Fast break
Reason for the Buffs’ defeat: The team lost its composure in the final quarter, unable to withstand BYU’s pressure and struggling to make shots.
Top performers:
1. Delaney Gibb from BYU: Scored 26 points with seven assists and six rebounds.
2. Desiree Wooten from CU: Achieved a season-high of 25 points along with five rebounds and two steals.
3. Bolanie Yussuf from BYU: Impressed with 13 points, five rebounds, and two blocks in just 18 minutes of play.
Next up: The Buffs are set to compete in the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City next week.
PROVO, Utah — Following defeats, Colorado women’s basketball coach JR Payne usually praises her team’s effort. However, this time was different.
CU was outplayed in the fourth quarter by BYU, resulting in a 75-62 loss at the Marriott Center in the regular season finale.
“I actually thought they played harder than we did, which I don’t think I’ve ever said about our ball club,” Payne commented. “I think there were loose balls that they beat us to and things like that. So obviously they played a great game, and congrats to them and that’s awesome, but I definitely am disappointed with our effort in spots, not overall.”
A victory would have secured the No. 4 seed and a double-bye for the Big 12 tournament next week, but now the team must wait for conference results to determine seeding.
Oklahoma State’s 70-56 triumph over Kansas dashed CU’s hopes for the No. 4 seed. If Texas Tech defeats Arizona State on Sunday, the Buffs will be positioned as the No. 6 seed for the tournament. However, if Tech loses, CU will claim the No. 5 spot.
“What JR said in the locker room: your biggest regrets are you not being able to control what you could have controlled, and you had full control,” stated guard Desiree Wooten, who delivered a season-high performance of 25 points. “You know you had full control, you could have controlled it, and we didn’t. That’s the hurt right there. We just beat ourselves, man.”
Two weeks after a 30-point victory against the Cougars (20-10, 9-9), CU entered the fourth quarter with an eight-point lead but was outscored 27-6 in the final 10 minutes.
“I thought we were having a hard time scoring, and they got several transition buckets; and to foul, and-one a 3-point shooter two times (hurt),” Payne explained. “I definitely think we lost our composure. Not quite sure why because that’s very uncharacteristic.”
CU committed just five turnovers through the first three quarters but had five on its first six possessions in the fourth, allowing BYU to narrow the Buffs’ lead to 56-55.
Logyn Greer halted the drought with a basket to push the lead to 58-55, but BYU then embarked on an 18-0 run, including star Delaney Gibb being fouled twice while sinking 3-pointers. Overall, the Cougars managed a 25-2 run in the first 8:50 of the fourth quarter.
The Buffs struggled, going 2-for-15 from the floor in the fourth quarter, while BYU shot 8-for-12. Gibb scored 15 of her game-high 26 points in the final quarter.
“I guess we did play differently (in the fourth), because we let the pressure get to us, and we shouldn’t have, honestly,” Wooten expressed. “Their pressure wasn’t worse than anybody, like Tech or anything. I mean, the pressure was the same as anybody; we know we can handle it, we just didn’t.”
In addition to Wooten’s 25 points, Zyanna Walker contributed 13 points and Greer added 10, but no one else scored more than five. Starting forwards Tabitha Betson, Anaelle Dutat, and Jade Masogayo combined for nine points, with Masogayo not attempting a field goal.
CU anticipated a different game from the Valentine’s Day matchup in Boulder for various reasons. On that day, CU defeated the Cougars 76-46, out-rebounding them 50-26 and scoring 40 points in the paint.
On Saturday, CU was outrebounded 38-35 and only scored 20 points in the paint.
“They were coming for us, for sure,” Wooten remarked. “For them, I think they played harder (than in Boulder); for us, we played softer. I mean, that’s pretty much the only way to put it.”
BYU 75, Colorado 62
COLORADO (20-10, 11-7 Big 12)
Masogayo 0-0 2-2 2, Dutat 2-5 1-2 5, Betson 1-6 0-0 2, Walker 5-10 2-2 13, McErlane 1-4 0-0 3, Wooten 8-16 5-8 25, Greer 5-12 0-0 10, Gooden 1-3 0-0 2, Crook 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 23-57 10-14 62.
BYU (20-10, 9-9 Big 12)
Rohkohl 1-1 3-4 5, Benally 1-5 3-4 5, Gibb 6-20 11-14 26, Barber 1-4 0-0 3, Cannon 4-7 1-1 10, Hamlin 5-11 2-3 13, Yussuf 5-7 3-3 13, Hamson 0-0 0-0 0, Gunlock 0-0 0-0 0, Ogden 0-0 0-2 0. Totals 23-55 23-31 75.
Colorado 16 14 26 6 – 62
BYU 20 12 16 27 – 75
3-point goals – Colorado 6-23 (Wooten 4-8, Walker 1-4, McErlane 1-3, Betson 0-4, Greer 0-3, Gooden 0-1), BYU 6-17 (Gibb 3-8, Barber 1-3, Hamlin 1-3, Cannon 1-2, Benally 0-1). Rebounds – Colorado 35 (Greer 8), BYU 38 (Cannon 9). Assists – Colorado 11 (four players with 2), BYU 13 (Gibb 7). Steals – Colorado 2 (Wooten 2), BYU 7 (Benally, Cannon 2). Turnovers – Colorado 11, BYU 8. Total fouls – Colorado 22, BYU 16. Fouled out – Betson, Rohkohl. Attendance – 4,313.
