Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
Kansas State
CU Holds On To Squeeze Past K-State
January 20, 2010 | Women's Basketball
MANHATTAN, Kan. - Their arrival was a bit foggy, their departure clearly was better.
When the Colorado women's basketball team's charter flight couldn't land late Tuesday afternoon because of thick fog at the Manhattan airport, the airplane was diverted to Hutchison, Kan., where the traveling party waited for over an hour to be bused to Manhattan.
Upon their arrival about 8 p.m., the Buffaloes had a short shoot-around at Bramlage Coliseum, returned to their hotel, ate dinner and called it a night.
A night later, there were no ill-effects - particularly not for freshman Meagan Malcolm-Peck and junior Brittany Spears.
They each hit a pair of late pressurized free throws Wednesday night as CU held off Kansas State 63-57, breaking an eight-game road losing streak and helping the Buffs surpass their 2008-09 win total (11-18, 3-13).
Leading by 14 points early in the second half, the Buffs (12-5, 2-2) appeared to have the game in hand until the Wildcats (10-8, 2-2) cut the margin to 55-54 with just over 3 minutes remaining.
But a three-pointer by Spears, who led CU with 15 points and nine rebounds, quelled that K-State push. The Buffs then hit five of seven free throws in the final 2:18 to preserve the Big 12 Conference victory.
Malcolm-Peck chased down a loose ball, was fouled and connected on both ends of a one-and-one with 14.6 seconds left to score her only two points of the game, giving CU a 61-57 lead.
Eight seconds later, Spears connected on another pair as finally defeated K-State. The Wildcats beat the Buffs three times last season, the third win coming in the Big 12 tournament.
In addition to Spears, CU had three other players in double figures - freshman Chucky Jeffery and senior Bianca Smith with 13 each, and sophomore Alyssa Fressle with 11.
But the Buffs' defense was just as instrumental as the offense, limiting the Big 12's top three-point shooting team to just four in 18 attempts and keeping the Wildcats out of synch for most of the game.
CU also held its own on the boards, battling to a 33-33 draw with K-State after being out-boarded 43-26 in Saturday's loss to Iowa State.
The Buffs ramped up their defense to close the first half, holding the Wildcats without a field goal in the final 6 minutes, outscoring them 7-3 in the final 2:50 and going to their locker room with a 30-25 lead.
Entering the game as the Big 12's best three-point shooting team, K-State made just one of 10 first-half attempts. Meanwhile, CU hit four of its 14 tries, with Smith coming off the bench to account for two of them.
CU's halftime advantage at the break marked the Buffs' first in Big 12 road play since Jan. 9, 2008 at Missouri. The Buffs led 28-23, eventually winning in a blowout - 70-50.
More halftime history: CU hadn't led at intermission at K-State since Feb. 14, 2007. That advantage was 28-26, and the Buffs also ended that game on top - 60-58.
So, a couple of precedents were set, leaving CU 20 more minutes to follow through - and the Buffs opened the second appearing intent on doing it.
They scored the second half's first seven points to take a 37-25 lead, forcing K-State coach Debbie Patterson to call a timeout with 17: 19 remaining.
Talking it over didn't provide an immediate answer.
Fressle quickly converted a steal into a layup to give the Buffs a 39-25 lead, capping a 20-4 Buffs run (late first half, early second) before the Wildcats finally got a three-pointer by Brittany Chambers at the 15:00 mark.
If the Wildcats were looking for a spark, the Buffs unwittingly provided it with 12:33 to play. After collecting a defensive rebound, Smith swung a forearm and cleared out a K-State defender.
After being whistled for a foul, Smith protested and was assessed a technical. Kari Kincaid hit both free throws, pulling the Wildcats to within 10 (44-34).
Over the next 6 minutes, they closed to within eight points on six occasions . . . then got to 53-47 on a pair of free throws by Chambers with 6:12 remaining . . . then to 55-52 on a trey by Kincaid at 4:20 . . . then to 55-54 on a jumper by Taelor Karr.
The momentum had shifted to the Wildcats - but the Buffs didn't wilt, winning the game at the free throw line and leaving Manhattan under far better circumstances than their arrival.
CU returns to the Coors Events Center on Sunday (2 p.m., FSN) to face No. 12 Oklahoma State.
