Boulder, Colo. – Jermyl Jackson-Wilson didn’t so much as raise an eyebrow when informed of his 17-rebound performance.
“It’s another day on the job,” Jackson-Wilson said after Colorado’s 78-64 win over Denver in the season opener on Friday night.
Jackson-Wilson has been waiting a long time for a night like this. He sat out last season after transferring to the Buffaloes from Ohio State.
Yet Jackson-Wilson downplayed his role in the win.
“Games are games,” said Jackson-Wilson, who had the most rebounds in a Colorado debut in team history. “You’ve just got to keep moving. We have great shooters, but they’re not going to make them all.”
Richard Roby chimed in about then.
“You can thank me (for all the rebounds),” Roby said with a grin.
Roby scored 20 points, but was just 8-for-21 from the field.
Although hampered by two sore fingers on his shooting hand, Roby refused to use that as an excuse.
Not even on a botched dunk in the first half.
“Let’s forget that,” he said.
His teammates won’t let Roby live it down. Roby attempted a one-handed dunk on a breakaway but was rejected by the rim and fell to the floor. He smiled as he headed back down the court. The Buffs were up 17 points at the time.
“I hurt my hand, too,” joked Dominique Coleman, who shot 9-for-12 from the floor and finished with 19 points and seven assists.
Coleman, the lone senior on the team, also said he’s the reason Jackson-Wilson had so many rebounds.
“Usually I get more rebounds in practice. They must have scouted (us),” Coleman said.
DaShawn Walker led Denver with 16 points. Joseph Jackson and Tyler Bullock each added 15 points.
It’s the first time the two teams have played since 2000.
Colorado leads the all-time series 56-25 and has won the last five in a row. Patton, who announced he’ll step down at the end of the season, remained unbeaten in 11 season openers with Colorado (1-0).
“I thought this was a game we won on the defensive end,” Patton said.
Denver coach Terry Carroll will agree with that. The Pioneers (0-1) committed 23 turnovers.
“Our effort was outstanding,” Carroll said. “But you can’t turn over the ball. They were coming out harder than what we see in practice.” The Buffaloes led by as many as 21 points in the second half.
Denver freshman guard Nate Rohnert rolled his ankle during a shoot-around Friday morning and was held out of the game. The Pioneers were already missing junior guard Mykhael Lattimore (right thumb injury) and junior center Adam Tanner (fractured left arm).
They’re expected to miss at least three more games.
Junior David Kummer is out for the season after tearing the ACL in his right knee in offseason workouts.
Colorado guard Kal Bay became just the fifth freshman to start in the opener during Patton’s tenure. Roby started for Patton in 2004-05.
Even though Jackson-Wilson thought his 17-rebound night, including 11 on the offensive end, was just another day at the office, Patton was impressed.
“That’s just going and getting the ball,” Patton said. “I certainly hope he plays like this most games.”
