Cowgirls Stuff Buffaloes In Stillwater
STILLWATER, Okla. – Colorado didn't score for the final 7 minutes, 49 seconds of the first half which allowed No. 22 (AP & WBCA) ranked Oklahoma State to finish the period on a 19-0 run as the Cowgirls claimed a 79-43 decision in a Big 12 Conference game Wednesday night at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
The Buffaloes (8-6, 0-2) shot just 28 percent in the first half (7-of-25), missing their final seven shots and committing six turnovers. CU had twice as many turnovers (14) as field goals in the period which resulted in 15 points for the Cowgirls.
Oklahoma State (12-3, 1-1 Big 12) meanwhile made 51 percent in the first half and an Andrea Riley 3-pointer to open the second to actually extended the Cowgirl run to 22-0 before Brittany Spears finally ended the Buffaloes drought with a 3-pointer with 17:57 remaining.
Colorado's top two scorers – Spears and Kara Richards – were held to a combined 20 points on 8-of-29 from the floor. Despite a season-low in field goal percentage, Richards (4-of-12) was CU's bright spot on the low post equaling a career-high with 15 rebounds, which she initially set Saturday against Baylor. She added nine points.
Spears led Colorado with 11 points, eight of which came in the second half, and recorded six rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
Oklahoma State scored the first eight points of the game as Riley and Taylor Hardeman each hit 3-pointers. Alyssa Fressle responded for CU with a 3-pointer of her own and a Richards layup settled the Buffaloes down at the start.
The Cowgirls, who made 7-of-11 from the field out of the gate, built their lead up to 17-9 but the Buffaloes were able to claw back. Spears scored her first jumper at 9:47 to cut the OSU lead to 21-15, but Tegan Cunningham cashed in on a turn-around jumper and scored a transition bucket after a CU turnover to give OSU a 10 point advantage.
The transition game served Oklahoma State well. Led by the All-American candidate Riley, the Cowgirls outscored CU 20-4 on the break. Riley recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 18 points and 12 assists. Kristin Hernandez was the game's high-scorer with 19 off the bench for OSU
Fressle, who finished with nine points, scored at 7:49 on a baseline jumper to cut Oklahoma State's lead to 25-17, but that would be it for the Buffaloes for the half. Hernandez hit back-to-back 3-pointers out of the 8:00 media time out as OSU began its run.
Julie Seabrook had four points and five rebounds off the bench. Bianca Smith and Britney Blythe each had five points.
Colorado continues Big 12 road action on Saturday, Jan. 17, as the Buffaloes travel to play No. 16/17 Texas at 6 p.m. MST at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin. A long scoring drought cost Colorado in its season-opener against Baylor and another prolonged drought was the deciding factor again, but this time a lot earlier.