Quick break
Why the Buffs misplaced: CU dug itself an enormous gap early within the sport, sputtering within the first half for the second sport in a row and falling behind by as many 18 factors. The Buffs almost received the win anyway, however have been unable to get a cease within the closing seconds.
Three stars:
1. Utah’s Ines Vieira: Tenacious level guard completed with 16 factors, eight rebounds, seven assists and two steals.
2. Utah’s Alissa Pili: One of many prime scorers within the nation completed with 18 factors and 6 rebounds, in addition to three assists and fueled Utah’s quick begin.
3. CU’s Jaylyn Sherrod: Posted 15 factors, 9 assists and two steals.
Up subsequent: Colorado will go to No. 10 USC on Feb. 23.
Colorado received nearly every thing it wanted to tug off a miraculous comeback in Salt Lake Metropolis.
The truth that the Buffaloes wanted a livid rally, nevertheless, didn’t sit properly with head coach JR Payne, particularly after that rally fell quick.
The Utes’ Dasia Younger bounced in a driving layup on the buzzer handy the CU girls’s basketball workforce a 77-76 defeat on the Jon M. Huntsman Heart on Friday.
“To be sincere, I’m pissed,” Payne stated. “I’m very annoyed. I assumed we performed an incredible second half, clearly, however I’m past annoyed with the primary half.
“I feel it felt like Sunday’s sport (a 65-59 loss to Oregon State), which is completely … I don’t even know the phrase. I can’t perceive how that’s attainable. Very disenchanted within the first half, very pleased with the second half.”
For the primary time this season, the eighth-ranked Buffaloes (20-5, 10-4 Pac-12) have misplaced two in a row. Led by Ines Vieira and Alissa Pili, who mixed for 34 factors and 14 rebounds, the Twenty second-ranked Utes (19-7, 9-5) gained for the fourth time in 5 video games.
CU fell two video games behind league-leading Stanford with solely 4 video games to play – two of these on the street in opposition to No. 9 UCLA and No. 10 USC, that are proper with the Buffs and Oregon State within the standings.
After a depressing first half, the Buffs trailed by as a lot as 18 factors Friday earlier than surging again. They took their first lead of the sport, 74-73, on a Frida Formann layup with 19.2 seconds left.
Vieira hit a pair of free throws for Utah regain the lead with 14.2 seconds left, however the Buffs’ Aaronette Vonleh hit a put-back with 9.4 seconds left for a 76-75 lead.
The Utes went proper down the court docket. Formann ran out to Younger behind the 3-point arc, however Younger blazed previous her and Euro-stepped by means of the protection by Vonleh and tossed up a shot because the clock hit zero. The ball bounced twice on the rim earlier than rolling in.
“We received blown by and (Younger) received into the paint and made a very robust circus shot,” Payne stated.
Formann stated she ought to have performed higher protection on that play.
“Clearly a number of issues I’d have achieved in another way now on that play and possibly simply pressured her to take a contested 3,” Formann stated. “However, yeah these are issues that make you higher subsequent time we’re in a scenario like that.”
It was the primary half that actually price CU on this one, although.
The Buffs had their lowest-scoring half of the season within the first half in opposition to Oregon State (24 factors) on Sunday and matched it within the first half Friday, going into intermission trailing 39-24. The deficit reached 18 factors early within the third quarter.
“One, we simply need to play nice basketball and we didn’t,” Payne stated. “Two, we completely didn’t execute the scout, collectively, within the first half. After which third, yeah, I imply, each possession is essential. So I don’t perceive how we will simply not do what we’re imagined to do for longer durations of time then possibly only one possession. … It’s simply not adequate.”
The Buffs did rally, nevertheless, and pulled inside seven late within the third earlier than Utah used an 8-0 run to construct the lead again to fifteen, 65-50, with 9:23 to play within the fourth quarter.
Formann scored 10 of her 15 factors in final 6:20 to spark a rally that almost made up for the tough begin. Jaylyn Sherrod additionally had 15 factors, whereas Vonleh had 14 (eight within the final three minutes), nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient.
“I feel simply we received extra urgency and we began to get some buckets,” Formann stated of the late rally. “I feel we simply dialed up the protection. It was sort of do or die at that time. So yeah, I’m proud that we made the comeback after which that we made our method again. And, clearly actually heartbreaking to lose on a buzzer beater like that.”
Younger’s game-winner was Utah’s solely made discipline objective within the final 5 minutes of the sport, and it’s one the Buffs will keep in mind for some time.
No. 22 Utah 77, No. 8 Colorado 76
COLORADO (20-5, 10-4 Pac-12)
Sherrod 7-15 0-0 15, Formann 5-10 2-2 15, Miller 3-7 1-2 8, Vonleh 7-14 0-0 14, Nolan 2-4 1-1 6, Sadler 2-4 0-0 4, Smith 1-1 0-0 2, Wetta 3-5 2-2 8, McLeod 0-0 0-0 0, Whittaker 2-4 0-1 4. Totals 32-64 6-8 76.
UTAH (19-7, 9-5 Pac-12)
Vieira 6-13 4-4 16, Johnson 5-7 2-4 14, Wilke 2-4 3-4 8, McQueen 3-7 1-1 8, Pili 7-14 2-2 18, Palmer 0-2 0-0 0, White 0-0 0-0 0, Ross 0-0 0-0 0, Younger 6-9 0-1 13, Crispe 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-56 12-16 77.
Colorado 14 10 26 26 – 76
Utah 23 16 23 15 – 77
3-point discipline targets – Colorado 6-12 (Formann 3-4, Miller 1-3, Nolan 1-3, Sherrod 1-2), Utah 7-19 (Pili 2-5, Johnson 2-3, McQueen 1-4, Wilke 1-3, Younger 1-2, Vieira 0-1, Palmer 0-1). Rebounds – Colorado 28 (Miller, Vonleh 6), Utah 34 (Vieira 8). Assists – Colorado 17 (Sherrod 9), Utah 17 (Vieira 7). Steals – Colorado 10 (Sherrod, Smith 2), Utah 5 (Vieira 2). Turnovers – Colorado 11, Utah 16. Whole fouls – Colorado 20, Utah 14. Fouled out – None. Attendance – 5,999.