Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
5-12
Arizona
11-7
Buffs' 11-Game Win Streak Against Wildcats Ends In 63-52 Loss
January 17, 2016 | Women's Basketball, B.G. Brooks
TUCSON, Ariz. – Frigid shooting and porous interior defense sabotaged the Colorado women's team here Sunday in a 63-52 loss to Arizona, ending the Buffaloes' 11-game winning streak over the Wildcats and keeping them winless in the Pac-12.
The Buffs (5-12, 0-6) stayed in the game by hitting 8-of-14 3-point attempts but made only 30 percent (17-of-57) of their shots inside the arc. And their inside defense failed them; the Wildcats (11-7, 2-4) finished with a 34-8 advantage in the paint.
Lauren Huggins led CU with 15 points, matching her career-high by hitting five 3-pointers. Kennedy Leonard (12) and Haley Smith (10) were the only other Buffs in double figures. Leonard also had a game-best six assists.
Jamee Swan played in her second game since a lower back injury forced her out of the Bay Area swing last weekend. Swan, who scored four points two nights earlier in the loss against No. 10 Arizona State, went 0-for-11 from the field on Sunday. She hit two free throws – both in the first half – and collected eight rebounds.
The Buffs' inside defensive problems were caused mostly by LaBrittney Jones, who had game highs in points (22) and rebounds (9). Keyahndra Cannon added 11 and Breanna Workman 10 for the Wildcats, who put the game away by outscoring the Buffs 13-2 down the stretch.
CU, which was 8-0 against Arizona since joining the Pac-12, has lost seven straight and eight of its last nine. The Buffs also are winless (0-8) on the road this season.
The Buffs trailed 15-14 at the end of the first quarter and 30-22 at halftime. Their first-half downfall: ball movement that slowed down after the first 5 minutes, when they found the open shooter and hit three consecutive treys – two by Huggins – to take an 11-5 lead.
Thereafter, though, CU's open looks became scarce when its passing lost its crispness. And defensively, the Buffs were dealt a bad time by Jones, who scored Arizona's first seven points and finished with a game-best 10 in the half.
CU shot only 33 percent (5-of-14) from the field in the first quarter, but the second quarter shooting was worse. The Buffs also took 14 shots but hit just one, finishing the half at 21 percent and missing their last 11 shots of the half. Plus, the 3-point shooting that kept them close early also fell off (0-of-3) and they managed just eight second-quarter points and saw the Wildcats take a 10-point (30-20) lead.
CU finally got a chance to speed up the game and its offense, fashioning an 8-0 run midway through the third quarter and pulling to within 38-37. Leonard started the surge with a jumper, then added four-of-four free throws.
In the final minute of the quarter, the Buffs finally caught the Wildcats at 40 on Huggins' fourth 3-pointer of the game – a season-high. Her career high is five, set against Arizona, and less than a minute into the final quarter she tied her career mark with a straight-away trey that gave the Buffs a 43-42 lead – their first of the second half.
But CU couldn't hold that or a two-point advantage – 50-48 – taken minutes later on a jumper by Leonard. A 10-0 run – six of the points were scored by Jones – put Arizona up 58-50 with 3:09 to play.
The Buffs' 11-game winning streak against the Wildcats was about to fizzle, as were their chances at their first Pac-12 win and first road win of the season.
CU returns to the Coors Events Center this week to open a four-game home stand. First up is Oregon (Friday, 6 p.m.) followed by Oregon State (Sunday, 3 p.m.). Both games will be televised by the Pac-12 Networks.
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
