Quick break
Why the Buffs received: They have been extremely unselfish, posting 32 assists on 36 buckets and have been stellar on protection, holding the Geese to 32.8% taking pictures.
Three stars:
1. Maddie Nolan: She scored a season-high 19 factors, hitting 5-of-9 from 3-point vary, whereas additionally having a season-high six assists and including 4 rebounds.
2. Quay Miller: Posted yet one more double-double, with 12 factors and 11 rebounds.
3. Jaylyn Sherrod: Completed with six factors, six assists, three rebounds and two steals.
Up subsequent: Colorado will host No. 17 Oregon State on Sunday at midday on the CU Occasions Heart.
Maddie Nolan yelled and pumped her fist after one other bucket by the Colorado Buffaloes, however whereas she was the main scorer on Friday night time, this celebration got here after one among her passes resulted in factors for another person.
The unselfish nature of the No. 4-ranked CU girls’s basketball staff was on full show Friday because it raced previous Oregon, 90-57, on the CU Occasions Heart.
“I feel everyone seems to be shopping for into that concept of sharing the ball till we discover one of the best staff shot,” CU head coach JR Payne stated.
It occurred lots on Friday. Nolan had a season-high 19 factors but additionally a season-high six assists. That was a part of an eye-popping 32 assists on 36 baskets for the Buffs (20-3, 10-2 Pac-12), who proceed to sit down atop the convention standings after sweeping the common season set from the Geese (11-13, 2-9) for the primary time in 11 years.
“Actually happy with our preparation all week lengthy,” Payne stated. “I believed our staff, we’re placing a terrific steadiness of focus, maintaining issues gentle, ensuring we’re ready. We have been in a extremely good place tonight.
“It thought we performed like we’re feeling actually good.”
The Buffs posted simply the fifteenth 30-assist sport in program historical past, however solely the second for the reason that mid-Nineties. Their 32 assists have been essentially the most in a sport since recording 35 in opposition to St. Francis (Pa.) on Nov. 28, 1994.
CU had 19 of these within the first half, setting a faculty document for assists in a half. By the point the ultimate buzzer sounded, eight completely different Buffs had assists, led by Kindyll Wetta’s seven. Jaylyn Sherrod matched Nolan’s six, whereas Frida Formann had 5.
True to the Buffs’ nature, they genuinely appeared to take pleasure in every of these 32 dimes.
“As a result of we all know we’re going to make the photographs,” ahead Quay Miller stated when requested why the Buffs get a lot pleasure out of assists. “And if we’re not going to make it, we all know we’re going to get the rebound.”
That was actually the case on Friday. Miller, who had three assists, posted yet one more double-double, with 12 factors and 11 rebounds. The Buffs outrebounded the Geese 46-31 and outscored them within the paint 40-14.
Formann and Vonleh additionally had 12 factors, whereas Tameiya Sadler had 11.
Amongst the entire stellar numbers, Nolan’s might need been essentially the most spectacular. The Michigan switch started to cook dinner halfway via the second quarter.
CU led simply 31-24 and Nolan had but to hit a area purpose earlier than she drained her first of 5 3-pointers with 5:25 to play within the first half. Within the final 65 seconds of the half, she hit three 3s in a row, turning a nine-point lead into an 18-point benefit, 49-31, at intermission.
The Buffs by no means seemed again from there.
“I used to be simply joking with JR, her son comes out and contests me throughout warmups. He wants to try this each sport,” Nolan stated.
“I believed my teammates did a extremely good job of discovering me.”
After all they did. It’s as a result of the Buffs are at their greatest – and have their most enjoyable – once they’re sharing the ball. And Friday was a enjoyable sport for the Buffs, who’ve their greatest 23-game begin to a season for the reason that 1994-95 staff was 21-2 at this stage.
“I do know what this staff is able to, so I anticipate this of us,” Miller stated. “We’re having quite a lot of enjoyable. Clearly successful is enjoyable all the time. As a result of we’re taking part in such good basketball, everybody is nice.”
No. 4 Colorado 90, Oregon 57
OREGON (11-13, 2-9 Pac-12)
Basham 0-2 0-0 0, Grey 3-13 2-2 10, P. Williams 2-3 0-0 6, Kyei 4-10 3-4 11, VanSlooten 6-15 4-5 16, Chamberlin 4-9 1-2 13, Wagner 0-2 0-2 0, Okay. Williams 0-2 0-0 0, Tilliander 0-0 0-0 0, Hamel 0-0 0-0 0, Rambus 0-2 1-2 1. Totals 19-58 11-17 57.
COLORADO (20-3, 10-2 Pac-12)
Sherrod 2-4 1-2 6, Formann 4-9 2-2 12, Miller 5-8 1-2 12, Vonleh 6-10 0-0 12, Nolan 6-11 2-2 19, Atchison 0-0 1-2 1, Sadler 5-7 0-0 11, Smith 1-5 0-0 2, Wetta 3-6 0-0 6, Sanders 0-0 0-0 0, Johnson 2-2 0-2 5, McLeod 0-1 0-0 0, Gerber 0-1 0-0 0, Whittaker 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 36-67 7-12 90.
Oregon 16 15 14 12 – 57
Colorado 22 27 29 12 – 90
3-point targets – Oregon 8-16 (Chamberlin 4-7, Grey 2-4, P. Williams 2-2, Wagner 0-2, VanSlooten 0-1), Colorado 11-24 (Nolan 5-9, Formann 2-6, Miller 1-2, Sadler 1-2, Sherrod 1-1, Johnson 1-1, Vonleh 0-1, Wetta 0-1, Gerber 0-1). Rebounds – Oregon 30 (Kyei 8), Colorado 46 (Miller 11). Assists – Oregon 11 (VanSlooten 3), Colorado 32 (Wetta 7). Steals – Oregon 5 (Chamberlin 2), Colorado 9 (Sherrod, Smith 2). Turnovers – Oregon 12, Colorado 8. Whole fouls – Oregon 9, Colorado 14. Fouled out – None. Attendance – 5,447.