No 3s, no problem as Buffs outfight UT Arlington in North Shore Showcase
- Peighton Lemp
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
The Colorado Buffaloes women’s basketball team secured a 71-60 win on Saturday over the UT Arlington Lady Mavericks in Laie, Oahu, Hawaii, as one of three games it will play in the North Shore Showcase.
Redshirt freshman guard Kennedy Saunders had a very well-rounded game, using her experience to lead the Buffs in a close game. She came up big with nine points in the fourth quarter, putting her at 19 for the night, a career-high.
CU (3-1) came out looking shaky in the first quarter. Amid shot-clock malfunctions, it was hard for the Buffs to get into a rhythm on offense. They were struggling to hit shots, going 5-for-16 (31%) from the field. Head coach JR Payne tried some different looks with some early substitutes, but nothing could get the Buffs going.
On the defensive side, the Buffs allowed UTA (2-3) to hit three 3s early, but forced six turnovers that converted to four points. It was a slow start for both sides, and the score was at 12-12 at the end of the first.
At the start of the second quarter, CU attacked the paint and jumped to a quick four-point lead. The offense was flowing better with more successful plays, but was struggling to hit shots, reaching 11-for-29 from the field and 0-for-4 from the 3-point line. In addition, CU was more defensively conscious with quicker, tighter close-outs on 3s, forcing UTA to battle in the paint.
CU dominated the first half of the second quarter but let UTA sneak back in with several turnovers (seven), fouls (six), and quick scores allowed.
Redshirt junior point guard Desiree Wooten stood out in the second quarter with a flashy and-1 play early and a nasty step-back jumper in the last minute. Wooten led all CU scorers at the end of the half with eight.
The Buffs narrowly led, 28-25.
After an elongated half-time due to more shot clock issues, CU came out with the same hustle that they started with. UTA was forcing the issue on defense, forcing several turnovers, but CU kept its composure and was able to score on the free-throw line.
Freshman forward Loygan Greer stood out this quarter, having several defensive stops and rebounds on defense while racking up nine points offensively.
CU finally found its footing in the latter half of the quarter and pushed its lead to five heading into the fourth, but UTA just refused to go away, chipping away at the Buffs from the free-throw line.
The fourth quarter was where CU really secured its win and looked truly comfortable on offense. Despite hitting an uncharacteristic zero 3-pointers, Colorado’s efficiency from the field and the free-throw line secured the win.
"We still shot [throughout the chaos]," Payne said. "We didn't make a single 3, but we shot 40% from the floor. So even in the chaos, we took care of the ball okay. Fourteen turnovers, but got to the free-throw line.”
It was remarkable how scrappy CU remained throughout all four quarters, diving for balls and fighting for steals and rebounds, despite struggling to hit shots. Even though it got the Buffs into some foul trouble late, it may have been the X-factor that won it.
The next of CU’s Hawaii games will be against the VCU Rams (3-1) on Monday at 5:30 pm MT. Fans can watch on BallerTV.