Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
16-11, 5-11
California
22-7, 13-4
Opportunistic California Downs Colorado
February 25, 2012 | Women's Basketball
BERKELEY, Calif. - When California visited Boulder earlier this year, its defense created instant offense off turnovers. In Saturday's rematch, the same recipe provided the Golden Bears the advantage on their own floor.
California built a first half cushion by outscoring Colorado 18-2 off miscues as the Golden Bears claimed a 64-43 victory over the Buffaloes in Pac-12 Conference action Saturday afternoon at Haas Pavilion.
The Buffaloes have dropped four straight falling to 16-11, 5-11 in league play. California clinches second place in the Pac-12 outright moving to 22-7, 13-4.
In the January meeting in Boulder, a 68-55 Cal win, the Golden Bears erased a double-digit deficit in large part by scoring 23 points off 14 CU turnovers. On Saturday, that same formula allowed Cal to build a 13-point halftime lead and never look back.
Colorado had five turnovers in its first seven possessions as California sprinted out to a 14-2 lead, hitting six of its first seven shots.
The Buffaloes bounced back thanks to good outside shooting early. Lexy Kresl hit a pair of 3-pointers to cut the Cal lead to 16-10. Meagan Malcolm-Peck, who hadn't scored the previous three games, scored five straight to pull Colorado back within one at 18-17.
Chucky Jeffery evened the score at 22-22 with 7 minutes, 40 seconds left in the first half on a baseline runner. CU made a marginal 38 percent in the first half, but made 3-of-5 from downtown during that span.
But from there Cal picked up its pressure and it cost the Buffaloes. CU scored just three points in the final 7:40 as Cal closed the period on a 16-3 run. After Jeffery's equalizer, Colorado turned it over on four straight possessions. The Bears responded with nine straight capped off with an Eliza Pierre 3-pointer. Ashley Wilson ended the run with a layup at 4:02, but other than a Malcolm-Peck free throw that was it for the Buffs as Cal led 38-25 at the break.
All 18 of Cal's points off turnovers came in the first half, off 11 miscues. The Buffaloes cleaned up their play in the second half, giving it up just six times.
"It was mostly in the first half, we only had (six) in the second half which isn't terribly bad against pressure like Cal brings," CU head coach Linda Lappe said. "They were turnovers that led to easy layups and that was a lot of the problem."
Jeffery scored six of her game-high 18 points in the opening minute of the second half as the Buffaloes were able to close the gap to 40-33 with 13:38 remaining. The Bears made just one of their first nine from the field, and also missed three free throws, giving Colorado the opportunity to claw back.
Cal's Layshia Clarendon then hit a short jumper that sparked an 18-6 Golden Bears' run that put the game away. After their early dry spell, Cal bounced back to make 11 of its final 16 from the field, finishing the game overall at 47 percent.
Colorado shot just 28 percent in the second half, scoring just 13 points in the final 13:38.
"In the second half I thought we did a nice job of moving the ball and doing some other things...we just missed too many easy passes," Lappe said.
Clarendon finished with 15 points and four assists. Talia Caldwell and Brittany Boyd each had 11 for the Golden Bears. Boyd also delivered a game-best seven assists.
Malcolm-Peck had eight points, reaching 500 career points with a 3-pointer early in the first half. Wilson tied a career-high with seven rebounds.
Colorado returns home for the final weekend of the regular season. The Buffaloes host Oregon on Thursday, March 1, at 6:30 p.m. at the Coors Events Center. That game will be televised on ROOT Sports Rocky Mountain. CU will host Oregon State in the home finale on Saturday, March 3, at 4 p.m.
