The Buffs pulled off the unthinkable. In a season filled with disappointment, the ninth seeded Colorado women’s basketball team defeated top-seeded Oregon State 68-65 in the Pac-12 Tournament to keep its season alive. With this win, CU advances to the semifinals Saturday night in Seattle.
This was the first time a No. 9 seed has defeated a No. 1 seed in Pac-12 women’s basketball history. The Beavers were also ranked eighth in the nation and just last month the Beavers dominated the Buffs in a 66-44 victory in Boulder. But that didn’t matter Friday night.
“Our team did a fantastic job,” Colorado head coach Linda Lappe told Pac-12 Networks after the game. “I’m so proud of them. I’m happy for our three seniors. It’s all about surviving and advancing.”
CU improved its record to 15-16 on the year, but all Colorado is focusing on now is the Pac-12 tournament. If the Buffs win it, they’ll advance to the NCAA Tournament. If they don’t, their season is over.
The team stat of the night was three-pointers. CU was an efficient 6-9 from beyond the arc. OSU was the opposite of that going 6-31.
Seniors Jen Reese and Lexy Kresl, along with junior Jamee Swan scored a combined 50 of the Buffs’ 68 points.
It was Kresl who got the Buffs started early. She hit her first four three-pointers, including a couple that were several feet behind the line. She finished with a team-high of 19 points and four assists, successfully helping the Buffs get out to an early 14-7 lead.
Swan dominated the paint, even with OSU’s highly touted Ruth Hamblin at center. Hamblin was recently named the Pac-12’s player of the year. She averaged 12.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.8 blocks in the regular season. But it was Swan who had the better game, despite giving up four inches in height. Swan finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds. No one on the team had more than five boards.
Reese didn’t score at all in the first half, but she more than made up for that in the second with 13. When she was fouled on a fade-away jumper with 8:32 left in the game, Reese knocked down the shot anyway for the traditional three-point play. It gave Colorado a seven-point lead.
CU had to bounce back from several deficits, despite leading 30-20 at one point in the first half. The Beavers ended the first frame on a 13-0 run to take a three-point at the break. The second half was very back-and-forth, and the Buffs trailed 60-59 with 4:21 left before Swan hit a jumper to give the Buffs a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. It started an 8-0 run that secured the upset.
Colorado will face either Washington or California Saturday night at 9:30 p.m. MST. The game will be broadcast on Pac-12 Networks.
“This is our only shot for postseason and our seniors have never not been to postseason,” Lappe said. “We’re trying to take it game by game and staying composed. It feels good to get this one.”
Contact CU Independent assistant sports editor Jared Funk-Breay at Jared.funkbreay@colorado.edu and follow him on twitter: @jaredfunkbreay
