Buffs Tame Wildcats in Conference Home Opener, 75-56

Wednesday, December 31

Boulder, Colo.

7:00 PM

Colorado

10-4,1-1Big 12

Arizona

9-4,0-2Big 12

Arizona

Colorado

December 31, 2025 | Women's Basketball

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By: Malala Pyle, Assistant Director of Athletic Communication

BOULDER – The Colorado women's basketball team (10-4, 1-1 Big 12) defeated Arizona (9-4, 0-2 Big 12), 75-56, at the CU Events Center on Wednesday, Dec. 31.

The Colorado Buffaloes opened conference play at home by establishing a 12-point lead in the first quarter. The Wildcats tried to come back before the end of the first half, but the Buffs carried the momentum into halftime.

"Really proud of our team tonight. I thought we played well," head coach JR Payne stated. "We had a great preparation week of practice. It almost felt like in the fall -- when you just practice forever, and then you finally get to play a game. But it was a great week of practice. I thought today we executed scout and game plan almost as well as we have all year long. Even when we had to switch out on different matchups and things, we guarded really well.

The Buffs had their eighth game this season with four or more players in double-figures, and senior forward Anaëlle Dutat had her third double-double of the season with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

"To have four starters and double figures and then your fifth starter with seven assists and no turnovers, is unbelievable team effort," Payne said. "I think we'll continue to see all throughout the season that our stat sheet will hopefully continue to look like this with a lot of balance and just a lot of different people contributing in different ways. So, a really fun game tonight."

HOW IT HAPPENED:

The Colorado Buffaloes went on an early scoring run, going up by seven from two jumpers from Walker and a layup from Masogayo (7-0, CU). Arizona ended the run with a three of its own, but Betson scored two layups to extend the lead to eight (11-3, CU). Greer scored on a pull-up jumper off an Arizona turnover, and a foul from the Wildcats sent Wooten to the line for an additional two (15-3, CU). Greer made a final jumper, and Arizona ended scoring for the quarter with a layup (17-5, CU).

The second quarter began scoreless for almost two minutes, but two free throws from Wooten started the momentum for the Buffs (19-5, CU). After a Wildcats jumper, Greer scored a second-chance three-point jumper and was quickly sent to the line for two free throws after an Arizona foul (24-7, CU). Zadel assisted a layup to Dutat, and the Wildcats scored their own layup (26-9, CU). Crook followed up a Wildcats free throw with a layup, assisted by Masogayo (28-10, CU). Wooten scored a driving layup after Arizona made a three-point jumper (30-13, CU). Masogayo assisted Dutat with a final layup for the quarter from the Buffs before the Wildcats scored two jumpers, ending the half, 32-18 (CU).

The Wildcats opened scoring in the second half, but Dutat and Greer extended the lead to 16 from two tip-in layups (36-20, CU). Two free throws from Walker were answered with a five-point run from Arizona (38-26, CU). A free throw from Walker ended the run, but Arizona continued onto another 5-0 run (39-31, CU). Two jumpers from Masogayo and a free throw from Greer established a 13-point lead over the Wildcats (44-31, CU). After grabbing the defensive rebound, Dutat scored a layup, assisted by McErlane (46-31, CU). Arizona scored its final three, but with 0:20 remaining in the quarter, Crook scored a three-point jumper to end the third, 51-36 (CU).

Arizona scored two second-chance free throws early in the fourth, but the Buffs were scoreless until Greer made a jumper at 7:49 (53-38, CU). Masogayo made two free throws after a shooting foul on the fast break (55-38, CU). Masogayo scored a tip-in layup after the Wildcats made a driving layup (57-40, CU). Two free throws from the Wildcats were followed by one from Wooten and two from Masogayo (60-42, CU). Another Masogayo free throw interrupted a pair of layups from Arizona (61-46, CU). Wooten assisted Walker for a layup in the paint halfway through the quarter (63-46, CU). Arizona scored two free throws, but the Buffs responded with a five-point run from a layup and free throw from Zadel, and two Walker free throws (68-48, CU). Betson increased the lead to 21 with a three-point jumper after a Wildcats layup (71-50, CU). Nworie scored back-to-back layups, matching the four points scored by Arizona (75-54, CU). The Wildcats made a final layup, but the Black and Gold finished ahead by 19 (75-56, CU).

UP NEXT:

The Buffs stay at home to face Cincinnati at the CU Events Center on Saturday, Jan. 3. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. MT. The game will be streamed on ESPN+, and fans can follow along via live stats links on CUBuffs.com.

PLAYER STATS:

Sr. F Anaëlle Dutat recorded her third double-double of the season with 12 rebounds and 10 points. She also had two steals, one block and one assist.

Jr. G Zyanna Walker scored 12 points and had three rebounds, one block, one steal and one assist.

Sr. F Jade Masogayo tallied 13 points, four rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal.

Jr. G Desiree Wooten had seven points and five assists.

So. F Tabitha Betson scored seven points and had three rebounds and one block.

Fr. C Jade Crook had five points and one rebound.

Fr. F Logyn Greer tallied 14 points, six rebounds, two assists and one steal.

Jr. G Maeve McErlane recorded a season-high seven assists, as well as two rebounds and one steal.

Fifth C JoJo Nworie scored four points.

Fr. G Erianna Gooden had one rebound.

Fr. F Sophie Zadel scored three points and had one assist.

For the Wildcats, Michayla Perdue scored 22 points and had three rebounds.

GAME NOTES:

The Buffs move to 23-10 all-time against the Wildcats.

All-time, the Buffs move to 110-150 in Big 12 play.

CU had more assists (20-10) and rebounds (41-30) than the Wildcats.

This is the third time Colorado has held an opponent to five points or fewer in a quarter this season. Previously, the Buffs held Wyoming in the second quarter and College of Charleston in the fourth quarter to four points, respectively.

For more information on the Colorado women's basketball team, a complete schedule and results, please visit CUBuffs.com. Fans of the Buffs can follow the team on Instagram and on Twitter @CUBuffsWBB.