1. Colorado is one of the few Pac-12 teams in the running for an at-large NCAA Tournament bid. Jerry Palm and Joe Lunardi both had the Buffs (11-5) as a No. 14 seed in their latest bracket projections, but that was before they lost at Cal. Colorado's RPI is 66, which is buoyed by the nation's 34th toughest schedule. It's still early, but Stanford needs to win this game to feel better about its NCAA Tournament prospects.
2. Andre Roberson is a beast. The 6-foot-7 sophomore guard is averaging 11.3 points and 11.9 rebounds per game. Last season, he became the first freshman to lead Colorado in rebounds, steals, and blocks.
3. A Colorado fan has given Roberson a tasty nickname: "Animal Style."
4. The Buffs are hungry for an NCAA Tournament berth. Colorado went 21-13, including an 8-8 record in Big 12 play, but watched its bubble burst on Selection Sunday. The Buffs made the most of the snub, advancing to the semifinals of the NIT before falling to Alabama.
5. Colorado boasts the best field goal percentage defense in the Pac-12. Opponents have shot only 39% against the Buffs this year.
6. The Buffs can rebound. Stanford has the best rebounding margin in the conference, but Colorado is second.
7. Stanford defeated Colorado, 65-62, in the 2008 Big 12-Pac-10 Hardwood Series. Josh Owens had 21 points and 8 rebounds off the bench.
8. Spencer DinWiddie is dangerous. DinWiddie, a freshman guard from Woodland Hills, has scored 7 points in the Buffs' last two games after reaching double figures in nine straight. He's shooting 46% from beyond the arc.
9. Colorado head coach Tad Boyle was an assistant coach at Oregon from 1994-97. Boyle took over in Boulder last season after taking Northern Colorado from a 4-24 record to a 25-8 record and a berth in the CIT four years later.
10. Carlon Brown, a transfer from Utah, is the Buffs' best scorer. Brown was limited to 9 points against Cal, but he had 28 in the previous game against Washington State. Brown is averaging 13.8 points per game on 50% shooting.