Wednesday, November 15
Boulder, Colo.
7:00 PM
Colorado
2-1
76
vs
69
Florida Atlantic
0-2
1
2
3
4
F
Florida Atlantic
15
19
21
14
69
Colorado
22
19
22
13
76
Photo by: CUBuffs.com
Balanced Buffs Top FAU 76-69 In Home Opener
November 15, 2017 | Women's Basketball
BOULDER – Colorado's women's basketball team used a balanced night in scoring to top Florida Atlantic 76-69 in its home opener at the Coors Events Center on Wednesday night. The Buffs improved to 2-1 this season, while FAU dropped to 0-2.
STAT LEADERS: Kennedy Leonard led CU in points (15), assists (5), and steals (6). She made all four of her free throw attempts. Brecca Thomas (12), Annika Jank (11), Zoe Correal (11) and Aubrey Knight (10) each also scored in double figures, while Thomas also dished out four assists and shot 4-of-7 from the floor. Janea Bunn added seven points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
Sasha Cedeño led FAU with 24 points, shooting 8-of-17, while grabbing seven rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED: CU's 22-15 lead at the end of the first quarter was its largest lead of the first period. The Buffs quickly stretched their lead to double digit, where the margin remained for much of the second quarter. Leonard finished with 13 first-half points and had three assists and three steals. The Buffs shot 50 percent in the first half, leading 41-34 at the break.
CU stretched its lead to as many as 16 points midway through the third quarter, opening the second half on a 14-5 run.
The Owls used a 12-4 stretch late in the fourth quarter to trim CU's lead to 75-69. They had an opportunity to get within four points with 1:31 remaining, but Sasha Cedeño missed two free throws. CU forced turnovers on FAU's final three possessions to seal the game.
KEY STATISTICS: Colorado outrebounded Florida Atlantic by 13 (44-31), but lost the turnover battle by five (21-16). Colorado shot 45.2 percent in the game, while FAU was held to just 39.7 percent. The Buffs also knocked down half of their 3-point attempts, hitting 6-of-12.
NOTES: CU outrebounded FAU by 13, the largest rebounding margin for the Buffs since being +35 against Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 30, 2016 ... Leonard now has 346 career assists, ranking ninth in CU history (she entered the game 11th on the list) ... she is also just 28 points away from 1,000 for her career, currently sitting a 972 ... it was also the first time since the Southeastern Louisiana game last season that the Buffs have had five players score in double figures ... CU has forced 62 turnovers in its first three games this season ... FAU's Ra'Kyra Gabriel and Danneal Ford combined for 34 points in their season opener against Mercer, but had just 15 points tonight ... CU opened the game with a two-point lead after Leonard knocked down two free throws as FAU was assessed a technical foul for not reporting its starting lineup in time.
UP NEXT: Colorado will host No. 24 Miami (Fla.) at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Coors Events Center.
POSTGAME QUOTES:
JR Payne, head coach
Opening Statement
"I don't know if we are going to win pretty this year. We may not have many pretty games, but we got the win today, and this is a game we can really learn from. There were a lot of things we did well, and there are fixable things that we can get better at. It was a great game for us."
On the biggest lesson they can learn from this game
"Our defense, in spurts, was great. We have to be able to make adjustments, and be able to contain a kid like number 15 [Cedeño]."
On the team not pulling away with the game when they had the chance
"I don't think we were unfocused. We have to learn that when things are going in the wrong direction, we have to dig our heels in and get stops. We have to get stops and control defensive rebounds. That is how you can keep a lead."
On the contribution from the bench tonight (32 points)
"We are going to have to have that balance. The difference between this year's team and last year's team is that I hope this is a more balanced team. The best teams I have ever had didn't have any one player average 20 points. We had players that got 14, 11,10,9, and 8 points. Tonight we had five players in double figures and one with nine. That is incredible. That is good offense, and sharing the basketball. What Brecca (Thomas) did tonight is what she is capable of doing. Everyday we are telling her to get to that jumpshot because she is money from there. It was great to see everyone come in and play well."
On the importance of leadership from seniors
"We need that leadership. We want that leadership from Brecca (Thomas) and Zoe Correal. Down the stretch they were talking, rebounding, and their aggressiveness on offense was invaluable."
On if tonight's game was closer than they wanted
"It is always closer than I want it to be. However, we may get more out of this game than a game where maybe we run away with it. It can prepare us for later on."
Kennedy Leonard, junior
On the team having so many new players this season
"It's been fun, like today when Mya hit a couple shots, one off the backboard, I just ran down the court laughing. Everyday it's somebody new who's banking something off the backboard or taking somebody else to the hole. I think to be able to see each person grow a little bit each day is a really big blessing because you kind of get worried sometimes that you have a bunch of new people but at the same time I think that the growth has been positive and it will only get better."
On the lessons to learn from the first three games
"I think it's been good. I think it's taught us that you have to play a whole game. At Samford, we had a good second half, at UNC we had a good first half, and then tonight we were good and bad in both halves. So hopefully we come out on Saturday and play two good halves. Everything's a learning experience."
Brecca Thomas, senior
On how it felt to contribute to the win
"It was a good win. It was a tough win, but it was just a great team effort and we had everyone doing their job and stepping up when they needed to. Of course we have things we need to get better at but for us to come out, grit it out, be tough, and finish strong. I think it was good for everyone to see that we can will our self to win a game when we need to and get down and do the dirty work."
On how it felt individually to contribute so much to the win
"It's always fun, but it's even more fun celebrating as a team. Whether you're on the bench or in the game and just seeing everyone do different things and everyone stepping up. It was a fun and tough game overall."
Jim Jabir, FAU head coach
General comments on the game
"I think that our execution needs to improve. I was really proud of our kids, we fought and that's not something that we have always done. I thought that they were very competitive, I think that CU has something really good going here. They got pieces and they run really good stuff, I like how they play. I felt that we were competitive and that's what we needed to do."
On Cedeño's performance
"This is my first year coaching her and I knew that she was really talented but she has never showed up and played really, really hard for an entire game. So I was proud of how hard that she competed today. She can shoot it, she can drive it and we have to get her to post up and rebound a little more, but I was really pleased with her effort today.
On being back in Boulder [Jabir was an assistant on CU's 2003 Sweet Sixteen team]
"I love Boulder. Coach [Ceal] Barry taught me so much, we say that "Owls are one" because when I was here she would have the kids say "the Buffs are one." We also throw outside push passes like Coach Barry did and I really learned so much under her. I have a lot of respect for her."
STAT LEADERS: Kennedy Leonard led CU in points (15), assists (5), and steals (6). She made all four of her free throw attempts. Brecca Thomas (12), Annika Jank (11), Zoe Correal (11) and Aubrey Knight (10) each also scored in double figures, while Thomas also dished out four assists and shot 4-of-7 from the floor. Janea Bunn added seven points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
Sasha Cedeño led FAU with 24 points, shooting 8-of-17, while grabbing seven rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED: CU's 22-15 lead at the end of the first quarter was its largest lead of the first period. The Buffs quickly stretched their lead to double digit, where the margin remained for much of the second quarter. Leonard finished with 13 first-half points and had three assists and three steals. The Buffs shot 50 percent in the first half, leading 41-34 at the break.
CU stretched its lead to as many as 16 points midway through the third quarter, opening the second half on a 14-5 run.
The Owls used a 12-4 stretch late in the fourth quarter to trim CU's lead to 75-69. They had an opportunity to get within four points with 1:31 remaining, but Sasha Cedeño missed two free throws. CU forced turnovers on FAU's final three possessions to seal the game.
KEY STATISTICS: Colorado outrebounded Florida Atlantic by 13 (44-31), but lost the turnover battle by five (21-16). Colorado shot 45.2 percent in the game, while FAU was held to just 39.7 percent. The Buffs also knocked down half of their 3-point attempts, hitting 6-of-12.
NOTES: CU outrebounded FAU by 13, the largest rebounding margin for the Buffs since being +35 against Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 30, 2016 ... Leonard now has 346 career assists, ranking ninth in CU history (she entered the game 11th on the list) ... she is also just 28 points away from 1,000 for her career, currently sitting a 972 ... it was also the first time since the Southeastern Louisiana game last season that the Buffs have had five players score in double figures ... CU has forced 62 turnovers in its first three games this season ... FAU's Ra'Kyra Gabriel and Danneal Ford combined for 34 points in their season opener against Mercer, but had just 15 points tonight ... CU opened the game with a two-point lead after Leonard knocked down two free throws as FAU was assessed a technical foul for not reporting its starting lineup in time.
UP NEXT: Colorado will host No. 24 Miami (Fla.) at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Coors Events Center.
POSTGAME QUOTES:
JR Payne, head coach
Opening Statement
"I don't know if we are going to win pretty this year. We may not have many pretty games, but we got the win today, and this is a game we can really learn from. There were a lot of things we did well, and there are fixable things that we can get better at. It was a great game for us."
On the biggest lesson they can learn from this game
"Our defense, in spurts, was great. We have to be able to make adjustments, and be able to contain a kid like number 15 [Cedeño]."
On the team not pulling away with the game when they had the chance
"I don't think we were unfocused. We have to learn that when things are going in the wrong direction, we have to dig our heels in and get stops. We have to get stops and control defensive rebounds. That is how you can keep a lead."
On the contribution from the bench tonight (32 points)
"We are going to have to have that balance. The difference between this year's team and last year's team is that I hope this is a more balanced team. The best teams I have ever had didn't have any one player average 20 points. We had players that got 14, 11,10,9, and 8 points. Tonight we had five players in double figures and one with nine. That is incredible. That is good offense, and sharing the basketball. What Brecca (Thomas) did tonight is what she is capable of doing. Everyday we are telling her to get to that jumpshot because she is money from there. It was great to see everyone come in and play well."
On the importance of leadership from seniors
"We need that leadership. We want that leadership from Brecca (Thomas) and Zoe Correal. Down the stretch they were talking, rebounding, and their aggressiveness on offense was invaluable."
On if tonight's game was closer than they wanted
"It is always closer than I want it to be. However, we may get more out of this game than a game where maybe we run away with it. It can prepare us for later on."
Kennedy Leonard, junior
On the team having so many new players this season
"It's been fun, like today when Mya hit a couple shots, one off the backboard, I just ran down the court laughing. Everyday it's somebody new who's banking something off the backboard or taking somebody else to the hole. I think to be able to see each person grow a little bit each day is a really big blessing because you kind of get worried sometimes that you have a bunch of new people but at the same time I think that the growth has been positive and it will only get better."
On the lessons to learn from the first three games
"I think it's been good. I think it's taught us that you have to play a whole game. At Samford, we had a good second half, at UNC we had a good first half, and then tonight we were good and bad in both halves. So hopefully we come out on Saturday and play two good halves. Everything's a learning experience."
Brecca Thomas, senior
On how it felt to contribute to the win
"It was a good win. It was a tough win, but it was just a great team effort and we had everyone doing their job and stepping up when they needed to. Of course we have things we need to get better at but for us to come out, grit it out, be tough, and finish strong. I think it was good for everyone to see that we can will our self to win a game when we need to and get down and do the dirty work."
On how it felt individually to contribute so much to the win
"It's always fun, but it's even more fun celebrating as a team. Whether you're on the bench or in the game and just seeing everyone do different things and everyone stepping up. It was a fun and tough game overall."
Jim Jabir, FAU head coach
General comments on the game
"I think that our execution needs to improve. I was really proud of our kids, we fought and that's not something that we have always done. I thought that they were very competitive, I think that CU has something really good going here. They got pieces and they run really good stuff, I like how they play. I felt that we were competitive and that's what we needed to do."
On Cedeño's performance
"This is my first year coaching her and I knew that she was really talented but she has never showed up and played really, really hard for an entire game. So I was proud of how hard that she competed today. She can shoot it, she can drive it and we have to get her to post up and rebound a little more, but I was really pleased with her effort today.
On being back in Boulder [Jabir was an assistant on CU's 2003 Sweet Sixteen team]
"I love Boulder. Coach [Ceal] Barry taught me so much, we say that "Owls are one" because when I was here she would have the kids say "the Buffs are one." We also throw outside push passes like Coach Barry did and I really learned so much under her. I have a lot of respect for her."
Team Stats
FAU
COLO
FG%
.397
.452
3FG%
.375
.500
FT%
.607
.636
RB
31
44
TO
16
21
STL
6
10
Game Leaders
Pts
15
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
11
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's BasketballC
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
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