Quick break
Why the Buffs gained: Their protection, significantly within the ultimate three quarters, was stellar, holding the Cowgirls to simply 46 factors and solely 44 pictures tried. The Buffs additionally had 10 steals and compelled 17 turnovers.
Three stars:
1. CU’s Zyanna Walker: Scored a game-high 14 factors to associate with 4 rebounds.
2. CU’s Desiree Wooten: Continues to be a gentle performer, posting 12 factors, two rebounds and three steals.
3. CU’s Logyn Greer: The freshman scored 9 factors and led the crew with seven rebounds.
Up subsequent: The Buffs host Miami of Ohio on the CU Occasions Middle on Dec. 14 (1 p.m., ESPN+).
Offensively, the Colorado ladies’s basketball crew isn’t all the time sharp.
Defensively, nonetheless, the Buffaloes have been on their recreation many of the 12 months, and that was the case as soon as once more Sunday.
CU locked down on protection and coasted previous Wyoming, 58-46, on the CU Occasions Middle.
“Plenty of good issues that we did tonight,” CU head coach JR Payne stated. “Clearly not the most effective fourth quarter … however I believed we did some actually good issues.
“We knew it will be like a extremely powerful, gritty recreation, as a result of each recreation with Wyoming is hard and gritty. And so no actual shock that we weren’t in a position to open it up additional than we needed to, however proud; only a actual collective effort.”
Zyanna Walker had 14 factors, Desiree Wooten added 12 and the Buffs (7-3) overcame a subpar efficiency offensively by shutting down the Cowgirls (3-5).
The Buffs hit simply 36.1% of their pictures, however had a season-low eight turnovers, compelled 17 turnovers and held Wyoming to simply 40.9% taking pictures on solely 44 makes an attempt.
“It was important,” Payne stated of permitting simply 44 pictures. “We believed that we might strain and be disruptive defensively, and the 17 turnovers and solely 44 subject objective makes an attempt, I believe, speaks to that. So it was good crew effort in that regard.”
This was the third time in 4 video games that CU shot beneath 40%, but it surely by no means actually let Wyoming get momentum offensively. The Buffs have held each opponent to 42.2% or worse, and Sunday was the eighth consecutive time they compelled not less than 17 turnovers.
“We obtained some nice defenders,” stated Walker, who was on the Large 12’s all-defensive crew final 12 months whereas at Kansas State. “We’re lengthy and we are able to actually get after it. So I actually like once we choose up full (court docket) after which we’re simply actually aggressive on the defensive finish.”
CU had a rocky begin, hitting simply 5 of 16 pictures within the opening quarter. Wyoming’s Henna Sandvik scored 5 factors in a 10-2 run late within the quarter that gave the Cowgirls a 15-13 lead going into the second.
The Buffs cranked up their protection within the second quarter, although, outscoring Wyoming 17-4 and taking a 30-19 lead into the break.
“Each quarter we need to maintain them to a low quantity, however, I imply, that was one thing that we had been very completely satisfied that we did going into halftime,” Walker stated.
Logyn Greer hit two 3-pointers in a 10-0 surge to shut the quarter, together with a buzzer beater, to provide the Buffs some momentum.
“It was actual huge for positive,” Greer stated. “I used to be simply completely satisfied we obtained a shot off (on the finish).”
Within the third, Walker scored six straight factors for the Buffs to assist prolong the lead much more. The Buffs’ took their largest lead, 45-26, after a Wooten 3-pointer with 2:06 to play within the third.
Wyoming obtained inside 11 early within the fourth, however CU closed robust to complete off the win.
“We wanted the cushion (within the second half),” Payne stated. “It was nice as a result of we had been in a position to play totally different folks at totally different instances. And, you recognize, people who have simply been out for fairly some time had been in a position to get them a little bit little bit of minutes, simply to get some dwell expertise, which I believe is necessary transferring ahead.”
Notable
CU’s Jade Masogayo (knee) and Claire O’Connor (toes) each missed the sport with accidents. Payne stated Masogayo might have performed if wanted, however the Buffs took a possibility to relaxation her sore knee. … Freshmen Jade Criminal and Sophie Zadel made their first profession begins for the Buffs. … Senior heart JoJo Nworie, who has been out whereas recovering from a knee harm, made her season debut for the Buffs and posted six rebounds.
Colorado 58, Wyoming 46
WYOMING (3-5)
Alvar 4-6 2-2 10, Muma 2-4 0-0 5, Symons 0-3 0-0 0, Pedersen 4-8 1-2 11, Sandvik 5-11 0-0 11, Rumpf 1-5 1-2 4, Eyango 0-1 0-0 0, Beslic 0-4 0-0 0, Karlsdottir 1-1 0-0 2, Wohlford 1-1 0-0 3. Totals 18-44 4-6 46.
COLORADO (7-3)
Walker 7-14 0-1 14, Sanders 1-5 4-4 6, Criminal 1-9 0-0 2, Dutat 3-6 1-2 7, Zadel 0-2 0-0 0, Gooden 0-0 2-2 2, Wooten 4-9 2-2 12, Nworie 1-3 0-0 2, Hamalainen 0-1 0-0 0, Greer 3-7 1-1 9, McErlane 2-5 0-0 4. Totals 22-61 10-14 58.
Wyoming 15 4 13 14 – 46
Colorado 13 17 15 13 – 58
3-point targets – Wyoming 6-17 (Pedersen 2-3, Rumpf 1-5, Muma 1-3, Sandvik 1-3, Wohlford 1-1, Alvar 0-1, Beslic 0-1), Colorado 4-16 (Greer 2-5, Wooten 2-2, McErlane 0-3, Criminal 0-2, Walker 0-1, Dutat 0-1, Nworie 0-1, Hamalainen 0-1). Rebounds – Wyoming 29 (Symons, Sandvik 5), Colorado 37 (Nworie 7). Assists – Wyoming 12 (Symons 4), Colorado 8 (Sanders 3). Steals – Wyoming 4 (Muma 2), Colorado 10 (Sanders, Wooten 3). Turnovers – Wyoming 17, Colorado 8. Whole fouls – Wyoming 12, Colorado 12. Fouled out – None. Attendance – 2,394.