Posts tagged watch
WBB: Buffs stumble but did not fall, move to the WNIT 2nd round
Mar 20th
Swan’s play was key to the victory
BOULDER—It took the Buffs nearly six minutes to knock off the rust of a 12-day layoff. They then spent the game’s final 34 minutes rediscovering a level of efficiency that had been lost for the better part of the season, as they defeated the TCU Horned Frogs 78-71 in the first round of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament at the Coors Events Center on Wednesday.
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Trailing 19-11 with 14:01 left in the first half, the Buffs suddenly switched into a different gear as they finished the half on a 32-11 run that also saw them shoot a resounding 55 percent from the field over that span. They then fought off a furious Horned Frogs rally in the game’s final few minutes and now will advance to the second round of the WNIT where they will play the winner of Thursday night’s Colorado State-Southern Utah game. The date and location of the second-round matchup will be announced by the WNIT shortly following that contest up in Fort Collins.
“We’re extremely excited to have our season continue,” said head coach Linda Lappe. “It was also good to get back into the flow of things and get that rust off. We really came out and started attacking their zone, which was a huge key and we got some easy baskets off of that.”
One of the team’s best offensive performances of the season was sparked by a bench that outscored its opponents’ 36-3. Jamee Swan provided the biggest boost off the bench as her 16 points paced an offense a unit that struggled to find its way in the game’s opening minutes. Trailing by eight at that tedious point early in the game, the Buffs bench proceeded to score 15 of the team’s next 20 points and help turn a deficit into 31-24 lead in just over eight minutes. By the end of the half that surge of momentum had translated into a 43-30 halftime lead.
“I thought everyone that came in was solid,” said Lappe. “(Desiree Harris) gave us some good minutes.Lauren Huggins gave us some good minutes, and Zoe (Beard-Fails) did as well. That allowed us to keep everybody fresh and we also wanted to try and get our young kids some post-season experience. You could see a lot of the hard work that they put in over this past week carry over into today and it really helped us.”
With 16:59 remaining, the Buffs’ lead had ballooned to as much as 17 (47-30). But, before the Buffs even began to breathe a sigh of relief, the Horned Frogs went on a 24-7 run of their own, ignited by an effective full-court press defense, that ultimately culminated in a 59-59 tie with just over five minutes to play.
“TCU’s a good team,” said Lappe. “They’re quick, they’re athletic and they can cause a lot of problems with their pressure. We wanted to make stronger and better cuts through the center of their defense. I think we handled it pretty well but we didn’t do a good job in letting them back in the game, but I did like our composure when that happened.”
After an offensive lull allowed the Horned Frogs back into the game, CU went more than six minutes without a field goal. It was a renewed level of defensive tenacity that eventually helped them win it.
TCU guard Zahna Medley’s short jump shot tied the game at the 5:10 mark. Two Haley Smith free throws helped CU regain a 61-59 lead on the ensuing possession. Facing the most critical juncture in the game,Lexy Kresl swiped a TCU pass leading to a fast break layup by Arielle Roberson giving the Buffs a four point lead officially swinging the game’s momentum for the final time.
After a timeout and two TCU free throws, it was only fitting that Swan would take center stage once again as she had done all night. Swan converted three times in the paint on the next four CU possessions and the Buffs once again had a double digit lead.
“Everybody comes to play and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the passes or the looks that I got from my teammates,” said Swan. “You can’t do it by yourself. As a team as a whole, I wouldn’t be able to do it without them.”
Swan wasn’t the only Buff who had a big night offensively. Roberson, who pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds 12 days ago against Stanford, scored a team-high 18 points on Wednesday.
“I think we did a really good job moving the ball,” said Roberson. “We could basically get anything we wanted. I think we had it in the post all night, and I think our guards also could shoot as much as they wanted. So, I think it was just a matter of your mentality and if you’re going to attack them or fall back on your heels and more often than not we were able to attack them.”
The biggest surprise on the roster continues to be senior guard Ashley Wilson, who scored 13 points. Her incredible performance over the last nine games, averaging 10.8 points per game over that span, has given CU an added dimension on the offensive end of the court. Her recent offensive explosion comes as even more of a shock considering that she had scored in double figures only twice in the first 97 games of her career.
An added motive for the team as they finish out the season has been to send this year’s celebrated senior of class of Wilson sisters Brittany and Ashley and center Rachel Hargis out on a high note.
Hargis played in her 132nd career game on Wednesday which ties the program record originally set by Erin Scholz, who starred on the team from 1993-97. Brittany Wilson played in her 131st career game as she continues to also climb the school’s all-time list.
“We’re very, very happy (to continue our season),” said Roberson. “Not every team gets this opportunity to continue postseason play, so it’s great for us to continue to play with our seniors, and I know it’s great to get this home win. I don’t know if words can describe it, but we’re just really happy.”
#20 CU Buffs send the #10 Duck Nation packing
Jan 6th
BOULDER – Duck Dynasty might play well elsewhere, but not in Askia Booker’s and Spencer Dinwiddie’s house.
Colorado’s pair of junior guards took control Sunday afternoon, alternately pushing and pulling the No. 20 Buffs to a 100-91 Pac-12 Conference win over No. 10 Oregon at the raucous Coors Events Center. CU’s 13-2 record (2-0 Pac-12) matches the program’s best start since 1968-69 season.
Booker (career-high 27) and Dinwiddie (23) combined for 50 points as the Buffs overcame a 10-point second-half deficit and disposed of the previously unbeaten Ducks (13-1, 1-1). CU’s prized back-court duo was golden in nearly everything they touched: Booker hit 10-of-12 free throws, Dinwiddie sank 10-of-11 and they combined for 11 of CU’s 14 assists. Between them, they were four-of-seven from beyond the arc, with Dinwiddie going three-for-four.
“It’s pretty simple,” Dinwiddie said. “When ‘Ski ‘plays really well, we play really well. We kind of go as he goes . . . when he’s up, we are one good team.”
Booker called his and Dinwiddie’s combined productivity “wonderful” and said of his backcourt mate: “I think he’s probably the best point guard I’ve played with . . . it’s nice to have somebody like that on my side and know I can trust him.”
Their coach, Tad Boyle, said when his starting guards are dialed in on the same afternoon, the Buffs are not only hard to handle but fun to observe – especially when an opponent enters the CEC with up-and-down intentions: “I wish every team that came into Coors wanted to run . . . that’s the way we want to play. It’s fun to watch, it’s fun to play, it’s fun to coach. Yeah, it was fun today . . .
“That was a high-level basketball game, a treat for anybody in the building . . . it’s a special win because of the respect we have for (coach) Dana Altman and the Oregon program.”
The Buffs have now won five of six meetings and four straight against the Ducks since joining the Pac-12 and are unbeaten (5-0 all time, 3-0 Pac-12) against Oregon at the CEC, where Boyle is now an imposing 55-7.
Boyle said his team is marked “toughness, resiliency . . . and they obviously believe in each other” – and that was never more apparent than in the second half when the Buffs rallied from a 10-point deficit.
CU also got double-figure scoring from Josh Scott and Xavier Johnson, who contributed 15 points each. Scott also collected 12 of the Buffs’ 39 rebounds (Oregon had 33) for his fifth consecutive double-double and seventh this season.
The Buffs shot 56.4 percent from the field, a dramatic upgrade from their 38.2 percent on Thursday night against Oregon State. The Ducks came in as the nation’s highest scoring team (89.2 ppg) and shooting 50 percent from the field. They got their scoring average, but the Buffs held them to 42.3 percent shooting.
CU was perfect from the foul line (13-for-13) in the first half and finished 33-of-39.
Ironically, the first missed free throw was by Booker, who hit one of three after being fouled on a 3-point attempt with just under 6 minutes left. The Buffs committed 16 turnovers – costing them 20 points – to the Ducks’ nine, but outscored the visitors’ 40-34 in the paint and got 17 second-chance points to Oregon’s nine.
“Obviously, they shoot 56 percent and out-rebounded us,” Altman said. “We just didn’t ourselves a chance.”
That wasn’t entirely true. With 14:22 to play, the Ducks were up 10 points (58-48), forcing a timeout by Boyle. Following that, the Buffs ratcheted up their defensive intensity and went on a 16-4 run that produced a 64-62 CU advantage. Oregon never led again.
“Luckily, we had same situation when it was 21-12,” Dinwiddie said. “We fought back and took the lead. You never want to start (a second half) in a hole . . . but we knew we could come back.”
Added Altman: “It turned there and we just didn’t get any stops. They are a good defensive team. They play with tremendous confidence here.”
The Buffs led 44-42 at the break, but only 3:15 earlier they had enjoyed their largest advantage of the half – 39-31 – courtesy of a 9-0 run. It appeared that CU would carry at least a five-point lead to the locker room, but Oregon’s Jason Calliste, left open for a 3-pointer, drained it with a second showing on the clock.
After an 11-2 spurt that wiped out CU’s first lead (10-8), Oregon took its largest first-half margin – nine points at 21-12 – before the Buffs calmed themselves and rallied. They would have to do it again.
Only 7 seconds into the second half, Oregon pressured CU into a timeout, then got possession on a jump ball and tied the score at 44-44 on a layup by Richard Amardi. A minute later, Mike Moser (24 points) hit a baseline jumper and the Ducks retook the lead, 46-44.
A Scott put-back produced a 46-46 tie – and a back-and-forth second half appeared to be unfolding. Wrong. Getting eight points from Moser, Oregon outscored CU 10-0 and took its first double-digit – 58-48 – lead with 14:22 remaining.
But the Buffs weren’t rattled. Over the next 5 minutes, they outscored the Ducks 16-4 to go up 64-62 on a 3-pointer by freshman Jaron Hopkins.
Then, it was Dinwiddie do-it time, with Booker’s magic to follow.
After hitting back-to-back treys, the junior guard sank two free throws to push CU up 72-66 with 7:58 to play. Oregon pulled within two points twice (72-70) on a pair of Dominic Artis free throws and a layup by Elgin Cook, but CU opened an eight-point (80-72) advantage with 5:03 left.
Booker then scored seven of the Buffs’ next 11 points as they went ahead 91-80 with 2:23 left. Oregon capitalized on two CU turnovers to creep to within 92-86, then got to within five (94-89) on a Joseph Young 3-pointer from the right wing at the 1:22 mark.
After a Duck timeout, Oregon got the ball back when Dinwiddie was whistled for a pushing foul on the inbounds play. But the Ducks couldn’t score on that possession, and Xavier Talton hit one of two free throws when fouled at the other end (95-89).
The conclusion was fitting: When Dinwiddie and Booker sank five of six free throws in the last 40.4 seconds to get the Buffs to 100 for the first time in Pac-12 play, the CEC crowd began chanting “over-rated, over-rated.”
Asked what kind of statement Sunday’s win made to the Pac-12 and the nation, Dinwiddie said, “We thought we kind of made a statement against Kansas (a 75-72 win over the then-No. 6 Jayhawks). We go on the board. It shows we ain’t going to lose at home (but) like coach says, now it’s time to take our show on the road.”
The Buffs play Washington State on Wednesday in Spokane, then play at Washington on Sunday, Jan. 12.
GAME NOTES
TEAM
• CU improves to 8-3 all-time and 5-0 at home against Oregon.
• The Buffaloes have won four straight against Oregon, and five of the last six in the series since 2011-12 season.
• CU is now 13-2 to start the season matching the 1968-69 team after 15 games (that team with All-American Cliff Meely started 14-2 & won the Big Eight Championship).
• An 11-0 home record matches Coach Boyle’s first season (2010-11) for consecutive wins after the first 11 home games.
• CU is now an impressive 55-7 (.887) at home under the Boyle coaching staff.
• Today was the first time since Jan. 26, 1997 that CU was ranked at home against another ranked opponent (17 years). CU was No. 18 in the AP Poll vs. No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks (77-68).
• Second time in four years, the Buffs have defeated a pair of nationally ranked Top-10 opponents in same season (defeated No. 6 Kansas, Dec. 7). Back in 2010-11, Buffs defeated No. 9/8 Missouri, 89-76 (Jan. 8) and No. 5/5 Texas in the second greatest comeback in school history (trailed by 22 pts.), 91-89 (Feb. 26), both games played at the Coors Events Center.
• CU improves to 2-2 this season against nationally ranked opponents and under Boyle is now 11-11 against the nation’s Top-25 teams (5-6 vs. Top 10).
• Marks the 2nd time this season CU has been perfect from the line at the half, hitting 13-of-13 (12-of-12 vs Georgia Dec. 28 2013).
• First time this season both teams have been perfect from the line at the half (18-of-18 combined).
• 3rd highest FG percentage in the first half this season (55%).
• CU’s four blocks in the first half are the most this season.
• Oregon becomes the first opponent to score 80+ points this season (last time was at Arizona Jan. 13, 2013 92-83).
• The last time CU had two players score 20 points in a game (Askia Booker: 27, Spencer Dinwiddie: 23) was against Cal on March 18, 2011 (Alec Burks: 25, Cory Higgins: 22).
• Four Buffs scored 15+ points (Josh Scott: 15, Xavier Johnson: 15, Spencer Dinwiddie: 23, Askia Booker: 27).
• Fourth time this season the Buffs have scored 90+ points.
• 1st time the Buffs have reached the century mark this season (last time was Dec. 19, 2010 against Longwood: 104).
• Most free throws made in a game with 33 since Oklahoma State Jan. 15, 2011 (34).
• CU’s 100 point total is the most in a PAC-12 game (scored 87 in a win against Washington Jan. 5, 2012).
Askia Booker
• Marks the 3rd time this season he has reached double figures in the first half this season.
• Moves up three spots on CU’s all-time scoring list to 34th with 931 points.
• Marks the 1st time this season he has scored 20+ points, 3rd in his career.
• Sets his career high in points with 27.
• Passes his season-high in rebounds with seven.
• 5th time he has led the team in scoring, 20th in his career.
Spencer Dinwiddie
• Moves to 24th on CU’s all-time scoring list with 1,102 points.
• Moves to 20th all-time on CU’s assist list with 224.
• 3rd time scoring 20+ points in a game this season, 11th in his career.
• Ties his career high in assists with 7, his 2nd time doing so this season.
• Led CU in assists for the 10th time this season, 37th in his career.
Josh Scott
• Ties his career-high in blocked shots with three in the first half alone.
• Ties his first half high of seven rebounds.
• Now has five consecutive double-double games, his 8th of the season and 10th in his career.
• Surpasses his career-high in blocks with 4.
• 11th time leading the team in rebounds this season, 16th in his career.
• 6th time this season he has led the team in blocks, 14th in his career.
Xavier Johnson
• 8th game this season scoring double-figures, 20th in his career.
• Tops his season high in points scored with 15.
• 1st time reaching 15 points this season, 7th in his career.