Thursday, March 16
Boulder, Colo.
7:00 PM
Colorado
16-15 overall
66
vs
52
UNLV
22-11 overall
1
2
3
4
F
UNLV
10
11
19
12
52
Colorado
8
19
25
14
66
Kennedy Leonard heads for the basket Thursday night against UNLV.
Photo by: CUBuffs.com
Leonard Leads Buffs To 66-52 Win Over UNLV In WNIT First-Round
March 16, 2017 | Women's Basketball, B.G. Brooks
CU advances to play at South Dakota State on Sunday afternoon
BOULDER – The Colorado women's basketball team needed a quarter on Thursday night to shed the cobwebs of a two-week layoff. With that done, the Buffaloes rolled to a 66-52 first-round WNIT win against UNLV at the Coors Events Center.
"We just were rusty," CU coach JR Payne said of her team's unattractive start. "You want to be able to come out and be clicking on all cylinders, but the reality is that is not super easy to do when you haven't played in two weeks. It wasn't the prettiest early."
But in the final three quarters, the picture changed for the Buffs – especially sophomore guards Kennedy Leonard and Alexis Robinson.
Leonard scored 17 of her game-high 23 points in the second half and added five assists, enabling her to tie Ann Troyan's school single-season record (177, 1979-80).
Leonard, a first-team All-Pac-12 Conference selection, hit consecutive 3-pointers mid-way through the fourth quarter and was 4-of-4 from the free throw line in the final 1:35.
"At tip its like, 'Oh gosh, it's a game again,'" Leonard said. "I think just getting back into the flow of it and getting that first quarter over with helps."
Robinson, who added 16 points, hit a key 3-pointer late in the third quarter before assisting Leonard on a layup that enabled the Buffs to take a 12-point lead into the final quarter.
"At first it was tough to get the offense going but I tried to use my defense to get my offense going," Robinson said. "I feel like I really got it going in the second half, making plays and getting steals."
Improving to 16-15 and breaking a three-game losing streak, CU extends its season while UNLV ends at 22-11.
"We are just so excited," Payne said. "I told the team that I love the phrase 'survive and advance.' That is so this time of year. We saw upsets on TV today, and it's the best time of year, it's March Madness."
Buffs senior Haley Smith scored nine of her 11 points in the first half and collected a game-high nine rebounds.
Brooke Johnson topped the Lady Rebels with 14 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED: UNLV led 10-8 after a first quarter that saw both teams struggle from the field – the Lady Rebels shooting only 28 percent, the Buffs 20 percent – and most everywhere else.
But the second quarter brought a turnaround, particularly for CU. The Buffs tied the score at 10-10 on a nice backdoor cut by Robinson, who took a bounce pass from Smith and made the layup.
The next 8:41 produced seven lead changes, with the Buffs closing out the half's final 3 minutes with a 7-0 run to take a 27-21 halftime lead – their largest of the night.
After the cold start, CU finished the half shooting 33 percent from the field (9-of-27), with the Buffs hitting half of their 12 attempts from beyond the arc.
Smith's nine points topped her team's first-half scoring, with Robinson adding seven, including a 3-pointer that opened the Buffs' 7-0 run to finish the half.
The other four points came from a steal and short jumper by Smith and two free throws by Zoe Beard-Fails. The Buffs squandered an opportunity to boost their lead when Quinessa Caylao-Do missed a pair of free throws in the final 23 seconds.
Entering the game with rebounding a priority, CU held a two-board advantage (18-16) at the half. The Buffs' pressure defense paid off with eight steals and helped create 13 Lady Rebels turnovers, which the Buffs converted into six points.
UNLV crept to within one point on two occasions in the third quarter but CU never relinquished the lead. The Buffs eventually restored their six-point halftime advantage and increased that to nine points – 42-33 – with a 6-0 run the featured baskets by Beard-Fails, Ariana Freeman and Leonard.
Needing to regroup, UNLV took a timeout with 3:59 left in the quarter. It helped – but only briefly.
Johnson scored five straight points, bringing the Lady Rebels to within 42-38 before Robinson answered with five of her own – the last three on a trey to push the Buffs back ahead 47-40.
And CU wasn't done. The quarter's final 51 seconds belonged to Leonard – with an assist to Robinson. She fed Leonard for a layup that made the score 49-40, then Leonard scored another layup on a breakaway and was fouled.
Her free throw with 30.5 seconds left in the period produced a 12-point lead – 52-40 – and with one quarter remaining the Buffs appeared in prime position to advance.
UNLV opened the final period with a 4-0 run, pulling to 52-48 before CU could respond with a short jumper by Smith for another double-digit lead.
And Leonard was about to find her range. Back-to-back treys at 5:06 and 4:26 gave CU its second 11-point advantage and pushed UNLV further into desperation mode.
The Lady Rebels got no closer than eight points thereafter while the Buffs led by as many as 14 – 66-52 – in the final minute.
TURNING POINT: Ahead only 44-40, the Buffs closed out the third quarter with an 8-0 run to take a 12-point advantage into the final period. The Lady Rebels never got closer than eight points in the last 10 minutes.
KEY STATISTICS: After shooting just 20 percent from the field in the first quarter, CU ended the game at 43.4 percent (23-of-53) and was 12-of-15 from the free throw line . . . . UNLV shot just six foul shots, making four . . . . The Buffs also out-rebounded the Lady Rebels by three (35-32), falling just short of their goal of a five-board advantage but still plenty happy . . . . Each team finished with 18 turnovers but CU compensated with an 11-4 advantage in steals.
CU STANDOUTS: Leonard hit half of her 14 field goal attempts, including half of her eight 3-pointers. She also made all five free throw attempts, had five assists, two steals and only one turnover in in 38 minutes . . . . Robinson was 5-of-15 from the field, 4-of-4 from the free throw line and had a game-high five steals.
WHAT IT MEANS: Payne's first season as the Buffs coach is extended, offering her and her players at least one more game. If they win on Sunday they could return to the Coors Events Center for another WNIT game.
NOTEWORTHY: CU is 6-0 all-time in the first round of the WNIT . . . . CU has won its past five WNIT games in the Coors Events Center . . . . Leonard had her 16th career 20-point game and 12th this season . . . . The last time these two teams met was the first round of the 1989 NCAA Tournament, the first-ever NCAA Tournament game played at the Coors Events Center and still the all-time single game attendance record (11,199) . . . . The last WNIT game played at the Coors Events Center also featured JR Payne, but as the visiting coach of Southern Utah in 2014.
QUOTEWORTHY:
JR Payne, Colorado head coach
On the win
"We are just so excited. I told the team that I love the phrase "survive and advance." That is so this time of year. We saw upsets on T.V. today, and it's the best time of year, it's March Madness. Also, to be able to play in front of our fans and our family, to get the win, and now having the opportunity to play again. I'm just thrilled."
On the start of the game
"We just were rusty. You wanna be able to come out and be clicking on all cylinders, but the reality is that is not super easy to do when you haven't played in two weeks. It wasn't the prettiest early. I thought our execution got better and better as the game went on, I thought we got out in transition like we wanted to more and more, and down the stretch we did some stuff we wanted to do."
On the team's plus 3 rebounding advantage
"Rebounding is a really important factor in our goal of being successful. Our goal was plus 5, and we knew it was a tall task because this was a really good rebounding team, but to be plus three was really good. It also looked like everybody rebounded. It wasn't just one heroic effort, but everyone did their job on that end."
On the team's discipline
"We didn't get into much foul trouble, but enough where it could be scary if we didn't start to play a little better. Even Correal had two fouls in the first few minutes, but she was still able to play and make good decisions, and be smart in that regard."
Kennedy Leonard
On getting back into game mode
"We just haven't played in two weeks. At tip its like 'oh gosh its a game again.' I think just getting back into the flow of it and getting that first quarter over with helps. Being able to settle in to our plays and our game helped a ton when getting into the next three quarters."
On competing in the postseason
"Last year we won seven games so I think all post season play is something that's special and it almost feels like we made the NCAA Tournament. Most of us haven't been in a post season before. Some of the senior class has but nobody else has really been in a post season. To experience the excitement around it, winner stays and loser goes home, is really important for us going forward and for us being so young and still being to play in the moment."
On playing guard heavy UNLV
"Its always fun to match up against teams that are guard heavy because we are pretty guard heavy. At one point we traded baskets a couple of time and then we took the reigns. Alexis hit a couple of shots, Haley [Smith] hit a couple of shots, I hit a couple of shots. I think down the line being able to compete against other guards is kind of fun. At the end of the game Lexi crossed one up and that got us going. It's really exciting to play against people who are just as competent as us and as talented as us and then getting the upper hand in the end."
Alexis Robinson
On the team's 8-0 Run at the end of the third quarter
"That was definitely the biggest run of the game. Those are the runs you live for in a basketball game. It was definitely fun in that moment of the game."
Kathy Oliver, UNLV head coach
On what contributed to the loss
"Colorado did a very good job defensively on us. They pressured us and their guards did a good job at making their baskets and making their free throws. They got to the free throw line a lot more than us. We just turned the ball over a few too many times in the first half. And in that second half we didn't turn the ball over as much but they capitalized on our mistakes in that first half, and I think that was the difference in the game."
On the Rebel's intensity throughout the game
"Our team has battled all year. We just talked to them in their and we said that they have nothing to put their heads down about. We battled the entire game. We turned the ball over a little too much in that first half and the second half we cleaned it up and battled on the boards. We're a relentless fight through adversity type of team. I'm super proud of the lady rebels."
NEXT UP: The Buffs travel to South Dakota State for a second-round WNIT game on Sunday at 1 p.m. MDT.
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
"We just were rusty," CU coach JR Payne said of her team's unattractive start. "You want to be able to come out and be clicking on all cylinders, but the reality is that is not super easy to do when you haven't played in two weeks. It wasn't the prettiest early."
But in the final three quarters, the picture changed for the Buffs – especially sophomore guards Kennedy Leonard and Alexis Robinson.
Leonard scored 17 of her game-high 23 points in the second half and added five assists, enabling her to tie Ann Troyan's school single-season record (177, 1979-80).
Leonard, a first-team All-Pac-12 Conference selection, hit consecutive 3-pointers mid-way through the fourth quarter and was 4-of-4 from the free throw line in the final 1:35.
"At tip its like, 'Oh gosh, it's a game again,'" Leonard said. "I think just getting back into the flow of it and getting that first quarter over with helps."
Robinson, who added 16 points, hit a key 3-pointer late in the third quarter before assisting Leonard on a layup that enabled the Buffs to take a 12-point lead into the final quarter.
"At first it was tough to get the offense going but I tried to use my defense to get my offense going," Robinson said. "I feel like I really got it going in the second half, making plays and getting steals."
Improving to 16-15 and breaking a three-game losing streak, CU extends its season while UNLV ends at 22-11.
"We are just so excited," Payne said. "I told the team that I love the phrase 'survive and advance.' That is so this time of year. We saw upsets on TV today, and it's the best time of year, it's March Madness."
Buffs senior Haley Smith scored nine of her 11 points in the first half and collected a game-high nine rebounds.
Brooke Johnson topped the Lady Rebels with 14 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED: UNLV led 10-8 after a first quarter that saw both teams struggle from the field – the Lady Rebels shooting only 28 percent, the Buffs 20 percent – and most everywhere else.
But the second quarter brought a turnaround, particularly for CU. The Buffs tied the score at 10-10 on a nice backdoor cut by Robinson, who took a bounce pass from Smith and made the layup.
The next 8:41 produced seven lead changes, with the Buffs closing out the half's final 3 minutes with a 7-0 run to take a 27-21 halftime lead – their largest of the night.
After the cold start, CU finished the half shooting 33 percent from the field (9-of-27), with the Buffs hitting half of their 12 attempts from beyond the arc.
Smith's nine points topped her team's first-half scoring, with Robinson adding seven, including a 3-pointer that opened the Buffs' 7-0 run to finish the half.
The other four points came from a steal and short jumper by Smith and two free throws by Zoe Beard-Fails. The Buffs squandered an opportunity to boost their lead when Quinessa Caylao-Do missed a pair of free throws in the final 23 seconds.
Entering the game with rebounding a priority, CU held a two-board advantage (18-16) at the half. The Buffs' pressure defense paid off with eight steals and helped create 13 Lady Rebels turnovers, which the Buffs converted into six points.
UNLV crept to within one point on two occasions in the third quarter but CU never relinquished the lead. The Buffs eventually restored their six-point halftime advantage and increased that to nine points – 42-33 – with a 6-0 run the featured baskets by Beard-Fails, Ariana Freeman and Leonard.
Needing to regroup, UNLV took a timeout with 3:59 left in the quarter. It helped – but only briefly.
Johnson scored five straight points, bringing the Lady Rebels to within 42-38 before Robinson answered with five of her own – the last three on a trey to push the Buffs back ahead 47-40.
And CU wasn't done. The quarter's final 51 seconds belonged to Leonard – with an assist to Robinson. She fed Leonard for a layup that made the score 49-40, then Leonard scored another layup on a breakaway and was fouled.
Her free throw with 30.5 seconds left in the period produced a 12-point lead – 52-40 – and with one quarter remaining the Buffs appeared in prime position to advance.
UNLV opened the final period with a 4-0 run, pulling to 52-48 before CU could respond with a short jumper by Smith for another double-digit lead.
And Leonard was about to find her range. Back-to-back treys at 5:06 and 4:26 gave CU its second 11-point advantage and pushed UNLV further into desperation mode.
The Lady Rebels got no closer than eight points thereafter while the Buffs led by as many as 14 – 66-52 – in the final minute.
TURNING POINT: Ahead only 44-40, the Buffs closed out the third quarter with an 8-0 run to take a 12-point advantage into the final period. The Lady Rebels never got closer than eight points in the last 10 minutes.
KEY STATISTICS: After shooting just 20 percent from the field in the first quarter, CU ended the game at 43.4 percent (23-of-53) and was 12-of-15 from the free throw line . . . . UNLV shot just six foul shots, making four . . . . The Buffs also out-rebounded the Lady Rebels by three (35-32), falling just short of their goal of a five-board advantage but still plenty happy . . . . Each team finished with 18 turnovers but CU compensated with an 11-4 advantage in steals.
CU STANDOUTS: Leonard hit half of her 14 field goal attempts, including half of her eight 3-pointers. She also made all five free throw attempts, had five assists, two steals and only one turnover in in 38 minutes . . . . Robinson was 5-of-15 from the field, 4-of-4 from the free throw line and had a game-high five steals.
WHAT IT MEANS: Payne's first season as the Buffs coach is extended, offering her and her players at least one more game. If they win on Sunday they could return to the Coors Events Center for another WNIT game.
NOTEWORTHY: CU is 6-0 all-time in the first round of the WNIT . . . . CU has won its past five WNIT games in the Coors Events Center . . . . Leonard had her 16th career 20-point game and 12th this season . . . . The last time these two teams met was the first round of the 1989 NCAA Tournament, the first-ever NCAA Tournament game played at the Coors Events Center and still the all-time single game attendance record (11,199) . . . . The last WNIT game played at the Coors Events Center also featured JR Payne, but as the visiting coach of Southern Utah in 2014.
QUOTEWORTHY:
JR Payne, Colorado head coach
On the win
"We are just so excited. I told the team that I love the phrase "survive and advance." That is so this time of year. We saw upsets on T.V. today, and it's the best time of year, it's March Madness. Also, to be able to play in front of our fans and our family, to get the win, and now having the opportunity to play again. I'm just thrilled."
On the start of the game
"We just were rusty. You wanna be able to come out and be clicking on all cylinders, but the reality is that is not super easy to do when you haven't played in two weeks. It wasn't the prettiest early. I thought our execution got better and better as the game went on, I thought we got out in transition like we wanted to more and more, and down the stretch we did some stuff we wanted to do."
On the team's plus 3 rebounding advantage
"Rebounding is a really important factor in our goal of being successful. Our goal was plus 5, and we knew it was a tall task because this was a really good rebounding team, but to be plus three was really good. It also looked like everybody rebounded. It wasn't just one heroic effort, but everyone did their job on that end."
On the team's discipline
"We didn't get into much foul trouble, but enough where it could be scary if we didn't start to play a little better. Even Correal had two fouls in the first few minutes, but she was still able to play and make good decisions, and be smart in that regard."
Kennedy Leonard
On getting back into game mode
"We just haven't played in two weeks. At tip its like 'oh gosh its a game again.' I think just getting back into the flow of it and getting that first quarter over with helps. Being able to settle in to our plays and our game helped a ton when getting into the next three quarters."
On competing in the postseason
"Last year we won seven games so I think all post season play is something that's special and it almost feels like we made the NCAA Tournament. Most of us haven't been in a post season before. Some of the senior class has but nobody else has really been in a post season. To experience the excitement around it, winner stays and loser goes home, is really important for us going forward and for us being so young and still being to play in the moment."
On playing guard heavy UNLV
"Its always fun to match up against teams that are guard heavy because we are pretty guard heavy. At one point we traded baskets a couple of time and then we took the reigns. Alexis hit a couple of shots, Haley [Smith] hit a couple of shots, I hit a couple of shots. I think down the line being able to compete against other guards is kind of fun. At the end of the game Lexi crossed one up and that got us going. It's really exciting to play against people who are just as competent as us and as talented as us and then getting the upper hand in the end."
Alexis Robinson
On the team's 8-0 Run at the end of the third quarter
"That was definitely the biggest run of the game. Those are the runs you live for in a basketball game. It was definitely fun in that moment of the game."
Kathy Oliver, UNLV head coach
On what contributed to the loss
"Colorado did a very good job defensively on us. They pressured us and their guards did a good job at making their baskets and making their free throws. They got to the free throw line a lot more than us. We just turned the ball over a few too many times in the first half. And in that second half we didn't turn the ball over as much but they capitalized on our mistakes in that first half, and I think that was the difference in the game."
On the Rebel's intensity throughout the game
"Our team has battled all year. We just talked to them in their and we said that they have nothing to put their heads down about. We battled the entire game. We turned the ball over a little too much in that first half and the second half we cleaned it up and battled on the boards. We're a relentless fight through adversity type of team. I'm super proud of the lady rebels."
NEXT UP: The Buffs travel to South Dakota State for a second-round WNIT game on Sunday at 1 p.m. MDT.
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
Team Stats
UNLV
COLO
FG%
.362
.434
3FG%
.333
.348
FT%
.667
.800
RB
32
35
TO
18
18
STL
4
11
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
23
FGM
7
3FGM
4
FTM
5
Pts
16
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Pts
11
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
5
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG/F
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