wofford W 65–58  20–7
    		 CU Events/Conference Center (3,209)
    Boulder, Colorado
    Feb 26, 1997
    		 No. 19 at No. 13 Iowa State L 54–65  20–8
    (10–5)    		 Hilton Coliseum (14,020)
    Ames, Iowa
    Mar 1, 1997
    		 No. 19 Texas W 83–60  21–8
    (11–5)    		 CU Events/Conference Center (10,547)
    Boulder, Colorado
    Big 12 Tournament
    Mar 7, 1997*
    		 No. 18 vs. Oklahoma
    Quarterfinals    		 L 41–55  21–9
    		 Kemper Arena (17,300)
    Kansas City, Missouri
    NCAA Tournament
    Mar 13, 1997*
    		 (9 E) No. 24 vs. (8 E) Indiana
    East Region – first round    		 W 80–62  22–9
    		 Lawrence Joel Coliseum (14,368)
    Winston-Salem, North Carolina
    Mar 15, 1997*
    		 (9 E) No. 24 vs. (1 E) No. 4 North Carolina
    East Region – second round    		 L 56–73  22–10
    		 Lawrence Joel Coliseum (14,368)
    Winston-Salem, North Carolina
    *Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
    E=East.
    All times are in Mountain Time.
    Close

    [4]

    Postseason Schedule

    Big 12 Tournament
    Quarterfinal Vs. Oklahoma, Kemper Arena, Kansas City, MO - L, 41-55
    NCAA Tournament
    First Round Vs. Indiana, Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Winston-Salem, NC - W, 80-62
    Round of 32 Vs. North Carolina, Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Winston-Salem, NC - L, 56-73

    Rankings

    See also: 1996–97 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings

    [5]

    Awards and honors

    Team players in the 1997 NBA draft

    See also: 1997 NBA draft
    More information Round, Pick ...
    Round Pick Player NBA Club
    13Chauncey BillupsBoston Celtics
    Close

    [6]

    References

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