Shooting Goes South Against Tech

LUBBOCK, Texas – Senior Jackie McFarland tied a season-high 28 points, but cold shooting doomed Colorado as Texas Tech claimed a 62-44 decision in a Big 12 Conference game Saturday afternoon at the United Spirit Arena

Colorado falls to 13-6 overall, 2-4 in league play as the Buffs haven't won at a Big 12 Southern Division school in their last 12 tries dating back to a win at Baylor in 2004. Texas Tech improves to 14-6, 2-4.

The Buffaloes suffered their lowest point output of the season due to shooting just 24 percent from field. McFarland hit 57 percent, making 8-of-14, but the rest of the team hit just 13 percent (5-of-40) as the Buffs had their lowest team total since making just 13-of-56 (.232) against Texas in 2005.

McFarland was the only CU player to hit a field goal in the final 28 minutes of the contest and had 28 of CU's final 31 points. She hit 10-of-11 free throws leaving her just two shy of Bridget Turner's school record of 494 set from 1985-89.

Despite a heavily taped shooting hand, Aija Putnina scored Colorado's first eight points, hitting her first three field goal attempts and the Buffs had it knotted up at 10 early.

Texas Tech's Dominic Seals, who led the Lady Raiders with 21 points and nine rebounds, then began to take over. She scored four straight points and a Raquel Christian 3-pointer gave Tech a 17-10 lead. Colorado answered with the next five, thanks to a Bianca Smith put back and three free throws from Putnina and McFarland, but the Lady Raiders one-upped the CU run scoring nine straight, six coming from Seals, to give Texas Tech a 26-15 lead.

McFarland brought CU back scoring the next seven points, including a 3-pointer, which halted Tech's 11-0 run, but Seals scored the next four points and Christian hit another 3-pointer to give Tech a 35-26 halftime lead.

Texas Tech then put the game away by opening the second half on a 12-0 run. The Buffaloes missed their first 10 shots of the period and didn't score until a McFarland layup with 11:05 remaining in the game. Free throws from Brittany Spears and Britney Blythe accounted for Colorado's lone scoring other than McFarland in the second half.

Putnina finished with nine points and six rebounds. Spears had six rebounds but made only 1-of-11 from the field scoring four points, the low of her young career.

Colorado returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 30, as the Buffaloes travel to Iowa State University for a 6 p.m. MST game in Ames, Iowa.