Friday, January 20
Eugene, Ore.
7:00 PM
Colorado
11-7, 1-6P12
66
at
71
Oregon
13-6, 3-4P12
1
2
3
4
F
Colorado
11
20
14
21
66
Oregon
10
19
20
22
71
Kennedy Leonard lays in two of her game-high 21 points Friday night at Oregon.
Photo by: Gary Breedlove
Buffs Fall Short vs. Ducks In 71-66 Pac-12 Loss
January 20, 2017 | Women's Basketball, B.G. Brooks
Oregon’s third-quarter surge proves decisive as CU loses fourth straight
EUGENE, Ore. – Oregon used an 11-0 run early in the third quarter to overtake the Colorado women's basketball team then held on to hand the Buffaloes their fourth consecutive Pac-12 Conference loss, 71-66.
Ahead 31-29 at halftime Friday night, the Buffs (11-7 overall, 1-6 Pac-12) led 36-33 before the Ducks (13-6, 3-4) rallied behind Ruthy Hebard in their third-quarter surge and went ahead for good.
Hebard, who finished with a team-best 19 points and 11 rebounds, scored 9 of her total in Oregon's 11-0 run.
CU – losers of seven of its last eight games, including three of the past four to Top 25 teams – had three players in double figures, topped by Kennedy Leonard's 21.
In addition to her 21 points, Leonard had a team-high six rebounds and a game-best seven assists. Makenzie Ellis added 12 points for the Buffs, going 4-of-8 from 3-point range before fouling out in the fourth quarter, while Haley Smith contributed 10 points.
"I'm extremely proud of the way we played," CU coach JR Payne said. "I know people are going to get tired of me saying this, but we never give up, we fight against people who are bigger, stronger . . . . but this team's got a whole lot of heart and I love that."
HOW IT HAPPENED: With both teams struggling from the field – CU shot 23 percent, Oregon 33 – the Buffs led 11-10 after one quarter. CU went just under 3 minutes between its first and second field goals, Oregon suffered through a 41/2-minute drought.
But the Buffs got 3-pointers in the first period from Ellis and Alexis Robinson while the Ducks didn't score from long range.
CU's shooting percentage increased slightly in the second period, and a 7-0 run allowed the Buffs to take their largest lead of the half – 31-23.
Ellis opened the surge with another triple, followed by baskets from Smith and Ariana Freeman. But after Freeman's layup with 2:40 before the break, the Buffs didn't score again.
The Ducks closed the half with a 6-0 run and trailed 31-29 at intermission.
Shooting 40 percent from the field in the second quarter, CU finished the half at 33 percent (11-of-33) while Oregon hit 13-of-29 (45 percent). But the Buffs hit three more 3-pointers (5-of-13) while the Ducks were successful on only one of their eight attempts from behind the arc.
CU's other statistical edge came on 9 points off of 10 Oregon turnovers, most created by the Buffs' 8 steals.
Neither team had a player in double figures in the first half, with Leonard's 7 points a game high after two quarters.
As it's been since mid-December, the third quarter wasn't kind to the Buffs. After Oregon tied the score at 33-33, CU temporarily regained its footing and took a 36-33 lead on a Leonard layup with 6:53 left in the quarter.
But that was the Buffs' last field goal for 3:41. The Ducks promptly went on an 11-0 run, with Hebard scoring 9 of that total. It resulted in a 42-36 Oregon lead, and it took a late flurry in the quarter – topped by a Leonard 3-pointer – to pull CU within 49-45 heading into the final quarter.
Leonard hit a pair of free throws to open the final period, pulling the Buffs to within 49-47. But the Ducks outscored them 7-3 over the next 4 minutes, increasing their lead to 56-50.
CU answered with back-to-back treys by Smith and Ellis, cutting Oregon's lead to 57-56. The Buffs would close to within two (61-59) on another Ellis 3-pointer but got no closer in the final 3:41.
TURNING POINT: Leading 36-33 early in the third quarter, CU suffered a nearly 4-minute scoring drought while Oregon went on an 11-0 run. The Buffs battled for the rest of the quarter and into the final period but never led again.
CU STANDOUTS: Leonard, who logged 40 minutes, went 7-of-15 from the field and 5-of-7 from the free throw line to go along with 6 rebounds and 7 assists . . . . Ellis was 4-of-8 from beyond the arc . . . . Smith hit one of her two 3-point attempts but was only 3-of-12 from the field overall.
KEY STATISTICS: The Buffs shot 36 percent (24-of-67) from the field but hit 10 treys (29 attempts) . . . . CU was 50 percent (8-of-16) from the foul line . . . . The Buffs had 12 steals and scored 17 points off of 17 Ducks turnovers . . . . CU was out-rebounded 40-36.
WHAT IT MEANS: The Buffs continue to battle but they need to break into the win column. Stagnant third quarters continue to haunt them, usually putting them in catch-up mode when the final period begins. It's not a recipe for success in a conference as rugged as the Pac-12.
NOTEWORTHY: Leonard recorded her 13th career 20+ point game and ninth this season . . . . Ellis tied a career high with four 3-point field goals . . . . Friday night marked the third consecutive game CU led at halftime and lost . . . . CU has been outscored in the third quarter in eight consecutive games (the last time CU outscored an opponent in the third quarter was Mississippi Valley State on Dec. 17).
QUOTEWORTHY
Colorado Coach JR Payne
On some of the positives in the game
"We turned them over 17 times. We continued to fight, scrap, and we never gave up. I thought our mentality was good tonight, I thought we came out aggressive on both ends of the floor, which was really important to our success. We competed on the glass against a team that's so much bigger than us."
On some of the negatives in the game
"We just need to continue to focus on execution. We don't have any real margin for error in missing layups, missing free throws, not executing a play that's been called. It's just the little things. I think our effort and tenacity and heart gives us an opportunity to compete with these teams in this conference. But our lack of execution in very small spurts makes it hard to win that way."
On coaching against her college coach, Kelly Graves
"It was so awesome. I wanted to win and I'd do anything to win. He's like a dad for me. They're like my second team, I'm always cheering for them. I'm happy for him to have success and I told him after the game, 'one of these days I'm going to beat you, but [it wasn't] today.' I just genuinely love him and appreciate him and I wouldn't be here without him."
On giving up a halftime lead for the third game in a row
"Some of it comes down to depth, some of it comes down to second-half adjustments. The last thing I said coming out of the locker room is, 'they're going into Hebard. Get ready for it.' And she scored nine of their first 11 points of the second half. We knew it; it's a matter of going out and doing something about it. She's hard to guard and hard to stop and hard to keep off the glass. But that's the area we have to be able to dig our heels in and get rebounds and stops when we need to."
On playing a strong fourth quarter after giving up the lead
"That's heart and a desire to never quit, never give up, never roll over. I'm really, really proud of that. I would take that team that's going to fight and continue to scrap until the end. I would take that team every time."
On the play of Makenzie Ellis
"Makenzie is so fantastic the way she can stretch the defense and by shooting the ball so well and just such a mismatch in that regard. We had a big mismatch tonight in that they were big and we were not inside. And so I told our team that's also an advantage to us if we make it one. I'm really proud of her for not just knocking down shots, but big shots. Not just 3's, but they were big, important shots. And she didn't hesitate."
On the play of Kennedy Leonard
"I told her [as we were] walking off the court, 'I'm just really proud of you. We're asking you to do a lot and you never quit, you never complain, you never stop fighting and you carry a heavy load.' And she does it with a happy heart and I'm proud of her for that."
NEXT UP: The Buffs travel across the state to face No. 11 Oregon State on Sunday afternoon (4 p.m. MST, Pac-12 Networks, radio 1600 am).
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
Ahead 31-29 at halftime Friday night, the Buffs (11-7 overall, 1-6 Pac-12) led 36-33 before the Ducks (13-6, 3-4) rallied behind Ruthy Hebard in their third-quarter surge and went ahead for good.
Hebard, who finished with a team-best 19 points and 11 rebounds, scored 9 of her total in Oregon's 11-0 run.
CU – losers of seven of its last eight games, including three of the past four to Top 25 teams – had three players in double figures, topped by Kennedy Leonard's 21.
In addition to her 21 points, Leonard had a team-high six rebounds and a game-best seven assists. Makenzie Ellis added 12 points for the Buffs, going 4-of-8 from 3-point range before fouling out in the fourth quarter, while Haley Smith contributed 10 points.
"I'm extremely proud of the way we played," CU coach JR Payne said. "I know people are going to get tired of me saying this, but we never give up, we fight against people who are bigger, stronger . . . . but this team's got a whole lot of heart and I love that."
HOW IT HAPPENED: With both teams struggling from the field – CU shot 23 percent, Oregon 33 – the Buffs led 11-10 after one quarter. CU went just under 3 minutes between its first and second field goals, Oregon suffered through a 41/2-minute drought.
But the Buffs got 3-pointers in the first period from Ellis and Alexis Robinson while the Ducks didn't score from long range.
CU's shooting percentage increased slightly in the second period, and a 7-0 run allowed the Buffs to take their largest lead of the half – 31-23.
Ellis opened the surge with another triple, followed by baskets from Smith and Ariana Freeman. But after Freeman's layup with 2:40 before the break, the Buffs didn't score again.
The Ducks closed the half with a 6-0 run and trailed 31-29 at intermission.
Shooting 40 percent from the field in the second quarter, CU finished the half at 33 percent (11-of-33) while Oregon hit 13-of-29 (45 percent). But the Buffs hit three more 3-pointers (5-of-13) while the Ducks were successful on only one of their eight attempts from behind the arc.
CU's other statistical edge came on 9 points off of 10 Oregon turnovers, most created by the Buffs' 8 steals.
Neither team had a player in double figures in the first half, with Leonard's 7 points a game high after two quarters.
As it's been since mid-December, the third quarter wasn't kind to the Buffs. After Oregon tied the score at 33-33, CU temporarily regained its footing and took a 36-33 lead on a Leonard layup with 6:53 left in the quarter.
But that was the Buffs' last field goal for 3:41. The Ducks promptly went on an 11-0 run, with Hebard scoring 9 of that total. It resulted in a 42-36 Oregon lead, and it took a late flurry in the quarter – topped by a Leonard 3-pointer – to pull CU within 49-45 heading into the final quarter.
Leonard hit a pair of free throws to open the final period, pulling the Buffs to within 49-47. But the Ducks outscored them 7-3 over the next 4 minutes, increasing their lead to 56-50.
CU answered with back-to-back treys by Smith and Ellis, cutting Oregon's lead to 57-56. The Buffs would close to within two (61-59) on another Ellis 3-pointer but got no closer in the final 3:41.
TURNING POINT: Leading 36-33 early in the third quarter, CU suffered a nearly 4-minute scoring drought while Oregon went on an 11-0 run. The Buffs battled for the rest of the quarter and into the final period but never led again.
CU STANDOUTS: Leonard, who logged 40 minutes, went 7-of-15 from the field and 5-of-7 from the free throw line to go along with 6 rebounds and 7 assists . . . . Ellis was 4-of-8 from beyond the arc . . . . Smith hit one of her two 3-point attempts but was only 3-of-12 from the field overall.
KEY STATISTICS: The Buffs shot 36 percent (24-of-67) from the field but hit 10 treys (29 attempts) . . . . CU was 50 percent (8-of-16) from the foul line . . . . The Buffs had 12 steals and scored 17 points off of 17 Ducks turnovers . . . . CU was out-rebounded 40-36.
WHAT IT MEANS: The Buffs continue to battle but they need to break into the win column. Stagnant third quarters continue to haunt them, usually putting them in catch-up mode when the final period begins. It's not a recipe for success in a conference as rugged as the Pac-12.
NOTEWORTHY: Leonard recorded her 13th career 20+ point game and ninth this season . . . . Ellis tied a career high with four 3-point field goals . . . . Friday night marked the third consecutive game CU led at halftime and lost . . . . CU has been outscored in the third quarter in eight consecutive games (the last time CU outscored an opponent in the third quarter was Mississippi Valley State on Dec. 17).
QUOTEWORTHY
Colorado Coach JR Payne
On some of the positives in the game
"We turned them over 17 times. We continued to fight, scrap, and we never gave up. I thought our mentality was good tonight, I thought we came out aggressive on both ends of the floor, which was really important to our success. We competed on the glass against a team that's so much bigger than us."
On some of the negatives in the game
"We just need to continue to focus on execution. We don't have any real margin for error in missing layups, missing free throws, not executing a play that's been called. It's just the little things. I think our effort and tenacity and heart gives us an opportunity to compete with these teams in this conference. But our lack of execution in very small spurts makes it hard to win that way."
On coaching against her college coach, Kelly Graves
"It was so awesome. I wanted to win and I'd do anything to win. He's like a dad for me. They're like my second team, I'm always cheering for them. I'm happy for him to have success and I told him after the game, 'one of these days I'm going to beat you, but [it wasn't] today.' I just genuinely love him and appreciate him and I wouldn't be here without him."
On giving up a halftime lead for the third game in a row
"Some of it comes down to depth, some of it comes down to second-half adjustments. The last thing I said coming out of the locker room is, 'they're going into Hebard. Get ready for it.' And she scored nine of their first 11 points of the second half. We knew it; it's a matter of going out and doing something about it. She's hard to guard and hard to stop and hard to keep off the glass. But that's the area we have to be able to dig our heels in and get rebounds and stops when we need to."
On playing a strong fourth quarter after giving up the lead
"That's heart and a desire to never quit, never give up, never roll over. I'm really, really proud of that. I would take that team that's going to fight and continue to scrap until the end. I would take that team every time."
On the play of Makenzie Ellis
"Makenzie is so fantastic the way she can stretch the defense and by shooting the ball so well and just such a mismatch in that regard. We had a big mismatch tonight in that they were big and we were not inside. And so I told our team that's also an advantage to us if we make it one. I'm really proud of her for not just knocking down shots, but big shots. Not just 3's, but they were big, important shots. And she didn't hesitate."
On the play of Kennedy Leonard
"I told her [as we were] walking off the court, 'I'm just really proud of you. We're asking you to do a lot and you never quit, you never complain, you never stop fighting and you carry a heavy load.' And she does it with a happy heart and I'm proud of her for that."
NEXT UP: The Buffs travel across the state to face No. 11 Oregon State on Sunday afternoon (4 p.m. MST, Pac-12 Networks, radio 1600 am).
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
Team Stats
COLO
ORE
FG%
.358
.466
3FG%
.345
.167
FT%
.500
.682
RB
36
40
TO
13
17
STL
12
5
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
21
FGM
7
3FGM
2
FTM
5
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG/F
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