CU flails in fourth, falls to No. 22 Louisville
- Mia Driscoll
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
The Colorado Buffaloes women’s basketball team traveled to Kentucky on Wednesday night to take on a dynamic No. 22-ranked Louisville Cardinals team. The Buffs stayed competitive throughout but ultimately suffered their first loss of the season by a score of 74-68.
CU led for all but eight minutes of the contest and saw several positive performances it will look to build upon as the season progresses, but 18 turnovers were enough to tip the scales in favor of the home team.
Although the Buffs’ hot start looked promising, they were unable to put 40 minutes of cohesive play together, which is what it will take to beat teams of Louisville’s caliber.
After beating New Mexico handily at home to start its season last week, CU went on the road and was met with an immediate challenge in the form of a top-25 team, led by 19-year veteran head coach Jeff Walz. The Buffs got their first taste of a competitive non-conference team – the caliber of which they will often face in Big 12 play.
Urgency was evident from both squads from the jump, with high-pressure defenses wreaking havoc and talented playmakers keeping the energy high.
The Buffs started off hitting on all cylinders, going 3-for-3 from deep, hauling in five offensive rebounds and logging three steals through the first 10 minutes. Shifty guard Kennedy Sanders wasted no time getting to the rim, attacking off the dribble and kicking out to Desiree Wooten and Anaëlle Dutat, who were able to cash in on open looks.
CU shot out to an early 16-7 lead, forcing Walz to call a quick timeout.
As a team still trying to figure out how it gels together, CU utilized its bench early and often, trying out lineups and looking for someone to step up in crunch time.
"I'm really proud of a lot of things that we did tonight… A lot of young people – or young to the floor – contributed really well,” head coach JR Payne said.
This time, it was Zyanna Walker who had the answer for the Buffs. The experienced guard came in on what some might have called a revenge tour against her former school, immediately looking to attack on her old stomping grounds.
Walker finished as CU’s with a career-high 19 points to go along with seven rebounds, one block, one steal and one assist. Freshman forward Logyn Greer looked comfortable with 13 points and six rebounds, while Dutat posted her second double-double in as many games as a Buff with 13 points and 11 boards.
After giving up an 8-0 run that cut their lead to three, Payne was forced to call a timeout and regroup. Walker led all scorers with seven points in the first, with the CU lead holding strong at five.
The second quarter was where things started to go awry for CU. As players settled in, the game got sloppier and the Buffs looked off-balance. Turnovers started to add up for the Buffs, giving the ball away six times in 10 minutes. Payne’s offense looked dangerous across the board, but the lack of ball control allowed the home team to keep it close.
Despite Louisville shooting just over 30% and only hitting one from beyond the arc, the Cardinals were able to get their offense elsewhere and close the gap, eventually taking their first lead of the game midway through the second.
The Buffs’ lead was three going into the locker room. Walker still led all scorers with 11 at the half and provided the competitive edge CU desperately needed in a tight game.
Louisville made adjustments during the break, coming out in a zone and forcing the Buffs to be patient with their ball movement. Dutat showed outstanding off-ball movement, and her vision was rewarded with several easy looks in the paint.
However, the Cardinals’ shots were finally starting to fall, and the home crowd reacted accordingly. Momentum had shifted, even though the scoring through the quarter was even at 21.
Although Louisville had found its spark, CU continued to fight tooth and nail, showing its ability to hang with elite teams early in the season. Forward Logyn Greer logged nine of her 13 points in the third, coming alive just when the Buffs needed her. CU hung on to its three-point lead going into the final stretch.
While Walz’s squad has been referred to as a fourth-quarter team so far this season, that couldn’t have been farther from the truth for the Buffs on Wednesday night.
The start of this heartbreaking slip? Masogayo picked up her fourth foul just 30 seconds into the fourth quarter and was forced to take a seat on the sidelines until further down the stretch.
From there, nothing seemed to go the way of the Buffs. CU started the fourth on a 0-9 shooting slump, over seven minutes of game time without a basket.
Both increased physicality and fatigue may have contributed to this drought.
The Buffs’ first score of the fourth quarter came with 1:06 to play. Despite the unbelievable dry spell, CU hung on and was still in position to tie the game in its final minute.
The odds looked insurmountable: Masogayo playing with limited physicality due to foul trouble, CU out of timeouts to use, Dutat fouling out with 16 seconds left. The Buffs took it all on the chin and looked determined to show their resilience in a hostile environment.
Down three with 15 seconds to work with, the Buffs got the ball back and looked to advance in a fast break. But the 18th and final turnover of the game could not have come at a worse time for the Buffs, as Walker haphazardly traveled.
With no way to stop the clock but foul, CU put Louisville on the line and watched the remaining seconds drain from the clock after a few unsuccessful Hail-Mary heaves.
The Buffs shot 2-for-15 and 0-for-3 from long range in the final 10 minutes.
CU will look to get back in the win column against Portland State at the CU Events Center on Sunday. Watch on ESPN+ at 1 p.m. MT.
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