Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
4-2,0-0Pac-12
Tennessee
3-4,0-0SEC
Buffs Unable to Overcome Slow Start at No. 23 Tennessee
November 25, 2022 | Women's Basketball
KNOXVILLE – Colorado totaled 14 points in the first half and struggled to get to the basket for most of the night, falling to No. 23 Tennessee 69-51 at Thompson-Boling Arena on Friday.
The Buffaloes drop to 4-2 this season and 0-2 on the road. The Lady Vols picked up a much-needed win, moving to 3-4.
Colorado was without Frida Formann who was playing for Denmark in the FIBA Women's Eurobasket Qualifiers. CU's offense struggled to get into a rhythm without its sharp-shooting guard. Senior Quay Miller founder herself in foul trouble throughout the night, scoring just three points in 20 minutes. Sophomore Kindyll Wetta led the Buffs with 13 points off the bench. Jaylyn Sherrod and Aaronette Vonleh also hit double figures, contributing 11 and 10 points, respectively.
"We have a long way to go in playing the type of basketball we want to play," head coach JR Payne commented. "I loved our grit and toughness down the stretch, but we need to play like that for 40 minutes. We have many areas we need to continue to grow in that regard. We have to be tougher. We have to be more disciplined in executing. There are a couple of things I think we really need to prioritize as a group. We'll learn from it and move on."
UT got up by as many as 24 in the third quarter and the Buffs gave the Lady Vols a little scare, cutting the deficit to 11 in the fourth quarter.
Neither side took particularly good care of the ball, with each team turning the ball over a combined 47 times. The Buffs forced 22 Tennessee turnovers but gave the ball back to the Lady Vols 25 times. Both teams finished the night with 22 points off turnovers.
"Our two leading scorers were out for most of the night with Frida gone and Quay [having to sit]," Payne added. "Even when she did play, she was playing hesitant because she was afraid to foul again. That makes it difficult. We definitely battled down the stretch of the game and we've got to play like that for 40 minutes."
Tennessee finished 48.1% (26-54) from the field, while the Buffs went just 17-of-54 (31.5%) on the night. Jordan Horston and Rickea Jackson accounted for more than 75% of the Lady Vols' scoring, combining for 53 points.
How it Happened
Tennessee jumped out to a 4-0 lead before Sherrod go CU's first three points with an AND1 opportunity. CU kept things close in the early portion of the opening period, staying within one, 8-7, just past the five-minute mark.
The Buffs went just 3-10 in the first 10 minutes and turned the ball over eight times. UT used a 7-0 run to go up 15-7 and finished the quarter with a 9-2 run, taking a 17-9 lead into the second quarter.
The run continued in the second quarter, growing to 16-2 and extending the Tennessee lead to 24-9. The Buffs' offensive woes carried over as the team was limited to five points in the quarter on 2-for-13 shooting. CU's defense helped limit the damage late in the half, holding UT scoreless in the final 3:52. Wetta led the Buffs with four points at the half as Colorado was faced with a 30-14 deficit.
Colorado outscored its first-half total in the third quarter, posting 21 points out of the break. Tennessee also had its best quarter of the night, shooting 71.4% (10-14) in the frame and scoring 27 points to push its lead to a game-high 24 points.
The Buffs outscored the Lady Vols in the fourth quarter, 16-12, and a Wetta 3-pointer capped a 14-2 run that put the Buffs within 11 points late in the period. CU would only get one free throw the rest of the night, getting outscored-8-1 in the final stretch as Tennessee squashed any kind of comeback.
"As long as we lean into some of the things we're talking about as far as growing in those areas, then I think this could be a turning point for us," Payne continued. "We have to lean into it and we have to prioritize being better in that way."
Turning Point
Two free throws from Miller in the first quarter brought CU within one, 8-7. Back-to-back Horston baskets helped Tennessee outscore the Buffs 22-4 over the next 11 minutes, giving UT a 30-11 lead and making the deficit insurmountable.
Up Next
The Buffs will close out the road trip with another unfamiliar foe in Chicago State on Sunday (11 a.m. MT).
Notes
CU falls 1-4 all-time against Tennessee…Payne remains at 199 career wins and 98 wins at Colorado…CU's 17 FGM were the fewest since its 15 against Stanford in the Pac-12 semifinals last season (Mar. 4, 2022)…CU's 25 turnovers were the most since its 25 at Arizona State (Jan. 22, 2021)…Colorado has 20+ turnovers in four of its six games this season…Colorado's bench totaled a season-high 32 points.
Quotes
JR Payne
On importance of playing well on Sunday
"There's nothing more important than that right now. Not just play well, but play the way we want to play as far as executing and playing with toughness. Finishing plays, competing on both ends and things like that. I think that leads to good basketball. Our focus is going to be way more on taking care of our own business."
On Colorado's play in the fourth quarter
"To bring it back to 11 with Quay on the bench [fouled out], I think that's fantastic. We just have to play like that for 40 minutes. It can't be just down the stretch of the game."
