Feb. 23, 2006
Columbia, Mo. -
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Missouri (11-13, 4-9 Big 12) will look to halt its two-game losing streak on Saturday when it travels to Boulder, Colo., to face the fourth-place Buffaloes ... The Tigers lost the initial meeting between the two programs this season by a 74-71 margin on Jan. 14 ... The 1,000-point watch is in full-effect for Thomas Gardner ... Gardner has 988 career tallies and needs just 12 more to become the 37th player in school history to reach the milestone ... Gardner would join teammate Jimmy McKinney, who accomplished the feat on Jan. 25 against Iowa State and would be the first junior to reach 1,000 points since Arthur Johnson and Rickey Paulding in 2002-03 ... Only 13 other Tigers have recorded their 1,000th career point prior to their senior season ... Gardner also has 80 three-pointers on the year, which is seventh all-time and just one shy of sixth place ... Gardner needs just nine treys to pass Rickey Clemons (2002-03) and Clarence Gilbert (1999-2000) for fourth in Mizzou single-season lore ... With his 21-point night vs. Texas A&M, Gardner topped 20 points for the 14th time this season ... With his next 20-point effort, Gardner will tie four Tigers, including legendary coach Norm Stewart with 15 20-point games in a single season ... Stewart accomplished the feat in 1955-56 ... The last Tiger to top 20 points 15-plus times in a season was Kareem Rush, who did it 17 times in 2001-02 ... By the way, Happy Birthday to the incredibly durable Kevin Young (Feb. 22) ... Young will play in his 121st career game for Mizzou on Saturday ... Young has played in every game of his Tiger career and is having a sensational senior season, posting career-high averages of 8.3 points and 7.2 rebounds ... Mizzou will need the aforementioned trio of McKinney, Gardner and Young to escape the scoring troubles that have hampered the club over the last nine games ... The Tigers are averaging just 57.4 points on 38.3 percent shooting from the floor over their last nine games ... While the team is struggling offensively, McKinney hasn't ... The St. Louis native is on a career-best run of seven consecutive games in double figures following his 14-point night vs. Texas A&M.
The Accolades Keep Coming For Gardner
Thomas Gardner added another award to his ever-growing portfolio, as the junior was named a Second Team All-District pick by the National Association of Basketball Coaches ... With the honor, Gardner will now be eligible to earn NABC All-America recognition at the conclusion of the 2005-06 season.
Gardner Named To Wooden Award Midseason List
College basketball's version of the FDA gave Mizzou junior guard Thomas Gardner its stamp of approval over the weekend when the John R. Wooden Award committee named the Portland, Ore., native to its midseason All-America listing.
l Gardner was one of three Big 12 players named to the grouping, along with Texas representatives LaMarcus Aldridge and P.J. Tucker.
l Gardner currently leads the Big 12 and ranks among national leaders in scoring (19.8) and three-point field goals per game (3.41).
l Gardner is the first Tiger to be selected to the Wooden Award midseason list since Kareem Rush in 2001-02.
McKinney Hits Mizzou Career Milestone
Jimmy McKinney's versatility has the Tiger senior listed among the school's all-time greats ... After scoring his 1,000th career point against Iowa State on Jan. 25, the former Vashon High School standout recorded his 400th career rebound at Baylor to become just the fifth player in school history to record 1,000 points, 400 rebounds and 300 assists during his Mizzou playing career ... McKinney joined Doug Smith (1987-01), Anthony Peeler (1988-92), Melvin Booker (1990-94) and Greg Cavener (1981-85) as the only Tigers to accomplish the 1,000-point, 400-rebound, 300-assist feat.
Getting To Know Today's Foe
Colorado (17-7, 7-6 Big 12) enters today's contest coming off a 93-77 defeat at Iowa State on Feb. 22 ... The Buffaloes suffered through a tough shooting night in Ames, Iowa, as they hit just 24.1 percent of their shots in the first half and just 35.6 percent for the game ... Chris Copeland led four CU players in double figures with 15 points, while Buff standout Richard Roby was held to just seven tallies on 2-of-11 shooting ... On the season, Roby leads Colorado with 18.0 points per game and has seen his average increase to 19.7 point in Big 12 play, which ranks third overall in the Conference ... Copeland is CU's only other player averaging double figures on the year with 12.3 points per game ... Both Roby and Copeland pace the club in rebounding as well, with Roby's 5.6 rebounds per game leading the team.
Mizzou Series With The Buffaloes
Mizzou will look to avoid its first season sweep at the hands of Colorado since 1997 ... Colorado won the first meeting between the two teams 74-71 in Columbia ... Richard Roby scored a then-career high 33 points in the CU win thanks to 11-of-24 shooting from the floor and 6-of-11 shooting from three-point range ... Overall, the Buffaloes hit 13 three-pointers in the win and Chris Copeland's trey as time expired gave CU the thrilling three-point win ... Overall, Missouri leads the series 90-51, but the Buffaloes own a 32-26 advantage in Boulder ... Colorado has actually won four of the last six meetings between the two clubs, but the Tigers and Buffs have split the last six contests at the Coors Event Center.