Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
3-1
Villanova
4-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Villanova | 30 | 29 | 59 |
| Colorado | 24 | 30 | 54 |
CU Falls In Classic Final
November 30, 2002 | Women's Basketball
BOULDER - Down by 10 points with 9:02 left in the game, the Colorado women's basketball team went on an 11-2 run in just over seven minutes to cut Villanova's lead to 51-50, but a back-to-back lay up by Villanova's Katie Davis and a 18-foot jumper by Trish Juhline, deleted Colorado's hopes of winning their seventh straight Coors Classic Saturday night losing to the Wildcats, 59-54, in a game that featured three tied scores and five lead changes.
Juhline, the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, scored 25 points-including 12 crucial points in the final 6:17 to lead the Wildcat's (4-0) to their first Coors Classic title. Courtney Mix added 13 points and nine rebounds for Villanova. Tera Bjorklund, who was named to the All-Tournament team along with Kate Fagan, scored 27 points and had nine rebounds.
"Depsite the fact that we lost the game, I feel like we're improving," said Colorado coach Ceal Barry. (Villanova) forced us to compete for 40 minutes. We're just not set in our rotation yet."
The Buffaloes (3-1) led for the majority of the first half, but lost the lead on a 3-pointer by Juhline. Fagan came right back and tied the game at 20 apiece with five minutes left in the half. Mix hit a running jumper 20 second later to regain a lead they didn't relinquish until Bjorklund went around Villanova's Tanika Price and hit a short jumper to take a 37-36 lead with 12:56 left in the game. About four minutes later, Colorado found themselves down 49-39 and although they came within one point with 2:48 left, Villanova's patient offensive attack forced Colorado to foul Juhline who made 6-7 free throws in the last 24 seconds.
Bjorklund scored 14 of Colorado's 24 first half points and played a career high 40 minutes. Along with her 27 point, nine rebound game, she was 7-7 from the free-throw line and had five assists with no turnovers.
In the Coors Classic consolation game, Ohio State (3-1) took care of Hartford (0-4), 77-49. Courtney Coleman had 18 points and Caity Matter chipped in 16 for the Buckeyes.
COORS CLASSIC ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM: Courtney Coleman, Ohio State; Courtney Mix, Villanova; Kate Fagan, Colorado; Tera Bjorklund, Colorado; Most Outstanding Player, Trish Juhline, Villanova
