Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
13-2,2-2Pac-12
USC
8-7,0-4Pac-12
Buffs Triumphant in Return Home
January 10, 2020 | Women's Basketball
CU downs USC, 66-53
BOULDER — Colorado women's basketball's return to the CU Events Center did not disappoint. The Buffaloes improved to 7-0 on their home floor with a 66-53 win over Southern California.
The win gives the Buffs 13 on the season, one more than a year ago. It's also CU's second win in the Pac-12 season, matching the total from last season. USC falls to 8-7 overall on 0-4 in the Pac-12.
The Buffs spread the scoring across the board on Friday, with three players reaching double figures. Senior Quinessa Caylao-Do and sophomore Emma Clarke led the way with 13 points and eight assists. Freshman Jaylyn Sherrod totaled 10 points and a team-high seven assists. Mya Hollingshed and Peanut Tuitele rounded out the starting lineup with six points apiece.
It was a tale of two halves for the Buffs. Colorado started quick in the first quarter but struggled into the half with a 25.0 field goal percentage (8-32). CU recovered in the second half, thanks to a 27-point third quarter. The Buffs finished the final 20 minutes shooting 53.6 percent (15-28).
HOW IT HAPPENED
The home-floor was kind to the Buffs early on. Hollingshed and Clarke scored a quick four points in the first minute, helping the Buffs get out to an 8-0 start. The Trojans started just 3-for-14 in the quarter, allowing Colorado to jump out to a 16-6 lead.
The Buffs cooled off in the latter half of the opening quarter, closing 1-for-7. The Trojans took advantage of the Buffs' slump, going on a 9-0 run to end the period, cutting the CU lead to 16-15.
The game's pace came to a crawl in the second quarter. Colorado went just 2-for-13 in the frame, while the Trojans were just 5-for-15. A Caylao-Do 3-pointer got CU's offense firing in the second quarter and Annika Jank recorded the only other CU field goal in the quarter. USC opened 0-for-6 in the quarter but finished with another 9-0 run to take its first lead, 25-23, going into the half.
USC's lead hit four, 27-23, right out of halftime, but a quick four points from Hollingshed and Tuitele erased the Trojans' advantage. Colorado started the quarter 5-for-5 from the floor, including back-to-back 3's from Caylao-Do and Clarke, helping the Silver and Gold retake the lead 35-29. Colorado impressed from behind the arc in the period, going 5-for-7. Aubrey Knight drilled CU's final 3 in the quarter, giving the Buffs a 36-48 lead inside the final minute.
Early Colorado turnovers let USC back within eight points, 50-42, early on in the fourth quarter. The 3-ball became again became a weapon for the Buffs, as Clarke hit a dagger to cap a 6-0 run and put Colorado up 14 (56-42) with just over six minutes to play. CU's free-throw shooting was stellar in the fourth, going 6-for-7 in the quarter. Caylao-Do's 3 with 1:26 to play closed out the night, giving CU it's largest lead of the night, 66-49.
KEY STATISTICS: The Buffs, without the likes of Charlotte Whittaker in the lineup, snagged 50 rebounds for the second time this season. CU outrebounded USC by 19, 50-31, matching its season-high margin (Wyoming).
NOTES: Charlotte Whittaker did not play on Friday after missing most of the game against Oregon State due to injury…Jank finished with five points, passing 500 for her career (502)…Clarke's 13 points give her 301 career points…Hollingshed had seven rebounds, giving 399 for her career…CU's 61.1 field goal percentage was its 10th quarter shooting over 60 percent this season…CU's 17-point lead is the largest of the Pac-12 season.
NEXT UP: The Buffs are back at the CU Events Center on Sunday. Colorado will play the first leg of a doubleheader with the men's team, opening the day against No. 8 UCLA at noon.
QUOTES
Head Coach JR Payne
Overall thoughts
"I just told the team I was proud of our resiliency. That's something that we kind of hang our hat on in our locker room. It's so important that you have that characteristic because this league is too good. No one's going to play a perfect game or perfect half. We were clearly evidence of that because the first half wasn't the best basketball we've played. I was really proud of our togetherness. We just stuck together, continued to compete and continued to understand that we needed to be more aggressive in the second half and that the shots would start to fall. We just played a great second half, I think."
On the message at halftime
"I will say our first three minutes were really good. After that it kind of went downhill. The message at halftime, we just said 'listen, we're better than that.' We can play better basketball than that. We need to and we're going to. We needed a more aggressive mindset offensively, defensively, on the glass and we definitely were able to do that in the second half."
On CU's rebounding
"We have a great rebounding team. We don't just rely on one or two people to rebound. We knew that even right before the game. I said, hey Emma, 'what's your highest rebounding total?' I think she said nine or 10. I said, 'okay, let's go for 11.' Just meaning let's just get a couple more than we can. Our effort was great on the glass. I think everyone knew with Charlotte [Whittaker] out tonight, that we needed to step up in that area because she is such a good rebounder for us and we did."
Senior Quinessa Caylao-Do
On the team's selfless play
"Overall, we're an unselfish team. It's more together. I think just being able to make one extra pass and everyone was knocking down their shots It was a really good confidence and energy booster for the team."
On beating last year's win mark
"I think that it is a great feeling. I think that this summer we showed that we were going to be a really good team. I don't think that we were really surprised about it. I think that the hard work that we put in has paid off. We want to continue to do better in the Pac-12."
Sophomore Emma Clarke
On seeing her shots start to fall
"It felt really good. I haven't been hitting shots for the last three games. In the first half, they weren't falling but in the second half, I came out there and just kept shooting and finally, they started hitting."
On playing a doubleheader with the men on Sunday
"I'm definitely looking forward to it. I think the rest of the team is excited. We went down to UCLA last year at home, but it was a close game. I think we're going to come out and give everything that we have."
