Senior guard Jaylyn Sherrod scores a layup during the second half of the game at the CU Events Center. Feb. 10, 2023. (Sage Phelps-Fast/CU Independent)
On Sunday, Feb. 19, the Colorado women’s basketball team lost to No. 18 University of Arizona, 61-42, ending their five-game winning streak.
This 19-point loss is not a familiar outcome for the Buffs, who have recently won several matches by a similar margin. The loss came only two days after a close match against ASU on Thursday, Feb. 17, in which the Buffs came out victorious and beat the Sun Devils, 70-62.
In their match against the Arizona Wildcats, however, the Buffs played with a lack of cohesion and saw long stretches of scoring by their opponents.
At the start of the first quarter, the Buffs came out in zone defense to limit inside penetration from the Wildcat guards. Forward Charlotte Whittaker and center Quay Miller stood firm inside the key. However, this formation left shooters open on the 3-point line, and the Wildcats hit their shots outside the paint. Meanwhile, CU missed both 3-point attempts in the first quarter and only shot 28% from the field goal range.
In the second quarter, Tameiya Sadler took the initiative and went coast to coast on fast breaks, putting up impressive layups against a double-team from the Wildcats. Miller also did an excellent job of distributing passes to her guards and giving them options on the offense.
However, Colorado’s scoring did not improve into the second quarter, with 0-3 on 3-pointers and 4-15 from inside the 3-point line. Going into halftime, Arizona led by 11 points at 31-20, putting Colorado in a difficult position.
Frustrated by their lack of success so far, the Buffs entered the second half with determination, hoping to turn the game around. Miller and Frida Formann had an excellent combo play to pass Tayanna Jones the ball upcourt, which she expertly finished at the basket. Miller also prevented a fast-break from the Wildcats and immediately distributed the ball to Sadler for a 3-pointer, CU’s first one of the match.
The Wildcats responded with backdoor cuts, resulting in easy layups on the Buff’s basket. Despite an improved effort from Colorado, Arizona still outscored them by 10 in the third quarter.
CU played their best during the final quarter of the night, as they finally outscored Arizona. Although their shooting percentage remained relatively low, the Buffs capitalized on numerous free-throw opportunities to rack up some points. Sadler and Miller continued to work hard both on defense and offense, even as the potential for winning the game faded away.
The Buffs will return home this week to finish their regular season. They will face off against No.3 Stanford on Thursday, Feb. 23, and then host California for Senior Day on Saturday, Feb. 25.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Sophie McKeown at sophie.mckeown@colorado.edu.
