Colorado University Athletics
Colorado-Kansas Notes
February 18, 2009 | Women's Basketball
Colorado improves its all-time record against Kansas to 33-30. The Buffaloes have won four straight against the Jayhawks in Boulder and overall have claimed 13 of the last 18 meetings.
Colorado returned to the starting lineup it used for the first six games of the season with freshman Alyssa Fressle, sophomores Kelly Jo Mullaney and Brittany Spears, junior Bianca Smith and senior Kara Richards. The Buffaloes had gone with sophomore Britney Blythe in place of Mullaney for the last 15 games.
Colorado improves to 4-3 with the starting five of Fressle-Mullaney-Spears-Smith-Richards.
Colorado led 31-28 at the half, its first lead at the break at home during Big 12 play and first at home since leading Idaho State 39-26 on Dec. 30. CU also held the lead at halftime at Missouri and in their two Paradise Classic games against Hawaii and Pepperdine. The Buffaloes improved to 10-1 in games where they led at the half this season.
Colorado was 21-26 from the free throw line, its top performance in the Big 12 this year in terms of percentage and free throws made. The Buffaloes entered the game ranked last in the Big 12 in free-throw percentage during conference only games at 59.3 percent.
Colorado won the battle of the boards (30-28) for just the fifth time this season, and has won all five contests. It's just the second time in the Big 12. CU also outrebounded Nebraska in its 75-73 win on Jan. 31.
Colorado wins for the first time this year when allowing its opponent to shoot 45 percent or better from the field (1-5).
Brittany Spears became the fifth player in CU history to score 400 points in each of her first two seasons, and fourth to do it in freshman-sophomore campaigns (Debbie Descano did it as a junior and senior after transferring to CU). Spears joins CU Athletic Hall of Famers Lisa Van Goor and Shelley Sheetz and current Director of Operations Tracy Tripp as the only players to do it as underclassmen.
Senior Hannah Skildum recorded a career high three blocked shots, all of which came in the first half. She had just two blocks in 21 games played this season, getting them both in the season opener against UCF.
Kelly Jo Mullaney scored a personal Big 12 best 13 points, just one off her career high of 14 set against Colorado State on Nov. 19.
Bianca Smith got back on track from long range making 4-of-6. She had made just 2-of-13 3-point attempts in the prior three games, including just 1-of-5 against the Jayhawks in Lawrence on Feb. 4.
Smith recorded at least four 3-pointers in one game for sixth time this season. It was also the eighth game this season in which she has hit 50 percent or better from downtown.
Kara Richards recorded her first double-double of the season, and third of her career, netting 10 points and 10 rebounds. She needs just 24 rebounds to become the 18th player in CU history to reach 500 for a career and is just five away from cracking the career Top 20.
