There are not any straightforward recreation days in Massive 12 ladies’s basketball, which is how Zyanna Walker likes it.
“I like how aggressive it’s,” the Colorado guard stated of taking part in within the Massive 12. “You’ve received to point out up each night time, regardless of who you’re taking part in. Prime or backside of the convention, you’ve received to be up, able to play, particularly on the highway.”
On Sunday, the Buffs face maybe their largest problem on the Massive 12 slate when No. 14-ranked TCU visits the CU Occasions Heart. The defending league champion Horned Frogs are tied atop the convention standings coming into Sunday.
“Oh, I find it irresistible,” Walker stated. “Once you’re a competitor, you prefer to play with one of the best of one of the best. They’re on prime of the convention, so we all know that we’ve a possibility to play with them on our residence ground, so we’re going to take that.”
The Buffs had a three-game win streak snapped with a 61-55 loss to No. 20 West Virginia on Wednesday and look to get again on observe. It was the sixth loss by seven factors or much less, with every one containing correctable errors.
“I believe after we activate the movie, we’re going to see that there was plenty of actually missed alternatives that have been (on) us,” head coach JR Payne stated.
This has been a group that’s proven the flexibility to make fast corrections, nevertheless.
“I believe we’re a fairly coachable group,” Payne stated. “After we’re coachable like that, it permits us to develop. … I believe that we’ll see one thing, we’ll say, ‘Yeah, that was my fault,’ and be higher subsequent time.”
Being coachable has allowed the Buffs to rebound from losses at Louisville, at Arizona State, at Oklahoma State and at UCF. After every of these losses, the Buffs have been locked in and gained the following recreation.
“I believe it’s superb,” sophomore Tabitha Betson stated. “Actually, being part of a bunch that’s keen to study and keen to pay attention to one another and the coaches and keen to develop is admittedly particular. It’s not tremendous widespread. I believe us additionally being younger, as properly, implies that everybody’s prepared to absorb data and able to repair and alter and transfer on. So I believe it’s nice.”
The Buffs will put that to the check in opposition to TCU, which leads the Massive 12 in scoring protection, permitting simply 54.3 factors per recreation, whereas rating third in scoring offense, at 80.3. The Horned Frogs are additionally second within the convention in rebounding margin (plus-9.1).
TCU is led by nationwide participant of the 12 months candidate Olivia Miles, who’s averaging 19.0 factors, 7.0 assists and 6.9 rebounds per recreation. She’s the one participant within the nation averaging not less than 14.0 factors, 6.0 assists and 6.0 rebounds.
Payne stated the Buffs need to have higher group than they did in opposition to West Virginia. In the event that they do, they’ve received an opportunity to select up a giant win.
“It’s simply essential that you simply lock in for each recreation since you’ll see any individual get upset each different night time, each week (within the Massive 12),” Walker stated. “It’s simply essential that you simply lock in and give attention to the sport that’s forward.”
CU Buffs ladies’s basketball vs. No. 14 TCU
TIPOFF: Sunday, 1 p.m. MT, CU Occasions Heart in Boulder
TV/RADIO: ESPN+/KHOW 630 AM
RECORDS: Colorado 15-8, 6-5 Massive 12; TCU 21-3, 9-2 Massive 12
COACHES: Colorado — JR Payne, tenth season (179-124; 280-237 profession). TCU — Mark Campbell, third season (76-19; 115-43 profession).
KEY PLAYERS: Colorado — F Tabitha Betson, 6-2, So. (4.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg, .364 3pt%); F Anaelle Dutat, 6-0, Sr. (8.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.8 spg, .517 fg%); F Logyn Greer, 6-4, Fr. (9.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg); F Jade Masogayo, 6-3, Sr. (11.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.1 apg, .492 fg%); G Zyanna Walker, 5-11, Jr. (11.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.3 spg); G Desiree Wooten, 5-8, Jr. (12.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.6 spg). TCU — G Taylor Bigby, 6-1, Sr. (7.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg, .380 3pt%); G Donovyn Hunter, 6-0, Jr. (12.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.5 apg, .371 3pt%); G Olivia Miles, 5-10, Sr. (19.2 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 7.0 apg, .508 fg%); G Maddie Scherr, 5-10, Sr. (5.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.1 apg, .389 3pt%); C Clara Silva, 6-7, So. (10.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg, .615 fg%); F Marta Suarez, 6-3, Sr. (15.7 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 2.4 apg).
NOTES: CU is 1-3 in opposition to Related Press Prime 25 opponents this 12 months, with the win coming in opposition to then-No. 19 Iowa State, 68-62, on Jan. 14. … The Buffs are 11-2 at residence this 12 months and 26-5 within the final two years. TCU is 4-2 on the highway, with losses at Utah and Texas Tech. … CU leads the sequence 4-2, together with victories within the WNIT in 2008 and 2014. TCU gained each of final 12 months’s matchups, 63-50 in Fort Value and 69-62 within the Massive 12 Match. … This might be TCU’s first go to to Boulder since March 19, 2014, within the WNIT. … By way of the primary six Massive 12 video games, Dutat was averaging 10.3 factors and 10.2 rebounds. Within the final 5 video games, nevertheless, she’s averaged simply 2.6 factors and 5.8 rebounds. … Miles has posted 4 triple-doubles this season. CU has 4 in its 52-season historical past. … TCU ranks second within the Massive 12 with 9.1 made 3-pointers per recreation and second in 3-point share (.360). CU is fifteenth within the league with 4.0 made 3s per recreation and final with a .259 3-point share.