Colorado
5-0,0-0Pac-12
Jacksonville
3-3,0-0ASUN
Buffs Overcome Early Miscues Against Dolphins
November 24, 2019 | Women's Basketball
CU improves to 5-0 with the 66-44 win
BOULDER — The Colorado women's basketball team did not make things easy for themselves in its return to the CU Events Center on Sunday. The Buffaloes battled early miscues and a hot start from the Jacksonville Dolphins, to earn the 66-44 win.
The team's combined for 53 total turnovers on the evening, resulting in a choppy pace of play. The two teams turned the ball over 22 times alone in the first quarter, reeling it back in the remainder of the game.
Freshman Charlotte Whittaker, in her fifth game as a Buff, led all scorers with 15 points. She went 5-of-6 on the night, including 4-of-4 from the free-throw line in easily her best performance of the young season. Redshirt sophomore Aubrey Knight added seven points and eight boards in her second consecutive start. Junior Annika Jank led the Buffs with eight rebounds, while CU's point guards, Lesila Finau and Jaylyn Sherrod each had four assists.
The win gives CU a 5-0 start to the season. Jacksonville drops to an even 3-3.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Buffs, fresh off an emotional, 79-74 win on Friday, were not able to match the intensity of the Dolphins in the opening minutes. CU had six turnovers in opening 2:17 of the first quarter. The Dolphins capitalized on the early mistakes, getting out to an 8-0 start.
Colorado's first field goal wouldn't come until almost the halfway mark of the quarter, getting its only scoring done at the free-throw line. Senior Quinessa Caylao-Do made a layup with 5:45 to go in the quarter, cutting the JU lead to 10-5. The basket energized the building and the Buffs finished the quarter on a 14-2 run.
The Buffs got a lot of looks in the second quarter, but couldn't get them to fall at the start. CU opened the quarter with an 0-for-9 slump. Jacksonville twice cut the Colorado lead down to two in the period, but that would be as close as the Dolphins would get the rest of the way. A Whittaker jumper capped a 6-0 run for the Buffs, extending the lead to 27-19. A pair of free throws from Sherrod put the Buffs up by 10, 34-24, inside the in the final minute, but Jacksonville scored the final three points of the half to trail by just seven, 34-27, at the break.
The Buffaloes didn't let Jacksonville hang around for long in the second half. CU began the third quarter with quick baskets from Whittaker and Finau, forcing a JU timeout 26 seconds into the quarter. CU's double-digit lead stood the rest of the night. Colorado started the half 4-of-5 from the floor, including a pair of 3-pointers from Whittaker and Peanut Tuitele. The Buffs held JU to just eight points in the quarter on 2-of-11 shooting.
Colorado's lead hit 24 points in the fourth quarter. The CU defense kept up the intensity in the final 10 minutes, holding the Dolphins scoreless for the first 4:56. The Dolphins again struggled from the floor, hitting just 18.8 percent (3-16).
KEY STATISTICS: Colorado scored season-highs in points in the paint (32) and points off the bench (31).
NOTES: Mya Hollingshed did not play for the second consecutive game (coaches decision)…CU's 25 turnovers were the most since its 25 at California (Jan. 8, 2016)…CU's five-game winning streak is its first since winning six in a row last season (Nov. 6-Nov. 27)…Jacksonville's 17 second-half points were the fewest since limiting Samford to 15 in the second half last season (Dec. 20, 2018).
NEXT UP: Colorado will play one more home game before the Thanksgiving holiday. The Buffs will take on Indiana State on Tuesday (2 p.m.).
QUOTES
Head Coach JR Payne
Overall Thoughts
"I just told the team that sometimes you have to win ugly. I think I have said that twice already this year. I don't really want to keep saying that. We need to start playing prettier basketball. In all seriousness, I am really proud of our effort in the second half. We played good basketball. We did a better job of executing in the second half. Our rebounding effort offensively was great all night. I thought our defensive rebounding effort was better in the second half. This is just a great rebounding team. We played a lot of different lineups and a lot of different people at different positions like Aubrey [Knight] having to play the post. Things like that which we won't have to do anymore, thankfully. It was a good win against a good basketball team. We are glad to play again at home on Tuesday."
On Colorado's Defense
"It was great. We went from such a different game plan two days ago to today. It took us a few minutes to adjust. We were not helping on the off shooters in the last game. That was different for us. We had prepared for that so when we jumped into this game, where it should have been our regular normal defense, it took us some adjusting. I think when we finally did [adjust], we did a great job of helping each other and talking. Char's [Whittaker] help-side defense was incredible tonight. It got a lot better. We need to be able to defend night in and night out to be successful."
On Getting in the Flow of the Game
"There just wasn't any flow. It was hard for us. We do better when we are moving the basketball and sharing the ball and able to get some side-top-side. We just didn't have that. It felt really choppy. Lineups were kind of different. We have to be able to take care of the ball. This [Jacksonville] is a really good defensive team. Last game they forced 35 turnovers. We have to be able to take care of the ball more effectively. The game we play on Tuesday will be very similar with a great defensive team. We have to do better there."
On Charlotte Whittaker
"The cool thing is you guys see Charlotte getting better each game. We are seeing Charlotte getting better every single day. She is learning, adapting and adjusting. She is already an incredible teammate and person and all that, but the basketball is really starting to click from a comfort standpoint. It is pretty cool. We knew Charlotte was going to be a special player. We are starting to see her do that."
Freshman Charlotte Whittaker
On Getting More Comfortable
"I haven't played a proper basketball game in a while because I came here and redshirted for the first six months. Finally, being able to play with this amazing team and coaching staff is just great. I get to be able to come on the floor now. This is just a completely different game, American style and everything. I'm starting to settle down and trust in myself and this program and just relax on the court a bit more, which is nice."
R-Sophomore Aubrey Knight
On Getting the Team Going in the First Half
"I think that we came out a little flat at the beginning and I think that we needed energy. When coach called that timeout, I think we kind of got a little bit of fire under us and we just came out and took care of the ball. We came out and turned the ball over the first six possessions and so that's not a great way to start. I think that by calling that timeout it kind of calmed us down and we realized like, okay, we got to take care of the ball. They are an athletic team and so we have to settle down and pick our energy back up."
On Having Three Games in Five Days
"It is another challenge, but I think that it's great preparation for what Pac-12 basketball is. We play Friday, Sunday [in conference] and you only have one day to prepare for that team on Sunday. We have to be able to come out and only use that one day of preparation and do the game plan that the coaches put forth. I think that being a younger team, I think that it is really good to have these back-to-back games because it's exactly what we're going to see when conference play comes around."
