Quick break
Why the Buffs gained: From the beginning, they had been the extra bodily group, enjoying distinctive protection and dominating in rebounding, 39-25.
Three stars:
1. CU’s Logyn Greer: The freshman completed with 10 factors, six rebounds and 4 blocked pictures, probably the most blocks by a CU participant this 12 months.
2. CU’s Desiree Wooten: Posted 10 factors, 4 assists and 4 rebounds.
3. Kansas’ S’Mya Nichols: Scored a game-high 14 factors and had three assists and 4 steals.
Up subsequent: The sixth-seeded Buffs will face third-seeded Baylor within the Massive 12 match quarterfinals on Friday (7 p.m. MT, ESPN+) in Kansas Metropolis.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A private prayer and the attitude that comes from a lifetime in basketball helped Colorado girls’s basketball head coach JR Payne loosen up going into her group’s recreation on Thursday evening.
“I at all times simply pray and similar to, it’s only a recreation. It actually is only a basketball recreation,” she mentioned. “So, you recognize, that permits me to form of take a deep breath and never get too careworn about it.”
There’s no query, nonetheless, that there was motive to be careworn.
Payne and the Buffaloes may exhale a bit by the top of the evening, although, as they knocked off Kansas 55-48 within the second spherical of the Massive 12 match at T-Cell Middle. The Buffs will face third-seeded and No. 20-ranked Baylor on Friday.
“For certain, we felt like this was a must-win recreation for us, simply because we dropped the final two,” Payne mentioned after CU snapped a two-game skid.
Sitting firmly on the NCAA Match bubble, sixth-seeded CU (21-10) boosted its resume with a robust victory in opposition to the Eleventh-seeded Jayhawks (18-12), who’re additionally a bubble group.
“It was a giant recreation,” mentioned junior guard Desiree Wooten, who had 10 factors, 4 assists and 4 rebounds. “We’re going to take it one recreation at a time. I imply everyone’s objective is to go dancing and it’s, like I mentioned, one recreation at a time to be trustworthy.”
The Buffs didn’t win any model factors, which hardly issues, however they slugged previous the Jayhawks in a bodily battle, holding the lead all through the ultimate 32 minutes.
“I mentioned to the group after, that certain wasn’t fairly, however in March, it doesn’t need to be fairly so long as it goes within the win column,” Payne mentioned. “I’m actually happy with our group for a way we competed tonight. It was undoubtedly a battle. I assumed it was a really bodily recreation and I assumed our execution was actually good, however simply nice group effort.”
Freshman Logyn Greer matched Wooten’s 10 factors to tie for the group lead. Greer additionally had six rebounds and 4 blocked pictures. Beginning forwards Jade Masogayo, Anaelle Dutat and Tabitha Betson mixed for 20 factors and 17 rebounds.
Guard Zyanna Walker was hit with two fouls in 12 seconds, going to the bench simply 2 minutes, 36 seconds into the sport. Masogayo was hit together with her second foul late within the first quarter and Greer together with her second early within the second quarter.
Regardless of that, the Buffs took the lead for good on Wooten’s 3-pointer with 1:52 to play within the opening quarter and led by as many as 12 factors earlier than closing out the Jayhawks.
“Simply staying composed with all of the ref calls,” Wooten mentioned. “We all know the sport’s going to be a recreation of runs; there could also be good calls, dangerous calls. Simply keep composed, poised throughout all of it.”
CU pissed off KU stars S’Mya Nichols and Jaliya Davis all evening. Each had been named first-team All-Massive 12 this week and each struggled in opposition to the Buffs.
Nichols had a game-high 14 factors, however missed 10 of 15 pictures. Davis, the Massive 12 freshman of the 12 months, had a season-low eight factors on 2-of-9 capturing, in addition to six turnovers.
“She’s among the finest freshmen within the nation,” Payne mentioned. “She’s very troublesome to protect. We knew that it could not be one particular person that might attempt to sluggish Jaliya down, so we knew it was going to be a bunch effort and totally different folks rotated on her at totally different occasions. … Simply actually a group effort.”
Kansas, which defeated Central Florida in Wednesday’s first spherical, hit simply 35.8% of its pictures, however did pull inside 5 within the shut seconds.
On a day when larger seeds struggled, nonetheless, CU survived. Earlier on Thursday, No. 5 seed Texas Tech, No. 7 seed Iowa State and No. 8 seed Utah all misplaced.
“Completely different folks in foul hassle all through your complete recreation, however gamers stepped up and performed heavier minutes in some spots than they’re used to,” Payne mentioned. “Simply nice group effort. Actually happy with our squad tonight.”
Colorado 55, Kansas 48
KANSAS (18-13)
Davis 2-9 4-5 8, Meister 1-7 1-2 3, Nichols 5-15 3-3 14, Fandel 2-4 0-0 4, Copeland 1-3 0-2 3, Williams 4-7 0-1 8, Conesa 1-2 0-0 2, Evans 3-6 0-0 6, Harshaw 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-53 7-13 48.
COLORADO (21-10)
Masogayo 1-6 6-8 8, Dutat 3-3 1-2 7, Betson 1-2 2-2 5, Walker 2-6 2-2 6, McErlane 1-5 2-4 5, Wooten 4-14 0-2 10, Gooden 1-1 0-0 2, Greer 4-7 0-0 10, Criminal 1-2 0-0 2, Nworie 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-46 13-20 55.
Kansas 11 7 11 19 – 48
Colorado 12 14 12 17 – 55
3-point targets – Kansas 2-13 (Nichols 1-3, Copeland 1-3, Meister 0-2, Fandel 0-2, Evans 0-2, Conesa 0-1), Colorado 6-14 (Wooten 2-7, Greer 2-2, McErlane 1-3, Betson 1-2). Rebounds – Kansas 25 (Davis 6), Colorado 39 (Masogayo, Dutat, Greer 6). Assists – Kansas 8 (Davis, Nichols 3), Colorado 11 (Wooten 4). Steals – Kansas 10 (Nichols 4), Colorado 3 (Masogayo 3). Turnovers – Kansas 15, Colorado 20. Whole fouls – Kansas 22, Colorado 21. Fouled out – Masogayo. Attendance – 4,646.