CUI sports mailbag

With basketball season getting into the swing of things, the CUI sports staff figured we’d tackle your questions about what’s going on with the men’s and women’s programs. With two very competent and seasoned coaches at the helm of each squad and the football season safely behind us, it’s a very exciting time to be a Buff — and the Buffs are giving us plenty to be excited about.

(Josh Shettler/CU Independent Illustration)

Is the men’s basketball team still ranked after its loss to Wyoming?

Unfortunately, after last weekend’s 76-69 loss to the unranked Wyoming Cowboys, the once No. 19 Buffs have dropped out of the Associated Press top-25 rankings. The good news is that CU is still in fairly good standing in the Pac-12; the Buffs are in a three-way tie for third, though conference play has yet to begin. The only other Pac-12 team found in the AP rankings is the University of Arizona in the poll. The first real challenge for the Buffs — aside from the Wyoming speed bump — will be this Saturday when they take on No. 9 ranked Kansas. A win over the Jayhawks would easily catapult the Buffaloes back in to the national rankings. But until then you can catch the boys back in action Wednesday, Dec. 5 against the Air Force Academy.

I hear freshman Arielle Roberson is killing it for the women’s basketball team. Tell me more!

Arielle Roberson has had a fantastic freshman campaign already. This year, the Pac-12 introduced the Freshman of the Week award. The first weekly honor was handed out Nov. 12, and it went to CU rookie Roberson for her collegiate debut against Idaho in which she garnered 16 points, six rebounds, five steals and two assists. That, however, wasn’t enough. For the last two weeks in a row, Roberson has been recognized as the Freshman of the Week. This past week, the Pac-12 league office acknowledged her performances against Wyoming and Illinois in which she averaged 19.5 points, including a team-season high of 25 points against Illinois. Winning the award three out of the four weeks it has existed isn’t bad, and it leaves one question: how many more times can she win it this season?

What’s the ticket situation for the basketball double header against CSU today?

A quick look at the CU ticket office website shows that tickets for the men’s game are sold out, meaning if you don’t have season tickets, you’re out of luck. Tickets for the women’s game, however, are still available. Now we know right now you’re saying “Hey, CUI, if I just buy a ticket to the women’s game can’t I just squat around for a while until the men’s game starts?” Great question, but we’re not exactly sure. Though it seems unlikely that the event staff would herd everyone out just to wrangle them back in again, we can’t be sure. If you want to press your luck, you can buy a ticket to the women’s game — which starts at 5:50 p.m. — and hope you get to stick around. The men’s game will start after the women’s, with a tentative tip-off time of 8:30 p.m..

Have something to ask the CU Independent sports staff? Email Tips@cuindependent.com or tweet us @cuindependent, and we’ll address your question in next week’s mailbag!

Contact CU Independent Sports Editors Caryn Maconi and Ryan Sterner at Caryn.maconi@colorado.edu and Ryan.sterner@colorado.edu.