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Buffs Dial Long Distance In Big 12 Win Over ISU

Jan 10, 2007

BOULDER - The University of Colorado dialed long distance Wednesday night, nailing a season-high 13 3-point field goals in an 81-67 Big 12 Conference victory over Iowa State University at the Coors Events/Conference Center.

 

The win gives the Buffaloes their first 2-0 start in league play since the inaugural season of the Big 12 in 1996-97 when they started 3-0. CU, 8-6 overall, also snaps a five-game slide against Iowa State (13-3, 1-2 Big 12), and has won two-straight in the Big 12 for the first time since the 2003-04 season. The Buffaloes need just one win to equal both their overall and Big 12 win totals from the 2005-06 season (9-21, 3-13 Big 12)

 

Starting guards Bianca Smith and Susie Powers combined for 30 points and 9-of-15 from 3-point range. Smith had a personal-best 18 points and a team season-high five 3-pointers (on 10 attempts). Powers, whose career high in points entering the game was seven, hit her first four 3-pointers of the contest, ending at 4-of-5 and 12 points. Powers also added four assists and three steals.

 

"We are feeling really good," Powers said. "We've set a home game precedence for the season that we need to follow through on."

 

Overall the Buffaloes hit nine of their first 13 attempts building a 25-11 lead in the first 8 minutes, 23 seconds of the contest. Iowa State fought back, closing the CU lead to six at 28-22, but the Buffaloes immediately responded ending the first half on a 20-2 run for a 48-24, their largest halftime lead of the season.

 

"I feel like our non-conference schedule was tough and we were tested," CU head coach Kathy-McConnell-Miller said. "Two games does not make a season. We are going on the road for four of (the next) five. Anybody can beat anybody in this conference. You have to win your home games to be competitive in the Big 12, and we were fortunate to have our first two at home."

"Our performance in the first half was exciting. We had a really competitive week of practice and they were just ready to play. It started with defense. I think this team gets really motivated by stops and it translates to the offense."

Colorado was 10-of-16 from long range in the first half (62.5 percent) and finished the game 13-of-23 (56.5 percent). Overall the Buffaloes shot 51 percent for the contest (26-of-51) while holding Iowa State to just 32 percent in the first half (8-of-25) and 40.4 percent for the entire game (21-of-52).

                           

Junior Jackie McFarland recorded her 28th career double-double, ninth this season, with 22 points and 14 rebounds. She added a personal-best six assists and was 7-of-9 from the field, giving her nine games this season shooting 70 percent or better. McFarland is 27-of-34 (79.4 percent) in her last four games.

 

Sophomore center Kara Richards added 14 points, five rebounds and two blocked shots.  Richards was 6-of-7 from the field and has made 16 of her last 20 shots since returning to the lineup after missing seven games with a foot injury.

 

Colorado will play its first road Big 12 game of the season as the Buffaloes will take on the University of Texas on Saturday, Jan. 13, at 6 p.m. MST in Austin.