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Buffs limit miscues, thrive in the paint to stun No. 10 Kansas State at home

Writer's picture: Harrison SimeonHarrison Simeon

Updated: Jan 30

Johanna Teder Kansas State
Colorado guard Johanna Teder drives to the basket on Saturday against Kansas State. (Photo by Zachary Giesenschlag/Sko Buffs Sports)

In its second home win over an AP top 15-ranked opponent this season, the Colorado Buffaloes (13-6, 4-4 Big 12) stifled the No. 10 Kansas State Wildcats (19-2, 7-1 Big 12) 63-53 for a Saturday afternoon upset.


After a sluggish 5-for-19 start, the Buffs attacked the interior (40 points in the paint) and locked their heels in against the nation’s third-most efficient offense entering Saturday, holding KSU to 37.3% shooting.


Without perennial All-Big 12 center Ayoka Lee for the first time this season, who fractured her foot last Sunday, the Wildcats’ offense crumbled from its elite statistical status to score its fewest points since they fell to CU in last year’s NCAA Tournament.


When the Buffaloes have been balanced this season, they’re nearly unbeatable. CU has a 12-2 record when three or more players score double figures, as was the case on Saturday ( 1-4 otherwise). 


“We have a lot of players that are capable of scoring, so we just need to continue to share the ball the way that we do,” head coach JR Payne mentioned postgame.


Another major factor was avoiding the self-inflicted wounds that have plagued Colorado’s recent stretch of Big 12 play. Just three first-half turnovers and two free throws allowed spawned a consistently in-rhythm offense and aggressive defense.


“We’ve never really done this before, but [we] put a limit on the number of basketballs they could use in every drill … In practice, we did a really good job,” Payne said of how the Buffs emphasized ball security before Saturday. “When you can put something at the forefront of your mind as you’re playing in live settings, you train yourself to keep that … our team just did a really good job of taking care of the ball.”


Jade Masogayo took advantage of Lee’s absence in crunch time with three emphatic fourth-quarter blocks (four total). She finished with 13 points and seven rebounds, continuing her excellence on both ends during Big 12 play.


“Jade was like a human eraser down there,” Payne noted of Masogayo’s performance defending the rim. “Clean blocks, meeting it at the top was beautiful.”


Kindyll Wetta Kansas State
Colorado point guard Kindyll Wetta flips in a game-sealing layup on Saturday against Kansas State. (Zachary Giesenschlag/Sko Buffs Sports)

Despite losing four of their previous six games and facing one of the country's most well-rounded squads on paper, Colorado dug deep and never trailed after the 3:17 mark of the second quarter. The contest could have gotten out of hand when KSU rattled off a 12-2 run after a 4-3 start, but the black and gold remained physical and didn't let the moment overwhelm them.


Frida Formann led the Buffaloes in scoring with an efficient 14, executing one of her mini-runs to turn the game’s tide midway through the second quarter. The senior drilled back-to-back 3s after Colorado started the afternoon 0-for-8, giving the Boulder crowd its first sense of belief that an upset was possible.


Perhaps the X factor for CU’s victory was senior guard Johanna Teder, who stepped up in a three-guard starting lineup to set the tempo while Kindyll Wetta struggled and Kennedy Sanders missed the contest with an ankle sprain. The Washington State Cougars transfer accounted for a poised 10 points, three assists, and +19 point differential while on the floor.


“I always have the same mindset, I’m ready to win and give 100%,” Teder said of her performance. “But obviously, playing different roles and different positions [changes my strategy].”


Serena Sundell led KSU with 13 points and two blocks, though she struggled to live up to her reputation as one of the nation’s best passers. The senior guard had four turnovers compared to three assists.


The Buffs now move forward 10-1 at home this season and sit in eighth place in the Big 12 with a quick, yet crucial road trip on deck. They aim to achieve their first road win since re-joining the conference against the Brigham Young Cougars (10-9, 1-7 Big 12) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. MT (ESPN+).


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