Saturday, December 3
Boulder, Colo.
6:00 PM
Colorado
8-0
85
vs
56
Idaho State
2-5
1
2
3
4
F
Idaho State
11
14
15
16
56
Colorado
30
25
13
17
85
Alexis Robinson scored 14 of her game-high 16 points in the first quarter.
Photo by: CUBuffs.com
No. 21 CU Rolls To Eighth Straight Win, Routing Idaho State 85-56
December 03, 2016 | Women's Basketball, B.G. Brooks
BOULDER – The No. 21 Colorado women's basketball team started fast and seldom slowed the pace on Saturday night, cruising to an 85-56 win against overmatched Idaho State at the Coors Events Center.
The Buffs won their eighth consecutive game (8-0) under first-year head coach JR Payne and already have surpassed last season's win total (7-23). Idaho State (2-5) never led and trailed by as many as 33 points in the final half.
"We tell them when in doubt be aggressive, and that goes for both offense and defense," said Payne.
Alexis Robinson led CU with 16 points – all in the first half – as Payne once again used all her players.
"The best teams I've coached are teams where you didn't need to have someone go for 20 in order to be successful," said Payne on using her team's depth.
Colorado practically matched the Bengals in rebounds, 37-38, but recorded 15 steals while limiting turnovers to 14 compared to 23 from Idaho State.
The win reinforced confidence already emanating from this Colorado team, which was 3-3 on this date last season.
"The best part is we are all excited for each other," said redshirt freshman Monica Burich. "We all want one another to do well no matter who is scoring."
HOW IT HAPPENED: The Buffs took control early, stayed in control and coasted – mainly with crisp ball movement, sizzling perimeter shooting and a stingy defense. With Robinson hitting four of her first five 3-point attempts, CU quickly built 17-point lead (26-9) in the final 2:21 of the first quarter and led 30-11 by the period's end. Idaho State briefly switched to a zone to open the second quarter but it didn't help. CU closed out the period with three of its last five field goals coming from beyond the arc and finished the first half hitting 53 percent from long range (9-of-17).
The Buffs shot 55 percent (22-of-40) overall from the field and led 55-25 at intermission – their largest lead of the night, at that point, and committed just three first-half turnovers.
CU was actually outscored 15-13 in the third quarter, cooling to shoot just 4-of-11 from the floor in the period. A 3-pointer by Makenzie Ellis on the first possession of the second half gave the Buffs a 33-point lead, their largest of the night.
TURNING POINT: The opening tip ... CU never allowed Idaho State to get into its offense or into the game. Four of the Buffs' first five field goals were treys, helping them build a 30-11 lead by the end of the first quarter. The Bengals never recovered.
CU STANDOUTS: Sophomore Alexis Robinson's 16 points led the Buffs. She picked up four rebounds and two steals beyond that. Haley Smith and Ariana Freeman also scored double digits, finishing with 12 and 11, respectively. Smith was hot from the three-point arc, hitting two on consecutive possessions in the first half. Freeman came up big at the free throw line, sinking 5-of-6. Burich finished with a game-high eight rebounds to go with eight points off the bench. Zoe Beard-Fails buried a pair of 3-pointers and scored nine.
KEY STATISTICS: The Buffs went 6-of-9 (67 percent) from beyond the arc in the first quarter and 11-of-14 (79 percent) from the free throw line overall. The Buffs also shared the ball tremendously, posting 22 assists against the Bengals' nine.
WHAT IT MEANS: The Buffs continue their impressive roll through the non-conference, gaining confidence in Payne, her system and themselves in the process.
NOTEWORTHY: The Buffs were coming off their most productive scoring night in 22 years – a 112-54 rout of Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 30, where they led by 29 points at halftime (52-23). Until Saturday night, it was their largest intermission lead in seven seasons. Against Idaho State, CU was up by 30 (55-25) at the half ... CU hit a season-high 12 3-point field goals, the most the Buffs have hit since making 14 on Feb. 23, 2010 in an overtime win at Missouri ... CU's 8-0 start already eclipses last season's seven total wins ... Colorado tied its record for most first-quarter points with 30. The record was set against Northern Colorado in this season's opener on Nov. 11 ... CU's six 3-point field goals in the first quarter eclipsed the school record for 3's in a quarter, which was previously five.
NEXT UP: The Buffs play host to Colorado State on Thursday (7 p.m., Coors Events Center, Pac-12 Networks).
The Buffs won their eighth consecutive game (8-0) under first-year head coach JR Payne and already have surpassed last season's win total (7-23). Idaho State (2-5) never led and trailed by as many as 33 points in the final half.
"We tell them when in doubt be aggressive, and that goes for both offense and defense," said Payne.
Alexis Robinson led CU with 16 points – all in the first half – as Payne once again used all her players.
"The best teams I've coached are teams where you didn't need to have someone go for 20 in order to be successful," said Payne on using her team's depth.
Colorado practically matched the Bengals in rebounds, 37-38, but recorded 15 steals while limiting turnovers to 14 compared to 23 from Idaho State.
The win reinforced confidence already emanating from this Colorado team, which was 3-3 on this date last season.
"The best part is we are all excited for each other," said redshirt freshman Monica Burich. "We all want one another to do well no matter who is scoring."
HOW IT HAPPENED: The Buffs took control early, stayed in control and coasted – mainly with crisp ball movement, sizzling perimeter shooting and a stingy defense. With Robinson hitting four of her first five 3-point attempts, CU quickly built 17-point lead (26-9) in the final 2:21 of the first quarter and led 30-11 by the period's end. Idaho State briefly switched to a zone to open the second quarter but it didn't help. CU closed out the period with three of its last five field goals coming from beyond the arc and finished the first half hitting 53 percent from long range (9-of-17).
The Buffs shot 55 percent (22-of-40) overall from the field and led 55-25 at intermission – their largest lead of the night, at that point, and committed just three first-half turnovers.
CU was actually outscored 15-13 in the third quarter, cooling to shoot just 4-of-11 from the floor in the period. A 3-pointer by Makenzie Ellis on the first possession of the second half gave the Buffs a 33-point lead, their largest of the night.
TURNING POINT: The opening tip ... CU never allowed Idaho State to get into its offense or into the game. Four of the Buffs' first five field goals were treys, helping them build a 30-11 lead by the end of the first quarter. The Bengals never recovered.
CU STANDOUTS: Sophomore Alexis Robinson's 16 points led the Buffs. She picked up four rebounds and two steals beyond that. Haley Smith and Ariana Freeman also scored double digits, finishing with 12 and 11, respectively. Smith was hot from the three-point arc, hitting two on consecutive possessions in the first half. Freeman came up big at the free throw line, sinking 5-of-6. Burich finished with a game-high eight rebounds to go with eight points off the bench. Zoe Beard-Fails buried a pair of 3-pointers and scored nine.
KEY STATISTICS: The Buffs went 6-of-9 (67 percent) from beyond the arc in the first quarter and 11-of-14 (79 percent) from the free throw line overall. The Buffs also shared the ball tremendously, posting 22 assists against the Bengals' nine.
WHAT IT MEANS: The Buffs continue their impressive roll through the non-conference, gaining confidence in Payne, her system and themselves in the process.
NOTEWORTHY: The Buffs were coming off their most productive scoring night in 22 years – a 112-54 rout of Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 30, where they led by 29 points at halftime (52-23). Until Saturday night, it was their largest intermission lead in seven seasons. Against Idaho State, CU was up by 30 (55-25) at the half ... CU hit a season-high 12 3-point field goals, the most the Buffs have hit since making 14 on Feb. 23, 2010 in an overtime win at Missouri ... CU's 8-0 start already eclipses last season's seven total wins ... Colorado tied its record for most first-quarter points with 30. The record was set against Northern Colorado in this season's opener on Nov. 11 ... CU's six 3-point field goals in the first quarter eclipsed the school record for 3's in a quarter, which was previously five.
NEXT UP: The Buffs play host to Colorado State on Thursday (7 p.m., Coors Events Center, Pac-12 Networks).
Team Stats
ISU
COLO
FG%
.302
.484
3FG%
.222
.480
FT%
.714
.786
RB
38
37
TO
23
14
STL
8
15
Game Leaders
Pts
16
FGM
6
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
9
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG/F
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