Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
13-4,2-4Pac-12
Arizona State
12-5,3-3Pac-12
Record Low First Half Costs Buffs In The Desert
January 19, 2012 | Women's Basketball
TEMPE, Ariz. - The desert was anything but warm for the Colorado Buffaloes.
Colorado endured its lowest scoring and shooting half in team history, and despite a strong effort late, Arizona State claimed a 64-43 Pac-12 Conference decision Thursday at Wells Fargo Arena.
Colorado (13-4, 2-4) shot just 12 percent (3-of-25) and scored nine points in the first 20 minutes as the Buffaloes dropped their third straight game.
Arizona State (12-5, 3-3), which entered the game leading the Pac-12 in scoring defense, held the Buffaloes scoreless for the first 8 minutes, 17 seconds and CU missed its first 15 shots from the field. Freshman Jasmine Sborov was able to get the Buffaloes on the board with 11:43 remaining, by making one of two free throws.
"(Arizona State) pressured the ball very well," CU head coach Linda Lappe said. "They denied the wings which we knew they would do and we had trouble getting an entry pass. At the same time we had some shots at the rim and they just didn't fall. When that happens you have to rely on your defense."
Unfortunately on the other end, Arizona State could do no wrong. The Sun Devils hit six of their first eight shots, sprinting out to a 12-0 lead before Sborov's free throw.
Chucky Jeffery scored Colorado's first field goal at the 7:43 mark, but ASU's Kimberly Brandon immediately answered with the first of two early 3-pointers to extend the Sun Devils' lead to 19-4.
Brandon had a spectacular start scoring 16 of her game-high 20 points in the first 20 minutes, shooting 7-of-8 from the field. After Lexy Kresl hit a 3-pointer with 5:03 left in the first half, Brandon made her second long range shot to give ASU a 30-9 advantage. That bomb sparked a 15-0 run to end the half for the Sun Devils who shot 62 percent (18-of-29) in the period and held a 42-9 lead at the break.
"We didn't have our defensive presence as much as we have had, and as much as we needed it." Lappe said. "(Arizona State) felt very comfortable and knocked down shots."
To their credit, the Buffaloes rebounded with a solid second half. Colorado picked up its intensity on defense which led to better offensive opportunities.
CU cooled Arizona State off after the break to the tune of 26 percent from the field. The Buffaloes also forced 11 Sun Devils turnovers and their shooting skyrocketed to 54 percent (14-of-26) over the final 20 minutes.
"We weren't impressed with the first half...we knew we had it within ourselves to do better," sophomore guard Brittany Wilson said. "(In the second half) we had to start somewhere. We had to get focused and play like we knew we could.
"Once we slowed it down and pressed them, and made them feel uncomfortable, (the flow of the game) it flipped into reverse."
Wilson and Jen Reese led the way in the second half. Wilson scored seven points of her eight points in that period, including a 3-pointer in the first possession of the half that set the tone. Reese scored six points, on 3-of-4 from the field, in the second half and had seven of her team-high eight rebounds.
Overall, Colorado outscored Arizona State 34-22 in the second half and trimmed the lead to as low as 17 (56-39) in the final five minutes.
"We were in a different mindset in the second half." Lappe said. "I liked how our team didn't quit. We started to defend and showed a lot of resolve. We kept playing hard and did some good things."
Jeffery was Colorado's high scorer with nine points, but had 12 of CU's 27 turnvoers.
Colorado returns to the desert on Sunday to face the University of Arizona at 2:30 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on FSN, which includes coverage on ROOT Sports Rocky Mountain.
