Road woes continue as Buffs fall to UCF

The Buffs huddle amid loss to UCF. (Photo via CUAthletics/X)

Coming off an upset against No. 19 Iowa State, the Colorado Buffaloes (12-7, Big 12 3-4) were projected to be on the cusp of consideration for the March Madness Tournament. Their matchup with the University of Central Florida Knights (10-8, Big 12 2-5), in the bottom-five of the Big 12 standings, offered some upward momentum as they looked to make a case for March. 

Instead, the Buffs fell flat on their faces, losing 74-68 to UCF on Sunday. 

Four players tallied double-digit point totals for the Buffs, as junior guard Desiree Wooten led Buff scorers with 15 points, despite fouling out with under a minute to play.

Senior forward Jade Masagayo finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists and also fouled out with a minute remaining in the game.

Despite shooting just 25 percent from the field, junior guard Zyanna Walker finished with 13 points, five rebounds and seven assists. 

This is the first time that Colorado has started 0-5 on the road since a shortened 2020-21 season saw a 3-6 road record.

Masagayo was the one who powered the offense against the Knights to begin the game, putting up six first-quarter points to help put the Buffs ahead 19-4 through the first frame.

Knights sophomore guard Summer Yancy turned on her hot hand, drawing a foul and draining two threes in a minute-span, helping UCF to a 25-22 lead.

This was the beginning of a 20-2 run where the Knights got to the charity stripe eight times and shot 71.4% in that span, while the Buffs just shot 9.1% during the same stretch.

Yancy did most of the driving, putting down 10 points in all 10 minutes of the second quarter while extending the Knights’ lead to 10 at the half, 39-29.

Coming out of the locker room, Walker got to work, drawing a tough and-one to contribute to the Buffs’ 8-0 run. Colorado cut the lead to two after just two-and-a-half minutes out of the locker room.

The Colorado run extended to 14-2 as both Walker and Masagayo drew and capitalized on critical fouls, shifting the lead back towards the Buffs, 43-41. 

The Knights finished the third quarter with a 6-0 run of their own before junior guard Maeve McErlane put down a corner three as time expired, setting up a close fourth quarter, down 41-40.

Colorado scored on each of its first five possessions of the fourth quarter, thanks to freshman forward Logyn Greer and Wooten finding high-percentage shots, putting their team ahead 60-54.

UCF was able to turn on its rocket boosters, flying to a 16-4 run as Yancy put down two threes and two free throws, putting the Knights ahead 70-64 with three minutes remaining.

A late three from sophomore forward Tabitha Betson pushed her point tally to 13, but it was too little, too late as the Buffs fell 74-68.

Yancy found the mark on 83.3% of her shots from behind the perimeter while adding eight from the free throw line, for a game-high 25 points.

“[In] the first half, I didn't think we defended well," head coach JR Payne said. "Part of it was just foul trouble and rotations and things like that.”

Senior forward Anaëlle Dutat, who finished with just one point and missed all three of her shots, sat on three fouls heading into the half, while Wooten, Greer and Masagayo all sat on two.

“We were denying when we weren't supposed to, and gaps were open for penetration and things like that,” Payne said. “I didn't communicate the game plan well enough because that wasn't what we were supposed to be doing.”

Colorado will host the Oklahoma State Cowgirls (16-4, Big 12 5-2), hoping to avenge its 63-56 loss to them earlier this season. The game will take place at the CU Events Center next Sunday at 1 p.m. MT (ESPN).