University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Sunday, December 18
Boulder, Colo.
3 p.m.
University of Northern Colorado
at
Colorado
Bears set to face in-state foes, Colorado and Air Force
12/16/2022 5:15:00 AM | Men's Basketball
GREELEY, Colo.—Closing out its non-conference schedule, Northern Colorado will stay in state this week with a road game at Colorado on Dec. 18 before hosting the Air Force Academy on Dec. 20.
TICKETS
Tickets for all regular-season basketball matches are available via the UNC Athletics app, online at UNCBears.com/tickets or by calling (970) 351-4849. Tickets can also be purchased in person by visiting the Ticket Office in Campus Commons from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
ABOUT COLORADO (6-5, 0-0 PAC-12)
The Buffaloes have won two in a row to jump above .500. Colorado is 4-1 inside the CU Events Center this season with its lone home loss a 60-59 setback against Arizona State on Dec. 1. Junior forward Tristan de Silva was a Second Team Preseason All-Conference and is currently averaging 13.5 points per game while leading scorer KJ Simpson (16.8 ppg) was an honorable mention pre-season selection. The Buffaloes were picked to finish fifth in the Pac 12 according to the preseason poll.
ABOUT AIR FORCE (7-4, 0-0 MWC)
The Falcons have won two in a row and will face Tarleton State on Sunday before traveling to Greeley. Air Force is 1-1 against Big Sky opponents this season with a 59-56 win at home against Montana and a 68-64 loss at Portland State. The Falcons were picked to finish 11th in the Mountain West in the preseason media poll.
LAST TIME OUT
UNC won back-to-back games for the second time of the young season by defeating CSUN, 70-63, in Northridge, California on Dec. 10. The Bears were led in scoring by the trio of Daylen Kountz (19), Matt Johnson II (18), and Dalton Knecht (16). Kountz and Johnson II combined to go 15-of-19 from the free throw line to help secure the win.
I-25 CLASH
Powered by 27 points from Daylen Kountz, Northern Colorado upended Colorado State, 88-83, in Fort Collins on Dec. 3. UNC shot 46.6 percent (7-of-15) from 3-point range in the first half to generate the early lead and finished off the Rams by hitting 15-of-18 (83.3 percent) attempts from the free throw line in the second half.
BIG SKY RANKINGS
UNC is one of two teams with a pair of scorers inside the Big Sky's top 10 and the only squad with three in the top 15. Ranked No. 4 in the Big Sky, Daylen Kountz leads the attack with 17.4 points per game while teammate Dalton Knecht is one spot back at 17.3 points per game. Matt Johnson II enters the week ranked No. 15 with a 13.7 scoring average. Knehct is the lone Big Sky representative in the top 5 in both scoring and rebounding as the senior has gathered a team-leading 8.8 rebounds per game for No. 5 mark in the league.
PASSING THREATS
Ranked No. 4 and No. 5 in the conference, Matt Johnson II and Daylen Kountz are two of the league's top distributors. Johnson II averages 4.3 assists per game with a season-high eight assists at Baylor while Kountz averages 3.6 assists per game with a season-best of eight dimes at New Mexico.
HOME SLATE
The Bears have played just three of their 10 games at home this season and hold a 1-2 mark inside the Bank of Colorado Arena. The Bears went 2-0 in neutral games at the Lobo Classic with wins over North Dakota State and Jacksonville State.
LOOKING AHEAD
Following Tuesday's game at home against Air Force, UNC will enjoy more than a full week off before beginning Big Sky play at Weber State State on Dec. 29. UNC's conference home opener is scheduled for Jan. 5 against Montana State.
TICKETS
Tickets for all regular-season basketball matches are available via the UNC Athletics app, online at UNCBears.com/tickets or by calling (970) 351-4849. Tickets can also be purchased in person by visiting the Ticket Office in Campus Commons from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
ABOUT COLORADO (6-5, 0-0 PAC-12)
The Buffaloes have won two in a row to jump above .500. Colorado is 4-1 inside the CU Events Center this season with its lone home loss a 60-59 setback against Arizona State on Dec. 1. Junior forward Tristan de Silva was a Second Team Preseason All-Conference and is currently averaging 13.5 points per game while leading scorer KJ Simpson (16.8 ppg) was an honorable mention pre-season selection. The Buffaloes were picked to finish fifth in the Pac 12 according to the preseason poll.
ABOUT AIR FORCE (7-4, 0-0 MWC)
The Falcons have won two in a row and will face Tarleton State on Sunday before traveling to Greeley. Air Force is 1-1 against Big Sky opponents this season with a 59-56 win at home against Montana and a 68-64 loss at Portland State. The Falcons were picked to finish 11th in the Mountain West in the preseason media poll.
LAST TIME OUT
UNC won back-to-back games for the second time of the young season by defeating CSUN, 70-63, in Northridge, California on Dec. 10. The Bears were led in scoring by the trio of Daylen Kountz (19), Matt Johnson II (18), and Dalton Knecht (16). Kountz and Johnson II combined to go 15-of-19 from the free throw line to help secure the win.
I-25 CLASH
Powered by 27 points from Daylen Kountz, Northern Colorado upended Colorado State, 88-83, in Fort Collins on Dec. 3. UNC shot 46.6 percent (7-of-15) from 3-point range in the first half to generate the early lead and finished off the Rams by hitting 15-of-18 (83.3 percent) attempts from the free throw line in the second half.
BIG SKY RANKINGS
UNC is one of two teams with a pair of scorers inside the Big Sky's top 10 and the only squad with three in the top 15. Ranked No. 4 in the Big Sky, Daylen Kountz leads the attack with 17.4 points per game while teammate Dalton Knecht is one spot back at 17.3 points per game. Matt Johnson II enters the week ranked No. 15 with a 13.7 scoring average. Knehct is the lone Big Sky representative in the top 5 in both scoring and rebounding as the senior has gathered a team-leading 8.8 rebounds per game for No. 5 mark in the league.
PASSING THREATS
Ranked No. 4 and No. 5 in the conference, Matt Johnson II and Daylen Kountz are two of the league's top distributors. Johnson II averages 4.3 assists per game with a season-high eight assists at Baylor while Kountz averages 3.6 assists per game with a season-best of eight dimes at New Mexico.
HOME SLATE
The Bears have played just three of their 10 games at home this season and hold a 1-2 mark inside the Bank of Colorado Arena. The Bears went 2-0 in neutral games at the Lobo Classic with wins over North Dakota State and Jacksonville State.
LOOKING AHEAD
Following Tuesday's game at home against Air Force, UNC will enjoy more than a full week off before beginning Big Sky play at Weber State State on Dec. 29. UNC's conference home opener is scheduled for Jan. 5 against Montana State.
Players Mentioned
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